"I Just Haven't Got Anybody"

"The sick man answered Him, 'Sir, I have no man....'" (John 5:7)

J.B. Phillips says, "'Sir,' replied the sick man, 'I just haven't got anybody to put me into the pool when the water is all stirred up.  While I'm trying to get there somebody else gets down into it first.'"  But Jesus in effect said, "Ah, but you have somebody now."  This is Our Jesus.  When it seems as though, "I just haven't got anybody," Jesus says to us, "I Am your Somebody."  "The man answered, 'Lord, I don't have anyone....'" (CEV)  My fellow pilgrim on life's journey, You and I need never say this.  We have Someone.  When all others seem to forsake or actually do forsake, you can always say, "I have Somebody."  This world can seem an awful lonely place at times, "While I'm trying to get there somebody else gets [there] first."  Have you ever felt that about your healing, your "prophetic word," your finances------------------------ your happiness?  It is the feeling of the man who had no one for 38 years, that is, until Jesus came to him. 

Some people are all too aware of this troubling reality of the human race.  Others just fill their lives with so much activity they don't have time to think about it.  So many people whom so many people admire as "hard workers," you know the kind, those who never have any time for you, who in reality are just "workaholics" attempting to escape the loneliness of creatures who, "just haven't got anybody," are really people out there today desperately attempting to fill that void of, "I just haven't got anybody."  This sad assumption leads people into wrong marriages, into wrong religious groups, even wrong professions, "I just haven't got anybody."  Yet, Jesus stands before all humanity just as He stood before the man who had, "no man," and offered Himself; He still does.  The Open Doors "Prayer Force" today calls for prayer for Brunei.  "God has shown Himself to Bruneians through supernatural means such as dreams and visions."  Of course He has.  Jesus is The Man Who, when so many in "dark" places of the earth are feeling and saying, "I just haven't got anybody," appears.  No one has any idea of how many times Jesus comes to lonely creatures on this Planet and shows Himself-------- "You are not alone.  I am here."

Whatever this day has brought you, or whatever it will, you need never, positively never, ever say, "I just haven't got anybody," or, "I don't have anyone."  May we never forget Him Who says continually to us, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.  Amen."   

Father, in Jesus' Name, I am so very, very thankful that You are my Eternal Someone.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"They Heard the Voice of The Lord God Walking"

"And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide...." (Genesis 24:63)

Yesterday I referred to our text.  I was enjoying such an "encounter" this morning in our Lord and was reminded of the "original intent."  The passage is found in Genesis 3:8, "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day," probably early morning.  Notice, "....They heard the voice of the Lord God walking...."  The word for, "voice," in the text could also be translated, "sound," which indeed some translations use.  Could it be as the Lord God was walking, He was also speaking?  Remember, "Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, 'Where are you?'"  Is there not a longing in this question?  Is there not the voice and question of One Who loves us so much, yet found us hiding among the trees?  And why were we hiding?  We had accepted the enticing lie of Satan, a lie which first cast doubt, then outright rejection of Father's authority and rule in the Earth.  What else could we do but, "hide [ourselves] among the trees of the garden"?  Oh, so very many on the earth are still attempting this escape.

Now someone may ask, "Why do you say 'we'"?  Well, we were there.  When our original parents rebelled, the DNA was passed on.  Now those who do not surrender their lives to Jesus, find themselves seeking refuge, "among the trees of the garden."  Of course, humanity can attempt to run and hide as they, and sow our fig leaves as they, but all to no avail.  Jesus will always find us and inquire, "Where are you?"  This is God Who, "loves the world."

Yes, we are thankful for being members of His Church, the gathering of ourselves together.  But most of our life is spent apart from the Church "gathered."  It is in the "alone" times, the times when we are surrounded by those who do not love or follow Jesus, or just feeling as Ephesians 2 says, "....having no hope and without God in the world."  Now in our right mind, we may never say or think that, but how many times when the pressure of life is overwhelming us we do feel as such.  It is then we need to follow Isaac's example.  What a glorious, "eventide," that was. 

I encourage you today to remember that His Words to you and me never change and "fail not,' "I am with you always, even to the end of the age....Abide in Me and I in you....I will never, no never leave you nor forsake you.'  I am your, "very present help in trouble.'"  And, my dear friend in Christ, never forget that what The Word of God said to Abraham, He is saying to you right now, "Do not be afraid, (your name), I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

Father, in Jesus ' Name, Thank You.  Amen. 

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

It Really Does Not Take Much Hype

"Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast." (Psalm 36:6)

There, even the King James Version.  Our text reminds me of another great worship passage, "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide...."--------- no chorus line worship team, no electronics, no charismatic worship leader, no waiting for or expectation of God's "presence," just Isaac, "the field at the eventide," and His God. 

Our text is worship.  Now I went to all my Bible "helps" and could not come up with anything "deep" or "fresh" or "profound."  The reading of the Words, the sound in my mind, the majesty of their declaration all combined to bless; therefore, I repeat, "Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast."  Jesus is our Righteousness; Jesus is our Judgments; Jesus is our Preservation.  If you and I take refuge in Jesus, and take refuge in the reality that Jesus Himself is our Righteousness, our Judgments, our Preservation, nothing but worship, thankfulness, and unspeakable comfort follow----- no matter where we are, no matter the life's circumstance. 

The worship of David declares, "Your righteousness is like the great mountains."  This is an ancient man's attempt to describe God's righteousness."  The mountains, no matter where they are or how they appear, are full of beauty and grandeur.  They are majestic in appearance and size compared to a little human on this planet.  This is Father's righteous, Who Is Jesus Christ, beauteous, grand, and majestic.  David then says, "Thy judgments are a great deep...."  Most believe this is a reference to the depths of the sea, just as beautiful, full of grandeur, and seemingly limitless to David.  Limitless, a good description of the, "judgments," the justice of God.

I so encourage you today to go, "out to meditate in the field at the eventide," or somewhere hitherto you have not gone.  The "place" is not the atmosphere; Our Savior Is.  Because it is the anywheres of life where we "find" Jesus our Lord, "a very Present Help...."  Right there, look around; it is just as good a place as, "the field at the eventide," or in the shadow of the mountains, a view of, "the great deep," to discover more and more of Him Who Paul refers to as, "the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I so thank You for the blessing of this Psalm today.  Amen.
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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"Lukewarm": "Ah, come on now--Really?

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot."  (Revelation 2:15, from my last Friday reading)

Too many people over the years have equated, "hot," with jumping up and down in the aisles or blazing "Hell fire" preaching, great anointed "presence," or big meeting-every-night churches.  And whatever, "cold," means to them, the accusation of, "lukewarm," is an indifferent attitude toward Jesus Christ, "The Word of God," and His Words, the Bible.  The issue with, "lukewarm," people is that they believe what agrees with the prevailing culture position, and a personal, "Oh, I can't believe God would----------"  They don't seem to be outright contrary to God; they just are not outright for Him.  It is an attitude that sort of says, "Of course I believe the Bible; I just can't see how you could say that person has, "sinned and come short of the glory of God."  Or, "Of course I love Jesus; but if a person lives a good life, how can you say he is not 'righteous'"?  Notice in our text, however, that the issue is, "I know your deeds," not, "I know your beliefs."  A, "lukewarm," person is a person who acts out a life style of indifference toward the, "Word of God."  In all reality, they just do not take the Bible that seriously.  There is a constant search for a different "take" on the Bible.  Those who do so think that if they can just make the Bible more "civil," more people would accept it. 

More and more in cultures around the world, those who desire to follow Jesus Christ are encountering increasing doubts about the Bible, not outright rejection of the Bible, but a sort of, "Ah, come on.  You have to be a little more open-minded about that.  Do you really think God meant_________?"  For generations now in Western Culture, people have been reworking the Bible to make it more acceptable to an ever increasing desire to make God into man's image.  They are neither, "cold nor hot," toward the Bible, just sort of, "Ah, come on," about the Bible. 

The temptation is all around us every day.  But you and I have a wonderful promise, a promise made to those in Laodicea who would be totally surrendered to Jesus Christ.  I pray the exhortation to the Laodicean Church often, "I advise you to buy form Me gold refined in the fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself...; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.  Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline....He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me in My throne...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray for the, "gold," to which You refer, "white garments," and the, "eye salve."  Whatever the depths of meaning, I desire them.  Amen.
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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2