John Chapter 16:23-33

Jesus came for you came for you.

They came for me, not just the people who have a Scoble wife are doing well on night again for us in our confusion and our pain and are lost in this became for us with an amazing thing. Welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina.

You have a consistent joy in your life are you anxious about anything, and how can you bridge the gulf between you and God because we've all done things that haven't been good past so checkered.

One of the past that have been very checkered is one of our associate pastors DA Brown DA welcome. The program help us with this Bob is true, but buddy, I have been forgiven.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus came to offer redemption to people like you mean everyone listening right now and I know no matter what we done in our past, Jesus can forgive us today pastor Dave explains this amazing truth as he continues in the gospel of John chapter 16.

Now here's David McGee with part two of his teaching. I will see you again.

John 16 verse 23 and in that day you will ask me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you whatever you ask the father my name he will give you until now, you've asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full. He says pray in my name. Now we understand and that's why we pray when we pray we say in the name of Jesus at the end of the prayer but understand in the Jewishness.

Jesus was a Jew in the Jewishness of what he saying name and nature work together were often named according to your nature.

That's why some people were renamed we see in Scripture while because of the nature change the name and nature synonymous, but they're the same thing. Why is that important because you can't just break anything and put at the end. In Jesus name and expect God honor to. I got a parking lot unless you have a nice car underlies nice car got give me his car right now the name of Jesus I mean there's certain people to have their theology built around this and it almost turns into it. Okay well I'm going to hold my breath to my face turns blue. You don't give me that man's car got an excellent biblical but if you change that to give me that man's car in the nature of Jesus like that don't work anymore. Does it so ask yourself when you're praying is in the nature of Jesus is in the nature of Jesus.

Jesus is telling us how to have joy.

What's the first thing you think about when you think about, the fellowship and fall in the Lord. Many of you now tell me and encourage me because you say, man, I've never look forward to going to church but I look forward to going to church here because you're getting that joy start to work, but the world stands off to the side and says all that's not the way you get joy. You don't get joy from Jesus, you get joy from doing this that the other night.

No, you have met people I've met people had a lot when I sell I mean a lot when God knew that his trust fund paid him $150,000 a month and him and his father owns 15,000 apartments and condos that they collected millions of dollars every month and he was one of the most unhappy people I've ever met, and yet so many believers have far less than and there's a joy and contentment that's there that tells you the world right now is trying a lot to tell you where to get joy. Now here's another thing that Jesus died in that's very interesting prayer. Enjoy. Now I'm ask your question in this.

This shows you how the world is crept into the church an enemy and we started to believe a lot when I say prayer what you think joy that not say prayer you there. Go get beat up and get beat up. I don't beat you up after on encourage on encourage now you know pastors have this special way beating people up about prayer. I don't know if you've ever noticed it it it sometimes it goes like this is just cannot weave it in.

I can play the role for moment I was in prayer this morning there was still fourth hour of prayer was about 6 AM now, as I said that what was going on inside you you're going. That's it.

I quit because he sprang four hours is waking up until clock to pray for hours see now what about just not very suddenly I might pat myself on the back to making you feel horrible making you feel like Christianity is almost unattainable to do that on encourage when encouraged and what happened is it in. In Christianity, a lot is smiling with everybody into a frenzy and what you write down how many hours a day, you're going to pray, and if you're you know, if you write down less than two hours.

You're even dog chewing gum back in her so then what happened to our top like to wake up in the morning and what happens in the morning you hit the snooze bar is not just you and again and again. Been there, done that, you know you wake up you Laura good over the but here's the thing. If you set a realistic goal towards prayer, you're more likely to do nothing. Don't pray lasting for you go to bed. That doesn't work that's not just you. I don't know if you're still in that phase where you think the last thing on the news, but if you do that prayer will quick prayer Lord, thank you for this day protect me in my sleep that family just naming no one in you may have thought it was just you, because when you do that you can fall asleep on God because you hear something about your sitting there you close your eyes and your hold real still. What is your body think it's on the crashes Tom go to sleep. That's not just you that Dr. Pastor and I talked about. I never.

90 more cases because I used to, and I would pray for the goofiest things because I be like half in sleep half out of sleep and he said yeah, one night, he said, yes, listen it myself. And I was asking that God would get saved. I said that's it. No more prayer night man. It just does not work but pray as you are able. What I would suggest this is take something that you do on a regular basis like maybe when you get your cuppa coffee when you sit down to enjoy a bagel work for something that you do on a regular basis for a few minutes with God. If you got 30 minutes. Great if you got five great. I love Spurgeon, Charles Spurgeon and and things that I was interested to find out is semi-talking about him said he never prayed more than five minutes long, but he never went more than five minutes without prayer. So in that constant communion with the Lord is what he's looking for granted that there's there's intercessors here you know what they can. They can sit and pray for two hours. That's not me. To be honest, I may be even more honest I struggle with prayer time just like everybody else. Pastor David mean you supposed to pray all day long and not what we pay you for it is I'm doing it because there's a lot of stuff going on and I have to be sure to take that time to spend with the Lord just like you do, but I encourage you to do that because Jesus ties that would joy as matter fact called us to. In Philippians 46. This is be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known to God. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, prayer and supplication.

Nothing means in the Greek means nothing.

You know everything means a great means everything that you know what, if you can anxious about some of those things are just a minute if you get anxious for certain that reveals. Perhaps you cannot write about are you did pray about it you gave it to God to get right back. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, pray in Jesus. He knew what life was me is incredibly full and filled with joy and filled with adventure and if somebody has sold you on a Christianity that anything less than that you been duped, this is what Jesus is saying that you would have a life and have it more abundantly that Obama that messages obviously been abused by some. I think it's been neglected by others.

This is what God gave Jesus for that we could live in him and no and walk with him. Do you have it.

Are you walking in this are you just getting by. You just kind of existing kind of experience in life and you're being ripped off is with the blood of Jesus.

God purchased. He has offered to use the God given right if you will to live in this fullness of life is described here and if you're here and you lack that joy and in love may take some love from friend beloved something might be wrong. She got lack of joy sometimes can be like an instrument panel to Apollo warning warning. Something's not right because Jesus tells us here how to get joy how to live life. Part of it is prayer interesting that I don't know how many people would admit it, but even as I was saying prayer you're calling is an interesting that the place and point of joy is a place of condemnation for so many in all my times hours years of praying, I've never gone to pray to God and talk to God and God save the here hours ago got that from others, but they never got it from God is always happy to see me she was happy to hear from me that picture you have is a biblical if that's not the picture you have any to let go of the picture you and embrace the picture.

The Bible paints and incidentally if you're filled with joy.

It stuffs the world has given you. You cheaply satisfied you cheaply satisfied. I hope I am never cheaply satisfied his joy comes from the Lord you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be right back with more just a moment, but I want to remind you of the free resources available to you on cross the bridge.com there's a team of hundreds of people that will pray for somebody to be saved. You have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior. You need people to pray for them. You need someone to present God's word to them every day were present in God's virtual here on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee. We can pray for them as well.

Just by simply going to cross the bridge.com and click on the pray for the lost button.

All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love, that need to know Jesus as Savior. Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost love ones. 1 Awesome Way to bring your love ones to Jesus. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown want take just a minute to pray for seven cities in our listening audience. Raymond and Waynesboro Mississippi Branson Chillicothe, Festus, Joplin, and Nevada, Missouri, Lord, thank you for everyone listening in the cities where we know that you're at work in their hearts because her tuning and now Lord, I pray that you remind them of that that you're at work you have a good plan to protect them. Lord, give them wisdom and discernment help them to not fear during these tumultuous times that we live in Lord help them to constantly be in prayer for their family.

For the love ones and for their coworkers and use them as divine ambassadors in the cities that they live in an Lord anyone who doesn't yet know you and the cities. We pray that you would encourage them to put their trust in you use us father to be a blessing to them with your good news in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse 25 these things I've spoken to you in figurative language, but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the father and that they will ask in my name and I do not say to you that I shall pray the father for you for the father himself loves you because you love me and have believed that I came forth from God. Now start talking about the father and weekly sing that song he knows my name understand something a lot of us came up with a misconception of God. Maybe you're sitting going on and I went to church I grew up in church that I grew up with a misconception of God.

Many of us grew up with the notion that God was really mad in the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures and because of the satisfaction of Jesus is now okay with everybody and that he still he still really angry.

But Jesus goes up there and calms them down. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Some of you share that from the Thursday night studies as we go through the Hebrew Scriptures that it's occurred to you how merciful help flopping cotton was and is in the accident says the Israelites are wandering around got so much. That's God the father is merciful. He loved you when Scripture that weekly grants pass so quickly. John 316 says for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life ever thought about this but when it he gave his son what part of the Trinity is this first talking about. So my godfather got so love he gave his son. So you've got in your mind that God the father is angry at you the wrong picture understand for some of you sin is in between you and God the father. There's a golf there that you can't fix you can't correct. There's only one solution for that is Jesus is the son, but God the father stands offering you this morning that solution. The next life lesson God loves you.

God loves you summary going. I know that and and and and and God loves you. I don't think any of us have spent enough time with that simple truth. God loves you all know, and perfect God is in love with us. What an amazing thing. I don't think we think about that enough is it's a miracle. Verse 28 I came forth from the father never come into the world again.

I leave the world and go to the father interested in you and in that one verse 28 so Obama, that is the whole bottle what you mean. Pastor David God created man man rebelled against God, God won't stop until he went back one God desires fellowship with us. God desires fellowship with us to understand what was the thing in the garden, God desires fellowship with us about the tabernacle, God desires fellowship with us about the temple, God desires fellowship with us about the cross, God desires fellowship with us about the book of Revelation. God desires fellowship with us. What an amazing thing that that's part of this plan to do well with us to love us. That's why Jesus did what he did. Revelation 21 three says not heard a loud voice from heaven sent. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, God himself will be with them and be their God that leads into verse four says, and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow or crime.

There should be no more pain for the former things have passed away. Jesus came for you he came for you and came for me. Life lesson here. Jesus came to offer redemption.

The people like you and came to offer redemption of people like you and not just the people who have a scope on wife are doing well on night he came for us in our confusion and her pain and are lost in this he came for us. What an amazing thing. Verse 29. His disciple set him see now you're speaking plainly and using the figure speech. Now we are sure that you know all things, and have no need that anyone should question you. By this we believe that you came forth from God. Verse 31 Jesus answered them to you now believe understand there there saying we got it now.

I don't have it they say yeah okay we got it. They don't have it and it's evident by the fact they were white and an upper room in one of the ladies went to the teams always in thinking back told them they it's in the book. Read it. I didn't get it. Jesus knew they didn't get it there was a testing coming to. That's what happens to our faith. When I was a young boy. My dad was both a mechanical and aeronautical engineer and am asking a lot of questions and in you really you can ask that question. You really needed to know the answer because he was can answer fully and that they'll remember it on the way the beach one time we went across this bridge and it's an Internet graduate 20,000 pounds probably know really do drop something that weighs 2001 pounds of bridge collapses and they build back just the way they did it and then you know they know I don't over do so. I asked that you how they know when he so the gate start talking to me about the tensile strength of steel and in the only thing is interesting, but see they do test the bridges while because weight will be driven over interface needs to be tested because weight will be driven over the life lesson here is a faith that has not been tested cannot be trusted. Faith that has not been tested cannot be trusted. If you think about what the disciples are getting ready to go through. It's a lot it's a lot if you can imagine being Peter in sitdown with Jesus and Jesus looks you in the and he goes you know what Satan has desired you was to sift you like wheat and about five and Peter out a set for him coming. He told them no right to help me out here Jesus allowed Jesus allowed knowing that it would strengthen Peter and in that moment, he says doing when you return. Beautiful for you words. Not if you return when you return will get tested. To be honest we will do so well in some of, but even then we can learn something we can learn that will really depend upon God when the test does go well. It shows us that God is actually doing something that us not when I was a young Christian I still think that God tested us to figure out what we would do in a given situation.

Goal theological problem without God knows everything. The reason we get tested friend is for our benefit in our knowledge because either way it's a win-win. If we fail, we gain more dependence upon God when we win, we understand God's work in our lives. So these test, and they will come.

You can learn from and know that the Lord is with you.

Just as the disciples were getting ready to go through a sieve year test verse 32. Indeed, the hour is coming yes is now, you will be scattered each to his own will leave me alone. And yet I am not alone because the father is with me.

Verse 33 these things are spoken knew that in me you may have peace in the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

You can have tribulation. Jesus said it here. If you believe him about other things you have to believe him about this because if you are going on never supposed to have a trawler tribulation. Every time you hit one it'll shock you will have the trial going on here Jesus told you that you have trials you can believe in go Kellner have chosen to rush but he promises never to leave me nor forsake Jesus said you have trials, be of good cheer. Cheer up, because I have overcome the world. The last life lesson Jesus one and because of that. Now you can win as well. You in your own strength. You can't beat send you can be with Jesus. Not only can he did any offers you the victory if you take his hand and you walk with him in this life. Remember what Jesus said from the cross. He is in the Greek to tell us time it is finished.

It's done paid in full.

Question is are you live in the life that brings that joy are perhaps other people in here this morning that have yet to experience this joint.

You may have gotten a taste of it before, but somehow things have gotten in the way. And somehow as you sit here this morning you're thinking. I don't have.

I hear you talking about it here. Jesus offered it to me.

I don't have that joy somehow slipped away somehow distractions came in and and this got in between me and the Lord and and man the warning lights are going off, put him first and watch the jewel return spend time with the Lord wants to joy return, but some of you know some of you may be sitting here this morning. I thought Christianity was all about doing good and doing the best you can. Christianity biblical Christianity is that your best is not because the standards perfection. The good news is that God offers you perfectionist or in exchange for your sins. If you come to friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only gender 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 send 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 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 you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you'd like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much he would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out through cross the bridge. Thank you so much ODA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners they wake up with encouragement Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider daily reading and the thought to meditate on. Throughout today from the heart. David McGee those are terrific and it's easy and it's free so folks sign up today@crossthebridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God