John 14:26 NKJ
But the [a]Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
TBS all the things Jesus did, all the miracles He performed were so numerous there would never be enough pen and paper to record, or write them down.
The disciples had witnessed a lot of things and Jesus had taught them first hand, but He knew there would times in His absence they would still need His strength and instruction. During those times they would need to be comforted and have the piece of mind that Jesus was never very far away.
They were challenged with the same challenges we still who call themselves Christians are faced with and have the privilege of undertaking today!
And when those moments the disciples were in need, the omnipotent Holy Spirit was there to meet their need. We still 2000 plus years later, still have the same luxury of God with us in the form of the Holy Spirit living in us, teaching and guiding us, helping us all along the journey.
There is nothing that God is not willing to help you with and I mean absolutely nothing, God Loves to help His Children!
The more you understand God’s grace and mercy and that being a Christian is so much more than finding religion. Its only then you realize, God’s grace and mercy, is only accessible by having a real and intimate relationship with God, through His Son Jesus!
God loves us, because God loves Jesus and the more you love Jesus, the more you understand just how much Jesus loves you and a better understanding of how your relationship holds the key to all the plans God has for your life!
There are so many things God wants to do for all of us, things He is ready, willing and able to do on a moments notice,
Illus.
Story of Sam the dog,
Growing up we had a farm dog and his name was Sam. Sam never had any of the frills dogs nowadays enjoy. Sam was never allowed to beg at the table, because Sam was never allowed in the house and was only fed table scraps my mom turned into some kind of gravy stuff.
Sam never had a dog house, fancy bed or a fancy dog sweater. I don’t think Sam ever even went to the vet for a shot. Sams only perk he was allowed to do, was to hang around and chase cars up and down the road. Everyone always said Sam would Probably get hit by a car doing that, but he never did get hit.
Sam hung around his whole life for scraps and by the way he lived to be 21 yrs old and died of old age.
Now while this is just a story, the devil would have you think all you are entitled to, is a life like Sams. No frills, no promise, a no nothing kind of life with just a scrap thrown to you every once and a while.
God wants you to know, life doesn’t have to be that way, you can have life on the grand scale! Because if you know and have a relationship with Jesus you can have and are entitled to an abundant life. A blessed life with a lifetime guaranteed seat at the table and will never have to settle for scraps!
Ps. 103:1-5 NKJ.
1. Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2. Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3. Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4. Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies,
5. Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s
As we read this, we can tell that David was excited, who in the world wouldn’t be? Because He knew first hand, about the benefits from having a relationship with the Lord!
Too many people feel as though David had a special first hand relationship with God, I suppose they might say the same thing about Moses, Elijah and probably even Billy Graham as well.
You know what, they did have a special first hand relationship with God, but I remind you TBS God is not a respecter of persons and no where in the Bible does the Bible say you can’t have the same intimacy of relationship they had, cultivated and enjoyed!
Question, why aren’t you?
Knowing God and having a relationship with Him, is an exciting amazing adventure! When I was a child, I thought religion was boring and I was right, religion is Boring! But my relationship with God, through His Son Jesus, is anything But Boring!!
Nobody’s relationship with God has to be boring and if it is let me tell you, God’s not the one who’s making your relationship boring, you are!
If one will be active and participate in their relationship, its as exciting as it gets, or as exciting as you want it to get!
If more people knew the truth, instead of just the bits and pieces they think they know or learned in a Sunday morning service they really weren’t paying attention in, there would not be enough room in our church’s this morning, they’d be knocking down the doors trying to get in and learn all they could!
I recently had a conversation with a young lady who had been in church her whole life. Thing is up until now, her relationship had all been head knowledge. I could tell as I spoke to her, her relationship had moved from head knowledge to heart knowledge and it was his though someone had turned the light on!
She was so excited, she could hardly contain her enthusiasm. She said she was attending a small church of only about 17 members. The size of the church didn’t matter, everything that mattered before to her didn’t matter, she said the only thing that mattered was that when she went to church, God was there!
It was easy to see the relationship she has with Jesus shining through her in every way possible!
Far too many Christians are still looking for the entertainment value of man’s attempt at religion, instead of the intimacy of relationship God is longing to have with them through Jesus His Amazing Grace and Forgiveness Delivering Son!
The bible is the biggest selling and most circulated book in the world! It’s a shame that more people don’t read it and realize the “Truth and Power,” its subject contains!
John 1:1 KJ
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
MSG. says it like this:
1-2. “The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
in readiness for God from day one.
3-5. Everything was created through him;
nothing—not one thing!—
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn't put it out”
The devil has had the blinders of religion on God’s people long enough! The church’s should be full across the world this morning, not with jazzed up new programs and the blinders of religion, but with hearts crying out for more of God along with the testimonies of God’s goodness and extravagant blessings of those who are willing to pursue their relationship!
Let’s go back for a moment to
Ps. 103:2-3 NKJ.
2. “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:(which are too numerous to list)
3. Who forgives all your iniquities, (which are ongoing and never stop happening)
Who heals all your diseases,” (which are far too many and doctors can’t do and are stumped as to why they can’t find the cures for so many diseases, but God can and willingly does for His children!)
The benefits from your relationship God is willing to pursue with you, if you are willing to pursue as well...takes care of everything imaginable you will ever come against!
The word and the promise of the Word doesn’t get any clearer on the subject, do not forget my benefits, I will forgive your sins and I will heal you, says the Great I Am!! No where does the Bible declare he won’t heal or is unwilling too either!
Do you believe Gods word to be true?
Well you say, of course we do, we just read it didn’t we.
The word says, God’s Word is the first and last word on the subject, God’s Word is all you need! “I Am the Lord who heals you, I Am who I Am!”
These amazing truths need to be exposed to the world, God’s Promises have been there for thousands of years for all believers to benefit from, yet to many people are still walking around in the dark concerning the benefits of God!
Jesus says in John 8:12-13 MSG.
12. Jesus once again addressed them: "I am the world's Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in."
13. The Pharisees objected, "All we have is your word on this. We need more than this to go on."
The Pharisees even after seeing Jesus miracles first hand, said Jesus words were not enough. When the blinders and the scales are lifted from someone’s eyes and the truth is revealed, like I shared of the young lady earlier, Jesus Words become real and they become more than enough!
There is no higher authority to be had! A word is all you need from God, He spoke the world into existence with His words, God spoke your abundant life into existence as well at the same time!
One moment in His marvelous light, with His Grace and Favor shining down on you is all you need to go on!! His word is more than enough to transform you from ordinary to extraordinary!!
One moment in God’s presence can turn your situation and any situation around, no matter what it is! Praise God!! If you Need a river in your desert, its not to hard for God, ya know!
Ps. 18:1-3 NKJ.
1. I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
2. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
This was a Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, who spoke to the LORD the words of this song, On the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
That day, was David’s river in the desert, that day was a big deal to David,
that day like all days, God was working all things together for Him, for His good!!
Whatever you may be facing in your life today, God is willing to do the same and more for you!
TBS. Gods not a respecter of persons, I know you’ve heard me say that many times, but think about it for a minute?
He loves you and wants to take care of you, the same way He did David, a man after His own heart. You are special to God and He find pleasure in taking good care of you!
Ps. 18:19 NKJ
19 He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.
Max Lucado tells about living as an American in Brazil. One day, as he was walking along the street on his way to the University to teach a class, he felt a tug on his pants leg.
Turning around, he saw a little boy about 5 or 6 years old with dark beady eyes and a dirty little face. The little boy looked up at the big American and said, "Bread, Sir."
He was a little beggar boy and Lucado said, "There are always little beggar boys in the streets of Brazil. Usually I turn away from them because there are so many and you can't feed them all. But there was something so compelling about this little boy that I couldn't turn away.
So, taking his hand, I said, `Come with me' and I took him into a coffee shop." Max told the owner, "I'll have a cup of coffee and give the boy a piece of pastry...whatever he wants."
Since the coffee counter was at the other end of the store, Max walked on and got a cup of coffee, forgetting about the little boy because beggar boys usually get the bread and then run back out into the street and disappear. But this one didn't.
After he got his pastry, he went over to the big American and just stood there until Lucado felt his staring eyes. Lucado said, "I turned and looked at him. Standing up, his eyes just about hit my belt buckle. Then slowly his eyes came up until they met mine.
The little boy, holding his pastry in one hand, looked up and said, 'Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.'" Lucado said, "I was so touched by the boy's thanks that I would have bought him the store.
That’s how God is with us, when we pursue our relationship with Jesus and His salvation Message we accept and believe!
He is such a good God, there is no one else like Him, thank you doesn’t seem enough, for all He does for us!!
Do you receive it today?
Let’s pray!
