Wednesday 3/5/14 Burdens 2

Praise The Lord.  "Little" Luke was at the heart doctor and was given a clean bill of  health on his heart.  Jaylea is off the ventilator and it looks like she has turned the corner.  (Keep praying for her.)  Marie is home.  However, just today they had tests on her legs and she has blood clots in both legs.  Glenn has been moved to HealthSouth.  Dave has been moved to the 4th floor at the Community General Hospital, he is not eating on his own.  This is like a long care type service now.  He really needs prayer.  Brothers and sisters, keep on praying.  Here is my personal prayer for today.

Dear Father in Heaven.  Thanks for another beautiful day.  Thanks for waking us and helping us through the day.  Thanks, Lord, for watching over our family, and Lord, thanks for watching over our flock at The Bridges, our online flock, and over this line itself.  Please, if You would keep that blessing coming, I would surely appreciate it.  And Lord, watch over Matthew and work on him to call us or something so we know he is okay.  Thanks, Lord, for taking care of my little buddy, "Little Luke" and please hear our prayers for Dave to be healed and also all others on the lists we have been praying for.  Please, Lord, on our Salvation Wednesday and on this Ash Wednesday, guide us to the unsaved and help us to bring the lost to Your feet to be saved.  And Lord, Dolores needs Your touch and so do I.  Please Lord, help me carry the burden of pain and cover me with Your blood for I am a sinner in need of that.  Also help me with the message, guide me to scriptures, and then help me write it and dispatch it.  And Lord, please help Grant and Wanda.  In the Name of Jesus, I pray and give thanks.  Amen.

Brothers and sisters, in our area today there was a Lutheran Pastor at a park and ride placing a cross of ashes on the head of those who do not have time to go to church.  It would have been nice to have a crew there to pray with the folks also, but it was nice to see, we need to "take God on the road."  In this day of everyone being in a hurry, a new Catholic church was built that had a drive-through confessional.  It was built like a bank drive-through, but with just one lane.  A sign over the entrance said, "Toot and Tell."  Okay, I made that one up.  Other than that sign, it would be a nice thing or someone who is handicapped to be able to use.  Of course we can just "confess to God, through Jesus, and it will be heard."  Let me get to the message on Burdens.

Ash Wednesday, Salvation Wednesday:  March 5, 2014, Burdens (Day Two).

Psalm 68:19 - Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.  (NIV)

In our first scripture for today we see we are to Praise the Lord.  So let's do that now.  PRAISE THE LORD.  We are to praise the Lord our God who is also our Savior.  On this our Salvation Wednesday, it is so nice when God leads me to scripture that covers more than just my subject.  So we see He is our Savior and look at this -- He DAILY bears our burdens.  However, brothers and sisters, we need to let go of them and let God do what the scripture tells us.  I sometimes think we are in a tug-of-war with God over some things.  I want you to just think about doing this, or you can do it.  Get out a suitcase and put those burdens in it.  Some might be like going through the motions like mental things.  Others you might want to load in some paperwork, like your income tax papers.  Now tie that suitcase to something strong, think of that as God, and you get on the other end and start pulling.  This is how it is some days when God tries to carry our burdens and we try and hang onto them.  Let them go, put down your end of the rope.  It might be the hardest thing we do, but we need to let the Lord carry our burdens.

Matthew 11:28 - "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  (NIV)

This is Jesus being quoted and Jesus is telling us that if we go to Him when we are weary and burdened He will give us rest.  Do you notice that this is another promise, one we did not cover?  How many times have you been weary and burdened yet you did not go to the Lord?  I am sure guilty of this from time to time, and in fact thee are times when I am weary and tired and the message seems like it is going to be a burden.  I sometimes lay across the bed resting and that even happened today.  Then I get up, come to the computer, talk to Jesus and get working on the message.  I came to Him, I was weary about the message and I gave it to Him and He is helping me right now.  He is carrying that burden right now.  I am talking to Him as I am writing, for my legs and back are hurting badly, and I keep giving it over and over to Him.  Help me, Lord.  We all need to be doing these things.  When you are weary at work, stop, take five, and talk to God about it.  One of today's burdens are our cell phones, it seems we just can't put them down.  Please give them over to God, which means SHUT THEM OFF FROM TIME TO TIME.

Yesterday we looked at how some of the burdens are put on us by our Lord, but in turn He will be faithful and help us.  Amen.

Now go forth, giving your burdens to God and sharing your blessings He has given you.  Love ya.  Please pass on His love.

Pastor Dan