Search The Scriptures

Search The Scriptures

John 5:17-47

Prayer

Indtroduction

People deny that Christ was who He said He was. People even deny believing that Jesus is God. Many People don’t believe that there is a God. They have bought into the lie that this life is all there is so we need to live our life to the fullest because when we die we simple cease to exist. What terror they must live in. What fear must they go through in life believing that this short time here on earth is all there is. They follow the creed eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.

I once read a story about a man and a tiger that bears repeating here. It seems that one night in a country in the far east a man was overcome by the heat and vowed that he would sleep that night even if he had to move his bed outside into the open air where tigers prowled and cobras crawled. He dragged his bed outside into the courtyard of his home. A pleasant cool breeze descended upon him immediately from the nearby jungle canopy. He spread his mosquito netting above his bed, resting it upon the frame of the bedstead and fell fast asleep. It was not an hour or so later that he was awakened by a feeling of dread and apprehension. He sensed that he was not alone and that danger lurked nearby. He was transfixed by the silence of the night and felt that he dare not move lest he make a noise that would attract the danger that he was sure rested in the nearby jungle. As he stared, straining into the darkness beyond he suddenly saw a shadow. He knew immediately that a tiger was prowling the edge of the jungle in search of prey. Frozen in fear, he could barely afford a breath. The shadow moved nearer and nearer to the place where he reclined in the middle of that courtyard. There was no escape nor weapon to be grasped. He simply closed his eyes and waited. Though he could not see the beast for he was afraid to open his eyes lest they reflect his presence, he knew that it was upon him. Closer and closer it came until he could feel it pressing its nose against the fragile netting. Yet, each time it pressed against the netting it retreated only to return again. Finally, after feeling its breath rushing across his frozen face, he could stand it no longer. He arose in bed and screamed with all his life and breath. The tiger retreated to the jungle and he was saved. He never again found himself so pressed by the heat to take the risk of sleeping in that courtyard again.

God places a “veil of innocence” around our souls that is meant to protect us from the evil in this world. It is as fragile as it is strong. It is the sheerest of defenses for its simplicity. Yet, when we are within it, we need fear no harm. The devil and the world will press against it, even breath down our necks sometimes. However, when we call upon the name of the Lord, crying out for His protection and mercy, we will be saved and the temptation will be vanquished. In so doing, the breath of the “tiger” will give us pause to reflect on where we ought to be spending our time; in harms way or out of it.

I say who is more foolish, the one who believes that this world is all that there is or one who believes that there is a God who loves us so much that He sent His only begotten son to die on the cross for us that we might be saved. That there is more to life that eating, drinking and be merry. That there is an eternal life.

What Has Jesus Done For Me

I awoke one day and realized that I was all alone

I went through the day and saw my sins for which I must atone.

My heart was in despair

As my tears filled the air

No hope, no home, just hell all alone

Where or where had I gone wrong.

I had been told of Jesus before

But I had just said tell me no more

In fact I denied He died for me

I just could not believe that He died for me.

I needed no saving, I had no need of grace.

I just continued to run my very on race.

Then on that fateful day I awoke

I realized that all my life I have been living a joke.

I had heard about Jesus and I understood that he had died to save me

With a heart that was broke I got on bended knee