Are You Trusting In An Experience Or Jesus?

My Utmost For His Highest

‘When I have stubbornly doubted? (see John 20:24-29). Have I been doubting something about Jesus— maybe an experience to which others testify, but which I have not yet experienced? The other disciples said to Thomas, “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). But Thomas doubted, saying, “Unless I see . . . I will not believe” (John 20:25). Thomas needed the personal touch of Jesus. When His touches will come we never know, but when they do come they are indescribably precious. “Thomas . . . said to Him, ’My Lord and my God!’ ” (John 20:28).

 

When I have selfishly denied Him? (see John 21:15-17). Peter denied Jesus Christ with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69-75), and yet after His resurrection Jesus appeared to Peter alone. Jesus restored Peter in private, and then He restored him publicly before the others. And Peter said to Him, “Lord . . . You know that I love You” (John 21:17).’ CHAMBERS

 

When I was in Waveland, MS, I shared the Gospel with a young man who was struggling with life.  It is one of those calls that you get late at night .. a frantic parent .. asking for you to come over to help with a child in desperation.  As I talked with the young man, he shared that he had tried church.  He went to a particular church where the people would go forward, the pastor would walk by and touch them on their forehead and they would fall back as if in a swoon.  He said the preacher came to him, touched in on the forehead .. nothing happened .. touched him again .. nada .. touched him a third time … the same …so the young man watched as the pastor moved on … He told me .. “I wanted what they had .. but I was denied” …

 

I explained that what He needed was Jesus .. not an experience in the front of the church … Many of us are looking for an experience as proof of salvation .. something miraculous … something that we can set our faith on … thinking then .. perhaps then … we will have what those other people have … A surrendered heart is best demonstrated by how you live your life and not an experience in a church … One of the common complaints from wives whose husbands went to a Promise Keepers conference was that for two weeks .. life was wonderful .. then the glory faded and their husband slipped back into the same rut he had been in before the conference.  It is not an experience that matures you … that changes you .. that bears the fruit of the Spirit … (Galatians 5:22-25) it is you exercising the disciplines of your faith … fellowship with other Christians, reading and meditating on the Word of God, prayer, and sharing the Good News with others.

 

Friend if you have been trusting in an experience, but have never received Jesus as Lord … I want to encourage to do that today.  The experience won’t save you … it won’t change you for long … only Jesus can and will …

 

“Only Trust Him”

 

“Come, every soul by sin oppressed; There’s mercy with the Lord,  And He will surely give you rest By trusting in His Word.

For Jesus shed His precious blood  Rich blessings to bestow; Plunge now into the crimson flood That washes white as snow

 

Only trust Him, only trust Him, Only trust Him now; He will save you, He will save you, He will save you now.”

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)