When Your Heart Is Overwhelmed BY Donna Braman
Donna Braman
Where
Your Heart Is Is Where Your Treasure Is
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.
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