What do you need in your life?
Answer with one word.
It is not a physical need.
What are you looking for, looking for, wishing for?
What word describes what you need in your life?
It is understood? Cool!
****************************************
The best answers to this question are: love, joy, peace
1) love
2) Happiness
3) Peace
Love: I just want to feel loved. You know, a lot of people have never experienced a mother’s love. That mother’s love is something special, isn’t it? Many do not have a father in their lives. Did you know that a father’s love, protection, and provision is an earthly image of Heavenly Father? If you don’t have that good dad, you may have a harder time understanding God’s love. Many feel unloved by their husband or wife. Perhaps your spouses just don’t express love well. Maybe they just have different love languages. I just want to feel loved.
Happiness – Maybe you haven’t felt happy in a long time. You know, life wins us ALL. We are trying to live the American dream. But every time we take a step closer, something happens that takes us back two steps. And sleep seems further away than ever. If I could feel happy…
Peace – These times are so uncertain. We don’t know what will happen next with our government. Prices keep going up. Death is all around us. It has touched everyone. We have all lost family, church family, friends, co-workers. We don’t know if we’ll have work tomorrow. We don’t know if Dollar General will get a truck this week! We are worried and scared about the future.
And in our daily life? We are all so overwhelmed. We have too much to do, to do it in one hour of the day. Some of us are working, taking care of our own house, helping with the grandchildren, and suddenly we are the caretakers of our parents. Too much to do in one day. Then the same thing happens the next day, but we’re also trying to catch up on all the things we didn’t do yesterday and the day before. We feel that everything is out of our control. We are worried about the things we have to do, we are afraid that we will never catch up. If we could just have a minute of peace, we’d be fine.
And I’ll tell you, my word, what I need is peace.
* **************************************
So where can we find these things we need? How can we get them?
Well, I have the answer for us.
The things we really need can only come from a close relationship with God.
There is a saying that everyone has an empty space within themselves, a God-shaped void. We’re trying to fill it ourselves, and we just can’t do it.
We try to fill that void with THINGS. Or if we can’t get the things we want, we think: If only I HAD… THE THINGS.
Must? A new phone, a new car, a boat, a bigger house, a better job. You might even be thinking… a better wife, or if only my husband was _________. If he asked you to think about the one physical thing you need, you wouldn’t have to think. It’s right there…in your mind all the time.
But when we get those things, they put a Band-Aid on the hole in our soul. It distracts us for a week, a month. But then we realize, we still have that emptiness inside of us. We still feel dissatisfied. So we set our sites on the next new thing!
But, you know… It’s not uncommon to hear that someone who is rich and famous has committed suicide. And everyone is like, “WHAT!!!??? They had EVERYTHING!” A person can have everything that money can buy, go everywhere on earth, and can experience all the pleasures this world has to offer, but that empty place is still there.
King Solomon even wrote about it. It is recorded in the Bible in the book of Ecclesiastes.
As we say, “Well, if I just had this one other thing, I’d be happy.” that rich guy gets to a point where he has bought EVERYTHING. He has LAVISHED Himself with ALL luxuries and ALL pleasures. There is nothing else he can try to fill that void, to satisfy that longing inside of him, in his soul. And he says, “I’ve tried everything I thought would make me happy, and I still feel empty. What is the use of living?
The Bible says: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…. (Galatians 5:22)
What does that mean? It means that love, joy, and peace grow in our lives as the Holy Spirit fills that God-shaped void. If the spirit of God is in you, fill that void, because love, joy and peace grow in that empty place within you, and will spill over into your daily life.
******* ************
At the Lord’s Supper, the last supper with his disciples, Jesus spoke to them about these three things we need: love, joy, and peace. He knew that’s what they would need and that’s what we need. His words are also for us.
Jesus said: The Father will give you another Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of truth. He will remain with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17,26)
Peace
I leave you My Peace, I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, do not be afraid. (John 14:27)
Love
Jesus said: I have loved you. If you keep My commandments you will remain in My love. John 15:10
Paul said: …the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5
Joy
Jesus said: My joy will remain in you, so that your joy may be complete. John 15:11
Worry and fear are specifically the two things that take away our peace.
The peace of God, which is beyond our understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
4) Maybe hope was your answer, the only thing you need.
We live in a time when you might feel helpless and hopeless.
The apostle Paul wrote to the early church in Rome, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may overflow with hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
The apostle Peter wrote: Always be ready to give an answer to any man who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you. 1 Peter 3:15
*************************************** ***
How do we get the Holy Spirit?
God has sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 1:22
Have you ever paid down payment on a car or a house? You’ve made a deal. The earnest money is a sign that gives security that you will keep your promise to fulfill your end of the bargain.
The Holy Spirit is our earnest from God. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that God will keep his end of the bargain. He is going to fulfill all the promises made to him, including the promise of eternal life in heaven.
How do I get this guarantee? This Holy Spirit?
You enter into a transaction with God.
What’s your part of the deal?
— You believe in your heart that Jesus paid for your mistakes with his life and that God has raised him from the grave.
— You confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.
And what is God’s part of the deal? (Romans 10:9 and 2 Corinthians 1:22)
When Jesus takes your sin, he gives you his righteousness. That’s a good deal, right?
When you confess that Jesus is Lord, you get the promise that heaven is your home;
and you get the earnest of the Holy Spirit. , who will comfort and guide you until you arrive home in Heaven.
By believing, you receive justice; and with confession you are saved. Romans 10:10
Saved from what? Saved from separation from God forever in a place of torment.
******************************* ****
Come into a close relationship with the Lord today!
He is the only one who can fill that empty place inside of you!
He is the only one who can satisfy your soul!