To be like Jesus...
Our topic today on the fruit of the spirit is goodness and the generosity it brings out in the world.
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided -
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!
This great Hymn of the church was written by Thomas Chisholm.
He did not write this hymn because of something great, or even miraculous that had happened in his life, no, rather he wrote it because as he looked back over his life, he learned to see the great faithfulness of God. At age 75, he wrote those words;
Illus.
People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people will accuse you of alter your motive‘s. Be kind anyways.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today maybe forgotten tomorrow. Do you good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Mother Theresa wrote those words.
The goodness of God, along with His faithfulness in distributing His generosity is amazing! Not based upon our actions or deeds, instead only based upon the commitment and love God gives us on a nonstop basis.
The goodness and generosity of God is everywhere and anywhere, all the time...there is nowhere His goodness, generosity and faithfulness doesn’t reach, or that His presence does not touch...
Occasionally there are some who try to flee from God’s presence like the story of Jonah in the Bible… But it is an impossible task.
Psalms 139:7-10 NKJ
7.Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in [c]hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
In the day we live in, sometimes we think how much further can humanity get from the presence of God…but no matter how far society seems from God, His goodness and generosity administered by His Love and presence is still there… His presence is even closer than the mention of his name!
It is only possible by His presence being available in our lives…to be afforded
the luxury of mentioning his name in the first place and expecting Him
to act on our behalf in the time of need!
Psalms 23:6 NKJ
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
Msg says it this way; Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
Illus. To be like Jesus
To be like Jesus
All I ask - to be like Him
All through life's journey
From earth to glory
All I ask - to be like Him.
Jesus entire life was a life of generosity, filled with love and compassion for the lost, teaching them about the Goodness and faithfulness of His Father!
We are made in His image and wanting to be like Him should be a natural progression and desire. But saying and acting like are two different things. Saying is the easy part, however acting like Jesus as the ole saying goes; “is some big shoes to be walking in” because the flesh, always...wants to get in the way!
John 15:11-15 MSG
11-15 “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.
We have been shown by example and we have been given the greatest gift known to mankind...it's not some theory of relativity and or quantum physics… and don’t get me wrong, those are amazing discoveries! But even more amazing, is the discovery of and the gift of Jesus!
And for those of us TBS who know to do good and choose not to do good, it’s a sin! Those who have tasted the goodness and generosity of God, along with God’s faithfulness are expected to give it away with the same easiness it was received.
There are a lot of believers with a hoarders mentality walking this earth. Having a hoarders mentality when it comes to what God allows us to possess, is never what God intended!
TBS “Give and it shall be given, pressed down shaken together and running over!
While gathering up nuts like the squirrels do for winter seems like the natural and constant thing to do. Having a hoarders mentality doesn’t allow us to live or share the life of goodness and generosity God has planned for those who Love Him!
What does a person do with their garden when it produces more than they expected? They give the blessing away, right? They try to share with everyone they come in contact with.
It’s the same way with our relationship with God! Everything good God gives us we are expected to share, knowing God has promised there will always be more than enough, for both the giver and the recipient!
Ephesians 1:3-6 MSG
3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
Don’t you just love it, when a good plan comes together? So does God!
God’s right here, right now, you don’t have to go any farther than the whisper of your voice to Find Him. Like the song says...He is the air that I breathe! God is ready to act on our behalf in a moments notice, always attentive to our every need with a givers heart!
Why? You know He really doesn't need a reason…
But if you have to know, it's Because of His Goodness and He faithfully loves us...
And the fact that He is Good to us and loves us for no other apparent reason than because He chooses to do so...makes a relationship with Him even more Amazing!
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His most prized possession and has never quit giving!
It has nothing to do with us... But Everything to do with Him!!
All of humanity needs someone who knows and encourages us...also who will comfort us and build us up continually day in and day out!!
Is there anyone who really knows us? God Does!
Is there anyone who really understands us? God Does!
Is there anyone who really truly cares about us? God Does!
And if you weren't here in church this morning...would the world be telling you
how much you are Cared for and Loved by God!
TBS. Jesus said… If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me.
I want you to realize something this morning when you lift up Jesus name…
You… Are also amazingly lifted up! You are also lifted up! Amen??
That’s why there is no better medicine for your well being than singing and giving praise and worship to the “Great God Almighty Himself”
Because in the giving and offering of Praise and Worship, there is the gift and the giving of LIFE!!
In praising His name there is Healing!
In worshiping His name there is Favor!
In lifting up the name of Jesus there is forgiveness! Amen!
God knows everything there is to know about you, and even after knowing all that there is to know, the good, the bad, the everything,
He still loves you and wants to give lavishly to you and take care of you and be included in the biggest part of your life!
David, Elijah, Esther, Daniel, Ruth and you can add your name to that list too.
They were all continually amazed that God was so willing to pour into their lives, to continually give and to be intimately involved in all the circumstances of their lives!!
And you should be too! And if God’s not involved like that in your life, I want you to know He wants to be! He longs to be! For your spiritual well being He needs to be!
Today, after all this time, God hasn’t changed, He‘s still the same...
He still wants to be intimately involved in all of our lives, if we will let Him...
How much do you want from God in your life?
How much are you willing to let God be involved in your life?
When we consider how God is so involved in our lives and how His Marvelous Grace... has been extended towards us, through His Son Jesus selfless act of giving on the cross.
You would think everyone would want to be in church and want to have a real and intimate relationship with God and not hold anything back from Him at all.
But you see the devil has blinded and bombarded society with distractions and lies to the point that they think that there is more hope in what they have in the world, Then the hope that they find in Jesus!
The devil has taken advantage of a little thing called a will...
that keeps most people from ever experiencing all that God has to offer.
If they only knew what it was like to have a real relationship with Him, through His Son Jesus...it would Forever change their lives and destiny!
Amazing and amazing as that word is… Does not even begin to describe the
Blessings and opportunities awaiting to start and happen, when a person says "Yes” to the things of God!
There is no escaping the Love, Goodness and the presence of God...
So why not start saying yes Lord every time He ask us to be more like Him and to do something...no matter what it is? Knowing if He ask, He will always abundantly provide more than enough, to bless all the participants involved in the task!
TBS. Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
In the story of Jonah and the whale… Jonah's bed in hell
was in the belly of that whale...but even at his lowest point
Gods presence was still there..still willing to make a way of escape! Amen??
Some people spend there entire life running from God, some just for a season,
Some are running from God this morning and what He wants to do, in and through their lives!
My advice this morning would be...if you're going to run..don’t run away...run towards Gods direction and the opportunities to do good He has placed before you!!!
Jesus is your biggest cheer leader...Jesus is saying run child
Run to me and I will meet you at the very first step you take...Amen??
David realized this amazing truth...and you should too!
God has already prepared you in advance for the journey!
Ps. 139:13-16 NKJ.
13. For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mothers womb.
14. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15. My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
The NIV. says it like this,
vs. 16. "all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be."
You have to realize, you are not here by chance this morning, your days have been ordained, it’s no coincidence that your here!
God has been working behind the scenes, bringing this moment to pass
your entire lifetime...knowing you would be here and hearing this word today!!
God is "AMAZING"...and GOD is a Great Planer and He executes His Plans very well!
Just like David realized, you have to realize, God has a plan for you,
He has had a plan for you since before you were born and let me tell you...
it is an excellent plan!
No matter what your age is today, or the way your body feels right now....there is still a detailed blueprint God has orchestrated for the direction and execution in your life!
No one is to young or to old...to frail or rambunctious to be used of God...
If you are a willing vessel..God is willing to use you!
Why not trust Him today, to take you to the next level in your relationship with Him?
To have Him, help you to be all that He wants you to be, to also help others to realize and come to know, the same life changing experience that you enjoy.
