TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS
Billboards: THE 24 BEST BILLBOARDS
v One day each of us will face God. Are you prepared?
v Jesus coming soon!
v God did not send a committee!
v Warning: Jesus is coming!
v Jesus is Real!
v Jesus Lives!
v Jesus Saves
v REPENT! Jesus is coming soon
This morning let’s talk about this Jesus, some even in the press say we need a “Jesus moment” when seemingly things are not going well. Well, we need time each day to grow to know this Jesus. This morning we want to take that time to talk about this Jesus.
It was to remove, eliminate, do away with, the dark, sinister, mysterious shadow that Satan cast in regard to God that Jesus came to live among men. His earthly mission was to preach the gospel to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted; preach deliverance to the captives, recover sight to the blind; and set at liberty them that are bruised.
He exercised the greatest tact, gave thoughtful attention, was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, did not censure human weakness. His life was one of self denial and thoughtful care for others.
It was to redeem us that Jesus lived , suffered and died. The immaculate, spotless, Son of God took upon Himself the burden of sin and the terrible enormity, of its separation from God. It was these that broke the heart of Jesus.
Jesus was the medium, the channel and avenue through which the Father could pour out His infinite love upon a fallen world.
The price paid for our redemption, the infinite sacrifice of our heavenly Father in giving His Son to die for us should give us an exalted, glorious, lofty, conception of what we may become through Christ. Yes, we can become sons of God. We are fallen yet connected to Christ and we undeniably, without a doubt can become worthy of the name “sons of God”
The more we study His character in light of the cross, the more we will see mercy, tenderness, forgiveness, blended with equity and justice.
Do you want to be changed from sin to holiness? Then there must be a power working from within, that power is Christ! He said unless, except we are born from above receiving a new heart, new desires, purposes, and motives, leading to a new life, we will not see the kingdom of God.
To all of us there is but one answer, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.” He is the one who connects fallen man in his weakness and helplessness with the source of infinite power. There is no true excellence of character apart from Him.
We need to contemplate, consider, reflect, ponder the sacrifice made for us along with an appreciation for the labor and energy that Heaven is expending to reclaim us.
Contemplate our communion, the spiritual union, the close association, the love of God and His Son throughout eternal ages. Think of the elevation and extension of all our powers through out eternal ages, what a powerful, grand, prodigious, incentive to give one’s heart to our Creator and Redeemer.
How do we come to Christ? Peter said “Repent” includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it in the heart otherwise there will be no real change in the life.
We can lament, bewail ,bemoan, the suffering rather than the sin. Examples are: Esau, Balaam. They acknowledged their guilt but there was no genuine repentance for sin, no conversion of purpose, no abhorrence of evil. There were others: Judas, Pharaoh, you know their stories, lament, expression of grief, weeping, yes but no sorrow for sin itself.
When our hearts yield to the influence of the Spirit of God, the conscience is quickened, the discernment of God’s law and its depth illuminate the secret chambers of the heart.
Conviction takes hold of the mind and heart and a sense of righteousness of Jehovah is felt and we feel the terror of appearing in our own guilt and uncleanness, before the Searcher of hearts.
We see the love of God, the beauty of holiness, the joy of purity and we long to be cleansed and to be restored to the communion of heaven.
David made no effort to palliate, reduce or excuse the intensity of his guilt or to make his offense seem less serious, no desire to escape judgment, he saw the enormity of his transgression, he loathed his sin. It was not for pardon only that he prayed but for purity of heart. He prayed: Have mercy; purge me; create in me a clean heart; Cast me not away; restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation.
This kind of repentance is beyond the reach of our own power to accomplish; it is obtained only from Christ, the source of every right impulse, the only one who can implant in the heart enmity against sin.
We who in our hearts long for something better than this world can give, will recognize this longing as the voice of God to our souls. Ask for repentance, and when the light from Christ shines into our souls, we shall see how impure we are; we shall discern the selfishness of motive, the enmity against God, our righteousness as filthy rags that only the blood of Christ alone can cleanse us from the defilement of sin, and renew our hearts in His likeness.
When we are touched, affected emotionally, we will hate our selfishness, abhor self love and will seek through Christ’s righteousness, for purity of heart that is in harmony with the law of God and the character of Christ.
The purity of Christ will make apparent, unhallowed desires, infidelity of the heart and impurity of the lips. We will detest, loathe, dislike intensely, ourselves as we view the pure, spotless character of Christ.
When we see our sinfulness we should not wait to make ourselves better. Come to Christ just as we are. Beware of procrastination! Do not postpone the work of forsaking your sins and seeking purity of heart through Jesus. In this world there is the uncertainty and shortness of life.
There is a terrible danger not sufficiently understood in delaying to yield to the pleading of God’s Holy Spirit. “Behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.”
Go to Him with your soul all stained. Throw open your heart chambers to the all-seeing eye, exclaiming “Search me, O God and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
When coming to Christ be earnest, persistent, unrelenting, determined, as if your earthly life were at stake. Study God’s word prayerfully especially the life of Christ, the law and the great principles of holiness without these “no man shall see the Lord.”
As you see the enormity, the extent, the atrociousness of your sins do not become despondent, downcast, unhappy, or glum!. It is you that Christ came to save. He is wooing, seeking our affection by His tender love, we, His erring children. Your heart will be melted with tenderness and repentance when you understand the infinite sacrifice made in your behalf.
The warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought! What ever draws us away from God must be given up. Material wealth, possessions are the idols of the many, The love of money, the desire for wealth is a golden chain that binds many, worldly honor is worshiped by others, selfish ease and freedom from responsibility is the idol of others. You cannot be 1/2 for the Lord and 1/2 the world.
Jesus is the ultimate reality checker. He is the ultimate optometrist and ophthalmologist to fix our eyes for better vision. Someone has said money is like seawater: the more you drink, the thirstier you become. In Luke 12:16-21 Christ tells a parable of a rich man who had plenty and what did he do, he pulled down his barns and built bigger ones. Then he said he would take ease, eat, drink and be merry, not thinking about others or tomorrow. Never once did to it come to his mind that he might share some of his bounty with the less fortunate.
The really important thing was taking care of himself, and that meant getting more and more and more so that he could build better and better and bigger and bigger barns so he could get still more and more and more. He never saw beyond this world. In that he was a “normal” human being.
William Barclay tells a story of a young man conversing with one who had been around longer. “I will learn my trade”, said the younger, “and then? Asked the older. “I will make a fortune” “And then?” “I suppose I shall grow old and retire and live on my money?” ”And then?” I suppose that someday I will die.” “And Then” came the question that hit him hard.
Jesus said “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” Here is a real pair of glasses why not try them on today.
When Christ dwells in the heart, you will be filled with His love. Self will be forgotten. Love to Christ will be the spring of action. Let’s aim at perfect conformity to the will of Christ. A profession or declaration without deep love will be just plain talk ,a formality, a ritual, a form or custom .
When we give all to Jesus, we give up a sin-polluted heart for Him to purify, cleansed by His blood and be saved by His matchless, unrivaled, incomparable, inimitable, love.
All heaven is interested in our happiness. They want joy for us, yet the divine requirements would ask us to shun, avoid, spurn, turn away from, indulgences that would bring suffering and disappointment closing the door to the happiness of heaven. The true joy of life is to have Christ formed within.
Question: How can I make a surrender to Christ? You are weak in moral power, slave to doubt, controlled by habits of your life of sin. Broken promises have diluted your confidence in your own sincerity, do not despair!
What we need to understand is the true force of the will, the governing power of decision and choice. The power of choice has been given to us to exercise, with it you can choose to serve Him,
He will then work in you to will and to do His good pleasure. Then your whole nature will be under the control of the Spirit of Christ, your affections, opinions, judgements, feelings, views and thoughts will be centered and be in harmony with Him.
With this right exercise of the will an entire, whole, total change may be made in your life. By yielding up your will to Christ you partner yourself with His power and you will be enabled to live the new life, even the life of faith.
You see your life filled with selfishness and sin. You long to be forgiven, cleansed, to be set free. You need peace and Heaven’s forgiveness. Money cannot buy it, intellect cannot procure it, wisdom cannot attain it. By your own efforts you cannot secure it.
It is yours as a gift offered by God, without money and without price. Reach out your hand and grasp it.
A new heart is promised and a new spirit will be put within you.
You cannot atone for past sins, you cannot change your heart and make yourself holy. All of this can happen through Christ.
Believe that you are forgiven and cleansed, just as Christ gave the paralytic power to walk when the man believed that he was healed. It is so if you believe it. It is our privilege to go to Jesus and be cleansed, to stand before the law without shame and remorse. You are bought with a price the precious blood of Christ.
Now that you have given yourself to Jesus, do not draw back, do not stay away from Him but each day say “I am Christ’s”. You are not on probation, you need not prove that you are: rehabilitated, changed, converted, renewed, transformed, . Just claim the blessing of God even now, this very moment.
His spirit and grace will help your infirmities, without you will not be able to resist evil. Just come to Jesus as you are, sinful, helpless and dependent.
It is His glory to encircle us in the arms of His love, bind up our wounds and cleanse us from all impurities. You need to know that pardon is freely extended for every sin. He is waiting to put white robes of righteousness on us stripping away the stained polluted ones.
His thoughts are thoughts of mercy, love and tender compassion. He will abundantly pardon. Remember He hates sin, but loves the sinner.
The Spirit invites you just now, come with your whole heart to Jesus that you may claim His blessing.
We have redemption through His blood, and the forgiveness of sins. Ephesians 1:7.
Draw near to Him with confession and repentance and He will draw near to you with mercy and forgiveness. If you are in Christ you will be a new creature, old things will pass away, all things will become new.
A change will be seen in our characters, habits and pursuits. There will be a clear and decided contrast between what was and is now. The character will reveal a tendency to habitual, customary, consistent, words and acts. If we are Christ’s our thoughts are with Him and our sweetest thoughts are of Him.
All we have is consecrated to Him, we want to bear His image, breathe His spirit, do His will in all things.
When we are new creatures in Jesus we will bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
We will also follow in His steps, reflect His character and purify ourselves, once proud and self-assertive we become meek and lowly in heart. The useless, unproductive, worthless, narcissistic, self-important customs and fashions are laid aside not seeking “outward adorning” but the hidden man of the heart.
Duty becomes a delight and sacrifice a pleasure. The loveliness of the character of Christ found in the renewed heart modifies the character, governs the impulses, controls the passions, subdues enmity and enn obles the affections casting a refining influence on all around us.
When coming to Christ we need not trust in our works, It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith that can make us holy. Secondly we do not earn salvation by our obedience to the law, for salvation is the free gift of God, to be received by faith.
Obedience is the fruit of faith. Christ changes the heart, we have no righteousness of our own, by giving ourselves to Him, accepting Him as our personal Savior, then sinful as our life may have been, for His sake we are accounted righteous.
We shall often have to bow down and weep, cry, shed tears, sob at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, do not be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy we are not cast off, not deserted, not abandoned or rejected of God. Remember! if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Pray more fervently, believe more fully and praise Him who is the health of our countenance.
The closer you come to Jesus the faultier, especially the faults that cause malfunctions, the faultier you will appear in your own eyes. It will be evident that the vivifying, the life giving influence of the Spirit of God is arousing you. The less we see to esteem in ourselves, the more we shall see to esteem in the infinite purity and loveliness of our Savior Jesus.
The more our sense of need drives us to Him and to the word, the more exalted views we shall have of His character the more fully we shall reflect His image.
Jesus chose the sequence of the Beatitudes carefully to represent the order of salvation. The first four show you have been redeemed saved by his mercy. The fifth shifts from the God word to the human side, I get up from my knees to share the mercy learned in the fifth. To share with my neighbor, my wife, my workmate, He wants me to have mercy when others fall short or have a need.
Mercy is more of an attitude. But it is also an action. A story tells of Jacob Bright coming home from town and finding a poor neighbor in trouble. His horse had met with an accident and had to be killed. People were crowding around the man, saying how sorry they were.
To the one who kept repeating this most loudly, Jacob said, “I am sorry $50. How much are you sorry? He then passed the hat to buy the man another horse. For love to be outgoing, it must be out looking.
William Barclay puts it this way. “Mercy is the reverse of self centeredness …It is the antithesis, the direct opposite, the reverse of selfishness. Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.”
A life in Christ is a life of restfulness, you may not have an ecstatic, overjoyed, thrilled, elated, blissful, euphoric, in seventh heaven feeling but there will be an abiding peaceful trust.
Consecrate yourself to Him in the morning, make this your very first work. Surrender all of your plans to him. Then day by day your life will be more and more molded after the life of Christ. Don’t look to your self, do not let your mind dwell upon self, look to Christ. Let your mind dwell upon His love, and his perfect character.
To be transformed into His likeness we need to love Him, copy Him and depend wholly upon Him. Jesus says, “Abide in Me.” Come unto Me and I will give you rest” Matt. 11:28.
It is Satan’s constant, continuous, unremitting, perpetual, effort and allurements, that exact a very powerful and often dangerous attraction diverting our attention from Christ and thus preventing the union and communion of the soul with Him. He, Satan, uses the pleasures of the world, life’s cares, perplexities and sorrows, the faults of others, or our own to divert our attentions.
We should not be making self the center and indulge our anxieties and fears as to whether we will be saved. Talk and think of Jesus. Let self be lost in Him. Leave yourself in His hands, and then we will be the conqueror. We need to watch, strive and pray that nothing may entice, tempt, persuade, lure us to choose another master. When Christ abides in the heart, the whole nature is transformed. Then if Christ is dwelling in our hearts, He will work in us “both to will and to do His good pleasure”.
We shall work as He worked, show, display, reveal, exhibit the same spirit, growing up into Him in all things which is the head, even Christ.” Ephesians 4:15.
Dietrich Bonheoffer, whose life ended when he was executed for seeking to put an end to Hitler’s madness, writes “when Christ calls a man be bids them come and die” There is no cheap grace-no bargains. Lets not be a bargain hunter hanging around the church wanting the pearl-treasure-but only at a discounted price. Some have given all, others are merely weeds masquerading as wheat in the Lord’s garden.
To become genuine wheat we need to be willing to abandon all for the kingdom of Christ.
When the love of Christ is given special protection, safeguarded in the heart, like sweet fragrance it cannot be hidden.
Its holy influence will be felt by all whom we come in contact. We will do all we can to make the world a better place for our stay in it. There will be earnest, serious, intense, deep longings that those around us may “behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”. John 1:29.
When we devote ourselves to unselfish efforts for the good of others we are most surely working out our own salvation. We will carry, take, bring, convey our religion into everything that is done and reveal to men the spirit of Christ.
So in the humblest duties and lowliest positions of life, we may walk and work with Jesus and carry our religion into everything that is done, and reveal to men the spirit of Christ. We should so work that others, by seeing his good works, may be led to glorify their Creator and Redeemer.
If the love of Christ is in the heart, it will be manifested, clearly seen, obvious in the life and you will not have to worry what the world will think of you. Unconscious influences may just start waves of blessings. Remember the “Old man from George Street” a recent sermon presented here from a Strong Tower Radio representative.
That person from George Street did not weary himself about success; in fact he did not realize how far reaching the effect of his witness. He just went forward doing, faithfully what God’s providence assigned and his life was not in vain.
Jesus said of the OT and NT, “they are they which testify of Me. If you would become acquainted with the Saviour, study the Holy Scriptures.
It is what we meditate, contemplate, ponder, think, consider, deliberate, upon that gives us character, attitude, tendency, feeling and strength to our spiritual nature. As we meditate upon the perfections of the Savior, we shall desire to be holy transformed and renewed in the image of His purity.
Pray before you open the Bible, ask for enlightenment, explanation, illumination, clarification, of the Holy Spirit and it will be given.
Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, He directed them to present their daily needs before God and to cast their cares upon Him.
He was often found in prayer, a suppliant, begging, pleading, beseeching, imploring, entreating, petitioner seeking fresh supplies of strength. If Jesus felt the need of prayer, how much more should feeble, sinful mortals feel the necessity of fervent constant prayer.
Praying in the name of Jesus is something more than a mere mention of His name at the beginning and the ending of a prayer. We should pray in the mind and spirit of Jesus believing His promises and relying upon His grace and work His works. Our lives must be like Christ’s life-between the mountain and the multitude.
If we thought and talked more of Jesus, and less of self, we would have far more of His presence. We must gather about the cross. Christ and he crucified should be the theme of contemplation, of conversation, and of our most joyful emotion.
We should trust everything to the hand that was nailed to the cross for us.
As we draw near to Jesus, and we rejoice in the fullness of His love, our doubts and darkness will disappear in the light of His presence.
The apostle Paul says God “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son”. When you needed help you can say I found it in Jesus, every want supplied, the hunger of my soul is satisfied, and the Bible is the revelation of Jesus Christ the voice of God to my soul.
In every one of us is a letter sent by Jesus to the world. If you are a true representative, envoy, delegate, agent, spokesperson, diplomat, ambassador it may be that through you that someone will be led to understand something of His goodness and be won to love and serve Him. Christians are set as light bearers on the way to heaven; we are to reflect to the world the light shining upon us from Christ.
If we are good ambassadors, we shall make His service attractive, no gloom or sadness, no murmuring, and complaining, not gathering all the unpleasant recollections, memories, memoirs, reminiscences, of the past life, its iniquities and disappointments talking and mourning over them or we will be overwhelmed with discouragement. The pictures God would have us present:
The Son of God leaving His Father’s throne.
His triumph in our behalf.
His glory,
The fallen race uplifted from the pit of sin.
These are the pictures God would have us contemplate. Don’t breathe doubt, every doubt reacts upon us and could be a seed that germinates in the life of others.
It is very important that we only speak things that will give spiritual strength and life. Let our conversations be of Him who liveth to make intercession for us before the Father.
If we are to imitate Him we should be full of earnest purpose; have a deep sense of personal responsibility, repress levity, flippancy, jokiness; no boisterous gaiety,; no rude jesting. If Christ reigns in our hearts we will want to follow His example, ministering to others, cheerful, and having sunny smiling faces.
We should love and respect one another, humility and self distrust should be cultivated and there should be tenderness, kindness, kindheartedness, and sensitivity regarding the faults of others. All of this will kill off narrowed selfishness, and make us large hearted and generous Seventh-day Adventists.
Jesus is our friend, don’t be fearing and borrowing trouble. Lets not let your minds be dwelling on something disagreeable, unpleasant, distasteful, offensive, blinding our eyes to the many things that demand gratitude.
Do not let the perplexities and worries of everyday life trouble your mind, blur, obscure, darken, dim, and cloud, your vision. Jesus said ye shall have tribulation: be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 17:15.
The Author of our being, the Preserver of our life, the One who formed us in His own divine image, provides for our necessities if we but trust in Him?
Let us keep fresh in our memories all the tender mercies, the tears wiped away, the pains soothed, the anxieties removed; the fears dispelled; the wants supplied; the blessings bestowed knowing that the Lord has done all of this for us.
And by and by the gates of heaven will be thrown open and from the lips of the King of glory the benediction will fall on our ears like the richest music, “Come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matthew 25:34.