Bro Gary Wednesday Night 5/9/12

Bro Gary Wednesday Night 5/9/12

Isa 64:4  For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

God has a prepared place for our burdens.  We are thankful that He does.

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

He has a place prepared for you and me to take our burdens.

Psa 55:22  Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

God has prepared a lot of things out there.  We need to know beyond a shadow of a doubt what God has prepared for our burdens.  It is important and necessary for us to have a burden.  It is equally important that we know what to do with our burden.

David said, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord.”  In order to do this it will take some understanding and help from God.  God is able to help us.

1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

It says ALL your care is to be cast on Him.  Sometimes we think that we need to prioritize what we give over to God.  Sometimes we feel so close to a burden that we are not sure that we want to give it up.  We want to pray about it and feel it.  Peter says, “Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.” 

Cast all your burdens and cares upon the Lord.  He cares for you.

Mar 10:27  And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

The majority of the requests that came in tonight are things that we can do nothing about in our selves.  We need divine intervention.  Most things we can do nothing about, but with God ALL things are possible!

Mar 10:17  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

Mar 10:18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

Mar 10:19  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

Mar 10:20  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

Mar 10:21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

I cannot emphasize how powerful your love is toward a soul.  If we don’t love a soul, the very wisest words in the world will have no bearing on that soul.  Jesus loved this individual that had come asking, “What do I need to do?” 

Jesus said, “Sell what you have and give to the poor.”  This man was rich.  I’m not sure that I’m dealing with any people, in this audience, that are on easy street financially.  Every prayer request, (from the ones for the children, to the middle aged, to the old), is for people who have something that they need to give up.  For this man it was his riches. For the majority that we deal, with it is self: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

For our family that lives on the reservation, most of them live for the party side of life.  One there told me that “John and I both come from the wild side of life.”  We all know people that love the wild side of life.  It is quite a society. 

Both those that would eat everything they can at a buffet and those that run five miles a day so they don’t have an extra ounce have a lot to give up.

Jesus’ instruction was to sell what he had.  He went away grieved because he had great possessions.  Everyone that we are dealing with is holding onto something.  It is totally ridiculous how people hang onto the world.  I don’t see the world, sin, or clicks, or groups, or societies treating folks good.  Yet it is a great possession to them. 

Mar 10:22  And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

Mar 10:23  And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

Mar 10:24  And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

The disciples were astonished at His words. 

Mar 10:25  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Mar 10:26  And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?

Who then can be saved? 

Mar 10:27  And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

There is no greater battle than the battle against having faith in God: having a burden, believing and obeying God, casting our burden on the Lord, and exercising faith that God will hear and answer prayer.

1Pe 5:1  The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

1Pe 5:2  Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

One of the jobs of the pastor is to feed.  It would be interesting to know what the “ready mind” means, I have in my notes to “feed and be ready”.  That would cover quite a territory.

1Pe 5:3  Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

God expects the pastor to know how to get the burden over on the Lord.  That is an example to the saints of God.  Let’s get our burden over on the Lord for it is God that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can think or ask.

1Pe 5:4  And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

1Pe 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

God wants all of us to follow the pattern so that we can truly cast our burden on the Lord and believe for answer to prayer. 

Be clothed with humility.  I don’t believe there was any prayer request made by anyone that it isn’t a really urgent prayer request.  We want to qualify our position in asking a prayer request.  A request without the life to back up our request and prayer will not accomplish anything.  Be clothed with humility.

Humility is a beautiful garment.  God sends things on our pathway that show us that there is another step to take in humility.  We haven’t reached the top of Mt Zion yet.  God will allow things to cross our pathway where we see ourselves and realize that, “I could be more humble.” 

This doesn’t mean that we are not saved but we are climbing Mt Zion.  We are measuring and walking in the light.   God hates a proud look.  No one in this audience wants anything to hinder our prayer or our agreeing in prayer.  There are not any of our children that are more special than any child out there that has never read the bible.  If we don’t have the attitude, “God I am as concerned for this one as for my own child.”  Then we have pride in our heart.

In our minds our children are special to us but we must have God help us to have the mind of Christ.  It is not wrong for your children to be special, but God wants us to lengthen our cords. 

God gives grace to the humble.  There may be times in our life that we didn’t have the grace that we needed.  You know why?  It is because you need to be more humble.  God is being kind to us and helping us to realize that we need to pray for more humility.

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Humble yourselves.  “God I need you, I cannot do anything without you, and I will lose the battle if you don’t come to my rescue.  The only way I’m going to win the battle is if you work.” 

1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Tonight before you go to bed, (Everyone in this audience is facing something, we all have challenges), cast all your care upon the Lord.

What a privilege!  Cast ALL your care.  God’s lap is big enough for all of your cares. 

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Be sober and vigilant, be on guard.  Let’s believe the elder, Peter, that told us that our adversary, the devil, is going to come around.  This is how we are to handle it: “Resist steadfast in faith.”

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

1Pe 5:11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

With God all things are possible.  Your faith and obedience of putting your burden into the lap of the Lord moves the almighty God.  Peter told us to cast all of our cares upon the Lord for He cares for you.