Christian Benefits Sun AM 5-26-96

Psalms 103 and Mark chapter 10.

Mark 10 · chapter mention

I want to show you five pairs of scriptures today.

This weekend is Memorial Day, and when we think of Memorial Day tomorrow, in the Bible it says when we talk about memorial, it's a remembrance.

So let's remember something this morning in Psalms 103 as you're turning there.

And also you're picking up Mark chapter 10.

Mark 10 · chapter mention

Now I'm going to refer back to Psalms 103 a few times.

So if you have a marker and you want to place it in there, that'll be fine.

Look at Psalms 103.

You ready for preaching, okay?

You okay today, Pete?

Yes, sir.

Good.

Psalms 103.

Memorial Day.

Remembrance.

Verse 1.

Bless the Lord, O my soul.

And all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his what?

Benefits.

I'm going to tell you something this morning.

As a Christian, there are a lot of benefits.

He says, forget not my benefits.

Don't forget all the benefits that you being a Christian and myself being a Christian.

And you see, when we start remembering all his benefits, we begin to bless the Lord with all that is within me.

Now, I want you to hold your place in Psalms 103, and I want you to look at Mark chapter 10.

Mark 10 · chapter mention

Mark chapter 10.

Mark 10 · chapter mention

Forget not the Lord, and forget not all his benefits.

I want to talk to you just a little bit this morning about some of his benefits, and there's no way we could cover them all, but let me just show you a few.

In Mark chapter 10, look if you would at verse 28, please.

Mark 10 · chapter mention

Verse 28.

And you say, benefits.

What are you talking about?

I'll show you in a minute, verse 28.

Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all and have followed thee.

And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife, or children, or lands for who?

My sake.

You see, if we do it for him and the gospels, then he says this, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this when?

Time.

That means this life, amen.

Houses and brethren, sisters, and mothers and children and lands.

And he does be honest with us and bring us back to reality.

He says, with what?

With persecutions.

And in the world to come, eternal life.

He says, listen, if you've left something for my sake and for the gospels, I just want you to know something.

I can restore a hundredfold.

Now in this time, there's going to be some persecutions along the way.

And then later on, eternal life.

Now, brethren, that talks about material things that God can provide for us.

But may I say this?

A lot of benefits of the Lord are not just material.

Forget not all his benefits.

There's a lot of benefits that this world doesn't see that we as Christians see.

Now, I know this, you say, well, man, if I leave it all, he's going to give me a hundredfold.

Man, I'll just do that.

You do it in his time, for his will, in his purpose, and for the gospel's sake.

But may I say this?

There are a lot of benefits that we don't see.

Let me show you one.

Psalms 46.

Psalms 46, would you turn there?

You're holding your place in 103.

He says, Bless the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me, bless his holy name, bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

So we're going to remember some of his benefits, but it'll be some of the things that we don't necessarily see all the time.

Psalms 46, and what I should ask you to do this, would you pick up Deuteronomy chapter 33?

Deuteronomy 33 · chapter mention

Psalms 46 and Deuteronomy chapter what?

33, if you would.

Deuteronomy 33 and Psalms 46.

One of the benefits of a Christian is that we don't have to go get drunk.

One of the benefits of being a Christian is we don't have to use cocaine or crystal meth.

One of the benefits of being a Christian is that we don't have to rely on some of the things that the world relies on, if you would, to mask the stress and the pressure that they feel.

And may I say this?

Christians get the same stress and the same pressures.

Amen?

But we don't have to turn to a bar and we don't have to turn to a drug den.

Look if you would at Psalms 46.

He says this in verse 1.

God is our what?

A refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

That's one of the benefits.

We've got somebody to run to that's presently there that will help us.

Therefore, will not we fear.

Though the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swellings thereof, and then he says this, Selah.

Look what he says in verse 7.

Here's the reason we're not going to be troubled.

The Lord of hosts is what?

With us.

That's one of the benefits of being a Christian.

The Lord of hosts is with us.

Then he says this, if you would, over in verse 7, the God of Jacob is our refuge.

And then he says, Selah.

And then verse 10, he says this.

Verse 10, be still and know that I am God.

Verse 11, he says it again, the Lord of hosts is with us.

Brethren, it's so good to have a refuge and a strength and a very present help in trouble that we can run to, and we don't even have to pick up the phone.

We don't have to send a letter.

Brethren, if the word of God is hidden in your heart, the Holy Spirit can begin to minister us and benefit us when we're in those great troubles and times.

How many of you right now, if you said, okay, let me think just for a moment, I got some trouble in my life, around my life, associated with my life, or I know somebody that's in trouble.

Hold him up.

Hold him up.

Yeah.

And he's our very present.

I didn't say future, present.

Somebody says the benefits of being a Christian is all over in heaven.

No, the benefits of being a Christian are in this time also.

In this life also, he's a very present help in trouble.

It's a matter of whether we use him or not.

May I say to you, this, he wants to be used.

Look if you would a little bit further, look at Deuteronomy 33.

You say, preacher, you don't know how far down I am.

You don't know what kind of trouble I'm in.

You just don't know.

Let me show you something in Deuteronomy 33.

It's one of the benefits of being a Christian.

Deuteronomy chapter 33, stay with me.

Deuteronomy 33 · chapter mention

And look if you would at verse 27.

Verse 27.

Speaking about that refuge again.

The eternal God is thy refuge.

And where?

Underneath are the what?

Everlasting arms.

Underneath what?

May I say to you, and if you look up here for a minute, did you ever feel like you were you were down?

The trouble, the pressure, the difficulties, the bills, the emotional strain.

Did you ever feel like you're just sinking lower and lower and lower and lower and lower?

And you say, you just don't know how low I am right now?

I know this.

His arms are lower than your troubles.

If you know anything about the everlasting arms, it kind of gets this way.

When we feel like we're falling and emotionally or physically, or we find out we've got a disease, or we we have some problems financially, or we have some problems at work, or wherever it's at, we're having these troubles.

And we begin to feel like we're falling in our mind.

And when we begin to feel like there's no way that we can do it, and it just feels like I just might as well let it go.

It's not going to work out, anyways, and nothing's going to happen, and nobody's going to help me.

It seems like when we begin to fall almost like down a well, at the bottom of that well are his arms to catch us.

And underneath are the everlasting arms, and you say, I don't see how God could ever help me in this situation.

I've seen people in situations that are far beyond yours, and underneath were the everlasting arms.

It just doesn't feel like he's there sometimes.

It just doesn't seem like he's there sometimes.

But I'll guarantee you, if you're his child, he's not going to let you fall to the place where you can't get back up again.

I'm telling you, as a deputy, I have seven children.

I if I could help them sometime in their life, and I had the resources to help them, and they were falling in some way, shape, or form, I'll guarantee you I would get under and help them, wouldn't you?

Now God has all the resources in the world, God has all the wisdom in the world, God has all the knowledge in the world, and God has what you and I need when we're falling.

We just got to call on him.

Underneath are the everlasting arms.

Brethren, that's one of the benefits of being a Christian.

Well, nobody could help me there, and they couldn't help me there, and they couldn't help me there.

As a pastor, there's been a lot of times that I felt helpless to help someone.

Oh man.

What do I do with that one?

I'm just a man.

But underneath are the everlasting arms.

I'm talking about situations in the past growing up.

Difficulties forgetting.

Difficulties with it always coming up.

Underneath are the everlasting arms.

It's one of the benefits of being a Christian.

Bless the Lord, oh my soul.

Bless the Lord, oh my soul.

There's some benefits I better not forget.

If you would, look at uh Psalms 121.

Psalms 121.

Stay with me.

Psalms 121.

And for those of you who may not know, would you pick up Proverbs 3, Psalms 121, and Proverbs chapter 3.

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

You know, one of the greatest things about being a Christian is that we always have a companion.

Psalms 121.

Let me say it again.

One of the greatest things about being a Christian is we always have a companion.

I'll say it one more time.

One of the greatest things about being a Christian is we always have a companion.

I'll say it one more time.

You say, why do you keep saying that?

Because I want you to know something.

Even when you feel lonely, you don't have to be lonely very long.

Because you can call on the Lord and have a companion.

Somebody says, Well, I feel lonely all the time.

Get in your book.

Find out who the God of this Bible is, and there'll be times when nobody will be around, but you won't have to feel lonely because he can be a companion.

Look if you would at Psalms 121.

Psalms 121.

One of the benefits about being a Christian.

I will lift up mine eyes into the hills.

From whence cometh my what?

Say it again.

My what?

My help.

Verse 2.

My what?

Help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved.

He that keepeth thee will not slumber.

I'm glad God never sleeps, amen.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy what?

Say it.

Keeper.

The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil.

He shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and even forevermore.

You say, I don't get it.

What's the big deal?

Oh, the Lord bless my soul.

He's my helper.

He's my keeper.

He's my friend.

He's my companion.

He's the one that wants to help me along the way.

That's one of the benefits about being a Christian.

Now, if everything's going well in your life right now, chances are you're listening to this and you're saying, well, that's nice.

Good.

Good scriptures.

I don't need that.

Call me by Tuesday.

Sometimes God lets it get us get ourselves into situations where he says, Well, ready for your helper?

Ready for your keeper?

You ready to fall into my arms that are underneath you?

You at the end of yourself yet?

A few years ago I uh went through a a fairly long period of time that I was fasting, right?

And uh after a few weeks of fasting, you realize how weak you are.

You realize how weak your body is.

You realize how frail you are.

Just getting up in the morning and rolling out of bed.

I had to do it very slowly.

And I'm saying that to say this.

Sometimes we have to realize how weak we are until we can understand how strong he is.

My strength or his strength is made perfect in my what?

Say it.

Weakness.

I remember uh going into uh the last few days of that period of time and fasting.

Driving in the car.

I say, Lord, uh could you take this headache away?

So I can see.

So I can drive.

I lost my keys in Home Depot.

But I really didn't lose them.

I left them in the car and I was looking in Home Depot.

It was about the 36th, 37th day.

I was looking in Home Depot for these keys.

I looked for two hours for my keys.

I went out to the car and there they were.

You say that's dumb, that's silly, that's stupid.

Oh no, that you've done that, haven't you?

And you weren't even fasting.

My point is this the mind was getting weak and and and and growing weary.

The functioning of the body and the functioning of the mind.

And I realized something.

Without him.

I am absolutely unequivocally in this present time.

I loaded heavy.

You know what fasting does in that way?

It really brings you low.

And you really see how weak and frail you are.

And you know what it does also?

It reduces the size of your pride.

If your pride used to be ten foot tall, fast for a while.

It'll diminish.

Look, if you would with me, Proverbs 3, you know it.

Trust in the Lord with what?

All thine heart and then do what?

Lean not to thine own what?

Understanding.

Proverbs 3, 5 and 6, if you don't know.

Well, if I don't lean to my own understanding, then whose am I supposed to lean to?

You see, if I trust in the Lord with all my heart and don't lean to my own understanding, and I say, Lord, I've got to lean on you.

I've got to lead to your understanding, then I've got to realize that my understanding isn't good enough.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall what?

Direct thy path.

So the benefits are that I can lean on him when I don't understand, and I can go to him and say, Lord, I don't know how to direct my path right now because I don't know about my own understanding.

So I'm leaning on you to show me the understanding on how to direct my path.

You know, it's so good to be able to go to God and He gives you direction.

That's one of the benefits about being a Christian.

I mean, He's our keeper, He's our companion, He's our help, He's our strength, He's our refuge, He's someone we can lean on, and He's someone when we don't understand what's going on in our life, that we can go to Him and say, Would you direct my path?

Please.

I don't understand what's going on right now.

But I know you do.

You know it's so good to go to the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

The one that can see before I was born, the one that can see till after I'm gone from this earth, and he can see the whole Doug Fisher's life from beginning to end.

And he says, Oh, okay, Doug, here's what I want you to do now.

Because he can see before I was born, he can see till after I'm in heaven, he can see the whole thing, and he can just direct me.

That's one of the benefits.

Bless my soul.

With all that's within me, bless the Lord.

Bless him, bless him for all he is to me, bless him for all his benefits.

But you know what I need to do to really bless him?

I need to begin to remember all the benefits, not just in heaven, because that's somewhere down the trail.

But I'm talking about right now, when I woke up this morning, I could think right, I could walk, I could talk, I could reason with God a little bit, and I could come and do this and be what he wants me to be today.

Bless the Lord, oh my soul.

If I couldn't walk, would I be blessing him?

If I couldn't talk, would I be blessing?

If I couldn't hear, would I be blessing him?

I want to show you something now.

And I want you to see this.

Look at Isaiah 59.

Isaiah 59 and Psalms 103.

Stay with me.

Isaiah 59 and Psalms 103.

And I'll show you something that's very important in this message.

Psalms 103 and Isaiah 59.

Please turn there.

As independent fundamental Baptists, sometimes, we don't praise the Lord like we should.

Let me say it again.

As independent fundamental Baptists sometimes, you say, well, I don't know if I am.

Then as Christians sometimes, we don't bless the Lord like we should.

Preacher, what's going on in your life?

Why are you blessing the Lord?

Everything going bad?

No, I think everything's going good.

Or you been having any trouble?

Yeah, how about you?

Haven't some things been going good?

Yeah.

How about you?

Seems like that's what life's all about.

We're supposed to bless the Lord when things are good and bless the Lord when things are not so good.

But let me show you something that's key and critical to this thing about not forgetting his benefits and being a recipient of the benefits.

Look at Psalms 103, brother, look at verse 3.

Verse 3.

Well, let's back up verse 1.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his what?

Say it, benefits.

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases.

Now, one of the key factors to being able to receive his benefits is that our iniquities are forgiven.

Look at verse 10.

Look at verse 10.

He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

Brethren, if we got what we justly deserve, none of us would be going to heaven.

None of us would be blessed of God down here.

Verse 11, for as the heavens is high above the earth, so great is his mercy towards them that, say it, fear him.

Say it again, fear him.

Brethren, fearing him and having our sins forgiven go hand in hand.

As far as the east is from the west, so far as hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Like as a father pitieth his children.

So the Lord pitieth them that do what?

Fear him.

Brethren, one of the reasons that we got saved was because we feared him.

When we feared him, we said, Oh, I fear the consequences of my iniquities, of my sins, and I want to be forgiven.

Hold your place in Psalms 103.

We'll come back in a minute.

And look if you would at Isaiah 59.

Stay with me, Isaiah 59.

Verse 1.

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot what?

Save.

Neither his ear heavy that it cannot what?

Hear.

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God.

And your sins have hid his face from you.

That he will what?

Not hear.

Now stay with me.

To someone who's never had their sins forgiven, who's never feared him enough to come before him and say, please forgive my transgression, the Bible says that that iniquity has separated them from God, and God's not going to hear.

And may I say this, to somebody who's never had their sins forgiven, their iniquities are still separating them from them, and they're God, and there are no benefits from God.

Come on, God's got a love.

But the Bible says that if a person's still in their sins, that all those benefits, that companionship, that friendship, that keeper, that uh, if you would, uh, uh the one who's our strength and our refuge, the one we can lean on, the one we can get our direction from.

All those benefits that the world doesn't see is not available to those who are lost.

A lot of people don't like that.

No, no, no, no.

God is a God of love.

No, no, no.

That's someone's definition, but that's not the definition, if you would.

Yes, God is a God of love, but please look up here.

God is also a God of judgment.

And God will judge sins and declare that everybody who is born is a child of God is a lie, that man is made up because the Bible says there's a child of the devil and a child of God.

And God's not gonna, if you want to be a keeper to the child of the devil, and God's not gonna be a refuge to the child of the devil, and God's not gonna be a strength to the child of the devil.

Come on, talk to me.

At 24 years of age, before I was saved, the Bible says I was not a child of God, and my iniquities were between myself and God.

And the Bible says that because of my iniquities, he hid his face from me.

But the Bible also says, when I feared him and confessed my sins and my iniquities, that that sin that used to separate me from God, and that sin that used to be in between me and God, the Bible says he put all that sin behind him as far as the east is from the west, and he doesn't remember it anymore, and he won't remember it anymore, and he won't bring it up to me anymore, and that way we can have this fellowship that we have down here.

What's the Lord?

Oh my soul.

Nothing between me and the Savior.

Nothing hindering my companion and I, and nothing hindering my friend and I, and nothing hindering my keeper, and nothing hindering my refuge and my shelter, and nothing hindering the one I need to lean on, and the one I need direction from.

And you say you're just talking about you, but imply yourself.

Isn't it good to be saved?

I mean, it's Memorial Day, and a lot of people are remembering a lot of things tomorrow morning.

I'll go to Wildermeyer and up in Lake Elsinore, and at about 11 o'clock in the morning, I'll preach to a group of people in a cemetery.

They're using it as a remembrance in that community, and they've asked me to come and preach, and I'll speak to them at the cemetery.

For a Christian, that cemetery takes on a different meaning than an unsaved person.

I walk into a cemetery and I walk over a situation where there's a graves along this, and I kind of wonder sometimes.

I wonder if that one's coming up.

I wonder if that one's coming up.

You ever do that?

I wonder if that one's coming up later.

I wonder if that one's coming up later.

Amen.

What are you talking about coming up?

Twinkling of an eye, amen.

I mean, I walk through a cemetery and I say, I wonder if that one's saved.

I wonder if that one's saved.

Never knew that one.

I wonder if that one's saved.

That cemetery is just a temporary holding place for an empty body, if you would, if it's a Christian.

Today, if there are still iniquities, if you would, as far as salvation, if you've never received Christ as your savior, I have to be honest with you, and I'm not trying to be unkind with you, but I want to say this.

If you've never received Christ as your savior, please look up here.

All the benefits I've been talking about, the keeper, the companion, the lonely, the refuge, all those things, they're not available to you yet.

You say, what a terrible thing to say.

No, I said yet.

That could all change just like that.

You mean right now, come on.

I'm here in church.

You mean you mean God is not going to be all those things to me if I've not had my sins forgiven?

That's what the book says, not what I say.

We say, how could it change?

Fear Him.

Fear Him.

Realize there's a judgment.

And do like many of us have done.

Humbled ourselves and asked Christ to forgive us our sins.

How many of you out of testimony have already asked God to forgive you of your sins, and to the best of your understanding, you understand that those sins are now as far behind him as the East is from the rest, and he remembers them no more.

And those iniquities that used to separate you between you and your God, you know right now God's not hiding his face from you.

How many saved?

Now listen, you may put them down.

If you're not saved, what are you waiting for?

This would be a great day.

You say, Who can show me?

We can.

We can show you from the Bible how you can be saved.

And today, Memorial Day weekend, 1996, you could say, you know, that was the day that God stopped hiding his face from me, and now I get all the benefits, and now I can truly say, bless the Lord, all my soul, and all that is within me.

And now I got some benefits.

Wait a minute, though.

Look at Psalm 66.

Psalm 66.

Christian, don't leave me yet.

Psalm 66.

We have to be careful about something.

Psalm 66.

Thanks for turning there.

And you're holding your place in Psalms 103 still.

Psalm 66.

Christian, I want you to look at this, and I look at it myself.

Verse 18.

If I regard what?

Iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not what?

Hear me.

Pastor, I don't know.

I'm a Christian and I've experienced that closeness with the Lord before, but I, you know, to say he's my keeper and he's my comfort and he's my companion and he's my refuge.

I don't know him that way yet, like I should.

Maybe what he's waiting for us, myself included, is that there's some things in our heart yet that we know are there, that we're regarding and wanting to hang on to.

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not what?

Hear me.

Huh?

You say, for a Christian, do you think a Christian can get some things wrapped up in their heart that's iniquity and they want to hang on to it and hang on to it and love it, and God deals with them, and God says, you know what, I've got a lot of benefits for you, and I've given you some, but I've got to withhold a few.

Because there's just some things still I'm working with you on.

That I don't want to give you all my benefits.

Because if I just, Doug, gave you all my benefits, then you just go on doing it.

Doug, if I gave you all those benefits that I have and just dumped it all on you, and you still have that iniquity in your heart, and you know I've been dealing with you that thing, you're just gonna go on and and and not fear me in that area.

So, Doug, what I've done is I've withheld some of my benefits while I'm working on you about that iniquity.

Well, I don't know if God would ever do that.

Please look up here.

When my boys get into trouble, and my boys do get into trouble, boys.

Six, eight, and fourteen.

When my boys get into trouble, I as a human dad begin to withhold some of the benefits.

Come on.

Yes or no?

I mean, uh the other day uh I had uh told my son that we would do such and such and so and so.

I said, if you do this and this, then we will do this.

And he was looking forward to it.

But there was a problem.

My boy did one of the this, but he didn't do the other of the this.

And when I come back home, he was playing Monopoly.

And the second this wasn't done.

I looked at him and I said, How long have you been playing Monopoly?

He said, A while, sir.

I said, How long's a while?

He told me.

I said, son, we made an agreement.

He said, Yes, sir.

I said, you said you were going to do this and this.

He said, Well, I did this.

I said, that sounds like Saul with Samuel.

Amen?

I said, what about this?

Well, I said, did you have time to do it?

He said, yes, sir.

I said, I'm sorry, son.

You don't get to do this.

Why?

Hey, if I say, oh, you did the first this and you didn't do the second this and you played Monopoly and you had time to do that, oh come on, son.

Come on, let's go have, come on, let's go do.

You know what?

He'd say, Oh, good.

No problem.

I don't have to do what dad says.

I don't have to keep my commitments.

He'd say you're hard on me.

What have an old-fashioned teaching some boys some character?

Oh, and he cried and I said, Your tears won't do any good, son.

Unless you're crying for yourself for what you didn't do.

Because it's not going to change my opinion, my judgment.

Now, I got in my car and I drove away without him.

I was a little saddened.

That my boy wasn't with me.

Does that make sense?

Because I really wanted him to come.

And I really wanted him to do that with me.

But I had to withhold some of the benefits so he learns a lesson.

I had to withhold some of the benefits so he understood, hey, listen, when you make a commitment to dad, you keep your commitment.

And you don't weasel out of it.

Now, if I would have come in there and he would have not been playing Monopoly and he would have only had time to do the one number this, then I would have said, okay, son, you can do the other one later.

Let's go.

But he had time.

So I withheld some of the what?

Benefits.

To teach him to keep his word to his dad.

Are you listening?

Lord, what are you withholding from me?

Because you're teaching yourself.

What would you like to do with me that you can't yet?

Because I've not feared you and been faithful in everything I've promised you.

Oh, God, you're just, you're just you're just you're just blessing me so much, and I think God looks down from heaven sometimes and says, You don't know what I want to do with you if you would just fear me.

You say, well, perfect love casts out fear.

I'm talking about the kind of fear that causes us to obey.

Look back now in Psalms 103.

Are you listening?

Maybe the reason we're not blessing the Lord as much as we should is we're not getting all the benefits yet.

Now read it with me, Psalms 103.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me.

Bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his what?

Say it, benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies, who satisfies thy mouth with good things, so that the youth is renewed like an eagle, like the eagles.

Look if you would at verse 10.

He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us after our according to our iniquities.

Watch it.

For as the heavens is high above the earth, so great is his mercy towards them that what?

Fear him.

I think that fearing him is a requirement to keep the iniquities from being between us to the place where he has to withhold some benefits.

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that do what?

Fear him.

When I was in that long fast, God showed me some things about myself.

Some things that were iniquities.

Some things that were prideful.

And even though it's been maybe a period of time, it seems like he's still dealing with those things.

I know what he wants from me.

I know what he wants to be to me, and I know what he wants to be to you.

Look at John 15 and Luke.

I'm sorry, Hebrews 2.

John 15, last pair of scriptures.

John 15 and Hebrews chapter 2.

Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

Now I know at this time in this message I'm supposed to tell a funny story and a tearjerker and have a word of prayer, but I don't want to do that yet.

I want you to see a little more scripture.

Stay with me.

John chapter 15.

John 15 · chapter mention

And I know what he wants from us, and I know what he wants to be to us.

I'm convinced of it.

John 15 in Hebrews chapter 2.

Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

And I know I risk losing some people turning to scriptures this late in the message, but I want you to see it.

John 15.

Look at verse 14, brethren.

Verse 14.

Ye are my what?

Friends.

Say it one more time, ye are my what?

Friends.

If you do, whatsoever I command you.

And would you agree with that?

Takes a little, it takes a little of fear to continue to do what he commands us, and I know perfect love cast out fear.

But the reason I did not let my boy go with me is the next time I want him to look and say, man, if I don't get it done, God, my dad's not going to take me.

If I don't get it done, if I don't keep my commandments, I'm not going with my dad.

I don't get the benefits of going with him.

So I'm afraid of that, so I'm going to get this done real quick, and then I'll play Monopoly later.

I think sometimes God does the same with us.

He says, You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you.

Henceforth, I call you not servants.

For the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth.

Hey, brethren, even though we serve him, we're just not a servant that doesn't know what he's doing.

Please look up here.

We got a whole book telling us what he's doing.

We got the Holy Spirit bearing witness to our Spirit on what he's doing.

We've got it all that we can understand what he's doing.

But I have called you friends.

For all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you.

Even though we're his servants, we're not like a servant that doesn't know what our master's doing.

He wants us to know what he's doing.

He wants us to realize the benefits.

He wants us to be a friend.

Then one last, look at Hebrews 2.

Hebrews 2.

It goes past just friendship.

It goes past just a keeper, a refuge.

Hebrews 2.

And look if you would at verse 11.

Verse 11 of Hebrews 2.

For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one.

For which cause he is not ashamed to call them what?

Brethren.

We're part of the family.

Verse 12, saying, I will declare thy name unto my what?

Brethren.

In the midst of the what?

Church will I sing praise unto thee.

Look if you would at verse 17.

Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his what?

Brethren.

It's not just that he's my friend.

Don't take this wrongfully.

He's a blood relative.

That's how close he wants to be to us.

I don't know who you're closest to on the face of this earth.

It might be a family member, a brother, a sister, a mother, a father, an aunt or an uncle.

It might be a friend you live by.

It might be a husband or a wife or spouse.

But I know this.

That God wants to be the closest one to us.

The God of this universe.

The Lord of hosts, the one that never sleeps, wants to take care of us.

Maybe today you'd say, you know what, I read that scripture.

Bless the Lord, O my soul.

Bless him with everything, all.

Forget not his benefits.

You know what, Pastor, I don't I don't bless him that much.

Maybe your blesser's busted.

Maybe the reason there's not really something that wells up inside and says, yeah, bless the Lord.

Is because even though he's willing to walk close to us.

Look up here, please.

Maybe we've been a little distant to him.

I wonder if uh I wonder if today.

Now, son, get these things done, and I'll be back, and then I got something real special for you, and I'll be back and you can come with me.

I wonder if today God has something like that for us.

Got something real special for you, Christians.

Got something real special for you, children.

You just keep fearing me the right way and respect and reverence and keep obeying me and do that which I commanded you to do.

And boy, I've got some benefits.

I've got some things for you above and beyond, exceedingly abundantly above all that you could ever ask or think.

I got some things for you.

All I want you to do is fear me.

Obey me.

Respect me.

You say, preacher, are you preaching works for salvation?

No.

No, not works for salvation.

But obedience is key to receive all the benefits.

Last statement.

And the benefits are just not material.

The benefits are not just houses and homes.

The benefits is not just that the bills are paid.

I'm talking about, look up here, the benefits within us.

The strength, the companionship, the friendship, the fact that I didn't even think during my troubles last week.

I didn't even think about going to the bar anymore.

I didn't even think about going to get drunk.

I didn't think about going to do a line of cocaine.

I didn't think about getting hot on marijuana.

I didn't even think about that.

I'm talking about those benefits.

I didn't even think about going to the psychologist, the psychiatrist.

I didn't even think about, well, maybe I'll turn on my radio and get some help from that psychologist.

I didn't even think about that.

But I did think about this.

I think I need some help today.

Let's see.

Uh, where's help?

Oh, I know.

Psalms.

I just go back to the Psalms.

There'll be some help there for me.

Please look up here.

I got everything I needed.

Everything I needed for that situation.

The problem is next week.

I needed Now I know as you're sitting there listening, you said, you certainly talked about yourself a lot today, and you said, I and I and I.

Can you relate?

Can you relate to the keeper?

To the refuge.

To the very present help in a time of need.

On this Memorial Day weekend, there will be people going to the cemeteries to remember loved ones.

Very appropriate.

Uh tomorrow there will be a lot of veterans showing up where I'll be speaking.

And I'm going to give them a military-style theme and message.

And a lot of veterans will be recognized tomorrow.

There'll be some tears.

And they'll be remembering those that they knew.

I know Memorial Day is a time, a day off, and a picnic.

And some family time maybe.

How many have to work tomorrow?

We'll be remembering you.

How many again so we know?

Okay, alright.

Remember you.

While we're eating hamburgers and hot dogs and chicken, potato salad.

We'll be remembering you.

And tomorrow Memorial Day is memorial means remembrance.

Wouldn't it be appropriate to make sure we don't forget the one who's given us the ability to richly enjoy all these things?

Because God does give us all things richly to enjoy.

Not just in heaven, but in this present times.

Wouldn't it be good for us as Christians to thank the Lord for his benefits?

And somehow say, God, I think my blesser's a little bit busted.

Would you fix it?

Would you bring me back in closer again?

And the Lord may say, Well, did you get this and this done?

I got this done.

But I've been busy about this other thing.

Well, listen, why don't you go ahead and take care of that?

And then come on, get in the car.

Let's go spend some time together.

Because I believe God wants to spend some time with his children on this remembrance weekend.

If you haven't received Christ as Savior, this will be a good weekend to receive the benefit package.

It's better than retirement.

It's better than military retirement.

The benefit package not only applies to this life, but applies to the life to come.

If you've never received Christ, let us today show you how you could be saved, how those iniquities could be taken away from between you and your Savior.

If we already are Christians today, let's take a few moments today and let's remember the benefits.

Oh, Pastor Man, I'm in debt, and I don't know what we're going to do about this, and I don't know what we're going to do about that.

Hey.

And with our heads bowed, nobody leaving, please.

And our eyes closed just for a moment.

With your heads bowed and your eyes closed, I know you're stretching just for a moment.

You saw the hands, sir.

You saw the hands, ma'am.

Of those in here today who raised their hands and said they knew that their iniquity is forgiven.

They didn't just raise their hand on cue.

They weren't paid to raise their hand.

When they raised their hand, they meant it.

And we know that our sins are forgiven.

Wouldn't you like to know that?

Wouldn't you like to experience that?

Wouldn't you like to know that when you pray, the God of heaven hears you?

And it's not because we're better than you are, it's just we're forgiven.

It's not that we intellectually worked our way to God.

In fact, he decreased our intellectualism into simplicity.

And we received him as a child in our own mind.