Help for the Desperate

Well praise God it's good to be here this morning and this is definitely by faith because this is definitely out of my comfort zone but you know the Lord he's wanted us to grow in him isn't he? The only way we can grow in him is to exercise ourselves and that takes a leap of faith a lot of times, pretty much all the times when it goes against our flesh doesn't it? So I just wanted to share something that Friday night we had a chance to go out to Mission Teens and be a part of that was a real blessing I know some of y'all been out there and anyway Brother Rob there he had spoken about something while we were singing he stopped and he was he basically just shared with us his he shared with us about our place in the Lord you know how important it is even in our best day how desperately we are needing the Lord. We might think you know we have it all together you know during that day but really if we don't have the Lord leading and guiding us for that day we don't have it together do we? I don't know that really just stood out to me when Brother Rob was talking about that and it convicted my heart and since Friday night I just was asking the Lord to help me see that a greater way in my life you know not just to take for granted when I get up in the morning and start my day you know that well I got this plan I got this plan and got this you know everything figured out because really we need the Lord to lead us and guide us from the very moment we wake up in the morning don't we? One of the I had a few scriptures just a few different places so by faith I'll just share this you don't have to turn here but this is one of the verse in Proverbs 16 it says we can make our plans but the Lord determines our steps I'll tell you what that's important that we understand that you know that the Lord he has a specific purpose for our lives daily it's not a it's not for us to determine our steps the Lord already has it determined doesn't he? If you go to Proverbs 3 a lot of y'all we've read this a million times but it says trust in the Lord with all your heart do not depend on your own understanding seek his will in all you do and watch what it says here and he will show you which path to take don't be impressed with your own wisdom instead fear the Lord and turn away from evil then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones honor the Lord with your wealth

and with the best part of everything you produce I tell you what it's important just to be in tune with the Lord isn't it? Our wealth is our wealth is his wealth isn't it? We need to be I understand that too that what we have the Lord has given us to share with others and I'm just thankful you know he's given us his Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us in everything that we do and I'll just shift over to Psalms 32 here real quick it says the Lord says I will let me see here the Lord says I will in verse 8 the Lord says I will guide you along the best pathway for your life wow listen the Lord said he will guide you for the best pathway I want that don't you I want that every day I want the Lord to make that more real to my heart I will I will advise you and watch over you do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control I tell you without the Lord that's what we are aren't we we're just a wild horse out here just doing our thing says many sorrows come to the wicked but unfailing love surrounds those who trust in the Lord praise God for that I'm just thankful you know that as we yield ourselves to the Lord real peace I thought about this real peace comes from our surrender to the Lord if you want peace during the day he is coming with the acknowledgment of Lord here I am lead and guide me today I need you Lord and I don't know I just thought I'd share that this morning I hope that helps somebody help me praise God praise God I appreciate that encouragement to keep looking to the Lord I tell you what man he has the plan and he has the purpose for us each and every single moment of every day we were able to make it out the mission teens last night took him a meal and they had asked me to a word or whatever but I really went along with what Danny shared and I I was praying, I didn't have anything, but we did, we talked about how important it is for us to keep our eyes focused on Jesus Christ. I thought about, and my wife had shared this scripture yesterday, I was sitting around yesterday afternoon, it's in Lamentations 3, and let's see, I'm gonna start in verse 22, we all know this scripture, but man, I tell you what, because of the Lord's great love,

we are not consumed. You know, we can get consumed with a lot of things. This world, the enemy seeks whom he made of our. He wants to consume us and spit us out. But I tell you what, man, because of the Lord's great love for us, we are not consumed. He surrounds us with songs of deliverance each and every day, for his compassions never fail. This is very good, they are new every morning. And I thought about that, last few days I've been able just to get up and just be quiet before the Lord and acknowledge him, not even knowing what the day holds. It doesn't really matter what the day holds, because you know what, he knows what it holds. And he's got everything we need. He's got every bit of strength we need. He's got the peace that we so desperately need, man. And I thought about this, because God has put us, we walk around in a dark place, right? But man, when God can help us to be in that even keel when we're around other people, just that peace of God that rules in our hearts, it can be a blessing. It actually reflects God's love for other people, man, being just steady and being focused on him. I say to myself, the Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him. Man, it is good just to wait on the Lord in the morning, and throughout the day, man, we can wait to hear his voice. If we don't know which way to go in the middle of the day, guess what?

We can stop and say, God, I need you to direct my path. I need you to show me the way that I need to go, because if it's left up to me, I'm gonna go the wrong direction. But I tell you what, we can't outrun God, can we? Even when we make mistakes, he don't condemn us. He loves us, he is right there with arms of compassion. It says, the Lord is good to those whose hope is in him. And guess what? To the one who seeks him. That's that surrendered heart that Danny was talking about. When we, what we're doing is we're acknowledging, we don't know the way, Lord. We don't know the way. We want to humble ourselves and let you lead the way in our lives so we can have that peace that passes all understanding, no matter what we're facing. It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. I'll tell you what, man, salvation is a daily process, isn't it? There is a salvation where we enter into rest, but I'll tell you what, we constantly go back to that well of living water to get what we need so we can rest in him and walk in him and know which direction he's leading. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Praise God for that. I'll tell you what, man, we can make our own yoke, can't we?

That thing can get heavy. It can drag us down. But I'll tell you what, man, when we take on the Lord, what did Jesus say? Take on my yoke for it's easy. My burden is light. We burden ourselves down with a lot of things, chasing after whatever it is out here we think we can lay hold of. The only thing we need to lay hold of is Jesus Christ. And let him sit alone in silence for the Lord has laid it on him. But I thought about that scripture after my wife had read that to me yesterday and it really blessed me. And I think just, you know, man, just resting in the fullness of God and being filled with him that way we have something to offer when we're outside these walls. When we're walking with people, whoever God puts in our path, man, we can be a blessing to them. No matter how evil they are, guess what? We're the ones that was evil. Guess what? God had mercy on us, didn't he? He raised us from the dead and gave us new life in Christ. And I'll tell you what, man, that is worth preaching. That's worth talking about to people. I'll tell you what.

And however that is, however the Lord leads, it is literally could be simply sharing a cup of water with somebody in the fullness of God's spirit. Many can open their eyes to the gospel and God can open up a door. I appreciate what the Lord is doing. I love him. And I'm thankful, thankful for everyone here, thankful for God giving us faith to keep on trucking. Praise God. Amen. Good morning and praise the Lord. Amen. I appreciate what's already been shared. And a lot of that, you know, we were talking Wednesday night before prayer meeting and cause we had talked about, you know, we watched that service recently about the new covenant and, you know, watching part two and. Danny and Joel and I were just down there and Joel said, you know, why don't we come in and wait on the Lord and just see what he'll do? You know, and, um, you know, there's a time for everything, including that, you know, but when we, what's already been talked about this morning is we need the Lord to direct us every day and in everything we do, otherwise it's just dust and us doesn't produce any life. And we need him. And I even, uh, what, what Danny referred to, uh, there over at Mercy Tree was, um, that's exactly what Rob said. We really, we don't realize sometimes how desperate we need the Lord, you know, and, uh, that, that was the thought I had even too this morning, just praying and looking to the Lord about what he would have for us. You know, Lord, I don't want to just do anything. The easiest thing in the world, I think this morning to do would be to come in here and actually watch that second part, which if it's, if that was the Lord

and his Lord, that's fine, but it takes an exercise of faith to wait on him and also to exercise ourselves. And, uh, you know, the one thing too, it's seemed the Lord has been emphasized in our midst is we're, we all have a place and a part to play within the body of Christ. And, you know, whatever muscle the Lord gives you, you need to exercise it. And even when we come in here, it's, it's, it's more difficult to get up and say something than it is, uh, to sit in your seat, right? That's what Ron said three times in a row. He was never going to get up here again, but he might be back up here again this morning, but praise God. Uh, you know, uh, that word desperate, I actually looked it up. I'm going to look up the definition here. Uh, I'm just going to share what I have. Praise God. And let's just, uh, let's just rest in the Lord, uh, desperate feeling or showing a hopeless sense that a situation is impossible to deal with, often driving someone to extreme reckless or urgent actions. Uh, here we go. Urgent need, an intense, almost consuming desire for something, for something critical or grave, a situation that is nearly hopeless or extremely serious. And, uh, you know, the one thing about, uh, what's been shared already this morning is that anytime that we don't think we have that kind of need, it's just that our eyes are not open to just how desperate we need the Lord. And, uh, even, and I'm just, I'm gonna share what I had this morning. I'll be, if it goes with it in some measure, but, uh, I was thinking along the same lines of the, uh, that, that service about, about the new covenant. And, uh, but I was praying for our service, you know, and that man, I, it came every day, you know, except for that one day, but whatever the Lord gives us today that's fresh, that's what we need. And from whoever we need it from, we don't need to come up with something to just do something. That is the last thing we need. But I got to thinking about, you know, it's because the Lord saw our desperate need. What did he do for us? He took everything on himself and did what he did for us. So that as we go through our life here in this life, that the very one that we need, there's a way that's been paved and a connection we have in him with him through what he did for us. And if we're going to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways and let him direct our path, he's just not some mystical, ethereal Lord out there in the universe. No, he came here. He's at the right hand of God, of God interceding for us. And he is real and he supplies every, he has the answer for every single need, every one of them. And it doesn't matter how grave it seems or how simple it is. The Lord, you know, he loves us. He took on flesh. He said it pleased him to be made just like us. So he could be a merciful and a faithful high

priest. And we need that representative. We need that mediator. And that's who Jesus is. He's also that connection to the father through the spirit. That's what we have. And, um, but I got to thinking for whatever reason, I'm going to share it. I got to thinking about the, uh, uh, it was a desperate time. It was, it was, uh, the last plague in Egypt. You know what that was? That some people called the plague of the, uh, firstborn is that death angel was going to come through that place. And, but it was, you know, so much in the Bible is so symbolic and it all points to Jesus Christ and, you know, uh, death, death and a member of family is always sorrowful. It's, it's, it's grievous, you know? Um, it does, it doesn't matter who he is, even if it's an older person sealed death, death is a, is a tough situation. And, um, but you know, the Lord, he came here and even experienced that. So that when we face that or face that in a situation where we're coming face with it, there is an answer. There's an answer in Jesus Christ. Ron mentioned when we were going to take communion the other day, you know, it's a very, yes, it's a serious thing. It involves the sacrifice of the Lord, but you remember what he said? When we come up here to partake of communion, it is a celebration because no matter how bad the situation looks or our need is or even our sin or what we're struggling with, there is an answer. And we can rejoice in the fact that Jesus Christ is our provision. And I was thinking about the, that night, that death angel was coming through. And, you know, what the Lord instructed Israelites to do is they took a lamb. And that lamb, you know, it wasn't just any lamb. You were to go through that herd. It had to be a male, a year old, and they had to inspect that lamb and make sure that it had no blemishes on it. And then they didn't just separate, they did separate it out, but they took it in their home, right there with them. You know, a lamb is the most gentle. I mean, you can, you know, this is a beautiful animal. It's, but it's symbolic of a lamb of God. But they had to take that lamb into their home and take care of it for about three days. And then they said, and that, that evening, they were to slaughter the lamb and put the blood on the doorpost. He said that, when I see the blood, I'll pass over you. But that, but that lamb, back to the selection, they went there, and it wasn't just any lamb. They had to make sure that it was perfect, that it had no flaw, no, no, nothing wrong with it, and it was separated out. And it just caused me to

think of a number of things. But I just, I'm gonna share this in Hebrews 7. You know, another thing, too, when that, when that lamb, they were instructed to put the blood over the doorpost, but then they roasted the lamb. And they, they, what they were told, you don't even boil it. You have to put it over fire. And, you know, is, is fire a symbol of purification? It is. And that lamb was roasted in the fire. And what Jesus went through for us so that we could come to him, he actually went through a process that made him and turned him into the great high priest. He didn't just instantly do it. He had to face the opposition, the affliction, and the trial. And he was tried as though by fire himself. And then, then he goes and does what he does, does for us. But anyway, okay, I'm just going to go here to verse 23. Now, there have been many priests since death prevented them from continuing in office, but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, he is able to come save completely those who come to God through him because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our needs. Is he the one that meets our needs? Does he have everything we need? What, what did the scripture says? The Lord your God will supply all your needs in Christ Jesus. So every day when we get up and in every way, he is the need meter. He is the one that meets, it's himself, you know? Such, this is where the thought I had this morning, I went back to that lamb that was selected. It said, such a high priest truly meets our need, one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners. And that is the line that came to me this morning, set apart from sinners. Just as, you know, that, that lamb that, that was used in the, there in the Passover, it wasn't a person that was sacrificed. It was that lamb, and it wasn't just any animal. It was that lamb, and the lamb was not the person, but that lamb was separated. There is nothing that we can do to make ourselves righteous. And there's, the only, the only man that can make us righteous was the Lamb of God and Jesus Christ, you know? Okay, let me, let me keep going here. One who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priest, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day for his own sins, and then for the sins of the

people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. Praise God. It says he was separate from, he was separate from sinners. He was separated. God... Praise God for his mercy. For the law appoints his high priest men in all their weakness, but the oath which came after the law appointed this son who has been made perfect forever. And I just, you know, so much of what I guess has already been shared is that the fact that we have what we need because of what Jesus did for us and who he is and that he intercedes for us right now. Is there any time where you can't go to the Lord? None. It's just for us to cast all our care on him because he cares for us. That means that everybody, everybody here's probably got something. We got something we struggle with. We all have one need is to look to our savior and he is the answer. I remember you see that somebody had a bumper sticker or a plate that said Jesus is the answer. Well, he really is the answer and he's here, you know. I'm, I'm thankful for what the Lord is doing in our midst. Do y'all believe he's growing us up? You know, he's able, he works like no one else and he can work, he, he is the head of the church. He said the gates, he's a, he's an author. He's the head of the church. He said the gates of hell will not prevail against his church. He's going to bring us to maturity and even part of that process where I see us at now is the Lord's doing something specific and personal for each one of us in here and it's causing us to actually see just how connected he is with us and how he wants us to be connected to others. When we receive from him what we can only get from him, we got something to give somebody else and just like that guy that went to his friend at midnight and said, this friend came to me from a long journey. I've got nothing to give him. Please give me three pieces of bread. The Lord is still the bread of life and when we acknowledge him and we're in touch with him, he gives us of himself and we have something to give others. That's part of the reason we, even when we come in here, we share and we celebrate Jesus Christ. I'm thankful for who he is, for what he is. I'm thankful for the savior he is and he is a real need meter. I love and I praise him. Amen. Yeah. Who had no sin to be seen for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. And you know, a lot of times let's say we have a good day and we feel good about ourselves but then there's other times that let's say we lost our temper or something and

we feel so defeated but we're looking at ourselves. We're looking at ourselves. Her righteousness doesn't come from ourselves. We say Jesus, all my righteousness comes from you and he paid it all and we are the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ. Amen. I apologize for getting back up, but when Tammy is talking, it reminded me of something I forgot to say. Thank you, sister. It's real simple, but when the death angel came through, it didn't just take the firstborn of mankind, it even took the firstborn of all the animals. And you know that the curse that came on the whole earth because of sin, it also cursed the animals. But when Jesus did what he did, he even restored the creation to himself. And the thing about the firstborn, what a grievous death that was. There was mourning in that all of Egypt. That cry went out. People could hear it from a long ways off. But I thought about the father and he, who is Jesus, his one and only son. He gave his firstborn and that firstborn son, he redeemed all of creation. He is worthy of all our praise. He lifted a curse from us. I'm so thankful. Sorry for getting up again, but I tell you what, the Lord has done a supreme thing when he died and when he was raised from the dead. And we haven't even begun to see it all, but for sure, it is sure and it's a sure foundation. Amen. Praise the Lord. I appreciate everything that's been said this morning. And I can't believe I'm up here because I absolutely have no feeling whatsoever, but I have the word. I have the word of God, and that's important. And I just, you know, I appreciated this scripture in Lamentations that you read, the positive part of this. But I want to go back. I want to read the first part of this because I can really associate with what Jeremiah went through. And it just kind of leads up to what the climax is for this. And so I'm just going to read it quickly,

as quickly as I can. I can't see very good. I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He has led me and brought me into darkness, but not into light. Surely against me he has turned. He turns his hand against me all the day. My flesh and my skin he made old. He has broken my bones. He has builded me up, encompassed me with gall and travail. He has set me in dark places as they that be dead of old. He has hedged me about that I cannot get out. He has made my chain heavy. Excuse me. Also when I cry and shout, he shut out my prayer. He has enclosed my ways with hewn stone. He has made my path crooked. He was unto me as a bear lying in wait and as a lion in secret places. He has turned aside my ways and he has pulled me in pieces. He has made me desolate. He has bent his bow and set me as a mark for the arrow. He has caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins. I was in derision to all my people

and their song all the day. He has filled me with bitterness. He has made me drunken with wormwood. He has also broken my teeth with gravel and stones. He has covered me with ashes and you have removed my soul far off from peace. I forgot prosperity and I said, my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. Remembering my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall, my soul has them still in remembrance and is humbled in me. But read this verse. This I recalled to my mind, therefore have I hope. And this is why I wanna just kind of zero in for a minute. Beloved, we need to realize how important the word of God is. Did you know the word of God is Jesus Christ himself? You know how you receive Jesus? It's through the preaching of the word and it's anointed preaching from someone that has the word that's been tried like this right here, like Jesus was when he went out to be tempted, the fire that he had to go through. It's a living word, it's active. And when it gets inside you, when it falls on your heart, if that heart is good ground for that word and you receive it and you really embrace it and you really hide it away in your heart,

then when you go through things, God can pull that up. I know I said this briefly the other day that the word came to me. I was kind of in this kind of place, but God, if that word dwells down in here, that's the resource that God uses to help you get through and to conquer whatever it is you're going through. It helps to give you, it's the actual, it's Christ himself. When it comes, that's not an accident that it just comes to your mind. It wasn't an accident that it came to Jeremiah's mind. It was in his heart. God put it there, he saw it, he had gone through it, he knew and I just wanna encourage us. Let's get this word. David said to remember the word in your youth, hide it away, hide that word in your heart. I wish to God that I had had the resources that the church here has, that our young people have here with the anointing when I was a kid, but that I shouldn't think that way. because God brings us the way he brings us, and that's the best way. But I'm gonna tell you something. If our young people can get ahold of this word and hide it in their heart, it's gonna keep them from a lot of things. It'll deliver us. It'll even deliver us, some of us old fogies. It'll deliver us if we'll just give.

We wanna be led of the Lord. We wanna do his will. How is he gonna talk to us and tell us that? Through his word. I pray every morning, I say, God, I have my plans. I don't, you know, maybe I have to cut the grass. Maybe I got birds building nests in my carport and I gotta take care of, or ants in the house I gotta kill. I mean, you know, I make plans because there are things I feel like I gotta do, but I always end it with this. Not my will, but yours be done. And help me to see and understand your will. And when it goes against my will, then help me to do your will and to be thankful for it and not complain. I haven't learned it yet, but I'm working on it. And God's working on it too, because he keeps sending things to do that. But I just wanna share that because the word of God is so important. It is more important than we realize. If we wanna do his will, you gotta have that word in your heart. You gotta hide it. Get up, read it. Spend time with the Lord, read it. I mean, this morning I just kinda got up early and I was sitting in my recliner

and choruses started coming to me. And I just started singing in my, I didn't sing out loud, I didn't wanna wake Linda up, but I was singing them, one right after the next came. And it just, it's an encouragement. That's how we're filled with the spirit, through psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing, making melody in our heart. We don't have to pour it out of our mouth all the time, but we can. I mean, I can, but it's the word of God is what it is. These choruses and these hymns that we have, they're based on the word of God and they can help us. But let's encourage ourselves. And I always wanna finish up with this last thing where Jim or JP stopped a little short, but it says, for the Lord has not cast off forever, but though he causes grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. Beloved, God is good, but I'm just thankful for the word. I'm thankful for being here this morning, for sharing the word with each other. It's the word of Christ. The word that's in you is Christ. That's what we need to realize. We're the body of Christ and Christ dwells in each one of you.

And you've been through something this week. I know I have. This is the way I felt this week. God, where are you? I remember when I was first saved and the Lord was just, he was just surrounding me. I mean, he just, I felt him all the time. Then all of a sudden I woke up one morning, God, where are you? Where are you? And I thought of that little story about the old couple that the Lord saved and they were all excited and everything. And they got up the next morning and his wife said, what's going on? We're, you know, they looked at each other. What's going on? I don't feel it anymore. And he said, well, let's get the word and look at it. And they read the word and they said, it's still here. You know, beloved, the word is so important. Let's don't take it for granted. Let's don't go by our feelings either. Believe me, if I go by my feelings, I won't do anything. But I'll tell you, God is our strength and he's our strength through this word, this word of God. And he'll help us and he's gonna get us through. But I need the Christ that's in you. Every one of you, you have something that you can share, something that God has done for you that has become real,

that has caused that word to be engrafted into your soul and into your spirit that you can share because your brother needs it. I need it. I don't know if you guys probably don't, but I do. So anyway, I just wanted to share that. I'm just so thankful to be here. I'm thankful Christ is here. Christ is here. He's always here when we gather together like this. Whether I miss all the rest of the brethren that aren't here, but Christ is just as real here this morning as he is then. He's a wonderful Lord.