The Healing Word

Host: The healing word ministry on one place is brought to you by the generous donations of people like you. At any time during today's message, feel free to send a prayer request or make a donation using the links provided. Now, I pray you will be blessed as Pastor Jack Morris delivers a message from the word of God that will encourage and strengthen your faith in him.

Pastor Jack Morris: The the wrath of God is history and the wrath of God is future. To the believer, the wrath of God is history. You and I do not have a thing at all to fear or to look forward to with with with fear. It's already happened. The wrath of God came upon Jesus. It's past. It's over. Somebody ought to say praise the Lord here this morning.

Host: Welcome to the healing word, a ministry dedicated to offering strength and encouragement through God's word for anyone facing life's challenges. As believers, we want to serve God and walk in his will. Though the path isn't always easy, today's message is here to meet you at your point of need, bringing hope and renewing your faith. Now, here's Pastor Jack Morris.

Pastor Jack Morris: I truly want to be a true Christian. I'm looking to the Lord to help me to be a authentic, to be genuine. I believe you're with me there. I really truly believe you're with me there. And I was reading the scripture and found these three marks of a true Christian. The three marks of a true Christian is a person who is turning, continually turning his and her face toward the Lord, continually focusing on the Lord. That's the first mark. The second mark is a person who is serving the Lord that they have turned to, truly serving him, doing his will, obeying him, walking in his way.

And the third mark of a true Christian is one who is truly believing and waiting for his soon return. Turning to the Lord, serving the Lord, and waiting on the Lord. May he bless his word to us today. In your outline, if you write down the word turning on point Roman numeral one, turning to God from idols. Now, this turning is an initial turning, but it is also a continual turning. I'm going to look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 9. Would you like to read that with me? Would you hold your Bible up and read verse 9 with me?

Interact with me in this sermon today. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 9 together. For they themselves report what kind of reception you gave me. They tell us how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. Okay, stop right there. How you turn? Now, Paul visited this Thessalonian city, a city of Gentiles. These were none Jews who knew nothing of the Ten Commandments, who did not serve God, the God of Israel. These were heathens. They were idol worshipers. You know, there's something within all of us that want to reach out and touch the beyond.

We feel that there is something more than what we are now experiencing. There is something invisible that is out there, and we would like to know what it is that we're reaching for it. And people who do not know the true and the living God will even make gods and bow before those gods because they they truly believe in something mystical and mysterious. But he says here how you turned to God from idols. Now, notice what he is saying here, how you turned. It was something that they did. We have to take the initiative sometimes to refocus.

We have to put some energy, some thought, uh some effort into our own spiritual lives. In other words, friends, I've got to take responsibility for my own spiritual life. I've got to take the responsibility. If I'm going to be spiritual and serve the Lord, it's because I've made up my mind to do that, that I'm going to do that. Now, Paul came to this Thessalonica Thessalonian city 20 years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Now, this was early early Christianity. Paul himself had only been a Christian 15 years when he came and told these people about the true and the living God, that the idols that they were serving could not bless them, could not help them, could not do for them what they wanted these idols to do.

But there is a God who will do for them and that they should turn to this God. Now, he preached Jesus to the people. He told them about Christ and he told them about Jesus in the power of Jesus's resurrection. I'm doing the same thing to you this morning. The same thing that Paul did then. Paul's word went forth. Now, I prayed before I came into this sanctuary this morning. I prayed, Lord, that your word would go forth like a river of living water, that it would touch hearts and bring life and minister and quench thirst, the people's insatiable desire for something that they'd really don't know what they really want, what they're desiring.

But that your word would go forth and that I would preach your word in the power of Jesus's resurrection, that this would not be just theory today, that I wouldn't be academic, that I wouldn't tell you a whole lot of facts, but I would tell you about Jesus who is here, who has risen from the dead, who is alive to hear us, to bless us, to minister to us. He's here right now. Right now, Jesus is here. And the Jesus that visited that Thessalonian city, my heart's desire is, and I'm praying that he will visit the people of our church this morning.

And I believe he is. I I believe he is. I I believe, friends, I truly believe that we're moving, our church, we're moving toward a great visitation from God. I truly believe that with all my heart. I believe that my latter days here are going to be greater than my formal days, former days when I came 30 some years ago. I I truly believe that. And I believe that even today, this morning, that God is reaching out to bless and to help. Friend, don't block what God's trying to do. Don't block it. Just open your heart and say, God, what do you what do you want to do for me?

I mean, what he wants to do for you is so great and so wonderful. You would be so amazed and surprised if he let you in on the secrets that he has for you, blessings that he has for you and me and for this church. Oh, Jesus is here. He's here now. And I believe he's drawn very very close to all of us. I believe something something something mysterious, something wonderful, something mystical is happening. And it's happening in our hearts, in our lives, in our church, in our families. And I wish I could explain it further than what I am doing right now, but I can't.

But I just know I just know something within me. I just somehow know that God is is is moving close, moving very close, moving very close. Some of you are going to be touched by him this morning in a very way. Yes. Yes. Some of you are going to experience him in a very special way today. He's here. Now, you have to do the turning. This is what Paul told to the Thessalonians. You have to do the focusing. I'm trying through the hymns that we're singing in the courses and the prayers to keep turning the big ship, our attention, turning it, turning the rudder.

Focus. It's Jesus. It's Jesus. Focus on Jesus. But ultimately, you have to be the one that makes the decision to do the turning. Notice he said, they tell us how you turn. I've seen signs along the highway or in the city, no U-turn. Yeah, yes, U-turn. We've got to have a yes U-turn here. This is the place to make it right in church, right in the presence of God to make that U-turn toward him today. Now, God invites, God beckons, God calls, God woos, God strives with our hearts. I I believe God is doing everything within God's power.

I truly believe that. Now, it's something that we have to do. He He's tapping us. He's calling us. We have to turn toward him and face him. Now, this turning is both negative and positive. Notice it said, how you turn to God from idols. You're turning from something to something. Now, you and I are the only ones that can know and decide what we need to turn away from. I want you to listen to me today. Some of us today know what we need to stop doing. That's called repentance. We need to turn away from that.

And we want the blessing of it. I don't know anybody in all the world that would say they don't want the blessing of God. We all want the blessing of God, but there are some things we have to turn away from and turn to in order to get the blessing of God upon us. It's just not going to happen because we're sitting in a pew or we've come to church and we set our alarm and we bought a new suit and we bought a new dress or bought a new hat to wear. It's not going to happen that way.

It happens in the heart, in the deep of your soul. You and I need to turn to the Lord today and focus on Jesus and see him. If you were to close your eyes in the in the imagination of your heart, can you see him coming to you, reaching out to you, calling you son, calling you daughter, trying to embrace you? Friends, let him hug you. Let him put his arms around you. Focus on him. Turn to him. And he will bless. He is a God of great blessing. He said, you turned to God from idols.

Now, this turning must be a continuous turning. I'm going to turn back to Exodus. And I'm going to read Exodus chapter 20 verses uh 4 and 5. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. God is a jealous God. Say those words. God is a jealous God. That simply means that God will not accept a divided heart. God will take all your heart, but he won't take a divided heart.

He wants you. He wants your soul. He's a jealous God and he wants all of me. That's that's all he's going to take. He'll take all of me or he'll take none of me. But he's not going to take a divided heart. He's not going to bless a divided life. And his my life is divided. If I am out there enjoying sin, pleasure, uh material things, that's all my focus is. And then I come in church and I say, bless me, Lord. Bless me, Lord. And then I go right back out there again. God says, hey, what do you want?

You want that or you want me? One of the other. But I'm a jealous God. He says that to Israel. He says that to this very day. And he is an unchanging God. He's not going to change. He wants all of you.

Host: We'll be back with the conclusion of today's message in just a moment. But first, here's an invitation for you to make an impact on reaching souls with God's word.

Pastor Jack Morris: Hello, friends. I'm Pastor Jack Morris. I just want to take a moment to thank you for your prayers and your donations in that order, prayers and donations. I need both from you. And if this ministry is to continue, and I believe it's God's will for it to continue, I'm going to need your partnership more so than ever before. I thank God for you. I trust that the healing word is a blessing. Pray that God's word will go forth in mighty power to the saving of souls and to the healing of lives, emotions, and bodies. God bless you, dear one, in Jesus's name.

Amen.

Host: If the healing word has blessed you or someone you love, we invite you to prayerfully consider pledging your financial support. Simply visit thehealingword.com and click on donate now to make your tax-deductible contribution. Together, let's continue to share the beautiful blessings of God's word with the world in need.

Pastor Jack Morris: We talk about eternity. We say we believe in life after death. But most Christians live and act and save and hoard their money like they're going to live here. I mean, we've got to talk, a good talk. And we preach good sermons in the churches. But the reality, I mean, that river of living water, my God, let it flow. Let it flow. Let the reality of love, the reality of joy, the reality of of peace, let something happen to us. Friends, we need to know today, where are we looking? If we're looking in the right places, we're going to write find the right thing.

But many of us are looking in the wrong places. We need to focus on the Lord, the living God. Notice it said, we need to serve the living God, the true God, the maker of heaven and earth. He's the one and the only one that can bring all this happiness and joy, peace, everlasting love, eternity to us. Now, number three, waiting waiting for the Christ to return. Number three, write that down. Now, look at first Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 10. Hold your Bible up and read that with me. First Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 10 together.

And to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who receives us from the coming wrath. Jesus, who receives us that so we we we need to turn today in our hearts. It's something that is happening inside. We need to turn to God. We need to refocus on God. The alarm end of the world is is constantly pulling us, pulling us. We need to turn. And when we turn, we need them to bow and serve this God, be obedient to him. He's a jealous God. And the third thing we needed to be doing is looking for his return.

He's coming. He's coming for his church. He's coming for his church. And I am looking for his soon return. Now, it says to wait for. That means a joyous expectation. Friend, right now, what would happen? And it could happen right now. But how would you feel if all of a sudden you heard the trump of God? Gabriel put a blast, a blast that is that is heard around the world. The skies would light up with a very glory of God. And Jesus would appear in the heavens. Some of us would be ducking under pews. That's what it means.

He said, waiting and looking for him to come. Lord, come. I can leave it all behind because you have prepared mansions in glory for me beyond anything that the mind can imagine, beyond anything that the eye has seen, beyond anything that the ear has heard. What I'm leaving behind is nothing compared to the blessing of God for eternity. Now, it's his son is coming. Jesus is coming. His son from heaven. He came from heaven, went to the cross, took our place, our punishment, and he died in our place. He's coming from heaven. Now, it says, who rescues us?

I believe it means two things. Number one, it rescues us from the alarm end of the world right now that Jesus does that, that that I'm no match for the alarm end of sin. Sin is stronger than I am. Sin is stronger than you are. That's why we have all sin. We all caved into it sometime or another. And some of us are still caving into it. But the alarm end, he rescues us. He's my savior. He's my redeemer. He rescues us. But notice what it says, he rescues us from wrath to come from the coming wrath.

You see, God there is a time when God will say enough, enough, enough. This world, this sin, this hate, this bloodshed, who can stop the wars? Who can stop the hate? Who can bring about race relations? Friends, it's gone on forever. It'll continue on forever in unregenerate hearts. You have to be born anew, born of above in order to love. Only God is love. And when he puts his love in us, then we can love and only then can we love. But this world is in a terrible situation. Things haven't gotten any better. Technology hasn't made it any better.

Education hasn't made it any better. Sometimes I wonder, has the church made it any better? Friends, the church is you. The church is me. And here here's where where the church is. It's in my heart. And the church judgment must first begin in the house of the Lord. I must say, it's me, Lord. I need you. And I need to turn to him. But but God's God is a patient God. Paul the apostle thought Jesus was coming back in his day. Paul thought that the rapture was going to take place before Paul died. He said, the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up.

He actually thought Now, that's been about 2,000 years. He hasn't come yet, but the promise is here. The promise of his coming is here. That's one promise Jesus isn't going to break. And he's going to come. But he's going to judge world this world. And he's going to judge the sin of this world. He's not going to tolerate it from forever. Now, I've got to choose today. Here's Here's the Here's the best part of the message. I've got to choose. Does Jesus on the cross, does Jesus take the wrath of God for me or do I wait and I take the wrath of God?

But somebody is going to experience the wrath of God coming down upon them. Now, for the believer, the day of judgment has been moved forward. Are you with me right now? The Here is the wrath that is to come. But the day of judgment for the believer has been moved forward. It was moved forward at Calvary. Jesus went on that cross. Now, they they were about to put me on the cross, put you on the cross. Jesus know, take him down. I'll go up there and I'll I'll I'll take his hell for him. And the wrath of God came down.

Now, there the wrath of God is history and the wrath of God is future. To the believer, the wrath of God is history. You and I do not have a thing at all to fear or to look forward to with with with fear. It's already happened. The wrath of God came upon Jesus. It's past. It's over. Somebody ought to say praise the Lord here this morning. But those who do not know the Lord, look what he is saying. Who rescues us from the coming wrath? Something is coming on this world. And God knows everybody and he knows everybody's heart.

It's not necessary for me to know who's living right and who's not living right. I don't want to know that anyway. What would I do with that kind of knowledge? But the Lord, everybody is transparent before the Lord. Everybody. He sees everybody's heart. And God will not will not will not allow sin and hypocrisy to continue on indefinitely. We must turn to God. When we turn to God, the wrath of God becomes history. The dead judgment moved forward. It's over. If we wait, then the wrath of God will be punished for our own sin. But Jesus took our place.

Isn't that wonderful? So here's what it is to be a true Christian, a genuine Christian, authentic Christian, not what Christian by name only, but to be a true Christian is a person who has turned to God and who keeps on turning. Temptation isn't a sin. The world will bring temptation and allure you and try to get your attention. That isn't a sin. It only becomes a sin when you say, hey, that might be better for me than where I am and what I'm doing right now. And you give into it, then it becomes a sin.

But we need to turn and keep turning and keep turning to the Lord. That turning must be a continual thing. Secondly, we must serve the Lord. We must not serve our central appetites. We must not serve and bow down before these idol gods of pleasure, of materialism, of wealth. We must serve the Lord. And all the while we're looking up and we're waiting, knowing that Jesus took the wrath of God and he's coming again and he's coming for me, coming for you.

Host: We pray that you were blessed by today's message. But before we go, are you seeking a way to start your week filled with hope and inspiration? Every Monday morning, receive a fresh devotional delivered right to your inbox to uplift your spirit and encourage you throughout the week. Pastor Jack Morris carefully crafts each message with scripture that speaks to the heart, reflections to inspire growth, and practical steps to help you live out your faith every day. These are words of hope and strength meant to meet you right where you are. Ready to begin? Just visit thehealingword.com and click the banner to sign up.

Start each week with renewed purpose, feeling connected to God and ready for what lies ahead. Looking for a little extra support and inspiration, be sure to check out everything waiting for you at thehealingword.com. You can pray now with Pastor Jack Morris, lifting up the need in your life and access uplifting messages on topics that matter to you, meant to restore your faith and strengthen your spirit. Need a prayer? Submit a request. And Pastor Morris, along with the healing word community, will be there to pray for you. If you feel called to support this ministry, simply click donate now to make a tax-deductible gift.

All this and more is just a click away at thehealingword.com. Head over and explore it today. Join us tomorrow for another healing word message. Until then, blessings on you.