Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 9/10/14

Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 9/10/14

When Jesus prayed for Peter, it was a very difficult time in Jesus’ life and it was also a very difficult time in the disciples’ lives. 

The last trial that you had was probably a very difficult time in your life. 

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

We see the setting; Jesus already knew everything that was going to take place.  Most of us would have said that our plate was really full.  Jesus was soon to be crucified, soon to be rejected in a greater way than ever, and He was passing through a severe trial with the thought: “Father, let this cup pass from me.”

At this time one of his disciples, maybe more than one, was going through a very difficult place in his life.  He told him, “Simon, Satan has desired to sift you.” 

There is a real value in us praying for each other. 

Luk 22:33  And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

It is important to have it settled.  Just because we have it settled in words, doesn’t mean that in the hour of trial the enemy will not do everything possible to shake us.  That is why it is so important that we have one another to pray for us.

Luk 22:34  And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Luk 22:35  And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

Luk 22:36  Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

Luk 22:37  For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

Luk 22:38  And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

Luk 22:39  And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

Luk 22:40  And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

Luk 22:41  And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Luk 22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Luk 22:43  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

Luk 22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Luk 22:45  And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

Luk 22:46  And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

I read the account of Jesus and the disciples to encourage the brothers and sisters in Christ in the value of praying one for another.  We really need each other’s prayers.

We don’t want to assume things about people, but we don’t have to assume this:  the battle and the challenge is very real. 

I thought of the value of praying for children.  Children are a blessing from God, but we want to remember they are very vulnerable. 

We had in our fellowship a number of children with one unsaved parent.  I am not leaving the thought that the unsaved parent is trying to undermine the saved, but children know when someone is not right with God.

We have in our fellowship, in bible story time, and in our services children that come that have neither parent saved.  One wonderful thing that you and I can do is pray for the children.

I thought of the youth:  When children reach teenage years, there is a lot going on.  Not just in their lives and their bodies, there is a real spiritual battle going on.  Oh how youth need the prayers of the Saints!

“No one cares how much that you know until they know how much that you love them.”  Teddy Roosevelt.

Sometimes we need to pray for ourselves.  When you see children that hurt their parents, it is not easy to think real highly of them.  When someone feels pain and you and I feel that pain, we need to pray, “God help me to be able to not just with lip service as Peter, but from the heart to look past and love that soul.”

It is a wonderful thing that we have seen the power of God reach down and save souls that had a past that they couldn’t undo.  It happened to every one of us.  We all had a past.

We are living in a day when sin and rebellion make an appeal to children at a very young age.  No one from the Missoulian is here to hear me say this, but that bunch of reporters cannot find anything but bad stuff.  Almost every paper that I read has article after article that is about corruption and moral corruption.

Children are exposed to so very much in all forms: television, radio,  books, and all this modern technology.  It is available to them if even through curiosity they open the door to it.  They are too young for the responsibility: “should I do it or not.” 

One thing that I know, you can pray and you can live a life that is pure before God. 

I thought of families.  Families really need prayer.  It is beyond my mind when mothers don’t want to be mothers.  I believe children with good mothers are really blessed. 

You good mothers, I want you to know that you are a real blessing.  You that love and pray for your children, you are a blessing.

There are not many of us dads here, but we need to pray for each other.  The enemy would like to get us so distracted with the season of life we are in that we lose the burden for our children and grandchildren.

Brother Miller told my dad that he needed prayer.  Dad asked, “Do you want me to pray Brother Frank?”  He told my dad, “If you cannot pray then who can?”

May God help us to pray.  To show how much we care by putting forth extra effort in prayer

The enemy is always trying to get us so that we don’t live so that our witness will count.  You just sidestep a little bit and the enemy will pick it up.

I desperately need prayer.  Experience doesn’t take the place of the vitality of God in our life. 

It is the same with the teachers.  I feel this way because it is where I am; I feel that we have really good teachers in this congregation that don’t just get up and rattle but study. 

Teachers really need prayer, to be right on, to not be of a target mentality: “I’m going to get this one.”  That is not the teacher’s job.  They need to have a lesson from God and teach it in the right way.

Of the choir:  I tell people, “I am not a very good preacher, but we have the best choir in Paradise.”

For the instrument players, the choir director, don’t assume anything, pray.

I come to the part of Brother and Sister Clemstein coming.  The congregation at Moore knows that I am coming.  I wonder what kind of an affect it would have on me if some sister from Moore would call me and say, “I am fasting and praying that my husband will be in the service when you are here.  He is not saved.” 

I would not take it lightly of having the right message for the right service.  I’d like to go back to Moore, Brother Turnbow was very good to my parents, the elder brother Chancellor was very good to Karen and I, and Brother Chancellor that is there now is a very good brother.  I want to go.

If one called me, “I have an unsaved son, or an unsaved daughter.  I am going to set my alarm in the night and pray for my son or daughter every night for a month before you come.”  I wonder what kind of an affect it would have?

I wonder what affect it would have on brother Clemstein if some new convert would call him from Paradise and say, “Brother Clemstein I know that you are coming and I am desirous of not messing up.  Our pastor teaches us that we can get help from others.”

I’m so happy that Bonnie and her husband are coming.  But you know what will make it better? Prayer.  When the beans don’t come up, I plant them again; when they don’t come up the second time, I plant them the third time. 

There are times when anything extra we do shows God… sometimes we need to pray, we need to fast and pray.  Requesting prayer is not enough.

Jesus prayed for Peter.  It has been so real to me the past few months how blessed I am to have such good friends.  I was thinking even this week of Sister Stenson.  She would be so thrilled to hear that the rhubarb had come up and that we had blackberries this year.  I know that Brother and Sister Stenson loved me and prayed for me. 

This congregation knows how I feel about money.  I was wearing oxfords and Brother Stenson was wearing a suit with tennis shoes.  He said, “I want to give you something, He put a hundred dollar bill in my hand.  I thought, “I’m wearing oxfords, you’re wearing tennis shoes and you want to give me something?” 

I am so blessed to have good friends.

When the church started having church in Paradise, there was a man that my dad invited, Paul Bedker.  I don’t know if he had ever preached in English before.  I know that he still prays for me if he is still alive.  He talks to Brother Davis more than he talks to me.  He tells Brother Davis, “Tell him…”   

I asked brother Davis recently, “How is Brother Bedker?”  He said that he was busy; his wife was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. 

Athol recently sent us some money.  We tried to help them out recently and they sent it back.  How they need our prayer.  I hope that there are those in that congregation that rise early and pray for Brother and Sister Neely.  They are targeted. 

It has been such a heavy spot in my heart: Michael, a young man nineteen years old, needs a caregiver.  One thing that we don’t want to do is think that we are going to save the world and forget about our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

To many people are out trying to do something for those that are less fortunate, that is to be appreciated, but don’t forget that good song leader, that one that made cookies for bible story time, that one that mowed the lawn and waters the gas, or that one that cleaned the restroom. 

It is wonderful, don’t take it lightly. 

Brother and Sister Goble said, “We are being sustained by prayer.”  They need a miracle and only God can give it. 

If you can help me while in the most difficult time of my life so that I will remember someone else that is in the most difficult time of their life.  I would like to have this growth.  This is what Jesus did.

This was the most difficult time that Peter had ever faced.  Let’s remember, brothers and sisters, that we need to pray for each other.  When you are in the heat of the battle, there is someone else also in the heat of the battle.  “God I have to get past myself and remember my brother.”

The trial that you are in today will be the most difficult one that you have ever faced.  When we were seeing the chalet and trying to get there, my wife said to me, “This is like our Christian experience, the last mile is the most difficult one.”  It is well worth the difficulty.

The challenges that you will encounter will be difficult.  Jesus left this example: Jesus prayed for Peter.  If you don’t want anyone checking on you, if you are touchy on this, then you will not get along with Jesus. 

I have family members that no matter when I call them, everything is great.  That is not true.  Of the people that you check on you, for the majority of them their attitude is perfectly right when they check on you.  If someone asks, “How is your battle?”  Don’t get ruffled. 

I check on people.  I have no motive other than knowing, “Are you doing ok spiritually?”  It is ok to say, “I’m needing prayer.”  It is ok to have things in our life that we are working on.  It is not ok to want to be an island, “I don’t want anyone checking on me but this one.” 

Every one of us needs to have the attitude, “For sure I don’t know everything.  Sometimes it may be a child that teaches us.  Sometimes it may be someone that comes on forcefully and says, “You need to spruce up here a bit.” 

We are going to have people that will help us to be better at serving God, and that is what we want. 

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God’s ways are higher, so much more noble and acceptable than our ways.  God’s ways are always right.

Way – course of life, avenue that is taken, or the action.

There are four thoughts to help us understand the thoughts concerning the way. 

My ways are higher than your ways:  God’s way, the way in which God goes in order to instruct and save man… you and I already know it was through Jesus Christ.

The way for man to walk to be saved, happy, satisfied and sanctified: God’s ways are higher than our ways.  People are looking for something to satisfy, for adventure, for thrill and enjoyment. 

The only real true adventure, enjoyment, thrill is in God’s way.  He has pleasures at His right hand that are suited just perfect for each individual’s personality and life and they never find it going their own way.

God’s ways are action.  It is wonderful when God says, “My son, my daughter, do this, prepare for this.

Hos 14:9  Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

Psa 1:6  For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psa 18:30  As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Psa 18:32  It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

The ways of the Lord are right.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.