Just read a dear friend's sermon this morning--and Charlene, if you can have songs running around in YOUR head, and still prepare such a beautiful sermon, then I know I'm ok and don't REALLY have bats running around in MY belfry! You see, this week, at a low point (I get them too, folks!!), I "heard" a song running around in my head. It was a little chorus from over thirty years ago entitled, "Jesus Never Fails!" Later in the week, a contemporary song by the same title actually updated the older version--in my HEAD! It was amazing, and no coincidence, for sure! Now WHERE in the world did that song come from?
Not from THIS world! There are two sources of "supernatural" moments in our lives--there's the old devil who, although he can't move INTO our lives, will try very hard to oppress and depress us. Well, I know it wasn't HIM for surely he is not about to tell me that "Jesus Never Fails!" The alternative is the Holy Spirit--and when you know His voice and you've had it happen before, you recognize that HE is the one implanting a song in your heart and mind--to uplift, encourage, and point you to Jesus! It's awesome, and if you've ever experienced something similar, you will understand exactly what I'm talking about! God is so faithful!
Come with me to the Well and let's rehearse the ways that "Jesus Never Fails"--and if YOU'VE got a tune running around in YOUR head, bring it along too--I won't mind at all! Humming we go...
A Helping Word...or
Two!
Jesus knows our wants!
There's a shadow from the Old Testament behind the Well, and does SHE have a testimony! For years Hannah had a very special "want," a deep desire for a child of her own. One day, in desperation, she knelt in the temple and poured out her very soul to God. He heard, He answered the desire of her heart, and the son given to her, Samuel, became a great prophet of God. Hannah must have danced with glee--and God must have smiled with delight, for He indeed was glorified!
Does God care about the desires and "wants" of our heart? Of course! Then why doesn't He always GIVE us the desires of our hearts? I don't KNOW--I don't have all the answers and neither do you. But one thing we DO know--"Jesus never fails!" When He delights us by giving us our heart's desire, we praise Him. When He withholds it for reasons known only to Him, we must STILL praise Him, for He remains the never-failing God. But hold it--that's HARD! Of course it is! And you--or I--will NOT be able to praise HIm until we FIRST "let go" of the long list of wants we're carrying around in our hearts. Give each item on the list to God until His joy and peace flood your soul. He IS your all-wise, all-sovereign Lord. He KNOWS your heart's desire and He will hold your best interests close to His heart. Trust Him--He NEVER, NEVER FAILS!!
Jesus knows our needs!
I see a little-boy shadow behind the Well, and does HE have a testimony! He was part of a great group of HUNGRY people and he had only one lunch to share. He took it to Jesus, and wonder of wonders, Jesus multiplied it and fed the whole hungry crowd. The crowd went away full-- there were even leftovers--for when Jesus supplies a need, He does it in abundant supply!
Does God care about OUR needs today? Of course, and we have His promise, "... my God shall supply according to his riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19 KJV)." Take a few moments--or it may take forever--to rehearse the many times God has met your needs--physical, financial, emotional, spiritual. He is a God of great provision and great surprise. We burden ourselves down with the cares and needs of life, and they are many. But GOD knows--and before that burden gets TOO heavy, I have a secret for you. Take it to God! Roll the burden of your need upon HIM, leave it there, and walk away from your prayer time knowing it's in far better hands than yours! God knows how and when and where to meet your need, whatever it is. TRUST Him--He NEVER, NEVER FAILS!
Jesus knows our dreams!
There's a colorful character in the shadows by the Well--he's a dreamer, and does HE have a testimony! See that hole over there? It's not the next-door neighbor's WELL--it's a deep, dark, smelly PIT, and Joseph was in it, thrown there by his jealous brothers. God saw him there, and with a kind brother's help, retrieved him, saved his life and sent him on his way to Egypt. There young Joseph suffered more, this time in a deep, dark, smelly PRISON--but God did not fail him. Finally released from prison and promoted to high office in the land, Joseph's dream comes true. He has the rare opportunity to minister love and forgiveness to his bowing brothers. The God who did not fail was there all the time!
Does God care about OUR dreams today? Yes, a thousand times YES! I believe, in many cases, HE Himself has planted those dreams within our hearts, and in HIS own good time, He will bring them to pass. Exactly as we have planned them? Probably not--but hang on to your hat--for the dreams God fulfils are the best ones and the best way--HE never fails! But how LONG is a dream? Scientists will tell us "seconds"--our own reality tells us YEARS, sometimes eons of time, waiting for a dream to become reality. SO what do you do with the dreams? Hand them over to God--place them in His safe-keeping. Trust Him with the deepest, most intimate, greatest dreams of your life. He is trustable--and He NEVER, NEVER FAILS!!
This week brought a song in my heart--and I hope by now, it's humming in your heart as well. Let it resound over and over throughout this week: "Jesus Never Fails!" Whether it's a want, a need, or a dream, we can place it totally in His hands. The result? A song in our heart, a praise to our God, and a deep-settled knowledge that, whatever happens or does NOT happen, this truth still remains: Jesus never, never, NEVER fails!
...and that's just the words of a little song--from my heart to yours!
"...his compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22,23 KJV)."
"Lord, You are faithful, and I trust you with my wants, my needs and my dreams. You will never fail me--I claim Your wonderful promise for my life this day. In Jesus Name, Amen!"
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Visit their great Web site to hear beautiful tunes by many talented artists. CDs are available.
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"'Twas the Night before Easter!" - popular parody at Peggie's Place! . . . More Easter resources
A Hurting
Word...
