Good morning to each of you. I pray God’s blessing upon you. If you are feeling lost, forgotten, lonely, please know that you are cherished and loved. Know that God is with you. Know that he wants to be with you and comfort you. You are known to him.
Let us sing: Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.
Please turn with me to the Gospel of Matthew Ch 10:29-30
Just two verses that tell us we are known to him.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ============================
As we go into a time of payer let us sing, or listen to,
Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One. Lets sing
Let us pray
Lord Jesus, I come to You because when I look at the hard times that we are facing, my heart seems to fail as I don’t know which way to turn, except to you. Thank you, that you have always been there for me. Thank you that you have always come through with your help in times of need. Always at the right time and always in the right way. Keep me from fear of what tomorrow may bring, knowing that I do not need to be afraid or fearful, because you have promised to supply all my needs. Thank you, Lord, for your word which has so many beautiful truths and wonderful promises. It tells me that you are always there to help when times are hard. It tells me that I am known to you. It tells me that you care for me. It tells me to not fear, for you are with me, that you are my God. It tells me that you will strengthen me and help me. Thank you for this lovely truth and for the many promises that you have given to all Your children. May my heart rest in you Lord, and keep me from fear in these difficult times. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Please share with me in the lord’s prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
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let's listen to the Staff band play "Silver Star". I love this piece of music. Its very poignant to me. Mothers and Fathers are awarded the Silver Star when they have a son or daughter as an officer of the Salvation Army. It’s a marvellous piece of music. Enjoy.
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Just before we go to the message let us sing: Jesus Keep Me Near The Cross
You Are Valued And He Knows You
We live in a crazy, chaotic, and confusing world. Especially at this present time. We have little problems, big problems. Domestic issues. World issues. Let me ask you, If you were in charge of everything, how would you keep a track of it all? Would you even bother? Where would you find the time and the energy to deal with everything? Think about it. Just look around at everything that's going on, in our own lives, in other peoples lives, our community. With everything that is happening in the Ukraine. All the hurt and uncertainty that that brings.
Seven and a half billion people in our world and at times it just seems like utter chaos. Again, let me ask. If you oversaw everything, how would you cope with all of that? Well, you can’t, and neither can I. Because we are not God. We’re flat out coping with our little corner of the world, right?
Let me ask you, does God notice who you are? Does he care about and help people like you and me? Of course he does, but, during difficult times, it may be hard to see and feel that He cares, but if God is God, (and He is) of course He notices you. Of course he cares for you. He notices all the people suffering in Ukraine. But the difficulty is this, knowing deep down within our hearts that He cares. That’s the problem; knowing it and feeling it.
When fear comes our way, when adversity comes our way, when uncertainty comes our way, when disappointment comes our way, does your very spirit declare, “It’s okay because I know God is in this place with me?” Is there a quiet, beautiful divine voice breathing into your spirit saying, “I love you, don’t be afraid? If so, you know deep within that God is with you. But If you find it difficult knowing that still small voice, don't worry read on, because you are known by God.
We need to believe in our hearts that God knows what’s going on in our lives, that God cares about what’s going on in our lives, and that God can cope with what’s going on in our lives. God is not surprised about anything what's happening. Can you remember the many times when Jesus was talking to his followers saying, ‘Listen don’t be afraid. I have overcome everything. And then, after saying that, Jesus said:
These two sparrows, what are they worth? What do you reckon, a penny, that’s what they sell in the market for. Yet not one, not one of them will fall to the ground without God knowing about it. Not a single one.
Amazing. He knows you. You are worth more than these two sparrows. Absolutely you are. Then Jesus went even further by saying, even the hairs on your head are numbered. Stop worrying. God knows you and cares for you.
God knows every detail of your life and mine – how many hairs we have on our head, or the lack of hairs. He know the things we are good at and the things we are not. The things we are scared of. He knows the things inside of us that need healing. The challenges. The fears. The hopes. The dreams. The adversity. God knows each one and He knows it better than you do. I find that exciting! Doesn’t that make your heart miss a beat? Nothing in my life and your life is hidden from God. God doesn’t miss a thing. God has an eye for detail that we cannot begin to imagine.
I love how Jesus talks in pictures. I love it when He talks about the sparrows. And if these two sparrows drop from the sky, if just one of them dropped, God would know and God would notice. God does not miss a thing. So, how much more are you worth to God? so much more, Amen.
Don’t be afraid. God just doesn’t hang around with the big and mighty. God hangs around with you and He hangs around with me. Whenever it’s tough, whenever it’s scary, whenever people come against you, whenever there’s a battle, Whenever we hear of wars, God sees that. God is in that place, right in the middle of it. God knows who we are and what we need better than we do.
Jesus said of Himself, “If you want to know what God’s like look at me because I’m Him.” So when you read in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, those four gospel accounts, the historical records of Jesus, and when you see Him touching the leper, when you see Him standing up for the prostitute, when you see Him protecting the woman caught in adultery, when you see Him healing the sick. Do you know what Jesus is saying when we see Him loving those people? He is saying, “This is what I’m like; this is how I care for people.” Jesus did not hang around with the mighty religious leaders of the day. He did not hang around with the political leaders, He hung around with the little people. The forgotten. The hurting.
Have you read the gospels from beginning to end? Matthew, Mark, Luke or John? It’s about a two-hour read each gospel. And when you read about Jesus doing incredible acts of love, He’s saying to you and me, here and now two thousand years on, this is what God is like. This is what I’m like. Come to me because you are worth so much more than the sparrows, than the mountains, than the oceans, than the seas and the whole planet the whole galaxy. You are worth more than all of the stars in the universe to me. I know what’s going on in your life. I care. I want to be a part of your life.
I believe this is what God wants us to know in our hearts this morning.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40)
No matter who you are, what you’ve done, what life has done to you, how good, how bad, how happy, how sad, how wonderful, how bad your life is, today God wants you to know something in your heart. Not only does He love you, not only did He send Jesus to die for you, He knows everything that’s happening in your life and mine. He wants to help. He wants to love. He wants to heal. He wants us to have peace. He wants us to have hope. He wants us to have joy. And he wants you and me to know that deep in our hearts.
My prayer for you right now is that God’s Holy Spirit will drop that truth deep into heart. My prayer for you is that you know God’s provision will sustain you in your deepest need.
Please take this time, as we listen to the Songster Sing “Somebody Prayed For Me" to come before him. To rest in him and know that you are valuable to him. To know that he love’s you with an everlasting love and He knows you. However you feel this day, someone is praying for you. Even Jesus stands before the Throne Of God and intercedes for you. Amen.
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace.
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