When Your Heart Is Overwhelmed

by Donna Braman

Lovest Thou Me

In John 21:15-17, Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?"  Jesus is asking us the same thing today, Do you love me more than the things in the world?  Then feed my sheep.  Do you love me more than you do your business? Then feed my lambs. Do you love me more than your own life?  Then feed my sheep.

There is a significance and revelation to why Jesus says this three times. Before you are at the end of this teaching you will know why Jesus did this and it is a message from him for this end generation church.

In Revelation 3:20-22, we see Jesus standing outside His church wanting to come in.  A church He purchased with His own blood. I hope you are listening today because Jesus is speaking to His church. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Lord is saying to His church.  If you will overcome, you can sit at my throne.  Jesus is coming for His church; a holy, virgin bride. It is not the time to hold onto to sin or to backslide or to continue being a part of the carnal minded fellowship.

There is a reason there has been a falling away in the church. This event is scriptural for the end times. Preachers are giving up the pulpits like God didn't call them into a life time appointment.  God needs a people that will love him forever and not for just a season.

There is a luke-warm Laodicean spirit in the church today. For those who have the new spirit Jesus talks about in Revelation let us press forward because God is moving on His church.  He promised us the former and latter rain.  This end time pouring out of His spirit is going to be greater than at Pentecost in Acts.  I see Christians today desiring a renewed relationship with the Lord.  They want His joy and His presence.  God's thoughts are on us and the whole world, and He is searching hearts to see whose heart is perfect for Him.

There are Christians who have been silent for a season that we see now springing up to return to their first love.  They want to love God with all their heart, mind and soul.  They want real prayer time.  They want to hear and read His word.  They are taking the time to get into their private prayer chambers to talk and commune with God.  For some, it is in the car or while jogging, for me, I perch myself up in my recliner first thing every morning to read and pray and talk to my heavenly Father. I meditate on him throughout the day. I come into His presence in the cool of the evening to sit at His feet, because my heart is fixed on him. We've got to get a thirst for him.  Well, I can tell you He blew my skirt up. For others, they know about Him and think they know how to run His church but they have no relationship with Him, nor do they know His ways, desires or heart.

We are experiencing in the church a departing and a coming together simultaneously.  It is what the bible refers to as the separation of the wheat and tares.  People are tired of worldly events in the church.  We've put things in the sanctuary that He never wanted to be put there, worldly speech, making money, movies, parties until it looks more like an entertainment center.  We want the presence of God in our midst not a worldly fellowship.

Do you love me Peter?  Do you love me more than these things? Then feed my sheep!  Stop holding grudges against people in the church, stop gossiping and back biting.  We have forgotten that Jesus' whole ministry is supposed to be about forgiveness, yet we hold such unforgiveness in our hearts for each other. If you have an issue with a brother or sister, now is the time to run to them , not to right the wrong they did to you but to ask forgiveness for your unforgiving heart.

Three times Peter denied Jesus and when questioned by Jesus we see Peter's heart begin to breakdown into an repentant state.  Jesus then reached out and forgave him and blessed him, and he will do the same for you.  Jesus took care of His flock's natural needs.  He fed them, then He filled their spirits and gained their hearts.  We don't know how to gain other's hearts because we're too busy holding on to works without faith, or working to promote our selves and personal gain.

Fishing was all Peter knew.  It was his living.  Jesus said, Do you love me more than these? He's talking about his bank account, his new car, his new home and his business that gains him all of these things.  Jesus is asking Peter, Do you love me enough to leave all that?

We're living in a Laodicean era, and they are leaving the church because they don't want holiness and truth that is coming back.  God will hold this backsliding church generation accountable.  He says to resist this spirit of division and hardened heart.

Jesus was requiring three things of Peter. Let nothing of this world grip you but God.  If you backslide a mile then you've got a long way to come back, but Peter came all the way back.  Jesus said, I'm going to give you the grace and power to walk righteous with me, and as Peter was praying the power fell upon him.  Peter did come back and Jesus made him a great man of God.  We've got get that passionate love for Him into our hearts.

Has God done some great things for you?  He sure has me, and that's why I praise him.  I get lost in worshiping Him because I love Him for what he's done for my life.  You see, we don't preach right in the church. We don't teach right.  We have to stop loving the ministry and love HIM for what he's done for us. Are you proclaiming His glory on your life? By the power of your testimony they will overcome.  Yet, we sit back in the pews and don't proclaim nothing he has done that might help a hurting or lost soul in your midst.

God is asking the same thing to us today that He did Peter.  Love Me more than anything!  Did you know it's possible to fall in love with the work of the Lord and not love Him?  This is what Jesus meant when he said, I did not come to bring peace but division.  He is distinguishing who is righteous and who is not by their love for Him.  There can be nothing that takes priority over loving Him.

A seductive spirit has come upon His church, and you have to find the balance with Jesus or you will be lured away by this dividing, seducing spirit. Get His word and truth in you so you won't be deceived.

Are we trying to please God or man?  Too many preachers want to lace their pockets.  God will meet your needs, get away from the "me" thing.  It's not about you.  Jesus says, seek my Kingdom first and everything else will be added unto you.  We've got to find balance in these matters with Christ's church.  Unless you eat of His body and drink of His blood you can't walk with Him, and You Will Fall Away.

Where is your heart today?  A man examines his heart by the word.  What are your treasures?  Is He your song?  Is He your breath and your every heart beat?

If you backslide you'll have to crucify Him all over again.  You can come back, Peter did, because Jesus mirrored his heart to him.  God makes us do things we don't want to do so we can come into balance with Him.  He will balance your dreams and desires.  It is a Pastor's job to preach the truth of the word so you can become right and balanced with God.  Jesus is coming for an unblemished bride.  That's why I know the spirit of the church is changing, because Jesus says it's going to happen.

Peter, do you love me more than these?  You'll have to ask yourself these questions that Jesus asked of Peter.  Is is the work you're doing, or is it the call of HIM ON YOU?  Why has He called you?  If you can't get this revelation then you'll never surrender. Mark 3:14

Jesus called us to be with him, in our closet chambers, in our hearts, in our minds to send forth to teach and preach.  We have it all today, ipods, youtubes, television, sports, secular activity, and we have money.  That's the problem in this church age, that those goods have us.  Those things are what grips our hearts, not Jesus. Those things are what is stopping us from spending time with Jesus.  Can you get a prayer answered?  Can you come to the throne of Grace?  Do people say of you, Oh he is righteous, he can get prayers answered?

We need some radical preachers that can get prayers passed the clouds and speak the truth of God's word without caring what the people approve of.  Next time you go to the altar find someone else to pray over instead of for your own needs.  We need effectual, fervent prayer for each other.  Our hearts have become overwhelmed by everything except Jesus. Spend some time with the Master and you will get a revelation of what the Master is doing.

Don't be like the church of Ephesus.  It started out right, but it fell back.  These men in the church of Ephesus were followers of John the Baptist and they began to follow Jesus.  They had a passion for Christ but something happened, they lost their gifts, the Holy Spirit.  They started to do things their own way.  When we go our own way the devil takes over the church. We can not embrace the world and the church.  We must die to the worldly church age and reemerge as the new spirit of Christ's end time church.

Listen to what Jesus said to the church of Ephesus.  Rev. 2:4, You have left your first love.  There's something in your life you are putting before me.  Many of today's churches are a lot like Peter.  They've denied Jesus their time, talent, and fellowship.  Well, we then whine, it wasn't intentional, but take heed to Luke 21:34, If you're a minister or teacher you are a watchman on the wall.  God called you to speak and preach the truth and to warn the people.  Jesus is the Lord of His Sanctuary and His spirit cries out, build for me a sanctuary where the hearts are overwhelmed for me.

This teaching was taken from my notes on a sermon of the Rev. Jerry Nelson at Westmoreland PHC with my commentary added.  To order the sermon in it's fullest content on CD or DVD you can request that by going to the church web site, Westmorelandphc.org or by emailing me at: djbraman@gmail.com

To see more of Believers Ministry articles and teachings go to djbraman.blogspot.com

To have me as a guest speaker at your church or womens group to speak on these teachings please contact me at the above email address.

Author's Bio

Donna is a minister of education.  She holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies. She teaches seminars, speaks at women's groups and churches on subjects concerning the end time church. She is currently working on her Masters of Divinity at Foundation Theological Institute and is ordained by the Foundation's Fellowship.   She also is a newspaper columnist and enjoys writing God's word to help develop and mature Christians. She is president of Believers Ministry, Inc., a 501c that is an outreach ministry that calls for the return to covenant of the church and the teaching of biblical principles.   If you would like to have these teachings brought to your church or have Rev. Braman as a guest speaker you can request that in an email below.

You can see more of Rev. Donna Braman's teachings at: djbraman.blogspot.com or at: hubpages.com/djbraman. Her email is djbraman@gmail.com