THE FLOWERS WILL COME

Let us start this service by welcoming you to this 24/7 week long, online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place. This has certainly been an exciting two weeks, hasn't it? Two weeks ago we reached out to the lost. We presented Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to them. Our invitation to the nonbeliever is sincere and heartfelt. We know as believers there is only one way to eternal life with our heavenly Father and that is through his Son, Jesus Christ.

Many people believe Jesus was a good man and some would even say a great role model. Yet, they do not believe he is the only son of God or the only way to eternal life. This is troubling to them because it seems confusing and contradictory. And guess what? It is!! I often mention this because I felt the same way just days before God opened my eyes to him and saved me from my sin. My future destination at that time was spiritual death and the lake of fire. Jesus changed all that.

Jesus explains who he really is and puts to rest all these questions in no uncertain terms in John 14:1-4. Let's read it carefully together. Jesus speaking:

“Let not your heart be troubled: Ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also. And wither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”

Jesus is telling us very clearly do not be troubled. In other words, be at peace. Believe in God and yes, believe in Him (Jesus). Jesus is also saying because of your belief in him, he will prepare a place for you to always be with him. In John 14:5, Thomas questions Jesus about this.

“Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not wither thou goest and how can we know the way?”

Isn't that the eternal question, my friends? How can we know the way? The way to what, you might ask. Eternal life, my good people, eternal life. Jesus gives Thomas, as well as us, the answer. John 14:6.

“Jesus saith unto him, (and us) I am the way, the truth, and the life: No man cometh unto the Father but by me.”

Can it be any more clear than that? Now this presents a problem for those who say Jesus is a good man and a role model, but do not believe he is the only way to God (the Father), doesn't it? No one can be a good man and role model if they are a liar!!! Jesus declares God as his Father and himself as the only way to him. Is Jesus lying, my friends? Of course not!! You can't have eternal life through any other way than by accepting Jesus into your heart, repenting of your sin, and confessing Jesus as Lord of your life. So nonbeliever, you are now being offered one more chance to choose life eternal. What is your answer? I will be waiting for your answer by e-mail at BrotherBob@theSpiritofWisdom.org. Listen to me!! This may be your last chance!! No one knows the time or place that death will strike. God bless you, my non-believing friends, be good to yourself – choose Jesus and choose eternal life today.

Then, last week we ministered to believers who for whatever reason have taken their eyes off of their first love, Jesus Christ. The cares of this world, sickness, poverty, bad relationships, circumstances and situations have basically stolen their peace of mind and faith in their Lord and Savior. Many of them now question if God still loves them. Some have slipped back into the very same sin God delivered them from. One thing we can clear up right now. I am proclaiming to you by the authority of my calling to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, God loves you just as much today as the day he saved and redeemed you. Do you remember that day?

I know if I was talking to some of you in person, you would ask: “Brother Bob, what has happened to me?” My answer my brother or sister, is that you have taken your eyes off the one who saved you and have put them on this world with all its trappings. Your trust in God has weakened. Maybe you expected God to move a certain way in your situation and it didn't happen. Perhaps you prayed for healing, yet still are sick. Maybe you prayed for God to move in a relationship that now seems impossible to repair. The bills are coming in. You prayed for finances, yet all you see is a stack of unpaid bills and bill collectors hounding you on every hand.

I understand what you are saying because I and most believers I know have gone through these things too. So what is the answer? The first thing that God impresses on me is trust. Let me be a little more clear. Trust in God because he is faithful.

Remember the poem last week? “Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the flowers is?” The key here is Spring has arrived, but it doesn't look like it. The grass is not green yet and where are the flowers? Doesn't that sort of seem like the promises of God and his Word? We see the promises, yet where are they? Well, one thing I can tell you, my friends, you know the flowers will come. Now I am telling you, just as surely as the flowers will bloom in just the right time, so will God perform His promises made to you through his Word and they will come to you just in time. Let's see what God's Word says about trust. Psalms 143:8.

“Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust: Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”

What this Psalm is saying is: If you don't feel able to be close to God at this time, believer, ask God to cause you to hear from him. Incline your ear to him and listen to his loving kindness ring loudly into your ears and soul again. Let God cause you to know how to walk with him again. Why? Because you trust him and believe his Word is true. I love the song about Lazarus that says - “God was four days late and he was right on time.”

Start today, my friends. Trust God again. Ask for forgiveness for turning away from him and then turn back to him and keep trusting him no matter what!!

Let me relate a story to you. We were visiting relatives in Virginia and we took the kids for a drive up this winding, hilly road when we saw a roller rink. The kids wanted to go roller skating that evening. The hours were 6-10 p.m. We told them they could walk there in the daylight and we would pick them up at closing time. The children left for their walk to the roller rink. We didn't expect to see or hear from them until 10 o'clock or later. But, about forty to forty-five minutes later we saw them returning with sad looks on their faces. What happened? They said they walked and walked, but couldn't find the roller rink. I laughed and said “It's on the road you walked on. There are no turn-offs.” I got them into the car and told them to show us where they stopped and turned around. After a short while they said “Right here, Dad.” I had to admit, I didn't know where the roller rink was either. So I said, “We'll just go around the next bend and turn around and go back home.” Well, guess what? We went around the next bend and there was the roller rink. We had all given up just one bend away. That, my friends, is how we sometimes are with God.

We pray, we trust and just before our blessing is to arrive, we give up and turn away from God. Does this make any sense at all to you, my friends? Yes, the flowers will come and if you keep trusting, God will meet your every need. That's the way it works. Come on back to God. He loves you and is waiting to welcome you back, and in that you can trust.

Next week I will be talking with believers who are doing their best to live for God. God knows who you are and He is so very happy with you. He loves your faithfulness, and most of all, He loves you.

God Bless you,
Bro. Bob