God Cares About YOU

This past Sunday was a day for me that was off the charts in my mind. Seeing God touch lives and our church be the expression of scripture, worshipping, praying one for another and God answering my prayer – I had a really big prayer for this past Sunday. Now this is not a rare prayer I pray it all the time, but I was contending deep and realizing that God was and is able to answer my prayer – matter of fact it is a prayer He loves to hear prayed. I asked the Lord for Salvation. “Please Lord, allow me to have the blessed privilege of partnering with you to see people saved!” And since God cares more about the salvation of others than any of us, I was so incredibly happy to see 18 people respond to the invitation to trust God for their salvation. Now, I have done a lot of church in my 30 years as Pastor and my 22 years of being at LFC, but there was something very unique for me about this past Sunday. The Lord had lead us to have a time of prayer in all three services – a simple, “invite people down front for prayer” moment. Our worship team, prayer team members, leaders and others who felt led came and prayed with no less than 100 people who came forward during our three services. We were living out the call of “praying for one another” and modeling for those in the congregation that LFC is a caring and ministering church where people really do matter to God. It showed people that God really cares for them and it reminded me just how much God cares to save lives – eternal hearts, right here at LFC. What a joy to be a part of this. In a couple of weeks we will have people baptized here as well. (September 21st – 6:00 PM)
The One Thing:
I hope you realize today that God cares for you! As I watched people praying for others, as I watched the hands of dear people, of all ages raise in response to salvation, I realize just how much God cares. Some of you are struggling and need to remember, God can keep whatever you commit to Him. This past Sunday’s message centered around the passage, 2 Timothy 1:12: That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. (NIV)
Are we anxious, troubled and worried? Paul tells us to "have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And [as a result] the peace of God will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7). The Psalmist adds: "Trust in him at all times…pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us" (Ps. 62:8). And the apostle Peter writes, "Cast all your troubles upon God!” And if someone asks why, here is the answer: Because God cares about you" (I Pet 5:7).
By faith, place your troubles, your concerns, your kids, your marriage, your loneliness upon the broad shoulders of our loving and merciful God. When God was here in human form, in Jesus, He experienced the same kinds of issues we face. Now He did not have children but He loved them. He did not do some of the things we do today, but, the same heart-felt issues you deal with, He dealt with. "We have in Jesus, a high priest who understands what we go through, because He did. This should give us incredible confidence to run to the presence of God and receive His mercy and grace to help us in our times of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-6).
He's not afar off - but present with us through every situation. Moses wrote: "The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deut. 33:27). A dear friend recently shared with me: “Of all the things that could happen to me, I never want to be away from God’s presence.” And I know why they said that. They have experienced His presence and transformation in their life. They have seen God in tough times too. Their statement is a reminder of what we need in tough times – we need His presence. The God whose power created the heavens and the earth has also the power to see us through all those dark tunnels through which we wander. His presence is our guide – because God cares.
Let's use every "means of grace", every resource God provides, to receive the truth in our heart – God cares. And let God take upon Himself our cares as He has promised!
I was supposed to tell you today (and I did) that God Cares About You!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Bernie