Jesus is Enough

 Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 2 
Focus Verse:  " For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2

Are you having financial trouble?
Are you sick and hurting?
Are you lonely?
Are you rejected?
Are you mourning?
Are you discouraged?
Are you depressed?
Are you anxious?
Are you troubled?
Can Jesus really be enough for you?

When you are going through your life, you will have troubles.  Do not be surprised.   Everyone will face life's trials, each in our own way.  Where do we turn when we suffer and strive?  We only need to reach out to him and talk with him. When we spend time in prayer and reading the Bible, we will find the help we need.

“My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior” 2 Samuel 22:3

Jesus said, "Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned: he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24

Anne Graham Lotz says this, "If Jesus is God in human flesh, revealing to us exactly what God is like...
If Jesus holds the highest position in the universe, and everything and everyone is subject to His authority...
If Jesus is greater that anyone or anything in the visible and invisible world...
If Jesus has a purpose that He is actively completing in the universe as well as in your own life...
Then HE IS ENOUGH!"

No matter what life holds, no matter our trials of health, people that betray or disappoint, personal failure, or difficult finances, if we have JESUS, He is enough.  Decide today to seek him through the Word of God, through Christian discipleship and in prayer.

Thank God for Jesus.

Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries 

Additional reading Romans 8:18-39

Friends With The World

Scripture Reading:  Genesis 19:1-30

Focus verse: Romans 12:2  "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

One time when I was traveling to Kenya my luggage got lost and I was without it for six days. I only had two sets of clothes.  The Kenyan pastor asked me, “how are you keeping your clothes clean”?  My answer was, “I’m careful not to get them dirty in the first place.”  James 4:4 says, Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God.”  If you make friendship with the world, then next you will love the world.  John warns us about this in 1 John 2:15 “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.” 

There is someone in the Old Testament that had a problem with loving the things of this world.  The Bible tells us that Lot saw the lush land was good for a livelihood and moved his tent near Sodom, then later he actually moved into Sodom.  Lot moved closer to the wickedness even though 2 Peter 2:7-8 says that the sinful city tormented his righteous soul.  Sodom was a filthy wicked city.  The Bible tells us that when God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, God agreed with Abraham to save Lot's family and sent angels for that act of mercy.  Lot began to warn his family, but he had no credibility with his sons in law and they joked about it.  On the morning of destruction, Lot and his family were not taking it seriously and the angels had to physically move him, his wife and daughters out of the city.  He was warned to stay far away or he would be consumed with the iniquity (wickedness) of the cities. 

 

We need to be careful about our friendship with the world.  It could cost us our life, just as it almost did for Lot.  The wickedness of the city became less and less repulsive as he moved closer and closer.  Even a righteous man who compromises to live next to wickedness can become tolerant and make unwise decisions.  Lot lost his wife.   His daughters, who were traumatized, made terrible decisions.  There is grace and forgiveness in Christ when you repent and submit yourself to Him.  Who is your best friend, Jesus or the world?

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Look Upward for Help

Scripture Reading: Psalm 121

Focus Verses: Psalm 121:1-3  "I look up to the mountains, does my help come from there?  My help comes from the Lord, who makes heaven and earth!  He will not let you stumble, the one who watches over you will not slumber."

Do you look to the mountains for your help?  Some Bible teachers believe the psalmist was actually referring to idols that were built on the mountains.  People throughout history have made for themselves gods and idols.  A true believer can look at the mountains and remember the ancestors who would look to gods for rains and know that this was not truth.  They know they have the very Creator of those mountains as a friend because of Jesus and our decision to follow Him.   We have been reminded that the best help doesn't come from those idols on the mountains,  but help comes from the one who made the mountains, Creator God.   We only strive to walk with God, know God and talk with God.

Our life can be full of busyness, sickness or trials of life, but this is to bring us close to God.  Sometimes we tend to look to different people, governments, things or places in this world for help.  But real help can only come from the Lord, the One who made us.  He is never tired or too busy to help us.  In fact, He wants us to come to Him for help.  If we have truly been born again into God's family, this is our privilege as one of God's children.  Let us pray: "God show me if I've been looking for help in the wrong places, and help me look only to You for help and guidance, in Jesus name, amen."

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Be Watchful, But Busy

 Be Watchful, But Busy

Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Focus Verses: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17  "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.  First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.  Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever."

Did you know that Jesus is coming back to this earth one day?  He's coming back to take us to heaven, but only those who are His children.  The Bible teaches that the rapture of the church is the next big event on God's timeline.  Jesus could come back at any time.  I am looking forward to that event.  But I'm not just sitting waiting.  We should be busy telling others about this big event, so that as many people as possible will be with us in heaven.

The Bible says in Ephesians 2:4-7  That God is looking forward to us getting to heaven, because He want to show us grace, kindness and how much He loves us.  I hope you are watching for His return, but I also hope you are busy tell others of this great promise of Jesus' return.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Praying or Sleeping

 Focus scripture Mark 14:32-41

Focus verse: Psalm 48:8 "But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life."
 
Jesus knew the events that were to come. He knew he was to be arrested, beaten, mocked, subjected to public humiliation and be nailed on the cross. In all these, he decided he would remain humble in prayers for only God’s will to happen. He knew the importance of combined prayers, so he took three of his disciples to go with him that they would watch and pray with him. He instructed them to sit and watch in prayers with him as he drew himself a little distance. Luke 22:44, records that the Lord’s anguish overwhelmed him so that his sweat fell on the ground like blood.

One thing that catches attention in this passage is how the three disciples failed to pray with Jesus at that hard and painful moment of His life. It’s quite hard to imagine that in one night Jesus had to wake them three times but still not even one of them stayed awake. The Lord was in deep sorrow and needed prayers from people that he had loved and served. Though he felt deserted in this anguish but he wanted the company and prayers from friends.

Our personal challenges can make us feel like we are deserted by everyone. We can find ourselves in situations of sorrow. Our tears have always needed somebody to stand with us in encouragement. Our marriages have suffered wounds so that we see nothing pleasant in them and need prayers of healing. We have been badly affected by sicknesses so that we feel like we are losing hope. Yes, we have to admit that this is the life of a Christian, but there is hope in prayer!

We often tell friends to stand with us in prayers. Sometimes we remind them about the need to pray with us more and more. We admit to pray, but surely have you been praying? Some will find themselves so tired in the physical so that they forget to pray. Did you ever receive a prayer request from a trusted friend, or relative or anyone who needed our prayers? Did we ever accept that we would pray with them? What have we done since they reminded us to continue praying for them? How often do we pray for those who need our prayers?

Equally, those who are in problems must not stop praying because they have told friends to pray with them. Jesus did not stop even when he found the disciples sleeping instead of praying. Yes, we need to have trusted friends who can faithfully pray with us. Jesus had some, do you have one?

Eliazar Wambo
Bethesda Faith Ministries & Director of Repairer Christian School

 

Originally posted in August 2014