Why Do We Follow Jesus?We seek the unity of all Churches, in Christ, for the betterment of the Body, for if one man can turn away 1000 demons, imagine what the Church, being as one, could do.
There are many that follow Christ for the wrong reason, they expect great miracles, food, and substance. They neither understand His words, or obey them. They seek after signs and wonders, and they, being low in Faith, shall not see many. Has our dependence upon the good life and the life that the world lives, gotten us in a snare, wanting the things of this world instead of the things that are of God?
Show me, in the word of God, where His Children, and the Believers in Christ, are promised great riches upon this earth. We are not promised even a home to live in. The Bible teaches with great Faith comes Great Responsibility. The more you have been given, the more that is your responsibility to give. Gain, in this world, is not Godliness. Those that say so, turn away from them.
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them. (Eze 33:31-33)
And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. (Mat 9:28-29.)
Believe ye that I am able to do this?
Do what? Everything that He has promised us that He would do for us. He told us that with the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains, dont you believe that? He told us with faith, we could lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Dont you believe this? Why are we, as Christians, so afraid to exercise our ability to do the things, that we are told by Christ, that we can do?
According to your faith be it unto you. Your faith is what makes you strong and gives you the ability to do the things that Christ did, and even greater thing shall we do, this all according to scripture, and the promise of Christ. We all have different levels of faith, even I, have to work on my faith each and every day. But when I call upon the Name of the Lord, He answers me, not to my glory, for I have none, but to the Glory of the Father.
I understand that there are many, that are suffering in this world, this also including the Christian. But Jesus promised us, that He would never leave us alone. In our trials, troubles and tribulations, Jesus is right there with us, He knows how we feel, He knows that problems that we are facing, He knows the feelings of helplessness that we feel, at these times.
Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. (1Pe 1:21.)
We are bound with Him in all these circumstances. His love for you is all in all, but even Jesus must abide with the Fathers will, for each and every one. The Bible states that, The rain will fall on the just, and the unjust, therefore, the floods, earthquakes, fires, and yes even wars, will involve the just and the unjust. Our dependence is not upon man, but upon God. Our strength comes not from the physical, but the spiritual. Our faith controls our day by day activity.
We are fed each day by faith, we drink each day by faith, we are clothed each day by faith.
For even Jesus told us that, Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (Mat 6:31-32.)
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. (Psa 103:13.) The Lord is just, and does pity His Children.
He has looked down upon the Children of Israel, and had heard their cry, dont you believe that God has looked down, now, upon His Children, and has found pity, also with us? Do you not believe that He knows that you may be homeless, hungry, and naked? Do you not also believe that He will supply you with those things that nourish the body, and hide the nakedness?
Does He also desire to supply you a home, a shelter, a covering from the elements? For He does, He knows all these thing that you are in need of, and if we doubt Him, our failure to receive these things rest with us, and not the Father.
Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (1Ti 6:6-11)
Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name. AMEN! Malachi 3:16.
I know that it is hard to have faith, when it seams that this world is falling all around you, when you are naked, hungry and ill, but the Father knows these things, and He has promised to come to you aid. Gods will is not a thing that we cannot look into. It is open to all that Love Him, and know His word.
In a day of His choosing, He will come to your aid. Most of the times, when His aid is, what we call slack, He is testing our resolve, and faith in Him. Have I been tested? Have I not been without, Have I not also been Poor? Yes, and I still believe in Him. I cannot teach faith without having faith, I cannot teach love, if I have no love, I cannot teach patience, if I have not the will to wait upon the Lord.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. (Psa 25:5) Is patience, and courage, to little to ask of the Children of the Most High? Is courage gone by the way side in these terrible days?
Where are we going if we have not patience? Are we to go to another world, full of milk and honey, are we to be moved to a land where we are not tested or tried? By no means, we are on this earth, a planet that God created, balanced, and set in the sky, revolving in this manner until the time of the end. We are here, so we wait upon the Lord. Look, my Brothers and Sisters, men are fighting over land, that is still floating in endless space, where do they believe they are?
Are they safe without God? No, do they exist without God? No. Do they live without God? Yes, for they do not believe in God, their ways are ways of destruction. I feel pity for them.
Psa 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. Courage; Bravery; intrepidity; that quality of mind which enables men to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear or depression of spirits; valor; boldness; resolution. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD! Ars.
Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries
A.R.Smith Ministries
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/
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