If You Know, You Know
Graphic Credit to my friend Kevin Shindoll.
The Value of Prayer and Blessings
It is hard to fully calculate the true weight, measure, and value of the Lord's blessings in our lives.
“If it were possible to know how many prayers have been prayed for you, how many times someone has taken you to prayer, and prayed for you over a period of your life—all the good, godly people who through faith have prayed for you—what kind of value is that?
There is a tragedy in the fact that some people today, probably not far from here, have never had anyone pray for them.
Scripture says there are those who are without God and without hope in this world.
I want to do what I can to pray for those who are lost, without God and without hope.
I read a text a pastor received this week after their midweek service. The text said, “I had to stop what I was doing and tell you I received healing last night in service. I’ve had pain in my side for almost twenty years, and during your message, the words, ‘You have not because you ask not,’ in that moment I prayed for healing, and Jesus took my pain away.”
“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” (Romans 14:17-19, KJV)
“If you know, you know.”
You may be seated.
A Biblical Example: The Wedding at Cana
This morning, for a biblical example, I am going to look at John chapter 2.
“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? My hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” (John 2:1-5, KJV)
“Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.”
Whatsoever Jesus says to you, do it.
“And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” (John 2:6-11, KJV)
If You Know, You Know
In the story, there are multiple perspectives held by those who experienced this miracle that day. Some people knew things others did not. Some people did not know they had run out of wine, but others did.
In this story, we find a unique perspective represented in the words of Mary, the mother of Jesus. When there was a need, she knew to go talk to Jesus. Jesus seemed to be telling her it was not yet the right time. Her response was to turn to the servants and say, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.”
Because Mary knew Jesus.
If you know, you know.
The servants, being good and dutiful, obeyed when Jesus said, “Fill the waterpots with water.” They filled them up to the brim.
One thing stands out: the vessels for cleansing were empty. If your vessels for cleansing are empty, there is a good chance your joy will be empty too. There is a direct connection.
The Kingdom of God
In the beginning text I read to you, the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
We live in a world full of people pursuing happiness. People seek happiness in cars, clothes, gadgets, trips, experiences, and things.
The weakness of the pursuit of happiness is that happiness is based on what is happening. It is an event, an experience, a place, or a thing. But most of our lives are not lived in momentary thrills.
Happiness is based on what is happening.
The kingdom of God is based on what is.
The kingdom of God IS righteousness. The kingdom of God is peace. The kingdom of God is joy in the Holy Ghost.
Righteousness means we live in a way that pleases God. We must get our priorities straight. Of all our priorities, the highest must be to please God.
When we pursue a life that pleases God, it produces peace. You cannot have true peace if you are not living as you should, and you know you are not pleasing God.
Peace is a product of seeking to please God. In the atmosphere of peace, joy becomes the result.
Joy is not like happiness. Joy is something we have not based upon what is happening, but based on what is.
Righteousness is. Peace is. Joy is.
This joy gives us assurance that, even in the worst circumstances, everything is going to be all right.
In the Holy Ghost
My favorite part is this: the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
I do not have enough charisma, personality, wisdom, or insight on my own to have what the Lord gives me when I am in the Holy Ghost. His presence makes all of that possible.
He is the fountainhead of every wonderful flow in my life. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. He is the creator of all things. He is the Father of lights, in whom there is no shadow of turning.
If you know, you know. What a blessing it is.
I do not know everything, but I know something. I know some things. I am not preaching something you have never heard before, because I am talking to people who know.
If you know, you know.
Jesus told the servants to fill the waterpots to the brim. When the Lord asks you to do something, do not do it halfway. Fill it up to the brim. Do not fill just one pot or two—fill them all.
When you have done everything Jesus has asked you to do, you are preparing an opportunity for the glory of God to happen in your life.
The Widow’s Oil – 2 Kings 4
My final point comes from 2 Kings chapter 4.
“Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.” (2 Kings 4:1-7, KJV)
The prophet gave her a counterintuitive direction. She was told to gather every empty vessel she could find, shut the door, and pour out her little cruse of oil.
She took all she had and began to pour. Vessel after vessel was filled to the brim. When the last vessel was full, the oil stopped.
She went to the prophet and told him she had a lot of oil. He said, “Go and sell it, pay your debts, and live on the rest.”
That is just like God—exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Our Part and God’s Part
So many times, we stop short. We want the Lord to do everything for us. We want Jesus to fill the waterpots. We want Jesus to gather the vessels. We want Jesus to pour the oil and sell it. We want Him to hand us a stack of cash.
But God does not work that way. God expects us to do all that we can do before we experience all that He wants to do in our lives.
This morning the altars are open. I do not know exactly what the Lord will tell you to do, but I can tell you this: I am going to give Him all I have got. I am going to give Him my all every day—Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and every day.
I am going to pour it out until I have nothing left. At the conclusion of the matter, I believe I will see the glory of God once again.
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