R1654 Looking For Jesus, Pt.1

God has an encouraging word for you and me today. The Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a message continuing in Colossians in just a moment God takes us to the book of Colossians and continues in this concept of looking for Jesus to reopen God's word together.

We want you to know were opened to pray with you and for you every time on our prayer line in 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673, and it's also a lifeline for resources great resources wonderful book called call for courage. Right now you can take on our website while you listen to Dr. Wilson GW online.org is our website.

That's tewonline.org you see an opportunity for us to stand strong in a world that's more and more opposing the cause of Christ is online@gwonline.org. You need your Bibles this morning not want you to turn to Colossians chapter 1 and verse 15. I wish that I could say to you what is in my heart, and perhaps the Lord will allow me to do so you're going to be blessed by this passage I want to speak to you on the subject looking to Jesus.

What a wonderful night. The Lord Jesus looking to Jesus the author and the finisher of our lives before I read this passage I want to tell you just a very brief story you see on 911 2001. I know exactly where I was and I'd like to tell you when I got up that morning, like most of us. I got an urgent phone call to have the most precious people that I have ever had the privilege of knowing in my life.

Dr. Jack and Miss Christina Cleveland. This is 20 years ago and that sweet and most precious mother was about to deliver her first baby and we knew that there were complications as I got into my motorcar and drove down to the regional Hospital the news began to break and I arrived at the hospital, knowing full well that something was happening. Pictures were appearing on the television.

Six. At the hospital, but my mind was focused on one precious couple. My heart was being pulled away because my nation was under attack and I'll never forget that day because that beautiful little girl Grace was born and I stood there with that precious couple is that beautiful little baby girl was picked up by the Lord Jesus and taken from their heart into the presence of Jesus. I have a vivid and clear picture in my mind that day of his sweet mommy and a sweet daddy, the broken heart. I don't have to tell you about Dr. Jack and Miss Christina Cleveland today because those of us who are privileged to call them friends look now into the faces of three incredible sons.

They all wonderful young men that were not killed on the but now they all into the faces of a mother and father who have grown in the grace and knowledge and admonition of the Lord Jesus, a medical doctor. Mother, who seemed to know no end in serving and giving of themselves to others. You see that you looked to Jesus here in Colossians chapter 1 and from verse 15 all the way readily till the end of the chapter 2 verse 29 Paul looks at these people in the midst of all of the struggles and they questions and I'm putting the words into his mouth, but as God spoke through him. He looked at these people and he said here's the solution look to Jesus and I just want to say this to you. I hadn't planned to save this as you worship the Lord Jesus today.

What is it that's in your heart what you going through. Which of your twin towers is burning right now. What will holds up in your heart you know life is unkind in so many different ways. It's unfair it doesn't seem to discriminate against old and young and rich and poor from health issues to financial issues to horrible things like abuse. Some of you have been so badly treated someone hurt you badly didn't you been the subject of gossip racial discrimination you've looked into the face of anger and hostility you been treated so unfairly you been accused. Haven't you wrongly, and even sometimes when was right and you sit the record straight. They just don't seem to want to really forgive are you are just a persistently unforgiven person's like what else do you need to do to awesome someone to forgive you. What more do you need to do some of you have even been to prison.

What more do you need to do.

You've paid your debt somebody today is looking at me in your branded like you did something 25 years ago and things will go fine for six months and then here comes again and somebody wants to expose the brand more let everybody know who you all and pull here writing to the church colossi says the following are not like to read this to you church believers. Jesus verse 15 is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together, and he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so they need everything he might have the supremacy from God was pleased to have all his fullness will in Jesus and through him to reconcile to himself all things with the things on earth all things in heaven by making peace through his blood shed on the cross once upon a time you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior, but now God has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through day to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. If you continue in your faith established and firm not from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel. You have heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, of which I pull have become a servant.

So now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh. What is still lacking in regard to Christ's affliction for the sake of his body, which is the church, I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness. The mystery that is being kept hidden for ages and generations but is now the disclosed to all believers to them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect and complete in Christ. And so it is to the seemed are labor, struggling with all God's energy, which so powerfully works in me by the Lord Jesus calls us to see him hi and lifted up, this is Jesus and what hold those here is he begins by just making a statement. He sees this Jesus of whom we speak is the very image of God. What he mean by that. Why does he want us to understand that when we look to Jesus that he in fact is the beginning and the end.

Then it in him that we live and we move and we have our being. Very simply put, because what he's trying to tell us there in verse 15, is that Jesus is both the representation and the manifestation of all that God is what that means is that Jesus not only represents God to us, but as the manifestation of God.

He embodies everything that God is and shows us clearly that fullness of the Godhead. Jesus says look at me, and you have it all. You don't have to look anywhere else. You don't have to go anywhere else. What you wanted these people to know is that Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end. He's the first am the lost team him that the fullness of God is. In other words what he's saying is that Jesus is the full he is the final and he is the complete revelation of God. He is the unanimous testimony of Scripture.

It is that Jesus Christ is the one who does it all. Somebody say amen I love that I want you to bow your heads with me. Every head bowed, and I feel led to do something this morning. If you need special prayer. I'm going on askew wherever you sitting in the hangar wherever you sitting in the auditorium.

If you need special prayer in the name of Jesus.

I'm going to cost you just quietly get up from your seat come and stand your forgive the eruption will be back with the rest of today's message with Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment that I mentioned earlier, this remarkable resource called be salt and light from Dr. Wilton and a book that goes with it. A call for courage. Now more than ever we need to lean into what God calls us to do as the culture is actually opposing Christ in many ways.

First Thessalonians 511 says therefore encourage one another and build each other, just as in fact you are dealing many Christians today need encouragement and the insane message of Jesus Christ. We invite your love for Christ through action. We invite you to become a monthly Dell very encouraging way we need your support becoming today, 6899 where that's 86999673 information on how you can help support the work of The Encouraging Word The Encouraging Word the viewer and listener supported ministry. Thank you for listening today that's is one of many great resources on our website@gwonline.org nor the most powerful resources we have is the power of prayer and would love to pray with you and for you anytime as a matter fact in just a few moments believe Dr. Donna's got a call on us to move towards the altar inside the auditorium, but you need to know that you can make that move to a friend that would love to pray with you anytime this phone number 866899 word that's 866-899-9673. Now back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton if you need special prayer for any reason.

If you have somebody that need special prayer.

I'm going on askew to come and stand you just stand here looking toward me. In Genesis just come down just stand your praying today for a son that you love your praying for daughter your praying for healing.

You have a special prayer for this country your praying full yourself. I don't need to say a whole lot God is going to say to you just get up and come pull looked at the people of colossi. He said look to Jesus and he began by saying this is who God is. This is Jesus, the lost verse, verse 29 is what God is speaking to me about this in posted on labor.

He was speaking about himself struggling with all God's energy, which so powerfully works in with every head bowed, Lord Jesus, I don't know why I suddenly did this today to really believe that you told me to do.

There is nothing in me anymore than they was in pole anymore than they was in Billy Graham anymore than they was or is in any person, because we are all sinners saved only by the grace of God. But one thing I do know Lord I do know that you called me to serve in this place today I'm an instrument in your hands, Lord, standing here today in Genesis, in celebration people, Lord, in nursing homes worshiping by way of television those on Facebook goes live streaming right now. Perhaps Lord someone in a faraway country that we hear from regularly through The Encouraging Word bold cost. Maybe someone being persecuted right now. Maybe someone about to get a knock on the whole by the Taliban. I don't know Lord, but you do someone living in a country where they can't even speak the name of Jesus. And here we are in America today, but Lord, it's so much more than that because we are a people Lord we want so badly to be whole and happy and content. We want to be kind and gracious. We want to serve you, Lord, we we know that you forgiven us. And if there's any person today who has not yet repented of basin and receive the full forgiveness the reconciliation made possible by the shed blood of Jesus Lord I pray right now that they would just simply trust you pray that prayer be born again of the spirit. But Lord Jesus. Right now there were people standing, people, Lord, who have every kind of circumstance people. Lord have lost babies who've miscarried people Lord who is struggling with finances. People who whose marriages are right on the age of breaking apart people Lord who have the physical needs people Lord, whose lives are on the edge Lord someone today, who's been diagnosed with cancer or with some stage of some sickness that is just affecting their lives, someone Lord, who for years has had the bullet tidy health issues. Someone today who just struggles to walk down the road. Lord I pray God, we want to look to Jesus right now I hold out my hands in the name of the father the son and of the holy word and I pray in Jesus name I pray in Jesus name that the Lord Jesus.

Each one of us as we look to Jesus, we would know that we are seeing the full, final and complete revelation of God that Jesus on the unanimous testimony of Scripture you all the representation of God embodiment of all God is God so love the world.

You are the only begotten of the father of grace and truth upon us as a people trying to help me as I slide your spirit by your divine power throughout prayer of God on throughout prayer we cry out to you to give the Lord Jesus. We love you today. We love you and we look to you. You are the author and the finisher of our lives.

You are Jesus, Emmanuelle, you are God with us. You are God in us, and there is none like him to the forgive us all God before we have sinned against you restore us and restore to us the joy of your salvation. May we as a people and proclaim the name of Jesus, may we be so and lie in out tasteless will take us Lord Jesus and let us become different makers for Christ and Lord as the band begins to get ready to play as the pianist and organist get ready to play as people go back to their seats. Today we just simply worship you Lord Jesus, as we pray this prayer together in Jesus Naim and for his sake alone.

Amen, amen. Let's stand together as these go back to their seats, our Savior's mighty my senior so as people are moving, even out of their seats and auditorium coming to the altar. You need to know that God is ready to receive you right where you are. You have to be behind stained-glass windows were in some massive worship center really quietly alone in a quiet place you could be in the dizziness of daily commute could be finding yourself as many starting your day listing on your ear buds. We just believe that God orchestrates the opportunity for us to be together. It's not an accident is you've been listening to Dr. Don Wilton is our prayer that through the teaching of God's word. You also heard a loving heavenly father remind you that he cares for you. He has a wonderful good plan for your life all starts with saying yes to him as Savior. For me, I spent a lot of time in church. Knowing everything about God, not knowing today could be the date you say yes to Jesus and know him personally, if you like to do that. It starts with a simple prayer I love to lead you in. You can just say me too. As I pray along this prayer Lord God, I thank you that you love us and are pursuing us even to broadcast like this to let us know. We have a place in your family today. Jesus, I thank you that I can turn my back on my sin and say yes to you as Savior and Lord, I pray you would help me to live for you, make you the number one the boss of my life and I look forward to seeing how I can grow in faith with you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. If you just pray along with me, or perhaps even early in the broadcast. Pray along with Dr. Wilton know that we love to connect you and connect you with a lot of resources will help you grow, you can call us right now with 866-899-WORD and let us in these materials to you absolutely free the number again 866-899-9673 organist online as well. Our website has all these resources always points of connection as well. Maybe you'd like to email us. That's online@tewallonline.org. Thank you so much for sharing this time with God's Encouraging Word