Brother Gary Sunday Morning 10/4/15

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 10/4/15

Luk 1:1  Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,

Luk 1:2  Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

Luk 1:3  It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

Luk 1:4  That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

Theophilus means, “The friend of God.”  What we have to say this morning is to everyone that desires to be or is a friend of God. 

Luk 1:5  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

If you study any history of Jerusalem or the morning time church, you will find that there were many Herod’s.  This one was a king at the time that John the Baptist was born.  He was a man of power and built his own temple in Jerusalem that was patterned after Solomon’s and therefore after the tabernacle that God gave the description of to Moses.

Luk 1:5  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Zacharias and his wife didn’t live right there but came to Jerusalem to do the course of worship that he did as one of the priests of the temple of that day.  Their testimony was that they were both righteous before God.

Luk 1:6  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Their testimony was excellent but things were not perfect in their life.  Sometimes people think, “I am serving God and why are things going adversely?”  Adverse things are a part of life.  Your life may have heartaches and difficulties. 

There is something in every soul that hungers for God.  But like every other appetite it must be fed or it is soon squelched and is no longer a controlling factor in any one’s life.

They were now old.

Luk 1:7  And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

Luk 1:8  And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

Luk 1:9  According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

Zechariah was right there ready to do his part in the priest’s office before God.  Brother Rick taught an excellent message on being a helper this morning.  This man was right there doing what was his burden and responsibility to do.  Everyone fills a vital spot in God’s church. 

You may wonder if you count.  You count big if you are in obedience, measuring to the Word of God.  If you are right on the course that God wants you to be on for your age in the natural or spiritual, then you count very big.

If you are not on course, time has allowed us to see that if anytime an airplane gets off of course, it is seldom that it doesn’t end in tragedy.  There was a man that was a pilot that came to church here in Paradise on Sundays.  He tried to go to Alberta through Glacier Park.  Maybe because of a storm, he got off course.  He circled and circled to try to get back on course and soon ran out of gas and crashed. 

It is vital that we are on course.  We are called to be saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Spirit of God, and there is a definite course that God would have you follow in serving Him. 

This brother was right there following the course that God had called him to follow.  His lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

Halleluiah is a word that belongs to us.  It is a compound word from two Hebrew words.  It is a great exclamation of adoration and joy. 

Here we are and here is this older man.  I don’t know if his wife was there with him, I couldn’t tell from the scripture.  Here he was; it was important because he was going to offer incense on the golden altar.

I want to go over tabernacle worship.  In Old Testament worship, there was always the brazen altar.  It thrills my heart to know that there were thousands of animals offered as sacrifices in the Old Testament that their sins could be forgiven.  It didn’t give them a new creature experience. 

The saddest thing in this world is to not have Jesus Christ in our life, to not have spiritual life.  To try to do better is not the answer.  There was a price paid and this offering represents it.  There was the sacrifice where Jesus offered Himself on that old rugged cross.  Jesus was nailed there only about a foot above mother earth.  He gave His life’s blood that you and I could be saved and have hope in this world. 

There is a wedding being planned.  We are all invited to the wedding supper.  It is exciting to plan a wedding. 

It was the brazen altar that represented that a price was paid for committed sin.  On an old rugged cross a price was paid that my sins could be forgiven.  It is not just forgiveness of sin, there is life in the blood of Christ.  When you confess and repent, not only are the record of your sin taken from the record book, but there is life, a spiritual life that starts.  Keep spiritual life.  Dead religion is dead religion whether it is church of God or Babylon. 

The laver was where they washed so they could be clean when they went in.  Inside the door there was the showbread.  There was a priest taking care of the showbread and there was olive oil and spices to make it really good.  The showbread is the Word of God.  No matter where you look in the Word of God you can find the answer.  The Word of God is right for every occasion. 

The candlesticks were lit, maintained, and burned olive oil.  Wherever you are traveling, whatever you are doing, make sure this Word of God is a lamp unto your feet and a light to your path.  You are never too young to travel that way.  Every morning have devotions, have a scripture, and ask God to protect and lead you.  Make no moves without God shining that that is the way to go.

Before the Holiest of Holies there was the golden altar.  The priest took fire from the brazen altar and went in to offer a sacrifice of thanks and praise to God.  This old Jewish man whose wife was named Elizabeth was there doing a course that was his job as a priest.

Luk 1:9  According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

The incense was coming up a sweet smell unto God.  It had been 450 years since God had come close to his people, since Malachi.  There was a remnant that was holding on and waiting for the Messiah. May God help us to have the gift of helps to be encouraged and to be encouraging.  Hold on for a miracle.  It had happened before.  God always comes through.

You may be in great need of great miracles but if you can grasp, “God I want to be right on course.”  Zachariah was right on course and was doing exactly what God had called him to do.  He was standing there offering incense.

Luk 1:10  And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

Luk 1:11  And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

Life will be challenging.  You are not the only one that will be challenged.  Make sure that you don’t let the heartaches, the indecision, or the wrath of the enemy kill, steal, or destroy you.  John 10:10

We are in a real warfare.  We are in a battle for that which is right.  The spirit of unbelief is turned loose today.  It doesn’t just work in the Universities.  It will probably work clear down into grade school.  You may be here and think “I have a real hunger for God but could I live it?”  Yes, you can live it.

If you feel that you are on a dead end street and there is no way out, there is.  We serve a God of miracles.  He is almighty God.

Zechariah was standing there burning incense.  Outside they were worshipping and praying.  Oh church, pray.  When you feel, “I am almost overcome,” pray.  When you feel, “I cannot handle this,” pray.  There is a God in heaven that hears prayer.  Not only pray, but get before the altar of incense and start offering up praise.  Begin thinking of what God has done.

My dad told me some things of West Virginia and of the miracle that I had a father that escaped West Virginia.  My dad hauled liquor from West Virginia into Virginia, a state where liquor was not allowed to go.  My dad told me about getting stopped.  He said it had to have been God.  If the devil had had his way, my dad would have been destroyed and lost before he ever got here.

Remember what God has done.  My mom and dad: one was from Missouri and the other from West Virginia.  They met in the west and in the process of time they didn’t have any understanding about God.  One day God met my dad on a mountain and he was going to pray but he didn’t.  If you are praying for someone that looks hopeless, remember what God did for my dad.  We say that for each one of us. 

You say, “I am going through a season where who I am burdened for doesn’t seem to be showing any movement toward God.”  My dad left the testimony that for one year God didn’t work with him.  Pray on.

Zachariah was in the temple and the incense was coming up as a sweet savor before God.  God sent an angel.

Luk 1:11  And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

Luk 1:12  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

Luk 1:13  But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

Zacharias was troubled but the angel spoke.  While you are there burning incense, thanking God for what He has done, don’t miss the message.  The angel said, “Fear not.”

We live in such perilous times.  Men shall be lovers of them own selves.  We are there. 

When God hears prayer… there is a basis that God hears prayer.  If you are in sin, God hears the prayer of you seeking forgiveness.  God doesn’t hear the prayer of sinners. 

“Thy prayer is heard.”  Thy prayer will be answered, the answer is on the way.

Luk 1:14  And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

This world will leave you empty, aggravated, agitated, fighting mad, all sorts.  If you will get alone with God, there is a brighter side, God will come down and be there. 

I have never met with Jesus that He didn’t “take my burden and leave me with a song.”  I want to search out the one that made that song in heaven. 

The reason that that song was written was that the writer was in a situation in life where they were heavy burdened and when they got to God they were able to transfer that heavy burden to God. When God hears prayer and we say, “Not my will but thine be done.”  Then he takes the burden and leaves us with a song.

Luk 1:15  For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

God was telling Zacharias that John would be a man with a great mission.  God is still calling and using men and women in a great mission.

Luk 1:16  And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

This was a result of Zacharias worshipping God.  This was a time frame set up from God.  The angel was sent right from the presence of the Lord.  May God encourage me and you to be before that golden altar thanking and praising God. 

While you are praising God be expecting to hear from Him.

Luk 1:17  And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Here we see that John was to have an anointing.  This was the darkest of times.  It had been over 400 years since Malachi.  It was the darkest of times.  The hearts of the fathers turned to the children.  We can be thankful for the dads in this audience and how they carry a burden for their children.  Every mother here carries a burden for their children. 

But there is a host of people, my wife told me of a couple we saw and how mean the mom was to the little child.  This one named John had an anointing to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.  We need to pray for every father, not just the saved dads. 

You that don’t have children can carry a burden.  Brother Herb said many times, “Please pray for the children of the world.” 

You children in school and you teachers see a lot more of it than I do.  Those children that are hurting so bad because they are unwanted and mistreated.  Maybe they are mistreated and told how stupid or ugly they are.  God has you there to be a light and help them to know that there is a better way.

You young ladies carry a light that is a light of virtue.  We live in a sick world.  There is nothing more beautiful than modesty.  There is nothing like people not having enough sense to cover their bodies that makes me think they have lost their sanity. 

Young men can have valor.  We need men of valor.  Men that are willing to stand whether you are liked or unliked.  I would rather stand with Jesus and be as Theophilus and love valor and virtue and have a burden in my heart than be as others that I see; people throwing their lives away. 

You constantly see a new Jane, a new Henry, a new Mike, a new Harry.  They decide, “I will become a cowboy.”  The old life didn’t work.  Then they decide, “I am going to become a hippy.” 

John had a mission; we have a mission.  We need to be right before the golden altar and praise and worship.  May God help you and me to know how to praise God and cast off the garments of heaviness, to be before God and praising God and expecting a message from heaven.

Angels are marvelous things.  This was an angel that came to Zachariah.  In the most difficult time, Jesus was praying in Gethsemane.  An angel appeared strengthening Him.  We are so blessed.

John will have an anointing turning the hearts of the fathers, turning the hearts of the disobedient.  

When I am there praying for someone that is disobedient, oh that I would know that God has an anointing to cause that heart to be turned!  If you have a hard time obeying the Word of God and doing the will of God, I am expecting that heart to be turned.

Luk 1:18  And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

Luk 1:19  And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

Can’t you see God and this angel standing there, “I am ready, I am sent to speak to you, I am here to show you glad tidings.”

There was a couple that served God and things were not perfect in their life, but they went on serving God. 

Zachariah was on course.  There was a multitude outside praying and God sent his angel to speak to Zachariah.  He was on course and there praying.  I pray that you will stay on course and that I will stay on course.  All were praying and now was the time that God had chosen

I believe that there are good things ahead for us.  I am not telling you that there will not be tough things.  I am saying that there will be good things.

The angel said, “Fear not.”  God hears and answers prayer.  He will hear prayer and we will be on our way rejoicing.  Let us worship and praise before the golden altar.