This message is an edited version of a sermon given at Loving God Fellowship. Copyright © 2008 Loving God Fellowship, Inc. http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org . Click to have messages emailed to you as they are made available. You are encouraged to share this message with those you know that are hungry for God’s Word.
Struggling and Cared For
By Rev. Greg Johnson
Luke 7:11-15
Revonda is a single mother of three that faithfully attends services at the www.LovingGodFellowship.org Salem Campus. On Friday she wrote this in her blog:
"I received this in an e-mail from a friend and thought I’d share it with all of you. I am not sure who the author is but hope it blesses you.
A Special Thought and Prayer for those struggling with Mother’s Day.
I know that for many Mother’s day is a painful day, bringing up painful memories and lost hopes, Women who couldn’t have children due to life circumstances and physical difficulties. Women who are estranged from their children due to no fault of their own. Women who live with the struggle of abusive backgrounds that were anything but loving. Those who have lost children through tragedy and those who have lost beloved mothers much too early. Those who never have felt the arms of a mother embrace them or wipe their tears or speak a word of love. Those who spend hours at the Mother Day Card rack desperately trying to find a card that honors their mother but doesn’t paint a lie about their relationship either. Those whose children have rejected them because of abuse from their fathers. Those who struggle with accepting Christ’s forgiveness for the grievous mistakes and sins they have committed against their own children. So many people struggle with holidays such as this.
Please know that you aren’t alone, you are loved, and you are cherished by our Heavenly Father. Even though you may struggle through this whole weekend, it’s ONLY a weekend and you will get past it and God will carry you through.
I pray that those who need mothering would find mothers within the body of Christ. I pray for those who have arms that were meant to nurture and have never carried a child, that they would find those in the body of Christ and elsewhere to bless and be blessed through. I pray that those whose hearts are broken would find their hearts soothed by the great physician. I pray for reconciliation where possible and the ability to let go and move on where reconciliation can never happen. I pray all these things in the name of Jesus, Our King."
Amen.
Jesus’ heart goes out to the struggling. If you are struggling today, allow Jesus to give you His grace and peace. He will minister to you.
Let me give you a paragraph of Scripture that assures us of Jesus’ actions toward the struggling. (Luke 7:11-15 NIV) "Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. {12} As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. {13} When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don�t cry." {14} Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" {15} The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother."
JESUS SEES YOUR STRUGGLE.
Jesus was teaching with amazingly powerful words and lives were being supernaturally changed. Huge crowds were surrounding Jesus, but something caught His eye besides the numerous and boisterous crowd. He saw a person that was struggling.
Please know today that your struggle does not go unnoticed by Jesus. It may go unnoticed by the crowd around you, but it does not go unnoticed by Jesus.
JESUS’ HEART GOES OUT FOR YOU.
This mother had just lost her only son and was struggling with the grief of not being able to see him alive again. She was already familiar with grief as she had also lost her husband to death. For years she had struggled raising this son as a single parent. She did menial jobs to be able to put food on the table as there were no government programs in her day and she had no husband to provide for her. Her son would grow up to support her in her senior years, but now he was gone. Who would help her? Where would she turn? She was too low to go find Jesus, but she didn’t have to as He came to her. When He saw her struggling, his heart went out to her.
What are you struggling with today? What has brought you despair to the place where you are feeling too low to even come to Jesus for help? You don’t feel like praying. All you can do is barely survive another day. Jesus is coming to you today through this message and by His Holy Spirit. His heart goes out to you today just as it did to this woman in His day. He is getting ready to work a miracle in your life.
JESUS IS SPEAKING TO YOU
Jesus addressed the woman first with two words “don’t cry.†Jesus’ words are amazingly powerful. He spoke to the storm and brought calm. He spoke and demanded demons to leave people’s bodies and they left. He told dead Lazarus to come out of the tomb and Lazarus, who had been dead for days walked out. When Jesus speaks, the supernatural takes place.
After Jesus spoke to the woman, He spoke to that which was dead and brought life to it. Once again we see a demonstration of Jesus’ amazingly powerful words. With His Words, death turned to life, darkness turned to light, and sadness turned to joy.
Yes, Jesus’ words are amazingly powerful. They work miracles in our life. And Jesus is speaking to you today and He is saying “don’t cryâ€, “don’t worryâ€, “don’t fearâ€, “don’t give upâ€, “give me your caresâ€, “let me carry the load†and with those words He gives you His grace and His peace. Receive His grace and His peace today. Receive the life that He gives today through His Word. Receive your miracle.
Amen!
Know that you are loved,
Greg Johnson, www.GAJohnson.org
Founding Pastor, www.LovingGodFellowship.org
Loving God Fellowship is an interdenominational Christ following fellowship with a revolutionary new church plant in Salem, Oregon, and a worldwide Internet church community @ http://www.LGFinternetChurch.org .
