Thursday Aug. 18, 2011 No Worries. 4

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor."

Good Thursday, let's get down to praying for our schools and family day, my dear brothers and sisters.

Please pray also today for Dale and Blanch and also for Pastor Tony and Ruby. Blanch, along with her husband Dale, are members of our flock at the Bridges. Blanch has been admitted to the Holy Spirit Hospital as a result of a buildup of fluid in her body. Pastor Tony, who I always refer to as a Pastor's pastor has been admitted to the same hospital with severe abdominal pains. Please pray for Dale and also for Ruby as they stand by their spouses. I must tell you about the Holy Spirit Hospital. I had two major back operations at that hospital, and I always looked forward to my morning visit from a visiting nun. As you know I love to sing, and even hurting after the operations I would be laying in my bed singing about and to the Lord. Well a couple of those nuns loved to sing also, and we would get it going in the morning and the halls would be ringing out with worship songs and songs of praise.

You know what I am talking about, nothing starts out a slow day than just doing something like this right out of the blue... Hey, we closed like it yesterday, come on and HIT IT...

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How Great Thou Art, How Great Thou Art. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, HOW GREAT THOU ART, HOW GREAT THOU ART!!!

I feel better now, gosh, if I would have left that stuck in me, it might have hurt.

No Worries: Day 4: Luke 12:32 - "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor." (NIV)

This verse that God pointed out to me this morning, I think fits us well. As we talk about No Worries, which also can mean "Do not be afraid," we find the term "little flock" being used. Surely we, compared to some, could call this a little flock, and truly it is a very small mailing to about 400 people. However, that could grow if my messages were forwarded, but that is not for me to be concerned about, God will take care of that. Our flock at The Bridges is also small. Have you ever watched a shepherd with his flock, or let's say a farmer with his animals. There are very large farms with lots and lots of animals, and then there are small farms with just a few animals, does God not want those animals on the small farms also taken care of, and does that shepherd who has the small flock trusted to him have just as much concern about them? On today's market when it comes to churches we have big churches, mega churches and we still have some of those circuit churches where the pastor goes from church to church on a Sunday morning. More than likely he drives maybe a Mustang instead of riding on one. When God assigns a pastor to a church or in our words today, assigns a shepherd to a flock of sheep, the size of the flock should not be considered when getting the job done. Both pastors have the same job to do, and that is be sure the flock is ready to get into heaven. Yes, believe it or not, it is all about Salvation and then getting the flock to work for God once you are pretty sure they are saved. Sometimes there is more work at the small church for at the big one, often there is extra help. More pastors have been hired. For me, I still like the small church setting, and really like even going back and singing those old hymns. Something about just going back in time, and worshiping our Lord God. When growing up at the 29th Street (Harrisburg, Pa) United Brethren Church I can remember my mamma taking me to Wednesday night prayer meetings, and often we little ones would be asleep on the pews before the service was over... Funny we did not need playrooms back then you just went to church with your parents.

As I look back at the scripture... "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor." Do you see in it all that is there... Do not be afraid, little flock, or do not be afraid little one, your Father in heaven has been pleased to GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM... God gave it all to us, Think about it now, He created the heavens and the earth and then He more than just trusted us to use it, He gave it to us, all of us.

Then He tells us, sell your possessions and give to the poor. That is hard to do, for as you give to others, God keeps giving back to you. The other year when people were pulling in for food, and we had a big crew here loading cars, I remember talking to our daughters (we have two), and I was pointing out to them, we are loading their inheritance in those cars. And they said, that's ok dad, keep it up.

So I call on all of you today, do not worry, do not be afraid little flock, for your Father in heaven has been pleased to give you The Kingdom...

Dear Father in Heaven, Thanks so much for trusting me to do work for You. I promise You this day in front of the little flock on this line and the little flock at the Bridges that You have trusted to us, to work it for You for as long as Dolores and I shall live. We will also share these little flocks with others who have come on board wanting to help. I also will need Your help on this one, Lord, and also the support of all those on this line and at the Bridges to support this effort in prayer daily. I want to repent of my sins and work for You till the setting sun of my life. I want to also support my pastor friends who have also been given flocks to tender, friends like Pastor Larry, and young Tim who works so hard for the Lord. Lord, help us to know when You open new doors and to keep working into them... And now, Lord, please watch over our schools and our families, bless those bus drivers who are about to enter traffic with up to 90 little ones behind them, and keep them safe. And Lord, bless those teachers and office workers, and bless those working with the special needs children. And Lord Jesus, I need to confess this right now and I pray others would do this also. Lord Jesus, "I love You." I love You very, very much and I pray that my love for You grows more and more each day... And although I know I will slip and fall from time to time, help me up. And Lord, when others slip and fall, put me in place to help them up. Lord, Your love for me, well, Lord, it is so special, thanks for dying for me, so I might have a path to heaven... In Jesus' name, please heal Pastor Tony and also Blanch as you watch over Dale and Ruby. And again, wow, Lord, thanks for taking care of our friend Ron... in the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Now go forth sharing your blessings. Love ya, Pastor Dan.

I just have to do this, I just have to... and Duane, I want to hear those high notes clean from your heart to mine... Tim, take the low part... sing lead with me, Neal... Doug, just jump on in...

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How Great Thou Art, How Great Thou Art. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, HOW GREAT THOU ART, HOW GREAT THOU ART!!!

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, HOW GREAT THOU ART, HOW GREAT THOU ART!!!

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, HOW GREAT THOU ART, HOW GREAT THOU ART!!!