“After they had eaten, Jesus asked Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these other things?'” (John 21:15).
I believe that we were born into this world with a void, a void that is innate in each of us; a void that God created in each of us. Why? Because there is only one way that void can be filled and complete and that is through Jesus Christ. Here is one definition of void: Completely empty. So we enter into this world completely empty.
The problem is humanity ignores this hole and attempts to fill it with things other than God. Jeremiah 17:9 describes the condition of our hearts:
"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"Sadly, too many try to find meaning in themselves or from their worldly lives.
"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"Sadly, too many try to find meaning in themselves or from their worldly lives.
This God-shaped hole inside each of us can only be filled by a personal relationship with Him through faith in Jesus-Christ.
As we mature and grow into the development of adolescents and adults we seek out ways to fill this void. I call them faulty shelters. When we try to fill a void during trials it is easy to fall into a faulty shelter. A faulty shelter does not really help us, but it offers a false sense of comfort or security. False shelters can be found in drinking, smoking, food, hobbies, gambling, sexual immorality, physical & mental abuse, pain killers / self medication and habits. In commercial buildings there are emergency routes that lead to safety, they are normally marked in red. In the New Testament, Jesus’ words are written in red. His words will guide and lead to His shelter.
You see we fill that void with worldly things, we try to fill it with everything else but Jesus Christ, and nothing else will work. This is why we hear so much of suicides and depression, because nothing else is working, money won't fill it, we see rich celebrities who have taken their lives, then we see others who have nothing take their lives. People are in a state of depression, so we medicate ourselves. Only Jesus can bring you out.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 refers to it as God placing the notion of "eternity in man's heart." As God has made humanity for this eternal purpose, He's the only one who can fulfill our desire for eternity.
When we hurt, it's not uncommon to look for ways to fill our void. As much as we hurt, we shouldn't fear the void because that's where miracles, strength and changes are born. Distracting ourselves from feeling our void shows that we're not WHOLE. Something is missing, damaged or broken and until we face it, no person or thing will ever make us feel complete; only Jesus Christ.
We've been given a void by God to go back to Him to live fully in His presence, sheltered by His unconditional love and security. Peace can reign in our hearts in the midst of storms as Christ can calm our seas...
Jesus prayer just before His death for us was that we would be one with the Father just as He was one with Him and if this is possible and we have bodies designed to house not just our spirit but also the most high God, then we must have a void in us that can only be satisfied when God takes up residence on the secret inner throne of our lives.
When someone has never prayed in their lives it's great to teach them how to pray and when they believe these are great Scriptures to share with them that Christ does indeed dwell in our hearts in response to the prayer of faith which is as simple as asking Jesus to save us from our sins.
When someone has never prayed in their lives it's great to teach them how to pray and when they believe these are great Scriptures to share with them that Christ does indeed dwell in our hearts in response to the prayer of faith which is as simple as asking Jesus to save us from our sins.
Faith can have a different meaning for many but it's certainly not an intellectual acknowledgment of His existence, only. It means giving Christ your ENTIRE life for Him to make of it what He has purposed for you. True liberty and freedom cannot be experienced without receiving God's forgiveness for our sins.
The problem doesn't lay in what we do or not but in the fact that it's in our "human nature" that sin resides. Be sincere and honest with yourself and Christ. We are all sinful creatures who need deliverance from ourselves and the enslaving of Satan over our lives.
As you receive Christ's forgiveness He will abide in you by His Spirit for eternity! As we all know it, life on earth isn't and will never be easy for anyone including those who surrender themselves to their Savior.
I will not leave you thinking that joy, fulfillment, meaning and victory aren't possible in our lives in this dying world. Rain and sunshine coexist and they sometimes bring about a rainbow-a reminder of God's faithfulness, and goodness in accomplishing His promises and taking pleasure in giving us what we also desire.
We've been given a void by God to go back to Him to live fully in His presence, sheltered by His unconditional love and security. Peace can reign in our hearts in the midst of storms as Christ can calm our seas...
The problem doesn't lay in what we do or not but in the fact that it's in our "human nature" that sin resides. Be sincere and honest with yourself and Christ. We are all sinful creatures who need deliverance from ourselves and the enslaving of Satan over our lives.
As you receive Christ's forgiveness He will abide in you by His Spirit for eternity! As we all know it, life on earth isn't and will never be easy for anyone including those who surrender themselves to their Savior.
I will not leave you thinking that joy, fulfillment, meaning and victory aren't possible in our lives in this dying world. Rain and sunshine coexist and they sometimes bring about a rainbow-a reminder of God's faithfulness, and goodness in accomplishing His promises and taking pleasure in giving us what we also desire.
We've been given a void by God to go back to Him to live fully in His presence, sheltered by His unconditional love and security. Peace can reign in our hearts in the midst of storms as Christ can calm our seas...
Many precious believers are in love with the things of the Lord, but they are not in love with the Lord Himself. Many Christian workers and ministers are in love with the Lord’s work. Almost without realizing it, the work of the Lord becomes more important than the Lord of the work.
There are prophets and teachers who hold words from God in higher esteem than the God Who speaks the words they attribute as being from Him. People seek these words and teachings. The more they receive, the more they want. Before one word is digested they are craving another. They are seeking “things” – words, prophecies, teachings, visions, dreams – but they are not seeking the Lord Himself.
Is Jesus enough?
When the saints gather together most of the activity is focused on “one another”. This is important, but it is not the most important thing. Fellowship is good: but is Jesus enough? Gatherings are good: but is Jesus enough? Meetings are good: but is Jesus enough? Special speakers and special music are good: but is Jesus enough?
Even with praise and worship it is possible to sing “about” Jesus and not truly worship Jesus. With preaching and teaching it is possible to talk “about” Jesus and not truly meet Jesus in what is shared. In prayer it is possible to talk “about” our needs and never actually commune with Jesus Himself.
Among Christians I have discovered something. There is Jesus, and then there are all the things ABOUT Jesus that are NOT Jesus. Jesus Himself occupies only a small portion of what is said and done in Christian circles. Most of what is said and done is merely ABOUT Jesus, but it is NOT Jesus.
I have learned that stress, strife, disillusionment, dissatisfaction, bitterness, anger, hurt, misunderstanding, and confusion comes from everything said and done by religious people ABOUT the Lord, and IN THE NAME of the Lord, that does not, in fact, have anything to do with Jesus Himself.
How much of your focus is directed to the things of God, and not to God Himself? How much of your discussion centers on things about Jesus, and not Jesus Himself?
Just look around. This brother is focused on end-time events, and that sister is devoted to inner healing. This brother is primarily concerned with prophetic things, while another sister is keenly interested in spiritual warfare. That brother is deeply involved with theological discussions, while that sister is in love with Christian music.
One movement emphasizes this particular thing, and another group stands for another thing.
There may be diversities of gifts and callings. There may be various and sundry things to be involved with. There may be many topics to study and discuss. Many things compete for our time, attention, affection, energy, and money.
But there is only one Lord Jesus. Just as some people cannot see the forest for the trees, I believe most sinners cannot see Jesus for the Christians. And I believe most Christians cannot see Jesus for the “church”.
Is Jesus enough?
If Jesus was all you had, would Jesus be enough for you? Or do you have to have all the “trappings” of Christianity, all the bells and whistles, all the toys and trinkets?
Make no mistake: there is no life in the things that are ABOUT Jesus. There is life only in Jesus Himself.
May I speak candidly? If you are dissatisfied and disappointed with your Christian walk today, it is only because of one thing: Jesus is not enough for you. Somewhere along the line, something else became more important than Jesus. Maybe you have become focused on the things ABOUT Jesus that are NOT Jesus.
There is only one solution. You do not need more of the Lord, because He has already given Himself completely to you already. You just need less of everything else.
Go back to when Jesus first called you to be with Him. Go back to the time when all you had was Him. Go back to the time when there was no work, no ministry, no vision, no special calling – except Jesus calling you to be with Him.
Remember when you said, “He’s all I need!” So what happened?
When we realize that Jesus is enough we will have a hunger that can only be filled by Jesus Christ. We will do anything to get to spend time with Him. Sometimes you just have to step out on faith, you have to become radical; you have to be sold out. Look at some of the people who heard about Jesus or who met Jesus and their entire life changed and Jesus was enough for them.
Luke 8:43-48 KJV
43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
John 4:1-42: The woman at the well.. Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman
Luke 5:17-39 New Life Version (NLV)
Jesus Heals a Man Let Down through the Roof of a House
Mark 10:46-52 New King James Version (NKJV).Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus
I pray the Lord will draw us after Himself and make us thoroughly sick and tired of things – especially the things that are ABOUT Him, but are NOT Him.
God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son, Jesus.
Well… is Jesus enough?
Blessings
J.P. Olson
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