Thankful Jesus is Always There

READ Text: John 14:16-20 esp vs. 18

I don’t know all of what your year was like.

Maybe some of you had a fairly normal year.

I know some of you went through extraordinarily DIFFICULT THINGS.

And then there were some of you had a very BLESSED year.

Whatever kind of year you faced, please know this with certainty, Jesus was walking with you.

He did not abandon you.

He is true to His Word in Hebrews 13:5 (NASB95) [where the scripture tells us that] .... He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”

He did not, as our text emphatically says,

Abandon us to be orphans.

He DID NOT!

We are NOT orphans — we are children of the King

Romans 8:15–17 (NLT) So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering.

NOT orphans — children of the Most High God.

Complete Biblical Library:

Tells us that the Greek word, Or-phan-OH-is, occurs [only] twice in the New Testament: John 14:18 and James 1:27.

James continues the Old Testament motif of widows and orphans when he defines the essence of religion in terms of visiting orphans and widows.

[But] John 14:18 [the focus of my message this morning] uses the term figuratively.

Jesus promised He would not leave the disciples [or US] “orphans” (that is “desolate, alone”).

Here the term indicates that the disciples will not be left without guidance, care, or protection.

Elllicott believes Jesus is saying:

He will not leave them [the disciples] [or us!] destitute and bereaved.

I pray that this Thanksgiving season 2022 we are thankful for Jesus not abandoning us.

He has not abandoned us.

He has not left us destitute or bereaved.

Oh, that we would recognize that all throughout this past year He has been there guiding us.

He has been there caring for us.

That He has been protecting us.

If you don’t see that, I pray that right now the Holy Spirit, the One Jesus speaks about in our text.

Will open your spiritual eyes to see the presence of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is …

The One Jesus said He is giving us to be with us forever.

The One whom ONLY BELIEVERS can receive.

The One who abides WITH you and will be IN you.

HE reveals the truth of the Presence of Jesus in our lives.

And we give thanks for His constant presence!

Every moment of every day, Jesus is with us.

As we prepare for Thanksgiving Day 2022, I hope that we have been living all year according to ...

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB95)

… in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:20 (NASB95)

… always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

Thankful IN all things.

Thankful FOR all things

Thankful in the Valleys

Thankful IN and FOR the valleys.

Last year I encouraged us to:

… not only see God’s glory and goodness, but also to give thanks to Him.

To give thanks EVEN for and in the valleys of life.

Last year many went through terrible valleys.

Including the valley of the shadow of death.

BUT, ALL the valleys we face ...

We would rather NOT walk through them.

They seem like huge, deep hindrances to us seeing the glory of God.

But God will lift them up in our understanding — in our sight.

No longer barriers to Jesus, they become bridges to a closer relationship with Him.

So maybe we just need the Lord’s help to see valleys as they REALLY are.

Places that God raises up in our understanding.

Places to which we point and say:

“God did a miraculous work there. It was ONLY in the valley that I could seen Him like I do now.

“It’s only in the valley, that I would have grown in my faith.

“I love the mountains, but I can’t live there.

“It’s in the valley that the Lord restores my soul.

There is no “IF,” we WILL face valleys in our life.

We can choose to complain about them, curse them, resent them, get angry at God about them — none of that will make valleys go away.

Just maybe God is trying to raise up valleys in our understanding this morning.

Even though it may not seem pleasant, maybe God is using that valley to do a good work in our life.

We may not get to choose whether or not we go through a valley.

But we do get to choose what we think about them.

We get to choose our attitude.

Valleys are places of decision.

Joel 3:14 “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”

So, I pray that during the valleys of 2022 you decided:

I don’t want to be here, but I am not alone — Jesus is ...

Guiding Me

During some hard times of my life the Lord has spoken to me through:

Isaiah 30:20–21 (NASB95)

Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. 21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

Even in the hard times, Jesus is there.

He guides us, telling us go right, go left.

THIS is the way — now, keep walking.

Don’t give up!

I am here, not just speaking, but HOLDING you, embracing you with my love.

Receive His presence by faith.

Thursday night, Sandra and I rewatched the video Monumental by Kirk Cameron.

It tells the story behind the 81 foot tall monument located a few blocks inland from Plymouth Rock.

Thanksgiving 2022 will be the first (and probably only) time that I will celebrate Thanksgiving after having just gone to the birthplace of Thanksgiving, Plymouth, MA.

If you ever get the chance to go to Provincetown, Cape Cod where the pilgrims first landed and then, on to Plymouth where they settled, I urge you to do so.

But I do encourage you to watch the documentary by Kirk Cameron first.

(Sorry it isn’t on RightNow Media or Faithlife TV. You will have to rent or buy it.)

It tells of the ROUGH time these forefathers (mothers, etc.) had coming to this country.

This statue tells of WHY they came.

What they hoped to establish.

What, in fact, God guided them to establish.

The Woman at the top of this largest granite statue in the U.S. is pointing where?

To heaven — to God.

And though you might be unable see it — there is a star on her head — symbolizing what she received when she looked to God — wisdom, guidance from God.

Folks, Jesus has not abandoned us to be aimlessly wandering orphans.

IF we will look to Him, Jesus is with us to guide us through the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit.

Caring For Me

And as Jesus guides us on our journey, He will care for us.

It may not always be the care we expect.

But Jesus cares for us every step of our journey.

The story of the Pilgrims tells of the hardship, the separation, the sickness and even the death of a group of people who decided they would NOT follow the dictates of a tyrant king — they were determined to follow the Word of God.

When you make a declaration like that, you put yourselves in the cross-hairs of the devil.

He will do everything he can to wipe you out and end your influence.

But Jesus never abandons those who belong to Him.

He cares for us — even though we may go through hard times.

He secures our influence to future generations as we surrender to His plan.

Yes, we may suffer and even die fulfilling His will in our lives — following His guidance.

But even in the valley of the shadow of death we do not have to fear evil.

As David said in Psalm 23, even when facing death, God comforts us, He provides for us, His kindness follow us — He cares for us.

As says Psalm 116:15 (NLT) The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die.

Even to death (and we WILL all die) Jesus cares for us.

He doesn’t abandon us.

Of the 102 Pilgrims who left England only 47 survived the first winter.

And yet, the next year, having been providentially helped by native Americans, those who were left determined to give thanks to God anyway.

Even through tough times, these survivors knew they had not been abandoned by God — but rather He cared for them.

And they set aside a special day, actually several days, to give thanks.

Protecting Me

So, God guided and cared for the Pilgrims.

He does the same for us — if only we will recognize it!

God also protected the Pilgrims.

He kept them from complete annihilation.

He still protects His people today.

He protects us as we voluntarily clothe ourselves with the armor He gives.

As we do that, we can win the victory over our enemy — the devil.

Ephesians 6:10–18 NASB95

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

Regina and I have digitally engaged with 24 people over the past couple of months.

I would LOVE to get you involved.

Are you willing to minister to the hurting, the broken, the lost?

One of the women who contacted us just yesterday said:

Hello. Thank you for messaging me back. Yes, I've been battling depression my entire life, but here recently the depression has deepened to a level I've never been on before. To a point where some days I have to really really fight just to stay sane.

Really I'm not sure why I contacted anyone yesterday other than the fact that I feel so alone lately and sometimes it's overwhelming. I know that God is trying to reach me with an important message but for some reason I can't seem to hear what He is trying to say or tell me. But I know He's trying to tell me something.

It seems like there is some kind of intense spiritual war surrounding me. I can't tell you all the details because I'm afraid you might think I'm insane, I just keep it to myself. But something more than I can understand is going on at all times around me and it just started a few months ago and anyway I don't know what God is trying to tell me, but I feel like whatever it is is extremely important.

I don't go to Church. I have always struggled with my faith until recently when all this began. And now my depression is at an all time low. I've never been in such a dark place and so I'm afraid the demons are winning and I'm really just to the end of my rope.

Let me tell you, Miss, there IS a spiritual war going on for your soul — but Jesus hasn’t abandoned you.

He is with you.

He will protect you from destruction.

Just like He will protect ALL of us!

Open the Eyes of My Heart

So, Lord help me to be thankful that You were with me ALL year.

Guiding me, caring for me, protecting me.

Through EVERY tough thing.

Through every blessing.

Whether I was aware of You or not.

Because I am NOT an orphan, the Holy Spirit reminds me I am chosen, adopted by God to be His child.

Jesus didn’t abandon me for one millisecond.

Tonight can we plan to testify to the times Jesus was with us this year?

But, right now, as you reflect over this past year, you may be wondering where God was.

Where was Jesus in the tough times?

He WAS there.

He IS here right now.

Maybe you need prayer.

As we sing this closing chorus, come forward for prayer.