Father – Page 9 – Praying Pint

15.f. “You worship what you do not know”

John 4:16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

“Christ has different doors for entering into different people’s souls. Into some, he enters by the understanding; into many, by the affections. To some, he comes by the way of fear; to another, by that of hope; and to this woman, he came by way of her conscience.” (Spurgeon) Jesus brought up this embarrassing issue because her sinful life had to be confronted. This woman had to decide what she loved more: her sin or the Messiah. One scholar, (Alford) wrote something interesting. Alford said the first step in granting the request of the woman for the living water, Jesus had to first confront and convince her of sin. What did the woman do when Jesus brought to her attention that she was living in sin with a man who was not her husband? She tried to change the subject and change the focus of their discussion. This is so true with us too. When we read something in scripture that speaks to our soul about sin in our life we try to change the meaning or convince ourselves that what we read was not really speaking to us personally. Though this woman was a sinner, Jesus revealed Himself to her. Jesus reveals Himself to sinners. God’s Word reveals “sin” and “understanding” to the hearts and minds of those who are open. Though they may be in the act of sinning or harboring sin in their lives, God’s Word will reveal it. I wonder how many times I have been deaf and blind to sin in my life when I read or listen to His Word. Do I read it and let it fall on a closed mind? To worship God in “Truth” means we do not come to Him and His Word with pretense or mere display of spirituality. When we read God’s Word we will do well to read it with this verse from David in Psalms 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

15.c. “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”

John 3:31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Philippians 2:9-11     Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Ephesians 1:20-21   that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,  far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

John 3:12    If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

John wanted everyone to know where Jesus came from. Jesus was different from everyone else because He came from heaven. He wasn’t an exceptionally spiritual or wise or good man; He was and is God, from heaven. Jesus is not only different from everyone else; Jesus is also greater than everyone else. If we want information about a family, we will get it at first hand only from a member of that family. If we want information about a town we will get it at first hand only from someone who comes from that town. So, then, if we want information about God, we will get it only from the Son of God; and if we want information about heaven and heaven’s life, we will get it only from him who comes from heaven. (Enduring Word)

There is a heavy price to pay for rejecting the Son of God. When Jesus is rejected, so is God. Why does a man think they can reject the Son of God and somehow still receive eternal life? This is not possible and is a delusion, lie, and a fool-paradise. The wrath of God awaits every soul that rejects the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The wrath of God is not fading away. It is being held in check by His grace, mercy, and love until the fulfillment of His purpose and plan and timing. Those that die while still rejecting Jesus Christ will enter eternity, but not in heaven. Hell is their eternal reward for this rejection of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness. Torment, darkness, pain, and anguish for eternity. It is an intentional choice to receive or reject the gift of life through Jesus Christ. Eternal consequences are the direct result of this choice.

14.z. “So must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

John 3:13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Proverbs 30:4     Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!

Ephesians 4:9     (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?

Numbers 21:7-9    And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.  And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”  So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

2 Kings 18:4   He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan).

John 8:28     So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.

John 12:32-34    And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Jesus “makes it clear that He can speak authoritatively about things in heaven, though no one else can.” Jesus made a remarkable statement, explaining that the serpent of Numbers 21:4-9 was a picture of the Messiah and His work. The people were saved not by doing anything, but by simply looking to the bronze serpent. They had to trust that something as seemingly foolish as looking at such a thing would be sufficient to save them, and surely, some perished because they thought it too foolish to do such a thing. As it says in Isaiah 45:22: Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. We might be willing to do a hundred things to earn our salvation, but God commands us to only trust in Him – to look to Him. “Nicodemus had failed to grasp the teaching about the new birth when it was presented to him in terms drawn from Ezekiel’s prophecy; now it is presented to him by means of an object-lesson, from a story with which he had been familiar since childhood.” Belief consists of accepting something, not doing something. When the disciples asked Jesus what work of God they must do, He replied; “Believe in the one He has sent”. When Paul was asked by the jailer “What must I do to be saved?”, Paul replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ”.

To those who know they are perishing, they seek help and redemption from that which is causing it. Like a breath of air to the drowning. Like a physician’s healing to the sick. Like water to those on fire. Like food to the starving. Like the Israelites bitten by fiery serpents. Like Jesus Christ to the sinner. Unless the person realizes they are in need or realizes there is a need, they will not be seeking help and redemption from that which is causing it. The drowning man can’t breathe, the sick person is feeling bad, the person on fire feels the pain of burning, the starving are hungry, and the Israelites were dying from snake bites, these all felt the physical pain and realized the need for help and redemption. The pain of sin, when realized, is more than physical pain, it is soul-deep and affects the entire body, heart, mind, and soul. When is sin pain realized? When the heart, mind, and soul are exposed to the Word of God and His Holiness. Many are walking around with their soul drowning in their sin but do not seek the breath of air found in Jesus Christ. Many are walking around with their soul-sick in the sin but do not seek the Great Physician, Jesus Christ. Many are walking around with their soul burning from sin but do not seek the living water of Jesus Christ. Many are walking around with their soul starving in sin but do no seek the bread of life found in Jesus Christ. The need for Jesus Christ is more urgent than anything in this world. Just because others do not believe you are drawing, on fire, sick, and starving does not make it true. Seek God’s Word and allow it to lead and guide your heart and mind and soul.

14.r. “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John 5:32   There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

Matthew 11:27     All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Hebrews 1:1-2     Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

1 John 4:9    In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

John said; “I myself did not know Him” “And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God”. Jesus said; “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” “yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” God sent His Son into the world that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”

When Jesus Christ is rejected so is the testimony about Him. Think about how many times you make judgments for or against someone or something based on the testimony of one person. That person may have a bias, deceit, fraud, false pretense, etc…. and yet their word printed or spoken is taken as truth while truth and testimony of Jesus Christ recorded and proclaimed by hundreds is rejected. Why is this? “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” They choose to believe a lie and they choose to reject the truth. Testimony after testimony about Jesus Christ, the Love of God, salvation, redemption, forgiveness, eternity, eternal life, and heaven are chosen to be rejected. They have rejected the Son of God and His revelation of God’s grace, mercy, and love. It is in this choice to believe a lie over the truth of Jesus Christ they are given strong delusion to further enhance their false belief.

Imagine a person/company builds you a house and says it can never catch fire, it is fireproof. Then imagine a person coming to your house, knocking on the door to warn you that your house is on fire, and you say no it is not, I don’t believe you. Another after another comes knocking on your door and says your house is on fire you must believe me or you will surely die. Time and time again you reject what they are saying and then the fire marshal comes with a fire truck and firemen and knocks on your door and says you must get out before the fire kills you. You still maintain your house is not on fire because it is fireproof. You have a piece of paper from the builder that says you paid for and bought a fireproof house. You do not and will not believe it is possible your house will catch fire and burn. Your hopes and trust and belief had consequences. The result of this is your death. You refused to believe the truth. So it is with everyone who rejects Jesus Christ, the truth, and believes the lies, God is not real, His Son is not real, I am not that bad, God loves everyone so I am loved by God and He will not judge me or cast me into Hell, I am a good person on my own, I do not need to confess, I do not need forgiveness, I do not need redemption, my house is not burning down.

Belief in Jesus Christ means there is a reliance, trust, and clinging to Him alone. It means you have come to the knowledge of His holiness and your sinfulness. It means you come to the knowledge and understanding of there being only one way to be right with God and that is through belief in Jesus Christ. It means you have surrendered all thoughts of being self-righteousness before God and with all your heart, mind, and soul you are clinging to, relying on, and trusting in Jesus Christ alone. Because of this belief you humbly serve, honor, follow, obey, and rely on Him. Believing the truth of Jesus Christ results in eternal life. Believing in anything else is believing a lie and results in eternal death, Hell.

14.m. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Revelation 19:13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active,

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” What is this Word? We know the Word was there in the beginning with God. We know the Word was God. We know all things were made through Him. Jesus said in John 10:30 “I and My Father are one”. The Word is Jesus Christ. Jesus was with God prior to creation. Jesus is eternal. Why would the Creator take on the form of a servant and allow being rejected, despised, beaten, and crucified? There is no other reason than Love. God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Out of love, He chose to redeem, forgive, and restore all of the lost souls who would believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He alone is the one and only true path/way to eternal life in heaven. Not because they are good enough or have done enough good but because they believed the opposite in and of themselves. Their minds and souls were awakened to their sinful nature and the Holiness of Jesus Christ. There is no amount of good works that can bridge this gap between sin and holiness besides Jesus Christ. In simple terms, they surrendered to this fact and wholly trusted in Jesus Christ alone. In this surrender and trust, they were forgiven, redeemed, and promised eternal life. The life they live now is, or at least should be, in humbler service, honor, obedience, and faith to the only one worthy, Jesus Christ. The Creator did not redeem us to be critical of each other but to love one another, to build one another up, to encourage one another, to help one another, to pray for one another, and to worship, glorify, and praise Jesus Christ together. There ought to be no room in our hearts, minds, and souls for anything other than our love, trust, and obedience to Jesus Christ.

12.y.O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you”

Zephaniah 3:14 Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” “I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.

Psalms 42:2-4    My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?  My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”

Psalms 63:1-2   O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Jeremiah 31:9    With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Romans 11:25-26    Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;

Even in our trials and troubles, God is with us. “Be glad and rejoice with all your heart”. “The Lord is with you”, “I will rescue”, “I will gather”, “I will bring you home”, “I will give”, and “I will restore”. These are all from God. When all around us may be failing and falling apart, God has not changed and His promises are true, His grace, mercy, and love are steadfast, His presences is ever-present, His power to do more than we ask or can imagine is never limited, and all His foes, defiers, and deniers will be defeated and their plans destroyed. Our God is greater. Our God is all-powerful, Our God is all-knowing. Our God is all-in-all. He is our God. Do not allow fear, confusion, and worry place a cloud over you, blocking you from standing in the light of Our God, savior, redeemer, and King of kings. He is God Almighty.

6.m. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live;

Revelation 4:1  After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Isaiah 55:1-3    “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.  Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

John 6:37     All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

John 7:37     On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

Revelation 22:17    The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Matthew 7:13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.

“a door standing open in heaven!” Do you ever give thought to what it means to have the door open and an invitation to come? The invitation is to come through the door. The one giving the invitation is Jesus Christ. The Son of God opens the door to forgiveness of sin, faith, hope, joy, healing, peace, rest, love, heaven, and eternity. He may reach out and get your attention, tap you on your shoulder, whisper into your conscience, or with the sound of a trumpet, but He will not pull you through the door. He gives the invitation to come and He is holding the door open for you to come in. When He says come, it is with the same open invitation like follow Me, listen to Me, obey Me, trust in Me, love Me, have faith in Me. None of these will be forced upon anyone. These invitations are offers from Jesus Christ the Son of God and require a willing humble desire. Do you ever wonder if we take His invitations serious? Imagine getting an invitation from a celebrity and know they are waiting at the door, with it open and waiting for you. Would you go? Would you tell others? Would you be excited? Would you be happy to see this celebrity waiting at the door for you? What value does this celebrity offer should you willing to accept their offer to come?

The truth is they can offer worldly things but nothing that will last for eternity. They can offer no forgiveness of sin, faith, hope, joy, healing, peace, rest, love, heaven, and eternity. And yet, we seem to think this is a very big deal should we receive their invitation, when in fact, we should be willingly, excitedly, humbly, and with reverence accepting the invitations from the Son of God.

6.l. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Luke 12:36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

John 14:21-23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Notes from Reggie A. Braziel: Who is that is standing at the door of the human heart? It is JESUS CHRIST who stands at the door of our heart and knocks. Its not the preacher. Its not the pope. Its not the president. It is JESUS CHRIST, the Son of the living GOD. It is the DIVINE One knocking on the door of the HUMAN. It is the SINLESS One knocking on the door the SINFUL . It is the INNOCENT One knocking on the door of the GUILTY.

Many have believed this is a picture of Christ knocking on the heart’s door of the unsaved wanting to come in and bring salvation. But we must remember these verses in their proper context. Jesus spoke these words at the end of His letter to the “lukewarm” Church at Laodicea. So it isn’t the heart’s door of unbelievers Jesus is standing at, its the heart’s door of lukewarm , self-sufficient Christians.

You and I are “the keepers of our own heart’s door.” We decide who we will let into our heart and who we will keep out. We decide who we will accept into our heart as a friend and who we will reject as an enemy or a stranger. Jesus wants “full access” to our heart, not some of it, not most of it, He wants access to all of our heart. He wants to be our LORD…….and our KING……and our VERY BEST FRIEND. But how much access He has to your heart and mine is entirely dependent upon us.

Jesus is pleading for our attention! He is pleading for us to “Hear His voice!” How do we hear the voice of Christ? Does He speak to us audibly? Does He speak to us through signs? How do we hear His voice? We hear His voice through THE HOLY SPIRIT who communicates to us through the word of GOD. Do you ever struggle with a sense of dissatisfaction in your spiritual life as though you aren’t where you ought to be in your walk with Christ? Do you ever get the sense that you are stuck in a spiritual wilderness and your Christianity has become dry and barren? Do you ever come under the conviction that your life isn’t as “fruitful” and “productive” as it ought to be? Do you ever come under the conviction that Christ is calling you into a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Him?

Hearing is NOT enough! There must also be ACTION. Jesus will never barge through the door to your heart. You must listen, open, and invite Him in. The life of a Christian without desiring Christ in your heart, mind, and soul results in a lukewarm life that is not worthy of the price that was paid for your sin.

6.g. People who have not soiled their garments,

Revelation 3:4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Isaiah 52:1    Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.

Isaiah 59:6   Their webs will not serve as clothing; men will not cover themselves with what they make. Their works are works of iniquity, and deeds of violence are in their hands.

Isaiah 61:10   I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Isaiah 64:6     We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Jude 1:23    save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

Luke 21:36    But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

We read of those who have not soiled their garments. They walk in a way worthy of Jesus Christ and what He has done and is doing. They conquered any fleshly desire to follow others in false teaching. Do you ever wonder if your garments (your works, faith, thoughts, and words) are soiled? Do you wonder if you have adopted what is culturally acceptable and are living in filthy garments before the Lord? Do you think about what is clean and acceptable? Do you think about doing what is worthy of the price that was paid for your sins?

Soft living, comfortable living, self-centered self-reliant living, and neglecting God’s Word are no help in keeping your garments unsoiled. We would do well to be less influenced by the world and what it has to offer and be ever seeking and desiring to walk worthy of Jesus Christ. Who would want your bride to come to the wedding in a dirty and messed up wedding dress? The church (each of us) is the bride and we should want our garments to reflect our love and devotion to Jesus Christ the groom.

5.s. “Are the comforts of God too small for you?”

Job 15:11 Are the comforts of God too small for you, or the word that deals gently with you?

2 Corinthians 1:3-5    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort  who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

Isaiah 51:12    “I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass,

Psalms 34:2-6    My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.  Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!  I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.  Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.

John 14:18     “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:16     And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

John 14:26   But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17     Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,  comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Asking the question, “Are the comforts of God too small for you?” is good of us to ask of ourselves. Too often we are not content with God supplied comforts or of His word that deals gently with us. Too often we are not content with the “Helper”, “Holy Spirit” because we have closed our hearts and mind to Him. We find that yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit is lacking in our daily life and wonder what it even means to be lead by the Holy Spirit. One reason we may not hear the leading of the Holy Spirit is that we have not cultivated an ear to hear Him speak into our lives. We can certainly seek and desire to have this leading but being actively listening requires an intentional choice to not only hear but to be willingly going where and doing what the Holy Spirit is leading us. Another reason why we may not hear the leading of the Holy Spirit is that we are not willing to wait for this leading and we move forward in our own strength, power, and wisdom. When we do this we leave no room for God’s will to be done but rather what our will expects to be done. Another reason why we may not hear the leading of the Holy Spirit is that we are complacently walking in sin.

Whatever the reason for walking apart from the leading of the Holy Spirit there will always be the consequences of lacking power, faith, joy, peace, love, generosity, courage, faith, and hope in our life. In this lacking, we will find ourselves being content with worldly things and allowing them to bring meaningless meaning to our lives. “Are the comforts of God too small for you”