Waving Bedsheets In Glory

"Waving Bedsheets in Glory"

Luke 15:11-24

Not very many times in my short ministry that I’ve struggled with knowing what the will of my Master is for a message to preach from the pulpit. At times I may have desired to preach a different message than what Christ has led me to, but this message today has been a struggle for me. Part of that may have to do with the fact that in order to deliver this message it will be necessary for me to bear my soul to you this morning.

One night in a little Baptist church the Holy Spirit of Almighty God got such a tight grip on my heart that I felt as I would die unless I submitted to the will of God for my life. I had fought God and run from him and turned around to fight again each and every time he backed me into a corner to escape from his calling on my life. I heard a preacher say one time that he absolutely detested it when preachers said they had surrendered to the ministry because it implied that there had been a fight involved. That’s what I did! I finally raised a white flag of surrender, a signal of defeat…

To the one who had overwhelmed me! I had fought and kicked and screamed and bit and run until my soul was at a standstill and something had to give. (Marcel Ledbetter fighting a wampus cat )

If this in some way offends you then get over it because you called a defeated and surrendered man to pastor this church, yet empowered with the Holy Ghost we can do all things, all things, all things, all things, all things through Christ who strengthens us!

Since that moment of total surrender to the Lordship of Christ Jesus, I have seen God supernaturally reshape and reform my values, my perceptions, my desires, my hopes, my dreams, my habits, my purpose and my goals in life. The time has not yet come that God can say he is finished with me but he has been able to take a vile and sinful man to allow him to preach the gospel from HOLY GROUND! He told Joshua that though your sins be as scarlet, I SHALL MAKE THEM WHITE AS SNOW!!

The time has not yet come that we can lay down our banners and cast aside our mission because the labor of love Jesus gave us in the Great Commission has not yet been fulfilled. There are still 2000 people groups in the world representing 1.7 billion people who have not heard the life changing message of my Risen Lord and Savior! It’s not time for us to lay down and rest on our past accomplishments but instead to actively seek ways to be used in his nail scarred hands. We need the young and the old, male and female, the highly educated and the uneducated, white, black, pink or purple: there is a place you must stand in this great battle for the eternal souls of men. Nothing saddens me more than to hear the aged say that they will step aside because their time is finished and they are of no more use any longer to the mission of God. I’m just so tired Preacherman, think I’ll rest a little while and let you youngsters take over. Few steps short of meeting Jesus in glory and walking with the saints and we lay down our crosses short of the finish line. Brother T you are and inspiration to me as a preacher because of your faithfulness to the Master and I may not know how old you are but I know that God still has a purpose for you in this church.

· Sally Jesse Raphael show with the horribly burned and disfigured

There are people within the four walls of this house of God today that are just as scarred and disfigured in their hearts as burn victims. We may not be able to see the scars on your soul or to view you wounds but no matter how deep your pain may be…

Jesus is still able to heal your

Hurts and remove those scars!

Turn in your bibles to Luke 15:11-24 and as you’re turning there I’d like to say that if you’re tired of treating the symptoms and you’re ready for the cure… Jesus is the one you’ve been looking for. Little bit of unfiltered apple cider vinegar to take care of your physical ailments and a little bit of the Blood of Jesus is all you need!

( Prayer )

The story of the prodigal son isn’t a new one but is a message that has been preached for centuries by greater men than me and within this simple story we can all see ourselves. The lost can see themselves like the prodigal son with no one to care for them and love them turning to the Fathers’ House and being gladly welcomed and the Believer can also see themselves. I know that this story is a testimony of my life as I returned to the presence of my Heavenly Father after many years of struggle and strife. I may not know your pain or your hurts but I DO KNOW YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN and his message to you today is return unto me!