Brother Gary Sunday Evening 8/5/12

Brother Gary Sunday Evening 8/5/12

1Sa 18:1  And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

1Sa 18:2  And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.

1Sa 18:3  Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

1Sa 18:4  And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

2Co 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

All of us know well to not expect much from the rich, you will never get it.  It was the widow that gave all that she had.  Often the only thing that the rich have to trust in is their riches so they are not going to pass them around. 

The greatest of riches was what Jesus laid aside.  He laid aside what you and I appreciate so much of self preservation and protection.  None of us like to be rejected, lied upon, made fun of, or despised.  It doesn’t matter what age we are; we don’t like it. 

Jesus endured all those things and He didn’t have to.  He loved.  He made a way that we could know the love of God and of His son.  He became poor that through His poverty we might be rich and clothed upon.

Isa 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Samuel gave the outward anointing, but it was the Spirit of God that came upon David.  Isaiah had heard the voice of God in times past, but here he is saying, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.”  This is a prophecy of Christ but this speaks of Isaiah too.  He was looking forward to the good tidings to the meek.

As has been said, “The rich we know seem very rich yet are so empty and are trying to find something to satisfy.”  The good tidings come to the meek.  It isn’t to those that look so good, or are intelligent. 
We need to humble ourselves and realize that we need Jesus, He is the only way.

I think of the truth of modesty, of salvation, the truths from Genesis through Revelations.  They are so beautiful.  Yet if people don’t humble themselves before God then to them truth is not beautiful; it is bondage.  They love whatever sin that they have and don’t want deliverance.

Ravi Zacharias, after his attempted suicide, was given a new testament that had John 3:16 underlined.  He was in a hospital room and said that if God would help them get out of this that they would leave no stone unturned to find Him.  When people are willing to do anything to be freed then they will find Jesus.

This is a promise to those that are broken hearted.  Your heart may be broken, but all spoken of in this scripture is ours because of Jesus.  He came to heal the broken hearted.  It pays to serve Jesus.  The covenant is not only on His part though, we must do our part.  “I will serve thee because I love thee.”

We think of the request of souls that are held captive; whose bodies are addicted to whatever it is in sin.  There is deliverance; Jesus became poor that we could be rich.

The opening of the prison to those that are bound:  People need bible salvation, it cures alcoholism and sin.  Today is the day of salvation.  This is the acceptable year of the Lord.  It is the day to let God take care of all problems.

There is a beauty that will only come through heartbreak and sorrow.  God has made everything beautiful in its time.

Ecc 3:11  He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

There is no greater miracle than God taking what had been made ugly and destroyed by sin and through the power of the Word of God, the power of the blood, and of an individual being humble before God, God knows how to make the ugliest individual in the world beautiful before God. 

God has put eternity in people’s heart.  He knows how to help you and I realize that “I’m not just preparing to look acceptable in this time world, I’m headed to eternity.” 

Beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning:  Part of the kingdom of God is joy; there is no joy in the world.  You don’t see happy sinners.  There may be pleasure for a season, but no joy.

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness:  You cannot be a normal individual in the world we live in today and not have seasons of grief and of heaviness.  When that heaviness settles down on you, you can take it to one that loves you and give it to Him.  You can own that you have every reason to be heavy when you look on individuals that you love and care for who have such needs.  You can give it to Him.  He says, “You are not strong enough to carry this, you can give it to me and I will lift it and carry it for you.”

Isa 61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Jonathan took his garments and said, (I paraphrase) “David you are not a shepherd boy anymore.  God has placed His anointing upon you, you are now part of the royal family and I would like you to be dressed for the occasion.”  Jonathan wanted that one that he had knit his heart with dressed for the occasion.  May God help us to love each other this way.

May we be clothed with humility.  When God would have us to be bold, that we be bold and when He would have us to be meek and quiet that we be meek and quiet. 

Be clothed with the robe of righteousness, it pays to do right.  When Saul was troubled by evil spirits, God helped David do what was right. 

May God help you and me to be adorned with the beautiful truths of God.

Isa 61:11  For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.