Brother Gary Sunday Morning 7/1/12

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 7/1/12

1Ch 17:1  Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.

1Ch 17:2  Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.

As I look across this audience I see a people that are blessed.  There are little children here that are loved, wanted, and cared for.  We have aged seniors here that are also blessed.  If you will look at and count your blessings, your life will echo much praise to God.

1Ch 29:2  Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

We all ought to be preparing for something.  There is a depth we want to get to where we look past the tangible side of our life.  We all need to have electricity, a change of clothes, transportation, and other types of things.  I’m not preaching about that this morning.  I am saying that God has something more for every one of us than just the tangibles of this life.

God has more for us to prepare for than our golden days of life or than laying up something in store for needs that we might have.  I’m not wanting to try to keep you from taking care of those things.  I’m here to encourage myself and every one of you to prepare for what God has in store for us to do.

There is a great battle that goes on for our affection.  The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life all claim our affection. 

You don’t really need to work to give yourself time to think of what you’d like this summer 2012.  Our natural man presents to us what we’d like to enjoy and do.  That is not wrong.  We each need time to restore and show love to family.  Yet God moved on David’s heart to set his affection:

1Ch 29:3  Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,

We need to set our affection toward the things of God.  There is no individual that is capable of having all the good things that God has for them to have alone, by themselves as an island.  We desperately need each other as the body. 

I have a great appreciation for those that would humble themselves before Almighty God and say, “God what can I do to help the brothers and sisters in Christ.”

I had 29 prayer requests Wednesday night for the 29 children that were in Vacation Bible School.  We may not know all their names but we can pray earnestly and fervently. 

I am here, I don’t know how God wants to use any of you.  It is not in the realm of the ministry to call others to the ministry.  I’m here to challenge you that God wants you to set your affection towards God. 

The temple of God in the Gospel Day, where God wants to make his dwelling, is in men and women that have been saved by the blood of the Lamb and have given their lives as a sacrifice back to God. 

1Ch 29:5  The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD?

I am told that David made himself poor by giving of the abundance and of his living in preparing for Solomon to build the temple. 

Who then is willing?  I am asked and you are asked this morning, “Who will give himself and everything that he has and hopes to have?  Who will give everything and consecrate it all to God’s honor and glory?”

We live in 2012 and with everything that we have to make our lives easier, to give us rapid communication, or to update us on what is happening all over the world, there is a great shortage of time in our life.  It takes time to be alone with God. 

I was reading the testimony of George Muller last night.  He would read the word of God after praying a bit.  As he read, the power of God would begin to manifest itself in the Word of God.  He had learned that the most important thing for him to do in the morning was to get himself happy before God. 

It takes more than the beautiful place that we live or the people that we care about to make our soul happy.  George Muller started reading in the New Testament.  We need to read the New and the Old Testament. 

Paul said, “Study to show thyself approved.”  What he had to study was the Old Testament.  The Old Testament with the Gospel Light shining on it gives the same light as the New.  You need to read the Old and the New Testament until your soul becomes happy in the savior. 

God’s word will make us happy in the savior.  George said that as he would read, God’s spirit would come down and begin to lay a burden on his heart. 

As you, in 2012, begin to have God lay a burden on your heart it may be for the one that sits behind you in church.  It may be for anyone.  The love of God comes for the soul of the one that done us so wrong or disappointed us so bad. 

There is no request that isn’t urgent.  There are also other things that God is concerned about and you and I are the individual and the woman or man that God is trusting to come alone with God and intercede and supplicate for that individual.

“Who is willing to consecrate his time?”  There is a lot of work to do July 2012.  I’m not trying to get you away from your work.  My thought is for you to get alone with God and say, “God I am yours.” 

I don’t have a time limit of five minutes or fifteen, I’m here encouraging you to pray.  Elijah said that it was going to rain.  He prayed and then he sent his servant out to look for the cloud.  I don’t know that he prayed very long but he prayed earnestly and fervently and the servant came back with the report that there was not a cloud in the sky.  In the short version it just says, “He prayed again.”  He prayed seven times and then the answer came.

There may be a miracle that you need with no indication that it is about to happen.  Don’t be discouraged.  There may be no move, no letter, or no indication that things are going to transpire.  The message to you is to pray again. 

The king David asked the question, “Who then is willing?” 

On the thought of willing:

Psa 110:3  Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

You can yield yourself to the power of being stressed about your workload.  If you got it done yesterday, close your eyes as you go by it today because by tomorrow there will be way more to do than you can get done. 

Who then is willing?  We can yield ourselves to our workload.  A friend of mine is already starting to get wood for 2012 and 2013.  Who is willing?  Who will come before God and say, “Dear God I want you to know that you are of most importance to me.” 

As I look across this audience I might see two or three that would be of an age to get married and they didn’t get married, but the majority of you have a day to point to that you got married.  Weren’t there some important things that you could have done that day?  You say that there was nothing more important than to do than getting married on that day.  You set all other things aside.  There is something even more important. 

Who then is willing?  I hope that every one of you go fishing this summer.  If you like to go fly-fishing and have that water coming up your leg part way as you walk down the creek then I hope that you get to do that.  Who is willing to take time out to figure out what God wants you to do?

Who will be willing to have this testimony:  I had hoped to get this done this summer and didn’t have time to do it, I was too busy working for God?  

Who will pray?  Who of us is willing to be willing?  Are you willing to be made whole?  If there is anything that is hindering you spiritually are you willing to let it go?  Or is it an awful nice crutch and excuse? 

Isa 1:19  If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

We can have forgiveness of sin and be rid of the carnal nature and be full of the Holy Spirit of God.  You can ask God to add to you the things in Second Peter.  You can think on things that are pure in a world that is filthy.  You can have God grant you an anointing to think on things that are true, honest, just, lovely, pure, of good report, virtue, and praise.

1Ch 29:9  Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

There is no greater joy then going before God and stilling yourself and having heaven come down and then seeing that things of eternal value are of more value than anything of this world. 

1Ch 29:10  Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.

1Ch 29:11  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

The things that really matter belong to God.  Everything belongs to God.  “The things that I have and hold dear to my heart are just borrowed; they’re not mine at all.  Jesus only let me use them to brighten my life; so remind me, remind me dear Lord.” 

The greatness is thine:  There are some really great things that are not tangible. 

I thought of the song: “I see Him in a baby’s smile…  I see God everywhere.”  While I was trying to find that song, I read of someone saying to a baby, “Baby, tell me about God before you forget.” 

The greatness of God!  Aches and pains are part of living, think on the greatness of God.  What are we willing give to God this morning.  I’m not trying to take anything away from anyone.  I want to see God be first in my life and in the life of everyone here. 

“If I need to lay aside this job, God you’re first.  If I need to go down to the bank, God you’re first.  I don’t think that I have time to go there but If I need to take the time off work, God you’re first.”

One of these days or nights He will come for someone in this audience.  I think telling the family of whoever it might be:  “You’re blessed to have treasure there; the better blessing is to know that you are there.”

1Ch 29:12  Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

We are going to have needs: we need divine help from God.  When we give ourselves willingly to Him then He has the power to give us the victory, the majesty, the riches, and honor.

In thine hand it is to make great.  That greatness is having God in us, peace with the past, the present, the future and being right with the past, right with the present and staying right with God and all mankind.  There is nothing greater.

He gives strength.  If you give yourself willing He will give you strength.

1Ch 29:13  Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

1Ch 29:14  But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

Give praise to God.  We are blessed because we have this opportunity to give of ourselves willingly to God.  Start now and continue. God is looking for those that will be willing.