0:07 I'm sure that we all have a burden for those in our families and our circles, those we know, tremendous burden that they would come to know the Lord. But before the time of harvest comes, there's a season that we must go through 0:27 before that. Do you know what season that is? It's the season of sowing. And each of us have a responsibility, especially those of us in this church, have a responsibility to sow the seed. If you turn with me to 0:46 Hosea, Hosea comes after the book of Daniel, and if you have a Bible, open it up so that you can get familiar with God's word. Hosea Hosea chapter 10 verse 12. Hosea chapter 10 verse 12, "Sow with a view to righteousness. 1:05 Reap in accordance with kindness. Break up your fallow ground. That's for us to pray for. Lord, there's hardness in my heart, Lord. There's hardness in heart around me, Lord. Lord, you must go and prepare the soil, 1:24 Lord, for this harvest that is about to come. So, what time is it? For it is time to seek the Lord until he comes to rain righteousness on you. And so, the promise is coming that the Lord is going to There's going to be a 1:44 bountiful harvest that comes. But there's a time of sowing that's has to precede it. If you turn with me to 2 Corinthians, chapter 9, "How should we sow? Second Corinthians chapter 9 verse 6. 2:03 Now I see he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. And so I need to see how am I sowing? Is it just a small seed that I want to 2:22 plant or am I eager? Lord, the harvest is coming for your glory. Lord, let me labor in sowing now in the days to come. Jesus said, "Lift up your eyes. See the harvest." But before we can see that harvest 2:41 there's a time of sowing. This verse here uh is from Psalm 126. Psalm 126. And this is a promise that God placed there for us that we can all take a hold of 2:59 it. Verse 5. Psalm 126 verse 5. Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He goes to and fro weeping carrying his bag of seed shall indeed come again with shout of 3:18 joy bringing his sheaves or the harvest with him. When I think about that verse, he who goes to and fro weeping carrying his seed usually in front of the hospitals they have uh you know, that about before the child is about to be born the 3:37 parent, usually the father, is going back and forth pacing to and fro. You know, anticipating for the child. And I see this with a burden for those going to and fro, each one in this church family going for Lord the harvest is coming, but I'm carrying, 3:55 Lord. I'm carrying that burden before that day comes. What type of boat did the disciples travel in? Was it a sailboat, a rowboat? What kind of boat was it? If you think it's a sailboat, raise your hand. Couple of sailboats. How many people 4:17 think it was a rowboat? Raise your hand. Yeah, a couple of hands there. Some of you haven't answered. Mark 6, uh turn with me to Mark 6. Mark chapter 6. I don't know if it had sails, but I do know 4:34 Mark chapter 6, verse 48. Seeing them straining at the oars, that means they were they had oars, that means it was a rowboat of some kind. For the wind was against them. I see them traveling in a rowboat. Each of the 4:54 disciples had probably a oar with them. And they would have to uh go in the boat. And uh over here at uh at the at the lake over here at Boyd Lake, they have a rowing club and I've sometimes seen them. They'll all get in 5:10 this boat and then they'll start rowing and everybody has to row exactly at the same time. So, they'll put the oars and they'll all be sitting in the same direction and and rowing. And uh sometimes they'll some of them they they they lift their oars up 5:25 because, you know, they let the others, you know, row. But, I've never seen somebody go and sit the opposite direction and say, "Okay, everybody's rowing this direction. Let me row on the opposite side." And I was thinking, you know, when Jesus 5:41 said it, "Disciples, let's go to the other side." All of them had to row in the same direction. Everyone had to take their oar. Some might have been sitting on the right side, some might have been sitting on the left-hand side, but all of them 5:52 had to be rowing in the same direction. And for us also in the church, God has placed us. We might be on the right side or the left side, but we all have an oar. And I I I think to myself, "Lord, I want to row in the same direction with 6:10 my brothers and sisters. Each one has a calling." And the faster we all row together in the same direction, the faster we will go. And I was thinking about that. Every single one of us, if one even one of us puts our oars in 6:25 the water, it's going to slow down everything. The harvest, in order for having the bountiful harvest, every single one of us must row together in that same direction in unity. Say, "Lord, you put me in this side of the boat, 6:42 Lord. Let me do the best I can." Some of you are looking for jobs, and some of you may one day look for a job, young ones. 6:59 But if they gave you this job, would you take it? And this is the qualifications you need for this job. You'll start in 6 weeks. It's a job that you'll have to do 24 hours a day for 7 days a week. 7:18 You get no holidays, no vacations. You have to work for about 75 years. But we will cover your food and give you a place to stay. Would you take this job? 7:34 If you take the job, raise your hand. Okay. >> [laughter] >> One person. How many wouldn't take this job? >> [laughter] >> Guess what? Even the young ones here, 7:53 whether you know it or not, you've already taken the job. Well, not you, but a part of you. Every one of you, your heart, this is the job qualifications for your heart. And so, all of you have taken this job, you just didn't really realize that you 8:09 have it. It starts about 6 weeks old, it starts pumping, and never gets a rest. Every day, about 100,000 times a day, it pumps. And it cannot take a break. 8:28 If it took a break, even for 10 seconds, there would be very, very big implications. The other day I was just thinking, I don't know how this thought came into my mind. I was like, I'm thankful heart, you've never asked me for a vacation or 8:47 you've been working so consistently and you deserve one, but I'm thankful that you haven't. You know, if anybody deserved one, it was my heart and I'm so thankful. Night and day, whether I'm sleeping it's pumping, whether I'm awake it's pumping, 9:03 constantly pumping. And when God made the church, he called it the body of Christ. And when he made us, it was to rep- represent the church. There are visible ministries, there are hidden ministries. The heart, 9:23 the lungs, liver, hidden ministries, the kidneys. There's hands and legs that are external. But which ones are the most important? You just know. The ones that are hidden are 9:40 among the most important. And every single one of us, especially in this church family, is important. God has placed you here. And some of us have been called 9:57 like this heart. This church is benefiting because of you being here, constantly praying in secret. Nobody knows. And I believe there are those like this heart in this church family today. That's my belief. But I believe it's not the calling of 10:17 one or two, not a one or two people rowing, but every single one of us must be about the Father's business. And God must place on us the same burden of this heart. 10:35 That heart has this burden that every single cell must get the blood flow. Every piece of the body needs to get the blood flow. And so it's pumping, pumping. The toes need to get it, the fingers need to get it. Pumping. It has 10:47 a tremendous care that every part of the body gets that blood. We too, Lord, every single member of this church must be functioning. They must know you individually, the head. And even if it hasn't been that way, 11:08 maybe there was a time in my life. Oh, yeah, there must be some brother or sister here in this church. There's so many of us. Somebody must be praying. I can go on cruise control. Let everybody else do the praying. I I just 11:22 come here, come for the meetings and go back. Till a time came, a situation came where God has not called me to the church for a picnic. There's a spiritual warfare going on. And I must do my part. And that was a wake-up call for me 11:41 to say, "No, I can't just come and participate, sit there while others are rowing. I'm sitting there." I have to do my part. And so, a part of it, Lord, give me a burden for those, especially in this church family, in the circle I 11:58 have, Lord. Let me be like that heart, praying, praying, praying, praying. And the reason I share this with you is because we're not one member in this body. We are many, yet we're one, but we're many members. And to put faith in each of your hearts, 12:17 Lord, you've called me with a very important calling. And for us to see that harvest that you're planning for us, this is the time we must pour in and sow together. And I see that in 12:38 the scripture, as we see, God has placed us in a world where there's so many needs all around us. It might be for our children, might be for our relatives, our parents, people that we work with. All these people that he has put in our 12:55 hearts with a burden, you might be carrying it today for different people. When Jesus was here also, there were many people with burdens that came to him. And you see this mother or this father 13:13 bringing their children to Jesus and saying, "Lord, help." And so, I wanted to share a few of them as as we think about our lives. You might be able to think of people like that in your life as well. A constant burden. That's what the heart 13:30 does. It constantly has a burden for others. Turn with me to Mark chapter 9. This is a father. And for us fathers, you might have you you might feel this. When you think of those in your life 13:49 and you have a burden, Lord, do something in this situation with my children or my relatives. Do something, Lord. And it says here, verse 14:06 Mark 4 9:14, when the they came back, that's Jesus and Peter, James, and John, they saw large crowd around them and some arg- some scribes arguing with them. Verse 15, immediately when the entire crowd saw him, they were amazed and began running to 14:24 greet him. Verse 16, and he asked them, "What are you discussing with them?" He saw them arguing and he asked them, "What are you talking about?" And it's interesting, they didn't talk about the argument and how we they were 14:39 arguing, they just passed by that. And they said, "And one of them one of the crowds answered him, 'Teacher, I brought you my son possessed with the spirit that makes him mute. Verse 18, whenever it seizes him, it's causes him 14:57 it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and stiffens him out. I told your disciples to cast him out cast it out, they could not do it. And so this brother came 15:17 came to a meeting and he said, "Disciples, you're disciples of Jesus. Can you help me? And they tried and they tried, they couldn't couldn't do it. We read in the book of Acts. They were trying to cast out the demon. 15:35 The sons of Sceva. Do you remember what the demon said back to the sons of Sceva? We know We know Paul, we know Jesus, but we don't know you. You can't take us out of this man's life because you don't know we don't know you like we 15:54 know Jesus and Paul. I say Lord, I don't want that ever to be the case when somebody comes into our midst with the a need it shouldn't be that they went back home 16:12 disappointed. Lord, I came to you. These were your disciples. But they couldn't help me. And so I went back in the same condition I came. That should never be the case and I say Lord please Lord, just like 16:29 the demons knew Jesus' name and Paul's name, let them know my name. Let there be authority that people who come here in our midst for every single one of us if they met you here in this church they said, you know what, I met this 16:47 brother, I met this sister, I met this young person and they helped me. They introduced me to the Lord who helped me. But this is one of those sad things. And I say Lord let it not be like that for 17:03 me and for any one of us. And he answered them and said, "O O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to me. Lord, I don't want to be one that you have to say you you're putting 17:22 up with me. You know that expression people say, "Oh, yeah, I have to put up with that person." Jesus is saying that he has to put up with these people. And I say, "Lord, no. I don't want to be that. I want to have faith, Lord. I want to be one 17:37 Lord, that you can entrust." And he goes on and says he brought him Verse 20, and he brought the boy to him and he saw him immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground he began rolling and 17:52 foaming at the mouth. Verse 21, he asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood." Verse 22, "It has often thrown him both in the fire and the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, 18:09 take pity on us and help us." He's telling Jesus who made heaven and earth, who made every human being, he's saying, "If you can do something, help us." And this is what Jesus said. "If you can, 18:28 all things are possible to him who believes." And verse 24, he said, "Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, 'I do believe. Help my unbelief.'" He said, "Lord, to the best of my knowledge, I want to believe you. 18:46 But I'm not 100% sure, Lord, if I completely believe you. I don't know if there's some unbelief in my heart. And if there is, Lord, I want to be honest with you. Help me in those areas of unbelief." I love how he, like Peter said, "Lord, I 19:03 believe I love you, but I'm not 100% sure, Lord." And I believe today also if even if we're like this, man, little bit of a faith this morning. Lord, I have faith, Lord. I believe you're going to do something in my life and in my family's 19:21 life. Even though the situation looks impossible. But Lord, help my unbelief. Help the place where I'm lacking, Lord. I want to be honest with you, Lord. And the Lord loves that honesty and he says, "And Jesus saw that a crowd was 19:39 rapidly gathering. He rebuked the unclean spirit saying to it, 'You deaf and mute spirit, I command you. Come out Come out of him and do not enter him again.'" Verse 26, "And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, 19:55 it came out and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, 'He is dead.'" Verse 27, "But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him and he got up." And I see this in different situations and circumstances in life. 20:14 The situation sometimes seems to get worse before it gets better. They said, "Oh, he's dead." Jesus came and the boy actually actually, instead of getting better, it looks like he died. It looks like It looks like God was going to rescue 20:33 the Israelites, but they have the Red Sea on one side and the Egyptian army on the other side. The situation's getting worse than it's getting better. And then God does the miracle and opens the Red Sea. And I believe in the days to come as 20:49 well that we do not lose faith even if the situation looks like it's getting worse. Lord, you're going to be triumphant at last. Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up and he got up. 21:09 Verse 28, when the he came into the house, his disciples began questioning him in privately, "Why could we not drive it out?" Why could we not help that man? And he said to them, "This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer." 21:29 Like that heart. >> [laughter] >> We needed a heart in the midst of the disciples who could help in the situation. And for each one of us, brother sister, I believe there is young boys like we heard, he's going to turn 21:48 the hearts of the fathers towards their He'll restore them to their children and the children's hearts to the fathers. Another one in Matthew chapter 15. If you turn with me to Matthew chapter 15. Again, before it says here in Matthew 15 22:09 verse 21, Jesus went away from there and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. And he started off. And it was about 30 miles that he traveled. But before he started off, unfortunately, the the the Pharisees came and they said, "Why are your 22:28 disciples eating food without washing properly, washing their hands?" And so Jesus had to correct them and and tell them it's it's not about washing of the hands, it's about what's in your heart. And then they said, "Jesus, did you know 22:45 that they were offended?" And he said to Okay, let's go there. Verse 50 chapter 15. Verse 12. Jesus' message was not always well received and this is one of the situation. Then the disciples came to him and said, "Do you know that the 23:02 Pharisees were offended when they heard the statement?" Verse 13, "But he answered them and said, 'Every plant which my heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. And if the blind guides a 23:18 blind man, both will fall into the pit.'" And so, he had to have this conversation with them. And after that, he had to go about 30 miles. 30 miles is about 100,000 steps. Uh if you do steps every day, some 23:36 people walk about 10,000 steps. 100,000 steps is probably approximately how long it took for And it's a long It's a long walk. And so, he went there. In verse 21, Jesus went there and withdrew into Tyre and Sidon. And a Canaanite woman 23:55 from that region came out and began to cry out, "Have mercy on me, Lord, son of David. My daughter is cruelly demon-possessed." In Mark chapter 7, the parallel passage, it says that Jesus came there and he didn't want anybody to know about it. 24:12 And I can think, you know, after you walk 30 miles, you want to take rest. And I believe Jesus said, "Don't let anybody know. I want to take some rest." He was a man like us. He also had felt the tiredness by walking an entire 30 24:26 miles. Right? But this woman found out that he was there and came. So, I think it was night possibly that late at night coming knocking there. And this is the response, "But he did not answer a word. And the disciples came and implored him saying, 'Send her 24:43 away because she keeps shouting at us.'" But she was persistent. But he answered and said, "I I was sent only to the lost sheep sheep of the house of Israel." You're a Canaanite. I was not sent for you primarily. I was sent to the Jews. 25:01 But he she came and began to bow down or worship him and began to say and before him saying, "Lord, help me." And some of us might be in that place today as well. Lord, for my daughter, my relative, Lord, help me. I don't 25:21 deserve it. I don't deserve that you should heal my daughter. I'm not a Israelite. But Lord, have mercy on me. Help me. It is not good for the children's bread to be thrown to the dogs. Verse 27, but she said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs 25:39 feed on the crumbs that fall from their master's table." 28, then Jesus said to her, "O woman, your faith is great. It shall be done for you as you wish." And at and her daughter was healed at once. Just like that son, that boy 25:59 was healed. This daughter also was healed. These parents had a burden. They brought their children to Jesus. And no matter how much the disciples said no or other things seemed not to go their way and seemed like it's not going 26:16 to work out. They humbled themselves and came to him saying, "Lord, we don't have anywhere else to go. Lord, you have to help me. I don't deserve it. Help me." And I think about that young boy and that young girl. 26:35 They would have never forgotten how Jesus did a miracle in their life. All through going up, that boy, he would have thought about the times where he was thrown into that fire and into the water and thought, "You know what? My dad 26:49 cared for me. He didn't give up. Even though it seemed hopeless, he took me to Jesus. And Jesus changed my life. And I want to follow him for the rest of my life. That daughter also, same thing. We too, fathers, mothers, 27:08 brothers, sisters, can do this for our children. Lead them to Jesus. Take them. Never give up saying, "Lord, do something for my child. Just like you did for these children." If you turn with me to Matthew 8, Okay, it might not be our 27:32 our son or daughter. Maybe it's someone else in our life. Matthew 8:5, "And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him and imploring him and said, 'Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.' Jesus said 27:46 to him, 'I'll come home come and heal him.' But the centurion said, 'Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word and my servant will be healed.' And I see again, those whom the Lord met with and those 28:05 who had great faith were those who were felt they were unworthy. I'm a Canaanite. I'm not worthy. I'm a centurion. I'm not worthy. Those were the ones that Jesus frequently more than others met with. And I say, "Lord, 28:27 I want to come with the same heart. You appreciated people who came knowing their proper place. That you're God who made heaven and earth. For you to help me, I'm unworthy. For you to do these things in my life, I'm unworthy, Lord. 28:45 If you have mercy and compassion, do it for me, Lord, but I can't come and say, "Lord, I deserve it, Lord. I don't deserve anything, Lord." Please, Lord. These type of people pleased him 2,000 nearly 2,000 years ago. And I believe that those are the people 29:04 that please him even today. The ones who come saying, "I'm unworthy." And the other thing is he says in verse nine, "For I'm also a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go.' And to this one, 'Come.' 29:19 And he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this.' And he does it." And he also says, "You know what? You're also can say, 'Go.' And he'll be healed." And for each one of us, we have places where we can test. God appreciated men 29:39 and women and everybody who can submit to authority. That's what he appreciated in this man. And so I look at my life. Lord, I have a place where I work. People on top of me. Authorities on top of me. How is it been with those who I report to? 29:57 When they tell me, "Go." Do I go? If I don't, I can't be like this man who pleased the Lord who said, "When people tell me to go, I go." I can't say that. Then I have to say I'm a man who's not under authority. 30:16 Be honest with the Lord. Lord, I'm not a man under authority. In the places that you placed in my life, whether it's in the school with teachers, whether it's in the soccer field or basketball field, with the referees and coaches, I don't 30:28 submit to any of those authorities. Then I can't say like this centurion, "I'm a man under authority." And so when I look, this is very practical. This week, as we go into the workplace and to our schools, we will know in our homes, 30:44 am I a man and a woman under authority? If I am, then I can also say to the Lord, "Lord, I'm a man under authority, Lord. You are pleased with people who are under authority. Lord, do this like you did for that man." And this 31:01 servant was healed because there was a man in his life who cared for him, who had a burden for him. And for each of us, we have those people in our circles that God has placed in our lives for a reason. And like this heart pumping, pumping, 31:19 pumping, pumping, do you believe that this heart is important? Yes. And in this body of Christ, we must be like this heart, constantly pumping. Jesus also, if you turn with me to Luke chapter 22, 31:39 Luke chapter 22, Jesus said in one place that I don't pray for the world. I pray for these whom you have given me. And Jesus had a small circle for which he had prayed for. He poured out into their And these these 12 men. 31:59 Because he did that, the Father made him sensitive to the needs of his disciples. He knew that Peter's faith was going to fail. And the Father told Jesus, "Jesus, Peter's faith is going to fail. You need to pray for him." 32:16 And it says here verse 31, Luke 22 verse 31, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. When you when once you have been returned again, strengthen your 32:33 brothers." And so he knew that Peter was going to his faith was going to fail. And so he prayed for him. Why? Because he had a burden. And the father shared that burden with Jesus. 32:54 And for each of us if we have a burden for those in this church family he will put a burden in us that family, pray for them. They're going through a difficult time. That child is going through a difficult time. Pray for them. Pray for them. 33:08 And you'll see those things change in those families' lives, in that child's life. And one day the Lord will reveal it saying, "You know what? Brother and sister, you thought it was coincidence that that life that child's 33:24 life changed. It wasn't. These brothers and sisters were praying. And God moved in that life of that child. That person and made a difference. They were thankful that they were in the circle 33:42 that you were there. And I think about in these last days he talked about Noah and people like Lot. 34:01 The only thing that was preserving the earth was the few righteous people in their time. For us also, the Lord has called us to be salt of the salt of the earth. And for each one of us that salt today we put things in the 34:20 refrigerator. If we want to preserve something, we put it in the refrigerator. Back then, they would put salt on it to preserve it. To keep it. And for us the Lord has placed us here. He said Sodom and Gomorrah, if I can 34:37 find 10 grains of not salt, but 10 righteous people, I'll preserve it for the sake of those 10 righteous people. In the days of Noah, he said, "Noah, account of you, you're the only one who pleases me in the entire world. 34:53 And because of you, this world is staying. The moment you're going into that ark, everything's wiped out. Lot, the moment you leave Sodom and Gomorrah, it's all going to be wiped out. God has placed us here like that, to preserve the earth. 35:13 That's for the earth, but also in the church. I've been very encouraged by uh this man, his name is Epaphras. You might read about the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3 verses 15 and 16. It says, 35:33 "You're neither hot nor cold, because you're lukewarm. I'll spit you out of I'll spit you out of my mouth." This water here, this was steaming hot when I got it about 30 minutes ago. Right now, I'm not going to put my finger in, but I believe Well, actually, 35:52 I'll put in my finger. It's lukewarm right now. It took about probably 30 minutes for it to get hot to lukewarm. The church in Laodicea received a letter from John in about 90 AD. 36:12 30 years later, when he wrote to the church in Colossae, he said, "Take this church this letter from the church of Colossae and give it to the church of Laodicea." And 30 years later, it was lukewarm. But I believe if it took 30 years to get 36:31 lukewarm, how was it 30 years earlier? What do you think? I think it was hot. [snorts] I think that church was hot. Because after 30 years if it was lukewarm, it must have been so hot. Why was it hot? 36:51 I believe it was because of men like Paul investing in that church Laodicea, writing letters to them and encouraging them. But not only that, I believe it was like people like we read in Colossians chapter 4 verse 12, "Epaphras, who is one among 37:11 your number." He used to be in the church of Colossae, "a bond slave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect, fully assured in all the will of God." 37:31 So he was praying for them for two things especially. And for us, too. If we don't know what to pray for our brothers in the church, these are two things we can pray for. One, that they may stand perfect. That in their personal life, 37:48 they're doing well in the Lord. They're maturing in the Lord. They're growing in the Lord. They're doing well in the Lord. Secondly, especially for those young people and all of us, fully convinced, fully assured in all 38:01 the will of God. Lord, may this brother, this young sister, each one of these who are making decisions in their life, pray that you guide them into your perfect will for their life. And this is what he was praying for them. 38:16 Nobody knew he was sitting in that prison cell praying, praying, praying. But I believe the reason that church was so hot for the Lord 30 years earlier was because of men like him. Why was the harvest great 38:33 at that time? Because of men like him. What does God want to do in our midst? He wants men and women, young people like this man praying for the church. Constantly praying. Burden for each one. 38:52 Not something that's manufactured, but God putting his Holy Spirit in each of our hearts and putting a burden for us. >> [music]
