True Help

John 11:^{21 & 40} “Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”

Martha and Mary had this Jesus that they loved, but the question on their minds was, “Can He help us?” They knew Jesus wanted to help, but they were not sure if He could help. Their dilemma was they were not sure if Jesus could help. “Jesus, it is too late.” God has asked me to tell you, “I am always on time, I am never too late”. You can conclude that if Jesus had come two days ago, five days ago, five years ago in your life, things would have been different. But Jesus is saying, “I am here now! I am the Resurrection and the Life; everything that is dead, I will bring back to life!” I am really excited because God is set to give us beauty for ashes.

Please read Judges 6:11-13. Gideon’s dilemma was, “Can we get help from this God? Can I get help from God because I am not even sure if He is with me? I do not know if He is with me or if He is with us; is this God with us?” In Judges 6:1, the Bible says that “The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight…” You may have done things that God does not like, and you are wondering if God can forgive you? You may be wondering, “Can God forgive this, can God still be with me?” I am saying to you today, the question is not, can God forgive you. The question is, can you repent? Can you come to God and ask Him to have mercy? If you can do that, God can forgive you. Unfortunately, religion turns things the other way round. Religion says, there are certain things you need to do. But God says, “No, you need me before you can do certain things.” Take the children of Israel for instance, when they were in the wilderness. These people, the whole nation apart from just a hand full, were in total rebellion. But God gave them protection, God fed them. None of them was ill or sick, none of them was hungry.

Religion tells us that we need to do good so that God can feed us. God says, “I need to feed you so that you can do good!” Totally, totally different! Religion says, “Be right so that God can feed you!” God says, “No, I want to feed you so that you can be right.” Many of us, particularly those who are far away from God, have made promises to God to do A or B. God is saying to you, “You do not even have the power to fulfil those promises. Come to Me and let Me fill you. Then you will fulfil those promises effortlessly.” Do not think that you must fulfil those promises before you can come to God. You need God to rise above them. God is saying to you even now, “Come, let Me feed you!” If you are far from God, the first place you should go to is God. Have you heard people make statements like this; “I want to put myself in other first, before I come to church or join a fellowship.” The truth is, the best you can do will be like filthy rags. God is saying, “Come, though your sins be as scarlet. Come, they will be white as snow.” Until we come to God as we are, no transformation can happen. God wants us to have beauty for ashes, but He says, “Come!”

Prayer [hymn]: Not the labour of my hands, can fulfil Thy law’s demands; Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow. All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone. Amen!