Bro Gary Wednesday 9/21/11

Bro Gary Wednesday 9/21/11

Deu 33:26  There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.

The God of Jeshurun means the God of Israel.  In Moses’ last days, God inspired him to instruct the Children of Israel that the God of Israel is a God of great tender affection towards His children.  Moses knew that there were great challenges ahead for the Children of Israel.  This is how it will be in life.

People may look forward to a day where there are no challenges but that is only in a dream world or in a book.  We serve a God that is really concerned about us and really loves us. 

This God recognizes the needs of the children of men.  He comes riding upon the heavens to help us.  Sometimes people won’t admit that they have a problem.  God is God because He specializes in problems.  God is going to be riding the heavens to see who has needs.  This is wonderful!

How excellent is God! 

Deu 33:27  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

It is wonderful that there is a refuge.  Isaiah in chapter 32 refers to Jesus: “A man shall be as a hiding place.”  The world is full of bombarding spirits and thoughts. 

Underneath are the everlasting arms:  There will be times when you’re going to need someone to carry you.  This doesn’t mean that you are not saved or that you are sick and tired.  It means that you are in a specific designed situation and you need everlasting arms underneath you.

Simeon was waiting to see Jesus and He came.  The parents placed Jesus in the arms of that aged man. 

What an experience!  Time has placed you and I in health conditions, in sorrow, in the decision making process, or in the challenge to get through the particular dilemma or stressful situation.  Underneath are everlasting arms. 

Sometimes there are prayer requests that cannot be spoken, or urgent unspoken prayer requests.  Some of those dear saints need everlasting arms to come underneath them. 

It is an established fact that after you get saved there will be someone that will decide that it is their responsibility to separate you from God.  Sometimes it is because a changed life brings conviction.  There is a God in heaven that has everlasting arms to carry you.

He will thrust out the enemy from before thee:  I couldn’t help but think of the Children of Israel crossing Jordan and the Walls of Jericho were before them.  You might be facing a situation in which great walls need to come down. 

Sometimes we try to break walls down one brick at a time and this is not necessarily wrong. 

It wasn’t long after Moses’ death that they crossed Jordan.  Then they were faced with the walls of Jericho.  There could be walled situations in your life.  The walls of Jericho were tall, and wide enough that a chariot could ride on the top of them.  God knows how to bring the walls down. 

You may have loved ones that are walled in and they may be vicious.  God deals with the present challenge.  Whatever our challenge is today or this week, God knows how to bring the walls down.

I remember when I came home to a note 39 years ago that said that Karen was at the hospital and thought things would go slow but the baby was coming.  That was our challenge for 9/21/72. 

The children in this audience have great challenges and the parents perhaps have even greater. 

God has a beautiful design for the beloved of God to be protected.  It is wonderful to be able to trust God to protect us spiritually.  When you reach a certain age you realize that, “I’ve got to make it more than anything else.”  We reach the age where we realize that the times are perilous.  “In the last day, perilous times shall come.”  Perilous means dangerous.

To think of going out on these roads: even if you drive slow, that doesn’t mean that everyone else will be driving slow.  God has a way of protecting us. 

To be protected spiritually: when we think of the religious spirits that are in the world today that leave people empty and warped.  We feel like, “What have I ever done to deserve the many blessings from God?”

Deu 33:28  Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

It was prophesied that in the last days there would be a fountain opened for the cleansing of the sin of the people. 

In our spiritual life we need the dew of heaven.  Dew doesn’t come in a storm; there must be a calming and a stillness.  The great and eternal God that is unsearchable gives the dew. 

I’m not sure how God makes dew, but I am sure that He has a way of giving the dew of heaven.  This is the refreshing water that comes in the little tiny drops and brings strength, encouragement, life, and satisfaction.

Deu 33:29  Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

God wants you and I to be happy because we know and love God and God loves us.

It is amazing that of all the marvels in the world in creation: the sun, the moon and the stars, the galaxies, it is amazing that God chose to have men and women be His delight.  He wanted to express His love and He wanted to be loved. 

The shield of thy help:  The bible teaches that the Lord is a sun and a shield.  God moved on Moses to instruct the children of Israel that the eternal God has a way of protecting us.  He can shield us.  Our lives can become totally distracted by temptations and an onslaught of the enemy. 

When the accuser comes and unbelief comes, you fight and fight and thank God you gain the victory.  “God, how many days did the enemy want to sift me as wheat and you shielded me.” 

I remember praying, “God give me a flood of the blood on my mind.”  We can be so troubled by troubling spirits, “What if?”

Think of all those times that the enemy wanted to shoot those arrows and God said, “I’m putting up my shield.” 

I remember when, in my mind, my children were way too young to be going to college and to be living in an apartment by themselves.  I remember the nights waking up in a cold sweat and wondering what would happen if something happened to those girls, they were in a city and cities are bad.

Think of all those nights that God didn’t let what I feared happen, all those nights that we have slept since we had grandchildren and all the protection that God gives. 

I personally believe that God protected us one night.  A man had a flat tire and Ben Coe knew that he was coming to our house… We serve a God of protection.  That man is in prison in Missoula right now for trying to kill someone.

I realize in this audience tonight that there would be quite a mixed crowd.  Not only is God our shield, He also has a sword of excellency.  There are battles that only God can fight.  There are injustices that you and I cannot take into our hand and fight and win.  Moses wanted the children of Israel to know that God has a sword that can win every battle.

Deu 33:27  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

Everlasting arms:  It isn’t necessarily that you are worn out or exhausted.  There are some times that you just need to be helped.  In Isaiah 40, a marvelous chapter, Isaiah said, “Behold the Lord will come with a strong hand.”  Expect God to come. 

“The Lord will feed His flock like a shepherd.”  There is a vast difference between a true shepherd and any other.  God has designed that our soul be well fed.  He said, “He will carry the lambs in His arm.” 

You may carry the thought or the question in your mind, “I’m not just a new convert.”  The gospel teaches us that Jesus took the little children in His arms.  There are times when we must become as little children.  In order to enter the Kingdom of God we must become as a little child.

Simeon had Jesus in his arms.  A little babe is often comforted by being in the arms, loved and cared for.  This is how He does to us.  It is wonderful to be cared for tonight.  He carries them close to His bosom.  You can feel the warmth and the heartbeat of God. 

“He gently leads those that are with young.”  He’ll gently lead those that carry a heavy burden.  There would be those that need to let God carry them because of their grief.  There would be others that have a heavy burden for souls.  I don’t think we brush the world very much in rural Western Montana, but every time you brush the world you find someone whose life is in total shambles.  Every one that you talk to is full of heartache, sorrow, heartache, sorrow and more heartache and sorrow. 

God is here ready to carry you if you need Him to carry you, ask and let Him.

God is here to bring you close; God is here to lead those that have a heavy burden from the Lord.