Bro Gary Wednesday Evening 1/11/12
God knows how to place a burden upon someone’s heart.
Act 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
It seems that they were worshipping God, but there was a desire in their ministry, “God you’ve already done so much for us; help me to do more for you.” God give us wisdom, understanding, instruction, and prudence.
There is something unique in the heart of an individual because God can lay a burden there. Sometimes it is a general burden. Sometimes people pray a general prayer because they don’t have specifics. When we pray for the family of God we know everyone’s names. Often when a prayer request is made we either know the person or we think that we might. We pray for children and that means the children of the church, vacation bible school children, the child next to Sister Vi, and all children. It is a general prayer request.
The saints in Acts were worshipping before God but they were standing there as servants. “I’m worshipping you, would you lay a burden on my heart, our hearts.”
AS they were ministering there, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them.” It was not one person doing it all. God has always ordained that the church not operate as a single individual, but as a collective body of Christ.
Act 11:19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
Act 11:20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.
Act 11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
There were those that had a burden, it was a limited burden to preach to the Jews only. These Grecians, prior to receiving the Gospel, were heathens. There was someone that had a burden for these ones that had absolutely no understanding.
There are around 13,000,000 Jews. I hope that some of them are saved. I believe there are 6,500,000 Jews in the USA. Here, these dear Jews had forefathers that rejected Jesus.
You cannot have God the Father and reject Jesus. You cannot reject Jesus and honor the Father. I’m not preaching an anti-Jew message. We’d love for them to be saved.
Prior to Jesus making the way that all men could be saved, the Grecians were hopeless. You may be burdened for what everyone would consider the unlikely. That is only how we see things. You may be burdened for Gentiles that look real promising. We’re going to work wherever God leads us.
Act 11:22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
Act 11:23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
We want to have the influence of God in our lives like Barnabas had. When he got there and saw the saved Greeks he was glad and exhorted them that they’d cleave to God with purpose of heart. I think that is so beautiful.
Act 11:24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
Act 11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
The next scriptures exhort about having a burden and being separated unto that burden.
Act 11:24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
Act 11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
There are times when God lays a burden on our heart to help where there is a need. Sometimes we find ourselves really separated unto that burden. It is not just a passing thought; God lays something there and it stays there. You pray about it and it just stays there. In myself sometimes I wonder, “I want to be hasty and do what you want me to do but I also want to be a good steward and take care of what God has entrusted me with.”
God is always faithful. Sometimes He lays the thought there and you pray about it and then you never think about it again. When God moves on your heart sometimes it comes and you know that you need to do that right now. Sometimes it comes and you pray, “Prepare me and prepare them.”
If you want to do what God wants you to do, rest assured that if you are walking where God wants you to walk, everything is going to fall right into order and you will do as God wants you to do. You can trust Jesus.
This is the reason that God moves on our heart to pray for wisdom. We pray for understanding, God help me to understand what you want us to do. Lots of thoughts can come in, “God give me an understanding.”
Discretion helps us know what is the right thing to do. Prudence helps us to know how to get it done.
Act 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Act 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
Never underestimate, even if you feel it is ever so small, what God wants you to do. Never make a big deal out of doing something small. God doesn’t despise small things. “This may be small but I want to handle it very discretely, I want to do it the way God wants me to do it.”
Some jobs that God gives us we really sense how much we need the support of our brothers and sisters in our going. I feel strong that way when we go to visit my brother Bill. We go by appointment. The world receives reports of how good my brother Bill is doing. It is sometimes hard for people to be honest about things. My brother is frail; his wife is frail. When I go to see my brother, I want you to pray hard. We are on a countdown with my brother.
I’m no psychologist, but it is ok to say that it is tough with your daughter or son or daughter-in-law or son-in-law, etc. We live in the real world. Everything is not just perfect.
Tomorrow we may get to meet with John. There are times when we really need prayer. Sometimes we ask questions just to try to be friendly and sometimes we find out that people don’t want us to ask questions.
Act 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Act 13:4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
Act 13:5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
They were there preaching in the synagogues of the Jews. They had also John to their minister. This was interesting. This man named John was called John Mark in another place. He was there to help them travel, to help them have food and lodging. This is the man that wrote the Gospel according to Mark.
Mar 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
You may be called to do what seems like a really small work. It may look like, “Does it even count what I’m doing?” Yes it really counts.
Someone wrote a song inspired by God, “Little Is Much When God Is in It.”
You may wake in the night with a burden for the family of God or for some of the family of the family of God. Pray.
You may wonder, “Why am I praying for the aborigines in Australia.” God knows what the needs are and there are occasions when people are crying out, “God lay me on someone’s heart.” I don’t know if we will know in eternity why, but it doesn’t matter. We are servants.
“God I’m giving you honor and thanksgiving but there is a part of me that thinks you’ve done so much for us, we want to do something for someone else.”
Rom 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
Here was a man that had been religious and had persecuted God’s people, God in a miraculous way brought him to Jesus, who he was persecuting, and a miracle took place. John Mark ministered to him when he was in Jerusalem.
Paul was separated to the gospel. There are times when something gets laid on your heart and you can’t get away from it. Don’t try to. Search it out. God is getting it ready so that when the need arises down the road it will be there.
God gives you a burden. There are times when God gives you a burden to pray for a saint. “God help whomever it might be to get a job.”
This week is rest home and boy’s ranch service and someone will be burdened. It may be that while you are worshipping and ministering to the Lord that God will lay that burden and desire on your heart to pray for them.
My mother loved chapter 11 of Mark. John Mark gave the words of Jesus: “If you say to this mountain, be thou removed and cast into the sea, it will be done.”
Nothing is impossible with God.
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