Help
A man has leprosy -- abominable disease that eats the nervous system gradually causing limbs to just rot away. Eat out eyes. The man meets someone who says he should go take a bath in a muddy river. The man is very important, very rich, and very proud. Will he prefer to keep leprosy, or will he take the chance that dipping seven times in a muddy river will help him to get rid of his horrible disease? Read 2 Kings 5 for the answer.
A very wealthy man dies. His will states that anyone wanting his inheritance must go to a certain place, humble himself, and ask for a certain tool. The lock that secures the door to the inheritance cannot be opened without this special tool.
Who will go and humble himself to get the certain special tool?
Jesus is very rich. He is also very powerful. All things that were made were made by Him and for Him and to His glory. He can save people from sin. He can heal. He can raise people from the dead.
As God-man He came to die on a cross as the sacrifice for sin. In anticipation of His Resurrection and return to Heaven He wrote a Will. His Will is the Bible. In His Will Jesus made a promise. He said that when He returned to the Father arrangements would be made for the Holy Spirit to come as the Helper for believers.
Jesus said that the Helper would also be known as the Comforter. I wonder what this could mean for our nation. About one out of six persons in the United States is in need of professional counseling. Paranoia, or fear, is a major mental health problem for Americans. Loneliness is a second and desperate mental health concern. Millions of Americans live in cities, people everywhere, but they feel lonely. Night comes and doors are locked in fear. Just on the other side of the wall, or across the fence, are other people. But they do not know their neighbors, thus, the fear and loneliness
Which way to go? What is the right thing? What is best? How does one will to act in the correct way that brings peace? These are daily challenges for which Jesus offered an alternative. The Master Savior said the Comforter would be THE Guide into all truth.
We have to ask what would happen if all the politicians in our nation’s capitol would meet together this morning, pray, and ask the Comforter and Guide to give counsel for our government. What if every judge asked the Holy Spirit for wisdom? What if every employer was obedient to the Holy Spirit? What if every home began its day with humility, prayer, and a request for the Holy Spirit to make clear the path to walk that would conquer fear, loneliness and lead to wisdom, success, and peace?
The next time you hear of churches in an argument, the next time you hear of religious leaders advocating strange and non-biblical social policies, the next time you hear of denominations that exercise their voice to rip away the sacred truths of the Bible, ask yourself the simple question: “Do I hear them talking about the power, comfort, and wisdom of the Holy Spirit?”
In a remote jungle village of India, Laila and I visited a primitive group of people living on top of a hill about a thousand feet from a stream of water. The path down the hill to the water was very steep and very rocky -- not gentle rocks, but abrasive rocks. Each morning before daylight women made their way down the stony path, filled basins with water, and walked bare-footed back up the hill with the water on top of their heads.
I thought to myself how simple it would be to install a few poles, a few pulleys, and a crank at the top of the hill. One person would go to the stream and fill the basins. One person would sit at the top and turn the handle, bringing water to the top of the hill.
Yet, as we came down the stony path, difficult to walk even with shoes, it occurred to me that these people will be walking barefooted and carrying water for generations to come. Their creativity died long ago. They were numbed by the mundaneness of life. For many, this habit was the social highlight of their day.
My hope and prayer is that you, my friend, will take counsel of Jesus. Read His Will. Read John 14, 15, Acts 1, 2, 10, and other passages carefully. Ask yourself if you want a full inheritance, or if you think you have strength to battle our enemy Satan on your own.
As for me, I want the full inheritance. As for me, the Holy Spirit assures me that there is no success without Him being with me. Frankly, I need all the help I can get. How about your desire for a full inheritance?
With a prayer for obedience,
Pastor Bare
John 14