Reach Out To Jesus

The Bible shows us again and again that there are no impossible situations with Jesus — no hopeless predicaments with the Lord. 

So your situation is not hopeless. Your storm, your sin, your sickness or your lost loved ones are not hopeless. 

 Mark 5:25-27 “And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.”

Scripture tells us that in that instant she received what none of the doctors could give her. She was healed and she knew it. Jesus said, “Thy faith hath made thee whole.”

Have you reached that place yet? Have you come to understand that Jesus is the only hope you have?

Reach out to Jesus. Believe. 

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission

Memories

We are told that our background shapes our lives to such a degree that how we were raised will determine how we will live. Thankfully, that’s not true in every case.  

Before Joseph, Jacob’s son, was thrown into a pit; — served as a slave in Potipher’s house; —  languished in prison;— and stood before Pharaoh as Prime Minister of Egypt; he spent his formative years in a home marked by sin, sadness, strife and struggles. Yet, he became a great man of God and was used of the Lord in tremendous ways.

What Joseph faced may have dredged up bad memories for some. I encourage you to  place your past in the hands of a sovereign Lord. Trust Him for the grace to live with the memories and for the strength to avoid making the same mistakes.

I’m thankful for the times in my life when God revealed Himself to me, especially my salvation at a young age. 

I remember prayers, church services, godly people, etc, that left a mark on my life. 

Thank God for those times when the Lord moved in spite of the darkness and sin, and revealed His presence and His providential protection.

In spite of what the world and the past has tried to do to us, God can take us and shape us and use us for His glory. That’s amazing grace. Praise His name!

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission

The Strength Of My Heart

Forget ugly people spouting ugly words that hurt. Forget drags on your worrisome spirit.  Now, If that’s hard to do — and it usually is — try something that has pulled me out of the muck. 

Sing “Jesus Loves Me” a few times — no, many times! Then name the greatest blessing God has given you, and then all you can remember. That will lift your spirit. 

Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

A heart that wants nothing but the Lord is a heart that will never be disappointed.  

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Our flesh is weak, but our Lord is strong.

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission

Till The Storm Passes By

Nahum 1:3, 7  The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. . . . . The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

The Lord is in control. Our God is a sovereign God, and the winds and the waves obey His will.

We need a strong hold in the day of trouble — a place where the hurts and horrors of life can’t follow. It’s a place of safety for the people of God.

When whirlwinds whip your life and you trust the Lord to help, you will discover peace in the midst of the storm. 

You will discover that God is directing your path for his glory, The children of God are precious to Him, and He will do whatever it takes to protect them. 

A few years ago I sang the following song over and over during Hurricane Ike. I’ve sang it since for other reasons. It has been a comfort. 

“Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more — Till the clouds roll forever from the sky, — Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand. — Keep me safe till the storm passes by.” — by Mosie Lister

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission

The Mind Of God

Romans 11:33-34 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

The answer is no one. God's mind can be pondered through reading the Scriptures, but no one can know the mind of God. 

No man understands the depth of wisdom and knowledge possessed by God - Job 39-40:1 We are not His counselor! He does as He pleases and we are left to praise Him for what He does. 

We need to stop trying to figure out the why of everything and start learning to trust God by faith.  

He knows what He’s doing —  we do not. 

He sees the future and knows what is best for now and then — we do not. 

So, why shouldn’t we bow before Him and His glory and exalt His worthy Name?

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission

I AM Has Sent Me

Moses’ first concern is that he is a nobody and don’t speak well, so he is unqualified to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Lord’s people. But God promises to go with him. Now, he has a question. 

Exodus 3:13-14  “And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 

[14] And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

In essence God is saying, "Just do as I say, and I will show you who I AM as you need me."

This is how the Lord works in our lives. He leads us out to follow Him by faith, and we know very little about Him or His ways. But as needs arise, God proves Himself adequate and faithful to every challenge. 

His great Name, I AM, becomes an open ended statement of fact. In those two words God tells us that He is what we need Him to be at every moment of our lives. 

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission

My Home

Just a reminder: Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. 

John 14:1-4   Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. . . . [2] In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so , I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. . . . . [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. . . . . [4] And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

It’s a place like no other -  Rev. 21-22 - where Jesus is the Light and God will dwell in the midst of His people. 

Heaven is far greater than we could ever hope to describe, but for the redeemed, it’s home and we will be there by and by. 

“This world is not my home, I'm just a passin’ through —- My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue —- The angels beckon me from heaven's open door —- 

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.”

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission.