EVERYBODY NEEDS JESUS

2 Th 2:16-17

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you

in every good deed and word.

    There was a dog.  It was a beautiful, gentle dog.  A man beat the dog.  He was not a bad man, but the dog didn't know that.  He was not an evil man, but the dog didn't know that.  He was just an unhappy, angry man, but the dog didn't know that.  The dog only knew he was being beaten.  The dog was frightened.  Even a dog wants to be loved.  That's why he wags his tail.  Even a dog wants respect and companionship.  That's why he wants to be petted.  But when a dog is beaten down, he hides his tail between his legs and looks for someplace to hide.  Sometimes a beaten dog will bite.  Even a dog can be taught to be mean and cruel.
    Do you feel compassion for the dog?  How much more compassion should you feel for those whom satan has beaten down?  A hurt dog is liable to bite anyone, and people can lash out the same way.  We cannot see inside a person's soul.  We don't know why they're evil and cruel.  We only know they act evil toward us.  We don't know what makes them unhappy.  We only know they are unhappy with us.
    We need to pray for them.  Lord, make us more like Jesus in compassion.  Help us to see their hurts.  Help us to understand.  Free us from our hurts.  Change our negative, self-centered thinking into positive, helpful thinking through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ!  We are tempted, as others are, to adopt a self-righteous attitude toward sinners.  We are prone to look down upon, to feel harshly toward, and to condemn people and their selfish attitudes.  We are even capable of condemning our fellow believers.  We are tempted to place upon them a very high standard by which we think they should live.  We are good at pointing out and criticizing their every wrong move.  We are liable to think, if they don't act a certain way toward us, that they do not have the proper attitude.  But are we then showing the proper attitude?  The proper attitude is to lift Jesus up by showing his love to all, so all men will be drawn unto him.  This is the right attitude, for it is the attitude God demonstrated to the world when he gave his only Son.
    Everybody needs Jesus.  They need his love.  They need his salvation.  Who doesn't want to go to Heaven?  Doesn't everybody want to be happy?  People act hostile at times, but this doesn't mean anything other than that they're acting like people.  People simply don't know any better.  They haven't met Jesus yet.  A basic truth of our existence is that all living beings, from roaches to royalty, want to improve the quality of their life.  We want the same thing everybody else wants.  We're really no different than anybody else.  We're no better, no worse.  Only the world doesn't know what we know--that Jesus alone can improve the quality of our life.  We know this, not because we're smarter than everybody else.  We know this, because Jesus was good enough to show us his mercy.  People really need to know the Lord.  If only they knew how good the Lord is, everybody would run to him.  Deep down all nations, all tribes, all peoples of the world, all poor, all rich, all the young and all the old, need Jesus real, real bad.  They just don't realize it yet.  Soon they will, for one day every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
    When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a banner against him.  People are not our problem, they are not the enemy, but the enemy uses them against us.  Sometimes we're surrounded by cruel and heartless people.  So when the enemy comes with his attacks from all sides, assaulting our mind (for the battle is in the mind), when we are drained and all strength is gone, when we have done all we can do, then we must look to the Lord for help.  We must forget about ourselves, our cares, concerns, faults, problems, doubts, and fears, and simply start thanking and praising the Lord.  It is then that his strength flows in.  When we offer up a sacrifice of praise for the love and patience he has shown, he gives the strength we need.  We don't have to lash out like others.  The Father has shown respect for us.  He has shown compassion on us.  We have his word and his Spirit in us, giving us power over all the power of the enemy.  Instead of cursing, we bless, because God's Spirit of love bears good fruit out of the soil of our lives.
    The Lord made us out of the dust of the earth.  He made us out of the fertile ground.  We are God's soil.  He made the soil to have life in itself, and so life is regenerated out of the soil.  Soil needs moisture, sunlight, and air to produce a crop.  His Spirit is our air, water, and light.  His Spirit gives us life and breath.  We are his crop, his harvest, the trees of his planting.  He has planted his seed within us.  Some are the good soil, some are the dry, rocky soil, and others are the soil covered with thorns.  Each one bears fruit according to the choices they make.  Some of us receive God's water, air, and light, and bear good fruit.  Others reject God's Spirit and bear bad fruit.  Those who bear bad fruit reap the results of their sinful choices.  Those who choose God's way, experience the power of God, and God's power always produces a crop of righteousness.  Are we the good ground bearing fruit for eternal life, or are we the rocky soil bearing fruit unto eternal punishment?
    The enemy comes to test our faith.  These trials come to make us stronger.  Through experience we learn not to rely upon ourselves, but upon Jesus.  We learn to give thanks, even when we least feel like thanking him.  When Heaven seems far away, and our eyes are clouded by the troubles and trials of earth, this is when we simply trust him.  We rely on him to pull us through.  He always does.  He brings the rain when we need it.  He gives the light we need to grow.  He gives the air we need to breath.  He brings us back to Heaven.
    Our Father's presence is what makes Heaven heaven.  He is Heaven.  He made Heaven.  He made all things, and so he is a part of all things.  He inhabits, he lives in the praises of his people, so when we praise him, he brings Heaven down to us.  We're in Heaven on earth.  The Father is able to take care of all the details of our life.  He is able to protect us from the evils of this world.  He only asks that we trust him and thank him for all things, for when we thank him, all troubles and temptations fade away.  When we call on him, the world fades away.  Praise be to God!  He is a sanctuary, to which we may continually run.  Out of his continuous love and kindness, he provides a haven for us.  We are pleased to be his child, and he is pleased to be our Father.  Praise his name!  He will complete the good work he has begun in us.  He will not leave his garden to be devoured by the wild beasts of the earth.  He will not leave his vineyard to be spoiled by the heat and the cold.  He takes care of his own.
    Without his Spirit, we are undone.  Without the Spirit of the Lord we are all corrupt trees, full of rottenness.  His word is the water, the Spirit, and the life.  Without his word we wither and die.  We become cold, dry, and hard.  We become unhappy, angry people.  With his word, we are living trees of righteousness.  The righteous are like trees planted by rivers of living water.  We will blossom forever.  Without his Spirit, the work never gets done.  How can we live apart from him?  He never turns his back for a moment.  The ravens would descend and devour us in an instant, were it not for his Spirit being with us always.  Jesus is the best scarecrow a garden ever had.  He never sleeps, he never slumbers.  He watches over us night and day.  He is ever vigilant to watch for attacks from any and all enemies.  He drives them away with a word, with a wave of his hand.  One word from his mouth is louder in the enemy's ears than the crack of a lightning bolt striking at the enemy's feet.  The enemy would rob us of every good thing, if he could.  But he can't.  Because every promise God ever made is ours, and shall be for all eternity.
    Do you feel like Moses?  Like you don't know what to say or what to do when times get rough?  When people act tough, do you know what to do?  You have the same God who spoke to Moses from a burning bush.  You can hear his voice, too.  God gave you ears to hear, eyes to see, and a mouth to speak with.  He'll show you what to say and do, if you listen to his word.  You can walk unafraid before kings.  You can walk through a desert filled with serpents and scorpions, because you have the staff of God's word in your hand.  The same word that freed you, will free others from their bondage, so speak it boldly!  Tell them not to be afraid of the scorpions.  Tell them that Jesus will protect them from all harm.  Tell them that Jesus is the best gardener they could ever have.  Tell them that they can bear good fruit for all eternity, when they place their heart and soul in the Master's care.
    Moses had a brother named Aaron to help him.  You have a big brother named Jesus.  With Jesus by your side, is there anything you can't do?  The Father longs to see all people united under the banner of his Son and under the promise of eternal life he brings.  His plan is to reach out to all those who are hungry and thirsty for his Kingdom.  Once our eyes are open to his plan, we can see how everything around us is working toward the goal of God's Kingdom.  Jesus has a promised land better than that of Canaan.  He has a city greater than that of Jerusalem.  As much greater as heavenly things are than earthly things.  As people recognize Jesus as the King of Heaven, they will see he has a better way for them to live.  They will see he has something good, something great, and something wonderful planned for them.  They will be drawn to him, as they see him lifted up.  When they see Jesus lifted up, they will know he is the way, the truth, and the life.  He is the way leading to God.  He is the truth leading to happiness.  He is the life leading to peace, joy, and love.  Praise him, because he is good to all, but he has been especially good to you!