11/15/2020
THIS IS A WORD THE LORD GAVE ME ABOUT A WEEK AGO. HE SPOKE THIS TO ME AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THE THINGS OUR COUNTRY IS GOING THROUGH: " THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED WAS THAT THE THING THEY LOOKED FOR WAS NOT THERE."
I PONDERED THAT FOR AWHILE AND KNEW HE WAS TALKING ABOUT JESUS BEING GONE OUT OF THE GRAVE.
THE WORLD TODAY IS SEARCHING FOR THIS VERY THING. THEY LOOK FOR IT IN DRUGS, ALCOHOL, S*X, MATERIAL GOODS, POPULARITY AND MANY OTHER THINGS. BUT NONE OF THESE THINGS SATISFY THAT LONGING DEEP WITHIN.
THERE IS A PLACE DEEP INSIDE THAT ACHES AND LONGS FOR THIS ONE THING AND NOTHING ELSE FILLS IN THAT PLACE, NOTHING ELSE WILL BRING SATISFACTION.
PEOPLE HAVE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO SEEK AND FIND IT AND IT IS FREE FOR THE TAKING. IT KNOCKS ON YOUR HEARTS DOOR AND BEGS TO BE GIVEN AN ENTRANCE BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT IT IS NOT WELCOMED IN. IT IS SPURNED AND MADE FUN OF ...IT IS GIVEN THE BACK, NOT AN ENTRANCE.
THAT MORNING MARY WITH HER FRIENDS WENT TO THE GRAVE TO PLACE SPICES AND INCENSE ON HER SON'S BODY, BUT HE WAS NOT THERE. THE TOMB WAS EMPTY EXCEPT FOR ANGELS WHO TOLD THEM HE IS RISEN. THEY WONDERED AND SOME SORROWED THINKING SOMEONE HAD STOLEN HIS BODY. BUT ONE MET HIM ON THE WAY TO TELL THE DISCIPLES THAT HIS BODY WAS GONE. SHE THOUGHT HE WAS THE GARDENER AND ASKED, " MY LORD'S BODY IS GONE OUT OF THE TOMB, HAVE YOU TAKEN IT? WILL YOU TELL ME WHERE YOU HAVE LAIN HIM? HE LOOKED AT HER AND SAID " MARY "..SHE RECOGNIZED THIS WAS JESUS...HER LORD. SHE STARTED TO TOUCH HIM AND HE SAID, DON'T TOUCH ME FOR I HAVE NOT GONE TO MY FATHER YET. " HE GAVE HER A MESSAGE FOR THE DISCIPLES THAT HE WOULD MEET THEM.
THIS IS THE MOST OFTEN SOUGHT AFTER THING IN THIS WORLD AND THE MOST REJECTED. THEY DONT REALIZE HOW PRECIOUS, SATISFYING, COMPLETING AND SAVING HE REALLY IS. HE IS BO***GE TO THEM BECAUSE THEY FEEL FREE TO DO WHAT SO EVER COMES INTO THEIR MINDS TO DO. IF THEY LET HIM IN THEN THEY WILL BE LIMITED IN AREAS THEY WANT NO LIMITS ON.
BUT BECAUSE HE WASN'T THERE WHEN HE WAS LOOKED FOR BOUGHT US LIFE...AND NOT JUST LIFE, BUT ETERNAL LIFE. ETERNAL HEALTH, JOY, PEACE, AND HAPPINESS. PLUS MUCH MORE.
I AM GLAD HE WASN'T THERE WHEN THEY LOOKED FOR HIM, BECAUSE NOW I HAVE A HOPE BEYOND THIS VAIL OF TEARS, PAIN AND SUFFERING. JOY WILL PREVAIL IN THAT CITY CALLED HEAVEN. NOT A WORRY, NOT A CARE....ALL BECAUSE HE WASN'T THERE.
TRULY IT IS THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER BUT THE WORLD DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SEARCHING FOR TO REALLY SATISFY THAT LONGING DEEP WITHIN, THAT NOTHING SHORT OF A WALK WITH CHRIST WILL TRULY SATISFY.
MAKES ME THINK OF AN OLD SONG THAT GOES, " IF JESUS SHOULD COME AND KNOCK AT YOUR DOOR, ASKING FOR FOOD OR BREAD FROM YOUR STORE, WOULD YOU REFUSE HIM AND TURN HIM AWAY? FOR THIS HE WILL JUDGE YOU ON THAT GREAT DAY."
IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP AND KEEP YOUR VESSEL FILLED WITH OIL AND THE WICK TRIMMED AND BURNING.
Pastor Jo Ann Gibson.