Do I feel Jesus?

 “Jesus giveth to all, life and breath, and all things; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us!” ~ Acts 17  

“Feelings” seem to be running rapid these days as wickedness seeks to prevail! Often we don’t really like to discuss our ‘feelings.’ But today the Message surrounds the Breath of God that was breathed into us at birth and God’s desire is –  that we might ‘Feel’ Him. It is one thing to say we Love Jesus, another thing to Serve Him, and yet another thing to Follow Him – so close that we ‘Feel’ Him!  I’m reminded of the Apostle Peter when Jesus questioned him. Jesus spoke to him on three occasions asking, “Simon, son of Jonas, Lovest thou me?” First Peter answered Him, “Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee.” But as Jesus continued on to the Third time, with: “Simon, son of Jonas, Lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto Him the third time, Lovest thou me? Peter responded “Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I Love Thee!”  There are many sermons that no doubt have been preached on this subject, but the simplest thought is – Jesus was saying if you love me, there is work to be done for My Kingdom! And so it is this very day, so much work to be done for the Kingdom of God as it draws near. Christianity must rise to the occasion. Our witness for Jesus must be strong, and full of the Power of our Salvation! It is not enough to be a good person. The heart of God is calling for His people to draw near. In Heb. 7:19 His Word tells us: The Law mad nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a Better Hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God!”  We have a powerful Word from the Lord in James 4 – If we will submit ourselves to God and resist the devil, he will flee from us! God’s Word proclaims: “draw nigh to God, He will draw nigh to us! So the question before us today is: “Do I feel Jesus?” We know we are Saved, We love Him, but He seeks for us to “Haply, feel His Presence beside us! Sincere meditation will bring Him close as we reach for His Love. ~ Pastor

 

Gracious Father, our God and Saviour; we have heard Your Word today and have well noted Your desire for us to come so close to You,  that we might physically feel You beside us! Surround Your people today with the Power of Your Presence.  Enlarge our Hope, strengthen our Trust, cause us to sense the Power of Your Love in our lives! Pour forth Your Precious Holy Spirit to guide us and nudge us to walk in Your paths of rightness! I Pray for Blessings upon this people and healing in this house for You are a faithful Saviour! O Lord Impart Your Wisdom to us, and help us ‘feel’ Your nearness! We ask for Your Presence to surround our families! We ask these things in Your Name, the Name of Jesus!

How Excellent Is Thy Name

 ^“ O Lord our Lord, how Excellent is Thy Name in all the earth! who hast set Thy glory above the heavens. When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast Ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visits him? O Lord our Lord, how Excellent is Thy Name in all the earth!"  ~ Psalm 8:1, 3-4, 9      

As we meditate upon the “Goodness of God” and think of the glorious inheritance that He has prepared for us, we can’t help but voice the Words of the Psalmist: “How Excellent is Thy Name O Lord our God!” Today we consider the Power of the Name of Jesus!  It is an Excellent Power of Love and Mercy which He has bestowed upon His people. His Name is full of Glory, so such that our vocabulary cannot express in words, His powerful Greatness! King David, a man after God’s own heart, has proclaimed it and declared that our enemies can be ‘stilled’ by God’s Excellent Name!  He has poured forth His greatest Glory in His Son and at “The Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;” ~  Phil. 2:10. The next time satan invades your mind to worry, just say to him – “bow to Jesus!” – things under the earth can be stilled by the Excellency of Jesus Holy Name! O Church Scripture tells us “Our help is in the Name of the Lord, He who made the heavens and the earth!” We are called upon to “Praise Him for His Mighty Acts and according to His Excellent Greatness!” There was once a day when even those who did not believe in Him, reverence Him, but alas that day is gone as wickedness prevails. The very thought of taking His Excellent Name off of our “Pledge of Allegiance” would be a gross immoral mistake, for we are His Country!  Jesus received the same Excellency regarding His Name!  2 Pet. 1:17-18 – “For Jesus received from God the Father Honour and Glory, when there came such a Voice to Him from the Excellent Glory, This is My Beloved Son, in whom I Am well pleased. And this Voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the Holy Mount.” – and then a ‘warning’ is heard – VS19 “We have also a more Sure Word of Prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the Day Star arises in your hearts:” I hear the strains of “His Name is Wonderful, just now in my Spirit! O Lord we rise to Worship You!  Love, Pastor

 

The Benediction:

How Excellent is Thy Name, heavenly Father, truly in all the earth as Your Word proclaims! You are Excellent in Power, in Mercy, and in Grace, we Honour and Worship You! O God, place it in our heart to remember Your greatness and the Power of Your Salvation! Saturate us with the Anointing of Your Precious Holy Ghost until we are overwhelmed with Your Presence! May healing be our portion today, for you have given us a great Physician in Whose Stripes bring forth Healing. Surround our families with Your Precious Blood and keep them safe and bring Salvation to all I Pray! Thank you Jesus, for You give us Hope and forgiveness! In this we are greatly Blessed! We ask these things in the Holy Name of our Father, and In the Name of Jesus and the Power of the Holy Ghost! Amen!

How It All Began

 

John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John The same was in the beginning with God. 

        

The forever question that is asked: How do we know there is a God? The answer to that question is found in John 1:4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was In The Beginning with God.  All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the Light of men.” I know this is well-known information, but I sense the nudging of the Lord that He might remind us regarding our Inheritance.  Last week we looked at our Spiritual Inheritance in Jesus Sacrificial Offering of Himself. Today we see how powerful our Saviour is, that in Him everything that we know about Heaven and Earth is in Him. God is our Power source, the Creator, but all creation was for God’s Beloved Son. Life without Christ is darkness. Christ lights up our life and ‘real’ life – Eternal Life is in Him!  He is the Living Word in us!  Consider what God has done for us.  2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He hath made Jesus to be sin for us, Jesus knew no sin; The Purpose: that we might be made the righteousness of God in Jesus!  Herein is the Powerful Scripture in John 1:14; The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth.  Everything about God is “Living!”  He gives us Living Bread, Spirit of the Living God, we are the temple of the Living God, New & Living Way, Lively stones, Living foundations of water ... on and on go the “Living thing” that God has proved for us! Most important the Word of God is Life!  Jesus offered His Flesh, without sin for us, what can we offer of our flesh .. But to ‘Live’ an overcoming life, witnessing of the Goodness of God and the Life we have in Him. The Word is more powerful then a mere word, it is life! It is substance, It is Eternal Life! We have tasted that the Lord is gracious, loving, forgiving, and everything in Heaven and Earth was made for Him!