READING IN LUKE AND JOHN

Well, I'm got my coffee right here beside me.  I'm rocking slowly back and forth in my rocker, and I'm in Luke and John this morning.  Outside is is still snowing with about three or four inches already on the ground.  Don't know what tomorrow will bring, but I'm going to have church if I have to walk there and preach to myself!  It is going to be ok!  God is in control, and somehow it will all work out.  Last Sunday we were snowed out, and then we had about $30,000.00 or more damage to our buildings because of two major water leaks.  The leaks have been stopped and repaired and insulated so that those areas will never have that happen again.  The insulation has been installed, Monday (weather permitting) the dry wall will be replaced, then the kitchen cabinets re-attached, then the carpets cleaned or replaced (insurance will decide that), then everything re-painted, and then everything put back in place again.  Two crews of men who specialize in this have been at work.  We have a deductible, but one member has already agreed to meet one of the two deductibles.... praise God!  So much about the building; now let me share with you from the Word of God! 1) DON'T FAINT- Luke 18:1 says: "... men ought always to pray, and not to faint"  In Luke 18:1-14, Jesus teaches about prayer.  He says to pray and don't faint!  First, Jesus tells us about a woman seeking justice from an unjust judge.  Now an unjust judge was one who bought his appointment for his own monetary gain.  A woman was disregarded in that society, and especially a widow woman.  If there were ever a time to faint, she was experiencing it.  A woman with no influence, no sway, no money, no consideration... up against a judge bought and paid for, with no scruples, no mercy, no fear of God or man!  BUT.... she did not faint!!  Now Jesus says that MEN ought always to pray and not to faint, and then illustrates this by a lowly woman!!  Men... don't you dare faint!!  If this poor woman can keep on praying in faith till the heaven's open and God sways the opinion of a judge who does not even fear Him, then God can answer our prayers no matter what the situation!!  Don't faint in impossible situations!!  The next illustration of prayer is a Pharisee and a publican.  A good man and a bad man.  One tells God how worthy he is to have his prayers answered and the other confesses to God that indeed he is a wretched sinner not worthy of any mercy or answered prayers.... but this man goes away with his prayer answered!  Now.... how do you feel in God's presence??  I know though I'm saved and totally forgiven, I still feel like this publican .... and yet God's word for us is.... pray and don't faint!  Don't regard your sinfulness, regard the Savior and His mercy and keep praying!!  PRAY, DON'T FAINT! 2) GREAT MEN OF FAITH?  So many times, we look into God's Word and think of great men of faith, but in reality, they were not.  They had faith in a Great God, but were not great in their faith.  They were just like you and I, with all of our doubts and fears.... they served God.  In Luke 24, Jesus has resurrected and the woman saw the angels and went back and told the apostles.  (the elite eleven!)  Here is their response in verse 11: "And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not."  Great men of faith?  No!  Just men, no more.  Don't look at the greatness of your faith.... just have faith in a Great GOD!  3) HERE IS A QUESTION:  IN John 5, we have a man healed on the sabbath day.  He lies among a great group of imotent folk (blind, halt, withered, lame, etc.) how wait for an angel sent from God to stir the waters, and who ever gets in first gets healed!  He has had his infirmity for thirty eight years..... and he has no one to help him get into the water.  He has seen the waters stirred many times, but while he makes his way to the water, someone else beats him to it each time... he has no one to help him.  But here is the question in verse 6:  "Wilt thou be made whole?"  God is not concerned with the hopelessness of our situation, no our own opinion of our desperate circumstances, but God asks a question:  "Wilt thou be made whole"?  If  our answer is YES!! Then Christ can do the rest!!  Oh brother and sister.... say "YES"!! to Jesus today!  Yes, you want to be made whole... Yes, you want your prayers answered... Yes, you want victory in your life.... Yes, you want a vital relationship with Him.... SAY:  YES, YES, YES, YESS!!!!!! Well, I have so much I could be saying and time is gone again.  May you have a blessed day in Jesus Christ and may you have a wonderful weekend.  I'm going to even with the snow!!  Tomorrow is Sunday!!  Pastor Mike Mutchler