John Chapter 4:43-50

Don't worry about anything.

Instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need and thank him for all he is there is only one way that you cannot be anxious about stuff and that's if you take whatever's concerning you, and you place it in the hands of the Lord and here comes the hard part and you leave it there. Jesus cares about every detail in your life. Those things that are troubling you want your hand.

He wants to be part of your life. He wants to be the solution. I know sometimes are struggling under.

Sometimes we get filled without we shouldn't allow ourselves to be filled without a doubt, some don't doubt Jesus don't doubt your faith. Don't doubt the word of God. A doubt some doubt your doubt welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee.

David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. We were guest in the studio with us today. It's one of David McGee's associate pastors DA Brown and DA tell us a little bit about David McGee's teaching private miracles which he will be teaching today.

Bob the world tries to get us to doubt God is speaking to us but you can't cast doubt God is speaking to the core of who you are speaks to where no one else can go today I hope you're ready to hear from God, and I hope you're ready for him to answer some the questions you've been asking now, here's David McGee beginning his teaching private miracles turn with me to John chapter 4, but a lot of stuff in this chapter. So we sort of lingered at it, let's pick it up with verse 43 that you remember we've been talking about the Samaritan woman.

The woman at the well and how she went back in the town and she brought most the town back out and they had a very real encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. So please come to the end of that now Jesus is getting ready to do something else and go somewhere else. In verse 43 now after the two days he departed from there and went to Galilee so he's going north. He's gone through Samaria and we talked of course how most people went around Samaria through Paris and the deck polis so that they wouldn't have to walk through Samaria. Jesus walks through Samaria goes to Galilee they need understand Galilee was called get Leal Gail him in the Hebrew what that means is the Galilee of the Gentiles. In other words, the Jewish people looked at this section of the country is for those who were spiritual for those who really were walking with the Lord and to a certain degree. There was some truth in that, but it's also interesting that Jesus spent a lot of time up in the Galilee area and that's where bulk of his ministry went on he didn't spend the bulk of his ministry down in Jerusalem was what we would probably call the religious or the observant Jews but out there gathering those guys who were really only outskirts and I think part of that was because by this time there had entered into Judaism. A lot of vein traditions a lot of empty religion if you will, and before you begin casting stones at the Jewish people. For that, you probably ought to take a good look around the church in America because we see the same things happen in here in United States. As we empty into a lot of vein tradition and you can there certain phrases that will key you off like if you say Lonnie I'll do this in the answer that you're given is what we've always done like that. That's a really good answer, is it I mean that's answer that's given sometimes see what we like to do is everything that we do in here. We like to be able to say okay, this verse says that and that's why we do this because this is the book guys this is what we need to be looking at so and it's interesting to because where did Jesus find the most opposition to his ministry in Jerusalem among the religious folks of your will begin at so I think it's indicative because a lot of times we tend to.

As we talked about shoot our own wounded in the interreligious sense in the churches where you are supposed to go if you don't have any problems and how do we get there. The church is the place to be when you have problems when you've got struggles and and we need to really encourage people because you understand the mentality of most people is that whenever they finish struggling that they should go to church. As soon as they get a few things worked out though. Get involved with the church. How twisted is because this is the place where were supposed to be working those things out and less never draw a barrier and say well yeah soon as you quit this that and the other than you can come the church as soon as you quit drinking and smoking dope and this and that and the other and this is the place to be if you're struggling with those things. Amen. Now I know some probably rock and some boats in here. You already know that Roy Goyette is right when they accused Jesus of hanging out with centers hanging out with centers no wanted why did Jesus go up a little Galilee to minister to these people. I think there was an openness in the Galilee region that wasn't in Judea, which is the area around Jerusalem. There wasn't that seat religion says that man in his own efforts can reach God. A lot of people think that's Christianity is not Christianity.

Christianity is that God has reached down the main in the form of Jesus Christ. See no amount of our efforts can reach heaven. But praise God and thank Jesus that heaven is reached down on us and in this is something that is it still in this area that people struggle with. And Jesus was going to Galilee you know in part why because it had been prophesied that he would go to Galway and that he would spend part of his ministry there there. There's a lot of prophecies, but let's just look at what Isaiah chapter 9 verse one. Nevertheless, the gloom will not be upon her, who was distressed is when at first he likely esteem. The land of Zebulon in the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed or by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan in the Galilee of the Gentiles, Galileo ago him like that.

That's the Hebrew phrase or Galilee of the Gentiles. First, to the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death upon them a light shine.

Aren't you glad that Jesus still is shining on Gentiles. He still bringing people to him that were walking in darkness, when an amazing thing that that's who he reaches out to that you can be walking in just the bondage of religion and self-righteousness, or even be in the bondage of drugs and alcohol and all sorts of sexual stuff but you know what Jesus is the light that can break that bondage. He still desires to do that and Jesus was fulfilling the work because Jesus was a doer. Jesus was a doer of the word. John 1317 Jesus says disciples is you know these things. Blessed are you, if you do them.

That's important for us to understand the model as a Bible teacher is to make sure that you guys understand the word of God is to make sure you're getting the word of God because let's face facts got we are. I think without a doubt, we are in the most scripturally illiterate generation of Christians that has ever existed in the history of the church people don't know the Bible is because quite frankly it's not being taught and promoted from the pulpit that we should be reading about sad so you can come and I guarantee if you come once we all read the Bible to but if that's the only time you're in the Bible, economists and what supposed to be going on in James chapter 1 verse 23 is for any of it. If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror free observers himself, goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

But he looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work. This one will be blessed in what he does.

That's interesting that James ties together being a doer of the word and understanding the perfect law of liberty seat. What happens is, the more you mature as a Christian you become face to face with the fact that you're still a center that you still stumble.

You still struggle and it gives you a deep recognition of what graces of what amazing graces. So the life lesson here is be a doer of the word of God.

Be a doer of the word of God. In verse 44 says for Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

I think we most of us can identify with that and don't be surprised when this happens it happens with old friends. It happens with family. It happens with people you work with and perhaps people see you in a bad moment.

Or they saw you when you struggled or perhaps when you fell in and you know it's bizarre is that friends and family are usually more comfortable when you're not walking with the Lord given notice that there okay loving you can be Looney Tunes because Akai there are but the moment you go to the family reunion or the dinner new start, Jesus they get wigged out is not just you. You thought it was just, you know it's not just you want because the Holy Spirit in us convicts them of where they are not with the Lord and they begin to be uncomfortable and you know what that uncomfortable feeling that they get from you is a good thing too because I can leave them to the decision to follow Jesus, we have to admit that you know there were some discomfort in our lives before we decided to follow the Lord.

We felt convicted of what we were doing what we were not doing. And out of that was Berg repentance, so don't be surprised by those things and remember you're not seeking honor from them. Hebrews chapter 6 verse 10 says for God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love what you've shown George's name and that you have ministered to the saints and do minister God knows whether your family sees when a friend see whether anybody you know sees God sees everything you do for him.

We need to remember that this there will be things that you do for the Lord are things that you endure the nearby also say, but the Lord will say and you know there's something some sure about that verse 45. So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans receiving having seen all the things he did in Jerusalem at the feast, for they had also gone to the feast verse 46 so Jesus came again. The cane of Galilee where he made the water wine. There was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum now cane is about 20 miles from Capernaum or K for Naomi. This is the word in Hebrew is still there you go there. It's an awesome thing you can see the synagogue where Jake Jesus actually healed the man with a withered hand and it says nobleman that means he was an official, probably with Herod. So this guy was a well-known and and the powerbroker review will so again, it's interesting to look at John three is Nicodemus, a religious official that Jesus reaches John for he is talking to the woman in the well and is reaching her and now we have somebody in Herod's court. So you see the good news going that every type of person will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now there's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob were excited be here. Listen to the teaching want to pray for some people in our listening audience today. Specifically, the cities in California and con real Linda Salinas sent Art of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara God, we thank you for the people in the cities today we pray that they would tune in and be encouraged in your word.

Lord help and have an open heart that you want to speak directly to them God that you want to forgive them of all their sins. Lord you want to use them to be a blessing to other people so others could be forgiven to in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse by verse 47 when he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him and implored him to come down and heal his son for he was at the point of death. I remember Judea is the region around Jerusalem. Galilee is the upper portion of the country and again the galley is kind of the rolling hill country of Judea.

As part of the city, if you will, of Jerusalem, that's interesting. This man wanted Jesus touches son men.

That's a good thing it's a good thing for you as a father to desire that Jesus would touch her children. Mother's that's a good thing for you to desire that Jesus would touch her children pray for your children pray for often and bring them to Jesus. Now will be times don't be surprised when your kids maybe don't want to go to church and don't be afraid of making them go to church that's taught an entirely bad thing. I probably heard that old joke that you know this guy says yeah when I was growing up I had a serious drug problem and I still have have some of the leftovers of that dog is all really good. As we look in a drug promise it will.

Every Wednesday night, my parents drug me to church every Sunday morning they drove me to church every Sunday night. They drug me to church and I still bear the benefits of that drug problem.

I like you know some some parents make the mistake of asking their children communism, young children 12, 11, 988. You want to go to church sometimes in my singing not of course they knew we have the opposite thing happening here to and it's amazing the parent.

I don't know, they realize what you're telling me when they say they got there we were gone this murder. Kids want to go. Praise God, you, not that lets me know that lets me know our children's ministry is an awesome part of this fellowship… Take that if it didn't take your kids to get to hear praise God meant I was glad you're here afraid for your kids is something we do for our kids and we've done since her room really on his pray for their spouses. No, I don't have any news to declare about that but you know I it's never too early to begin to pray for their future spouse that they would be a godly manner.

A godly woman and that the Lord would selectmen it would be an act of the flesh, and I think that's an awesome thing and and also you know with your kids coming when we mentioned this with your kids. Make sure that your your maintaining your witness.

Now that's a challenge and but understand part of maintaining your witnesses is when you mess up telling you messed up all they arty know but go to them and you know what that was not cool.

What I did. I was angry. I raise my voice or whatever you did you know we shouldn't of watch the television show was it. Whatever the deal isn't an and lead them by your example.

My near perfection because I know you're not perfect. Don't even try to pull out and I mean and if thereunder to do they know I mean if there over to the they may know thereunder to pray for verse 48. Since then Jesus said to him, and less people see signs and wonders, you will be you will by no man's bully by no means bully talk unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe that plainly here. There's kind of an inherent warning of seeking signs and wonders to confirm your faith ally would Jesus tell us here and there's other places. Paul tells us in second Corinthians chapter 2 verse nine talking about end times this evil man will come to do the work of Satan's counterfeit power and signs and miracles and and were warned in other places as well. This is why Jesus wants us to be careful in this area because in the end times and I think were getting close. There's going to be what's referred to as lying signs and wonders and understand some people that's all they look at the validated ministry. So I'm on television, a God used him to heal that God will.

The reality is you. You don't know that man you don't know is ministry you don't know is fruit in the be honest you don't know the person who just got healed and you need to be careful and look at the fruit of the ministry. Other people don't know the Lord that are coming to know the Lord. That's the best fruit of the ministry is our people didn't say the word being taller people getting saved are people being disciple, not necessarily Emmy people did we raise from the dead. This week that's a tough time.

God still does those things I believe you can show me in Scripture where he quit doing that verse 49 the nobleman said to him, sir, come down before my child dies.

Jesus said to him, go your way, your son lives. So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to and he went his way, as is interesting to me, just the exchange is very cryptic. Not a lot of words here in the mantis sir, come down before my child does know what what I find interesting about this is the man was telling Jesus what he needed to do to heal his son.

The 20 miles away understand their walk and they're not a car there 20 miles away. This man is asking Jesus to walk 20 miles to pray for his son and it seems like the obvious thing to do. And Jesus did, in fact, he was sent, but not in the way the man asking to this is such a powerful application because a lot of times are more pray in where asking the Lord to fix a situation or to remedy a situation to understand that often we tell him how he supposed to do that. Do you think he really needs us to tell him how he supposed to do that. I don't think he does now there's a time and a place for but I think we probably go a little bit too far in there in a week with the okay Lord. This is what I need you to do this is the way I need you to meet this need. I need you to do it.

You know I'm just gonna wait on you, but it needs to be done by 5 o'clock today.

Briscoe Lane a minute. The Lord may be working something in your life to teach you something were done happen.

5 o'clock today may happen two days three days four days five days after you think it's worse to happen. What I found is that God is never late, but he seldom early in the interested in building our faith in strengthening our relationship with. So often we tell them how exposed I got so many bills I got I got so many bills of work with you charge myself into a corner got so many bills I Lord there's only one way that I know that you're going to meet this need, lotto, wait a minute, God may be desiring to teach you about how to live instead of providing some quick solution that's going to find you right back in the same situation, monthly to the life lesson here is allow the Lord to work in his way and his timing without being anxious, yet I had to throw those last three words in their without being anxious, as if the first two things wouldn't sell it to the were told in Philippians chapter 4 verse six is being anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God is from the new King James version.

I read from the new King James version as study and King James, the King James amplified new living translation. Some of the new living translation here says don't worry about anything.

Instead, pray about everything that's good is it in. Don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. There is only one way that you cannot be anxious about stuff and that's if you take whatever is concerning you, and you place it in the hands of the Lord and here comes the hard part and you leave it there and you leave the Dixie a lot of times I know personally what I do is not just something that God and 08. You know what seems to me to be a long time. Three. Four minutes on and on and nothing happens so I take it back. Obviously you and I get anxious again. What we gotta do is learn to set things in the lap of Jesus and leave them there guys. That's a hard discipline, but something that we need to do whose hands do you desire for your loved ones and for your family and friends whose hands do you desire for them to be in yours are the Lord's who's going to do a better job at drawing them and wooing them. You are God's answers pretty obvious. It only want to put them in the Lord's hands with. We got put them there in leave them there, and God sees every need that you have and when you pray he's wanting you to including in your life and say Lord Hill. My son heal my daughter here month, and my mom and dad heal me, Lord, and he wants to be included in every aspect of your life.

You know when we were on the road we traveled on the road for about seven years. Just all over the country, Canada and Mexico doing ministry and stuff.

It was just amazing. I you know maybe one day I'll sit down and and write a book because it we just saw so many think that's huge things all the time but it was intriguing to me the details that Jesus was interested in every part of our life. Not sure this once before Sunday night or sometime here we were in Cambodia Arizona which is between Flagstaff and Phoenix and am we talked about our son JD was getting some headaches we thought will innovate seems to get headaches when he reads.

Perhaps at some point will stop and will go to optometrist resentment and so we we go to the fellowship I do that the music in the teaching we get finished and were low. Now you know and we I said something about JD's eyes and the guy and one of the deacons. It was helpless what else it. What's wrong with his eyes and said, well you get headaches overthinking it. He might need to go the doctor. The guy looked at me and said this is like the day after we prayed to Gus's mom and optometrist. Can you come by tomorrow so jailing about a party because every human needs glasses I'd appreciate if you would allow me to bless you guys with glasses.

Jesus cares about every detail in your in your life. Those things that are troubling you. He want you hand them to. He wants to be part of your life.

He wants to be the solution. I know sometimes that struggling under. Sometimes we get filled with doubt. We should know ourselves to be filled without a doubt, some don't doubt Jesus don't doubt your faith. Don't doubt the word of God. A doubt some doubt your doubt is not doublespeak. That's a life lesson. Trust the Lord and doubt.

The other thing now here's here's the rub, guys. Here's where is the hard part just sorted out your emotions can be something you should doubt that you've lived long enough you know what I get red-faced or there are times when your emotions are blood, they glad do you remember a facility are still teenagers.

Remember when your teenager and use all that girl or that God you thought. That's the one that's going to be my wife or that's going to be my husband. You were just convince that to happen. What happened your emotions. Glad to friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry.

Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, so congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart of David McGee. That sounds good Pastor day and again. It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com. If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our lifestream at 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night at 7 PM Eastern time.

This visit, cross the bridge.com and click on our lifestream link. There you will experience a live service from David's home church. The bridge in North Carolina again. That website is cross the bridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God