Bro Gary Sunday Morning 7/31/11

Bro Gary Sunday Morning 7/31/11

Isa 26:1  In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

Isa 26:2  Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Isa 26:3  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Isa 26:4  Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Thoughts of the Mind:  Having our mind stayed on Him.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.  There are many things in the world today that will rob you of your peace.  He will keep us in perfect peace.

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Paul had been in the ministry about 20 years when he wrote this epistle to those at Philippi.

Whatsoever things are true, think on these things.  This morning I want to deal with some of the aspects of things that are true so we will know what to think on to bring peace.  Faith brings peace.

Moses wrote in his last song:

Deu 32:3  Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.

Deu 32:4  He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

He is the Rock.  There is something to build on this morning.  His work is perfect…He is a God of truth.  We need to think on spiritual things that are true that will be of a definite value to us.

We have a great treasure in the Word of God.  The 84^th Psalm was written for the sons of Korah.  They were blessed to be alive.  They had been involved in a rebellion and the earth opened up and swallowed some.  God in His mercy allowed them to come around the temple and perhaps they sang around the temple. 

God told Moses how to build the tabernacle.  He told him to place a brazen altar there and the fire was to never go out.  There were to be offerings in the morning and the evening.  In the Gospel Day the brazen altar represents Jesus Christ. 

I cannot talk about Him enough this morning.  One day on a hill called Mount Calvary, he hung between heaven and earth on a cross.  He was suspended from his hands and his feet about a foot off of the ground.  As he was hanging there, a soldier came by and pierced his side with a spear.  Out of that wound there came water and blood.  This was a fulfilling of the prophecy of a fountain being opened in that day for the cleansing of sin and uncleanness.

Zec 13:1  In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

Each time I go through the tabernacle worship in my devotions, I cannot even get to the golden altar without praising God.  We know how to call Him our Father because He taught us to, we know how to ask in Jesus name because Jesus taught us.  The brazen altar is symbolic it represents that which is done but is still alive today.

The next piece of furniture in the tabernacle is the laver.  We are blessed to have a Bible.  When you open up the Word of God it washes you.  If there is something in our mind that is displeasing to God, if there is an attitude, a hurt, a disgust, a trespass, if someone has trespassed you, you can go to God and He says, “Let me just wash you of that.” 

Not everything works out the way we had planned. “We had hoped…”  God wants to wash you of that disappointment.

The son’s of Korah were told to sing this Psalm.  How beautiful is the brazen altar.  They had something to be excited about, to thank God for.  The earth had swallowed some of them up; those that were left had escaped.  We all have much to be thankful for.  God has saved us by the blood of his precious son. 

Psa 84:1  To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!

Psa 84:2  My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

Men ought always to pray and not to faint.  To faint means to lose our way.  We all have things that we really want to accomplish.  I really wanted to clean the garage; I accomplished some things but I don’t want you to see it.  I got distracted. 

We really need God in our soul, in our mind, in our body, in our natural appetites and desires; we need God in everything.  Our heart and our flesh need to cry out for the living God.

Psa 84:3  Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.

Everything that God created has its place.  May God help us to realize that our soul and our body have their place in worshipping God.

Psa 84:4  Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

We really have something to praise God for.  Sin had its bid in for each of us.  When we think of where sin would have taken us!  When it was pulling on us we didn’t see down the road to the reaping.  God in his mercy helped us to reach the place where we decided that “I’m going to seek God.” 

When I see where sin has taken men that had much more talent and education than I yet they made the wrong choices.  A friend of mine excelled in the government, was in charge of security of the US Presidents, and yet he made a wrong choice.  He tried to come back to his roots and brought lots of money with him.  I crossed paths with him in a home visit to a woman and she told me who he was.  

As I visited with him, I found out that he didn’t know how to deal with heartache, he chose alcohol.  Each time I visited him he said that he had everything he needed.  The last time I saw him, his mother led me back to his room.  There he lay, gasping for breath, a death sweat on his brow. 

Dear ones that could have been me.  If we don’t serve God we have no protection.  When it comes to God we cannot win and rebel against God.  It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance.  There is no way that we can escape and not come to repentance.  There is no way we can escape without giving everything back to God. 

If you have a saved companion, you are so blessed.  If you have children, you are blessed.  You fathers, you are blessed to be able to get before the golden altar and pour your heart out to God.  Pray as Hannah prayed and pour your heart out to God.  Daddies let your children hear you pray.  Mothers, Grandmas, let your children hear you pray.  Don’t be afraid to let others know that you love them and are praying for them. 

You can never get to the golden altar unless you come by the brazen altar and the laver.  We are never too old to be washed.  Paul said, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forward to those things that are before, I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” 

God if I have something in my mind or heart that you are not pleased with, wash me.  If I’m distracted or too material minded, wash me. 

The shew bread in the sanctuary: I like to eat and I like to enjoy eating.  Sit and enjoy the good things of God, eat it. 

The candle in the sanctuary: it is Jesus that lit us, the word is a lamp.

The golden altar is designed for prayer.  Practice praying.  Make it a practice to pray.  The golden altar is designed to praise.  Life has many challenges but we have much to praise God for.  If you are mobile, have your mind, or have someone to care and share, you have much to praise God for.

You may not have the love of your daughter or son, don’t spoil your prayer by murmuring or complaining.  You have the love of the family of God.  You have much to praise God for. 

If you get saved, there will be someone that doesn’t like it.  In our families we have some nice people.  I’ve heard you talk about what fine people some of my family is, yet some have given me attitudes to fight.  When I come about they give me the elbow and they have a tongue that will surpass any Gillette ever made.  God can wash and help me forgive. 

We have a wonderful opportunity to be washed and come through the door.  Jesus said, “I am the door and by me if any will enter in they shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture.”

Son’s of Korah you are blessed to be able to dwell in the house of God.

Psa 84:5  Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

Psa 84:6  Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

Baca means weeping.  It is ok to cry and to be heartbroken, to feel that your heart is broken in a million pieces.  God has designed in the valley of weeping to give you the treasures of the darkness.  There have been many things learned in the valley of weeping. 

“God I know you are righteous, I know you don’t willing to afflict your people.  I’m hurting, teach me.”  He knows how to teach and comfort you so that when you come upon another that is hurting, you may not have been in their situation, but you can tell them of the help God gave you and that “God always comes through.”

There is a source of strength: they go from strength to strength.  There is a sure way to have strength in your soul, your body and your mind.  God wants you to have strength in your mind.  You go through worship at the brazen altar, you thank God for it and if you need to be saved, you repent.  You go to the laver, and are washed.  You go through the door; you go to the shew bread and dip it in the oil that has been flavored by the herbs.  Then you go on to the candlestick and ask God to take the searchlight, to show you what you need to know and direct you. 

Then you get to the golden altar and you give your praise there, give your all.  You present your body a living sacrifice and lay aside every weight.  (Romans 12 and Hebrews 12.)  “You see the carnal nature that I’ve tried to get the victory over in myself.  I plead that the fire will help me clean it out.”  Right there you say, “God I’m yours” and you experience perfect love.  You love God with all your heart and He cleanses you. 

God told Moses that He would commune with him at the golden altar.  Let us be at the golden altar praying that God will give strength to each of His people.  Some are going to a funeral of one that committed suicide.  Some are waiting for a child to be born and are so burdened down by the needs of the situation. 

Let’s go to the golden altar.  There you can present yourself and pray God through the cords of love to draw the needy ones to the place of strength. 

Many here have burdens that are so heavy this morning.  Where can you go?  Is there a book that you can buy?  Would it be nice to take over ice-cream? 

There is a place to go.  Some are standing in the gap pleading for their brothers, their daughters or sons, where can they go to carry this?  You go to the golden altar and there is perfect love. 

Yes Jesus Took My Burden I could no longer bear. 
Yes Jesus took my burden in answer to my prayer. 
My anxious fears subsided, my spirit was made strong. 
When Jesus took my burdens and left me with a song.

Get to the golden altar and while you are there take care of everything.  How beautiful are His tabernacles!

I remember when I was so lost in sin.  Sin knows no barriers; it would have destroyed me.  Because Jesus drew on my heart and the saints were before the golden altar praying, I came to God.