Are You A Need Filler
Key Passage: 1 Corinthians 8
Date: June 7, 2024
Good to see everybody out tonight. Appreciate you being back in the house of the Lord, and thrilled to see it. It’s great to have Brother Cam with us tonight. Amen. Let me see. I’m going to probably mess this thing up bad, Brother Cam, right there. And let’s see, Brother Gabriel, right there. And Sue Mama, right there. Good. This is going to have our time with Miu. Miu is an exchange student from Thailand, and so good to have her with us tonight. That’s great. And Angela, Angela, good to have Angel, all of them, that whole family there. That’s wonderful, good to have them with us tonight. They came to family of Harvest Days and have been with us several times since then. Good to see them out tonight.
It’s just a blessing to see everybody in God’s house on a Sunday night. Don’t forget this week, changing midweek service from Wednesday to Tuesday. How many have already prayed, “Lord, what would you have me give thanks about?” Good. Let’s pray about that, and the Holy Spirit will tell you, man, you need to be thankful for this, this, this. He’s just good at it.
So you ask, and then Tuesday night we’ll gather here at 7 o’clock. It’s just a sweet service, God giving, or God’s people giving praise and thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ for His goodness to us. Everyone has an opportunity to just voice their praise and thanks to the Lord. Looking forward to a great service on Tuesday night. No service on Wednesday night.
And then December 2nd, Friday night, ladies’ Christmas party. Ladies, I encourage you to go to these things, get involved, enjoy the fellowship. There’s just something about that; it’s so needed and so helpful for God’s people to fellowship together. 6 to 8:30 that night. Ms. Jody will give you all the details, but she’s asking that you bring a gift, $10 or under, a gift that you like, your favorite gift, and whatever may be. They’ll have a gift exchange, whatnot. And then some ingredients for soup, I think it is. It’ll be all in the bulletin next week. How many ladies have signed up for that activity already? Good. Make sure you get signed up back there, and that way we can start knowing how many are going to go to it.
And then Portico baby shower, December 13th, 6:30 that night, for two young ladies that have chosen life, and we want to be a blessing and help to them, so that’d be great and be a wonderful opportunity to be a blessing to someone. Amen.
Ushers, if you come for offering. By the way, good to have Brother Theo with us tonight on a Sunday night. That’s a good deal. I’m happy about that. Praise the Lord for it. That’s a good, good thing. I see Brother Kevin coming down. He and Miss Terese have an anniversary this Saturday. What about that? And anybody care to tell how many years of marriage? Twenty-nine years. What about that? Congratulations. There you go. Amen. Brother Kevin said it seems like just a couple of years. It’s been so wonderful. Trying to make it sound good there, you know. So amen. Amen. Praise the Lord for it. Praise the Lord for the Coopers, and just a great family. Praise the Lord for it. Brother Kevin, would you lead for prayer for offering? Please, brother.
You can remain seated. We’re going to sing hymn number 577, a traditional Thanksgiving song, 577, “We Gather Together.” We’ll sing just the first and the last verses there. 577, “We Gather Together.”
I appreciate that great message and so on. Turn your Bibles, if you would, to 1 Corinthians chapter number 8. 1 Corinthians chapter number 8. And we were here three Sunday nights ago at this passage. We explained it in fairly good detail about it, so I don’t want to overdo it, but I just want to kind of touch on it so you get the meaning of it. And we’ll pray, and then we’ll go elsewhere in the Bible, just trying to build a little platform on the truth I believe God would have us discuss tonight.
By the way, I appreciate Brother Field playing for us. I appreciate that. It’s been a blessing to get to know Brother Field. And we got to eat some cornbread together this afternoon. That’s a good thing. Anytime you get some good cornbread, that’s good. Amen. I tell you what, it’s good preaching. Amen. Come on now, yes, sir.
And so we’ve enjoyed getting over the field a bit, appreciated playing for us. Amen. First Corinthians chapter number eight. This whole chapter, really, is about the meats—remember, three weeks ago, if you were here—about meats that are offered to idols. You and I, we know it’s just a piece of wood or a piece of stone. It’s not real. Nothing. No power in that.
And so they were offering this meat to these idols. Remember that? And once they offered it to these idols, they would kind of put it out back, and they would sell them for a very cheap price. I like good steaks for a very cheap price. Amen. We’re going to preach about food some way; we’re going to get food in there one way or the other. You know?
He said, “Look, those of us who have knowledge, we know it’s no big deal. I mean, it was just offered to a piece of rock or wood. No big deal about it.” But some people have a weaker conscience, and they haven’t grown; they don’t quite—they think there’s something to this meat that’s offered to this piece of wood or rock. To them, it kind of defiles their conscience when they eat it.
Really, the whole chapter is kind of leading up to: at the end of it, he says, “Look, we’ve got knowledge; we know it doesn’t really matter. But if it offends or defiles this other brother when I eat this,” he said, “I’m not going to eat it as long as the world stands.” So I won’t do that because I don’t want to offend or hurt or weaken my brother in Christ. That’s kind of the context here.
I want to just read the first verse, if you will, about charity. I want you just kind of grasp a little bit real quickly here about this thing of charity. Would you please stand just to show the word of God respect, if you’re able to? 1 Corinthians 8 and verse number 1. He says there, “Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we have all—that we all have knowledge.” Which is knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
It goes on and gets in detail. Look, I wouldn’t do this. I’m not going to eat it. I’ve got the knowledge. I know nothing wrong with it as far as if it hurts, because charity seeks to edify the brother or the sister. Charity doesn’t think about itself. Charity thinks about the object being loved. Charity’s trying to give them what they need. It’s trying to edify them.
“Seeketh not its own,” over there in 1 Corinthians 13. “Vaunteth not itself. It is not puffed up. It does not behave itself.” You know those passions in 1 Corinthians 13, what charity does. But charity is not focused on itself. Charity’s focused on the object being loved. It wants to edify. It wants to add. Charity edifies. Okay. Now just with that truth, we’re kind of just building a little platform.
We’ll share a couple of other things. The title for the internet would be, “Are You a Need Filler?” Are you a need filler? Let’s pray, and then we’ll turn somewhere else and just try to get going what God has for us tonight.
Lord, I pray you should use this. I really do believe, Lord, you’d have us go this way tonight, and I don’t know all the reasons why. I know I need it from time to time. Lord, I, you know, I’m so limited in my vocabulary. So, Lord, I pray you just take a simple preacher and your wonderful word, Lord, and your Spirit, and would you make this truth real to your people? And put in our hearts a desire to live it out, to follow you in that. Give our people tonight what they need. Lord, if there’s one here that’s not saved, Lord, I pray that they just see your love and that they accept it and get saved tonight. Bless and work in our midst, Father. We’ll brag on you and thank you for what you do, Father. We ask for this in the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated. Would you go over to Revelation chapter number two very quickly here? We’re just kind of establishing charity edifies. It’s trying to build up and encourage, give the other individual, the object being loved, what they need.
Just briefly, we’re going to look at some of these. There’s Revelation 2 and 3. It’s seven letters to seven different churches. Okay? These were actual churches in that time. We call them the churches of Asia Minor. That’s the area they were. Paul had probably started a lot of these churches there.
And he’s letters to these churches, and Jesus Christ is the one talking to these churches. Okay? He’s talking to the angel of the church. Angel means messenger. We tend to think he’s talking to the pastor of the church. But it is Jesus Christ talking to these seven churches. I want you to notice how Jesus comes to these churches. We’re just going to kind of read a verse from each church. We probably won’t get them all in there, but I want you to notice something about how Jesus comes to each church.
Would you just look at it? We’re in Revelation 2. This first church is a church in Ephesus. It was a good church. They did a lot of good things, a lot of right things, but this church had left their first love. Now it’d be very easy for somebody to say, “Well, we’re doing this, this, this, and this.” What is the world complaining about one thing here, that type of attitude? In fact, Jesus said, if you don’t get that right, I’m going to remove your candlestick, your church. Now, that’s what he’s going to tell this church.
But I want you to notice how he comes to them. Verse number one, Revelation 2: “And unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand.” Now you say, “What are the seven stars?” Chapter one explains the seven stars are the seven preachers of those seven churches. He said, “I’ve got those preachers in my right hand.” What else does he say? “These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.” Chapter one explains the candlesticks are the churches.
And Jesus comes to this church, and he’s about to say, “Hey, I’ve got an issue here with you. You’ve lost your first love. If you don’t repent—remember, repent and do the first works—get it right, I’m going to remove your candlestick.” Now, who else would have the right to do that, if you will, besides the one who has the preachers in his right hand and is walking in the midst, right in the middle of these seven churches? He is what the church should be about. He’s the center of the church—Jesus. He ought to have the preeminence. We have that in our hallway out there. He ought to have the preeminence. It should be all about Jesus.
Notice how he comes to them. He says, “Look, I’m the guy. I’ve got you in my hands, preachers.” And he said, “I’m walking right in the middle of these churches.” Now jump down, if you would, please, to verse number eight. Verse number eight.
Before we read it, let me just talk to you for a minute here before we read it. Would you look back up for just a second here? Let me talk to you about this church. This is the church of Smyrna. It’s actually Smyrna, Tennessee—Rutherford County Baptist Church? No, I hope not—because the church of Smyrna has severe persecution. I mean, they are persecuting these Christians. Some are dying. That’s very key. Some are losing their jobs. Some will never have a good job because they’re part of this church, and they’re getting severe persecution. This is the group, by the way, one of the few that he really says nothing negative about here.
But I want you to notice how he comes to this church, verse number eight: “And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive.” So this time he’s coming to this church wearing a totally different hat. Now, he’s the same Jesus, of course, same yesterday, today, and forever. But he’s coming to them, and one thing for sure, these people, many of them, are facing being martyred for Christ, and it’s coming to them saying, “Hey, I know what you’re about to go through. I’ve been there. I know all about it. They crucified me. I laid down my life. I allowed them to kill me, if you will. I was dead, and I’m alive again.” And I’m telling you, church, this morning, it’s going to be okay. I’ve been through it. In fact, I beat old death for you, so you’re going to live forever because of me. But I want you to notice how Jesus is coming to them wearing a totally different hat. Really, in my opinion, he’s coming to them wearing the hat that they need him to wear.
Let’s go on to the next church. The next church here in chapter number two is the church at Pergamos. They did some things right, but they’ve allowed false doctrine in that church. They’ve allowed people in there to teach and to lead them astray, and God wasn’t really happy about that thing. And I want you to see how he comes to this church, verse number 12, right there, verse number 12: “And unto the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges.”
Now you can say, “Wait a second, which one is he? Is he the one that had the preachers in his right hand walking in the midst of the seven candlesticks? Is he the one that was dead and alive again? Or is he this one here in this verse that has the two edges?” Which one is he? Well, he’s all of them. But he’s about to deal with doctrine. He’s about to deal with them teaching things that are not in line with God’s Word. And so he comes to this church wearing the hat, telling them this side of him, if you will. He’s saying, “Look, he which hath the sharp sword with two edges.” By the way, help me out, what is the sharp sword with two edges? It is the Word of God. He is the living Word. And what better thing is going to come and correct this church on the false doctrine than the one that is the Word?
I understand how Jesus is coming to these churches, not necessarily how he would like to come to them; he’s coming to them wearing the hat that they need him to wear. You understand that? Let’s go just a little bit farther. We won’t take all of these up, but a little bit later on, he comes to the church of Thyatira. They were a church that loved people; they were growing, but there again, they were allowing—they were allowing people to lead them into worldliness and to wicked teachers and preachers, by the way, that can happen—and they were beginning to lead a lot of people astray from the old narrow path, see?
And he’s going to talk to them about this, and he’s going to say, “Now, I know you’ve got a good name. Everybody thinks you’re great because you’re big. I’ve got a problem here,” you’re going to say. And look at this thing. Look in verse number 18, verse number 18: “And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass.”
Now, his eyes as fire—you know, we’re good at making excuses, amen, at least I am. I don’t know about you. I’m good at making excuses. But his eyes will see; it’ll burn right through all the excuses. And this fine brass—brass stands for judgment. He’s going to be the final judge. And this fine brass, he said, “I’m a righteous judge that I don’t leave any stones unturned. I know and see everything.” And everybody else can say, “Well, you’re growing, you’re big, and all that, whatever,” but I see; I know the truth. I know where it’s leading people, all these things.
Here’s what I’m getting at: Jesus is coming to them wearing a different hat. I would think the hat that they need him to wear when dealing with, “Hey, you’re allowing these false teachers and preachers in your little people’s church.” Now, here’s my thing: Charity, it’s not about ourselves. When we have true charity, it’s about edifying the other person. In Jesus here, when he’s coming to these seven different churches—each church, we won’t read the rest in the last three—but each church, he’s coming wearing a different hat. I believe he’s wearing what they need him to wear.
Now let’s take that and apply that to my life and to your life, just every day. Here’s a good little illustration I thought might help me. I’ve had—I’m trying to grasp this thing myself. Doctors in our day and time, if you go to the doctor about anything in our day and time, they’re specialized. You go to a family care doctor, right? And you say, “I’ve got an ache in my third toe on my right foot.” Oh, we have a special doctor for that. I don’t know what to be called. There’s probably a specialized third-toe doctor somewhere in America. I almost guarantee there is somebody, you know. There is. You know, I say to this doctor, this doctor, eventually over this doctor—you just understand if you’ve been in the medical field how that goes—it’s very specialized, and I’m not saying it’s wrong, but that’s just what we’re at.
Remember, okay? You might remember, maybe if you watch Little House on the Prairie, you remember on there. Back in the day, there were more like general family doctors that you go to them, and they took care of a great amount of details. Really, you come to them saying, “Hey, this is my need.”
Back in the day, way back, the need might be, “My cow’s real sick.” Now the family practitioner can say, “Hey, ma’am, I’m a doctor. I’m not a veterinarian, but some of them back in that day and time, when there weren’t doctors around for miles and miles and miles or veterinarians that weren’t really around, you know, that doctor would try to become what you needed.” You said, “Well, let me try to find out a little about that,” or “Let me go look at your cow, what’s going on.”
Or if you say, “Well, I’ve got some pain over my right side,” and that doctor would put his finger on him, and if he went to let out on it, man, it’s just excruciating pain. That doctor said, “Oh, my goodness.” He didn’t have surgeons to send you back to, to take your appendix out back of the day. He was the surgeon. And he said, “Well, today I’m going to be a surgeon.” You know? And the next day a lady comes in, or maybe he had to go to her house because she’s 12 months pregnant, you know, and she’s having pains—I’m joking about the 12 months, okay—and she’s having pains. And he didn’t say, “Well, I’m going to call the—what is the OB/GYN?” you know? “I’m not going to—” He is the OB/GYN. I mean, he actually, he’s just trying to meet the needs of the people in this community.
When I have charity, when I’m following the pattern of Jesus, it’s not so much about what I want to be and what I want to do and how I want to help you. It’s more about what you need. It’s more about, “I like to be a need filler for you.” It’s a little different feel. It’s a little different thought pattern. It’s a deeper love.
Have you ever thought about Jesus when he lived here on the earth for 33 years? You know what Jesus went about doing? Really, he just went around filling needs.
My man, those lepers over there, they need some healing. I’ll take care of that need. He needs some more juice for the wedding. I’ll take care of that need. So many different times, we need some money to pay our taxes. We’ll go down there and catch a fish in his mouth. I’ll take care of that need. Really, if you just study the life of Jesus, he just went.
Need some food to feed the thousands? Well, don’t send them away. They’ll be all hungry. They need some food. Don’t send them away. Let’s meet that need. 5,000 plus men, women, and children; another time, 4,000. I mean, I’m just telling you, Jesus—we needed the Savior. Jesus met that need. Jesus is probably the greatest need—no doubt about it, no problem. He’s the greatest need filler there ever has been. He’s even on the cross; one of the last things he did, and his mom needed someone to take care of her, and he was taking care of that need. He just went everywhere. He was consumed, somewhat, if you will. He was busy taking care of the needs. Pharisees? Boy, you’re so stuck in your religion. You need somebody just come down hard on you. And he met that need. I mean, he’s just—he’s a need filler. Jesus is.
He’s a great shepherd; he’s a good shepherd; he’s a chief shepherd of the Bible. You know what a shepherd does? A shepherd meets the needs of the sheep. That’s what a shepherd does. It’s always studying and watching and staying awake and trying to find out what those sheep need, and he’s trying to meet, not necessarily the wants, but the needs.
And that’s what Jesus is. He’s the great shepherd, and he’s always trying to meet the needs of his sheep. You know, it’s interesting, we’re studying Moses on Wednesday night, the life of Moses. And we just last Wednesday got to the part where, “Hey, who should I tell them that sent me?” And he said, “I Am that I Am.” Part of that means, “Hey, whatever you need in your life,” he’s saying, “I Am.” He’s the ultimate need filler for whatever you need in your life.
If you and I are going to be like Christ, we’ve got to get our mindset a little bit. It’s not necessarily about what all I want to do and say and be and give to others; it’s about what do they need? Moms are good at it. Moms are good at it. Sometime that little boy, that little girl—we were FaceTiming Ryan and Everly, John McKinnell, last night—and I can’t remember something happened, Ryan. He got hurt a little bit. I got a feeling sure. I can’t remember what he was, and he was over there with John. John was holding the phone and FaceTiming, and man, he started crying a little bit. And you know where he did? He automatically, he just went over there right to his mom.
Because moms know; they’re good about it. Sometimes they wear the hat of being loving and comforting. They can do that. But moms, oh, sometimes they know the need is not for loving and comfort. Sometimes the need in my life was, my mom was this thing called a switch. Whoa, boy, I never liked the switch. My goodness. Man alive, give me a paddle or something. That switch, man, you—those little legs with shorts on. She can light those legs up. You know what I’m talking about there? Yeah, you know.
Moms are good at wearing a lot of different hats. Sometimes they need an advisor. Sometimes they need a friend. Sometimes they just—they need somebody to preach. You know, every mom in the world is a good preacher in some ways. You know what? I’m going to talk about it. You know, they can preach. Yeah, moms can preach good. Emily’s nudging her mom over there right now saying, “Yeah, that’s the truth right now,” you know. But moms are good at meeting the need. And friend, that’s what it’s about. As I’m trying to help somebody, it’s not about me giving them what I want to give them; it’s about trying to meet the need.
I would say his name, but I think he really has a little bit tainted, maybe defiled, the gift that God gave him, but there’s a man whose dad was a preacher, and they were in a small church, and his dad didn’t have a pianist. He was just a little boy, and he wanted to help his dad. He wanted to help meet the need. And he prayed about it, and he went over there and began to play. And man, he’s a gifted musician. If I said his name, probably the vast majority here would know who he is. And I think God saw him trying to meet a need. And God said, “You know, I like that. I’m going to gift him with a gift.” And God—he’s very gifted, very known. Now he’s used it in some ways I think he ought not to use it, and he’s going to stray with him. That’s the sad deal. But I believe God, when he was a boy, was very honored with him trying to meet the needs that that little church, that pastor, is trying to meet that need.
Now, friend, as you go throughout life, it is about—it is about being a need filler. We get so focused on what we like and what we want and what we want to do for others. No, that’s not the thing. Go deeper than that and find out what they need. That’s the key.
Number one, be a need filler. We’ve already covered that. Number two, let me say this: Don’t be one-dimensional. Look, if you will, please, over in Romans chapter number 12. Romans chapter number 12 and verse number 15. Romans 12 and verse number 15. You’ll know the verse, many of you. Let me read it. Romans 12 and verse number 15. Once you find it, would you say amen? Good deal. Romans 12 and verse number 15, just that verse right there. He says, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”
Now you notice the emphasis, if you will—or maybe I should say just the—it’s kind of assumed that you realize they’re rejoicing, so they need you to rejoice with them. Not about what I want to do; it’s about what they need. And when they’re weeping, they don’t need you to want to be slap-happy; they need you to—it’s kind of assumed, if you will, that as God’s people, we’re looking for the need. What hat did they need me to wear?
Don’t be one-dimensional. You say, “Well, this is just the way I am. I’m just a hard old guy. I’m just a person that tells it like it is.” Well, sometimes that’s needed. But you might want to find out what the need is and try to meet the need instead of just being one-dimensional. You say, “Well, I’m just always happy and joking.” And I get that. I like it that you’re happy; that’s a good thing. But you might want to check out the need, and they may need you to weep a little. It’s about finding the needs and not being just one-dimensional, “This is the way I am,” right? But maybe out of love, you could try to be what they need instead of what you want.
Parents are good at it. Children, they need provision for sure when they’re younger, for sure. I mean, they need that sometimes. They need discipline; they need that. Sometimes they need a friend. By the way, it’s so important that you build—and I’ve said this over the years—build a relationship with your children. Yes. By the way, rules without relationship tend to lead to rebellion. And you’re building a relationship, yes, but sometimes they don’t need it all the time. And I don’t want to be one—I don’t want to be stuck in just one dimension. I want to try to find a need.
Parents are like that, but I’m looking for the need. So I’m preaching. Well, I got a good message. Well, praise the Lord for that. I’m not against that, but are you trying to meet the needs? Well, the need—I listened to a message yesterday on YouTube. Man, it was a great message. And I’m not sure—I don’t know. I’ve listened to that preacher preach a lot. He’s a great preacher. But he was preaching at a certain church about a year ago, and I know the situation. I’ve talked to the pastor of that church just perchance. I didn’t even want to pull the message. I didn’t know I was preaching to that service, that church, the literal. And I thought, “Wow.” You know what? It was a great message. I thought, “I don’t know, but I think that that guest preacher was there, and that pastor had told him some of the things that pastor told me, and he saw the need of that church.” And that guest preacher, he was doing his best, and it was a wonderful message at meeting the need of that church. That’s just a difference. Charity is trying to be a need filler. It’s not just one-dimensional.
“Well, I’m going to go home and make my spouse laugh.” All right, that’s good. A lot of times that’s what they need. But you may want to go home and find out what they need. I’m trying to meet the need. Sometimes, well, I’m going to be what a good husband is. I’m going to be what a good wife is. Well, a good husband, a good wife isn’t necessarily always doing this list. It’s finding out what your spouse needs, and you’re trying to meet their need. That’s a good spouse. And it changes often over the years and different stages and different life circumstances. And that’s what you’re about. You’re trying to be a need filler. You’re not just stuck in one dimension. You’re trying to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Sometimes if it’s just about me being this wonderful spouse, it’s about me. It’s about charity edifying them.
It’s so important that we work at this same thing, trying to meet the needs of others. Y’all women tonight, you are quiet tonight. It’s a different type of message, I understand. Now, you don’t necessarily give them what they want per se or what you want to give them, but you’re trying to give them what they need, and more often, about what they want also.
Take it at Christmas. Take it at Christmas time. Christmas time is fastly approaching. What if I say, “Well, I really want to get Miss Tammy this certain jack. I mean, she’ll probably need it for her car one day.” Hopefully, her husband would be the one that does the job only, you know, but she’ll need it one day. And she needs it, and I want to get that jack for her. Well, you’re like, “Okay, is that for her really?” You know? How do you think that’ll go over? What do you think? I might be missing more fingers. Why do you know? No, no. Love says, “Hey, let me try to find out what she wants or what she needs. Let me try to—let me research it. Let me watch her. Let me hear what she talks about.” I’m trying to listen to her and trying to find out what she wants or needs, not so I can get her the gift I want her to have, but I can get her what she wants or needs.
That’s what Jesus is doing with these seven churches. He’s coming to them wearing the hat that they need. You know the world philosophy nowadays? “Well, you don’t have a whole lot of spanking of children because nobody—” Well, okay, I was going to say nobody wants to spank their child. Let me reword that. Nobody wants to spank their grandchildren. Amen. You may want to spank the children everyone’s—well, but it’s not a matter of what I want to do or don’t want to do. It’s no matter what the child needs. See, the Bible says in Proverbs, “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” It’s a different philosophy than this world. This world isn’t that deep for it. This world is about me looking and doing all these things right so I look good. No, no, no, no, no. It’s about meeting the needs.
Take the—how many know the Five Love Languages? It’s a good book. It can be in a lot of different marriages. They’ve got Five Love Languages for singles and everything else in the world nowadays. Adam originally started with marriage, but Five Love Languages. Let me see: What’s touch, time, or words of affirmation, gifts, or acts of service? Acts of service.
So these five love—now here’s the thing. Here’s the thing. “Well, my love language is acts of service.” We’ll just say that. Well, here’s the temptation: you want to give them what you want to give them. No, no, no, no, no. Charity goes a little bit deeper. What’s their love language? Not so you can get back. No, no, no, no. That’s selfishness for him. And it can very easily go that way. In fact, I won’t get to that, but you’ve got to be careful with that. But no, no, no, you’re trying to speak their love language because you want them to feel well. You want them to understand the language. It’s all about what’s their love language, not so you can—you can talk to them or communicate effectively in their language.
It’s about meeting the needs. It’s about expressing love in their language. It’s not so much about, “Well, this is what I’m going to do.” No, no, no, no, no, no. It’s about what do they need? I like to feel their need.
Every one of the seven churches Jesus comes to them and wears a different hat with what they need. Oh, friend, if Christians, if we would work at just—Jesus went everywhere just feeling needs. He was a need filler.
You say, “Well, I sure would love to have sweet relationships. Just take me. I love to have a sweet marriage.” I love to have that. Man, if you get a husband and a wife that’s trying to meet the needs of each other—if you got a marriage where it’s maybe a little cold, it can even get bitter and fussing and fighting all that—well, it’s about, “They’re not meeting my needs.” No, no, that’s not charity. Or it’s about, “I’m going to give them what I want to give them.” No, that’s not it. More often than not, not always, not always, but it’s just about they’re not doing this, that they’re not being—they’re not meeting my needs.
You get in a relationship, whether it be parent-child, especially adult children, and you get where they’re trying to meet the needs of others. There are boundaries; that’s part of the need. There’s so much to that. But when you get in a relationship where they’re both trying to meet the needs of each other, friend, it’s a deeper level. It’s the level that Jesus Christ, he lived on that plane. You even get—this is kind of foreign to the world, this is what you’d like—but if you get an employee and an employer that are trying to meet the needs of each other, you’ve got a good situation. But friend, we can’t expect the world to be where they ought to be. We just got to say, “You know what? I want to be.”
And Jesus, man, he just—he came to every—every church. And if you studied it out, it just seems like he was coming to them with what they need. Kind of goes in line with charity edifies. It’s about giving that other individual what they need.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes tonight, please? Our heads are bowed, eyes are closed. You’re here tonight and you say, “Preacher, God spoke to my heart. I would like to be a need filler. I’d like to be like Jesus, just going everywhere I can, just trying to meet the needs of others.” God spoke to my heart about that right there. If that’s you tonight, I’d like to be a need filler to other people. Would you slip your hand up? God spoke to my heart. I’d like to be a need filler, meeting the needs of others. God bless you. God bless you. That’s wonderful. That’s wonderful. Thank you. So many hands. That’s so wonderful. You’re letting God speak to your heart. Thank you so much. And put your hands down now.
Maybe you’re here tonight. Would you just contemplate for a moment how Jesus, he likes to meet your need? Our greatest need is for salvation, and Jesus can meet that need. He’s the only one that can meet that need. He shed his blood on the cross of Calvary to meet your and my need of a payment for your sin and my sin. Jesus paid it all. He said, “It is finished.” He paid for every bit of that debt. And he comes to you, and he says, “I’d like to meet your need. I’d like to take care of that need of your life. I’ll forgive you of all your sin. I’ll wash a record clean. I’ll put my righteousness, my goodness, on your account. You’ll be destined to go to heaven forever because Jesus met your need of a Savior.”
Hey, Christian, once you’re saved, he can meet your need for peace, for joy, strength, financial. He’s a need filler. He’s a need filler. Why would you just come to Jesus tonight and say, “I want you to just—I got a need here.” He would be glad to fill it. And then let’s say, “Jesus, I’d like to be like you. I’d like to be like you. I’d like to meet the needs of others.”
If you’re here tonight and you never have been to Jesus to get your need of a Savior filled, he would be so thrilled and happy about it. That would be too. We’re going to stand in just a moment. We’re going to have a word of prayer. As soon as I’m done praying, I’m going to step down just out front for just a moment. And if you say, “You know, I would like for Jesus to meet my need; I need a Savior,” oh, please come shake my hand. I’ll be thrilled to—either myself or if it’s a lady, I’ll get a lady—so I’m going to take the Bible and show you how Jesus can meet your need of a Savior. If you’re not saved, would you do that?
Let’s all stand, if you would, please, tonight. Let’s all stand. We’re going to pray. As soon as I say, “Amen,” if God is tugging on your heart, you be obedient. Come to an old-fashioned altar, whatever the need. Spend some time with Jesus. Let’s be like Jesus. Would you do it? If you’re not saved, would you come? Let us be a help to you in that area.
Father, thank you. It is amazing how you meet our every need. Sometimes just my little bitty, in some ways, Lord, puny needs, but you meet them all. You’re amazing. Thank you. Thank you, Jesus. Lord, if there’s one that hasn’t met you as you being their Savior, I pray they’ll do that tonight. I know you can meet their need. I pray they get it met tonight. Then, Lord, the rest of us, if we’re saved, Lord, I pray that we follow you. We’ll be need fillers everywhere we go in this whole world. Father, we thank you for what you do. Please change our minds to fit your Word. We’ll thank you for it in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Would you come? Would you come? You need to come. Whatever it is. You’re not saved? Would you come? Shake my hand.
The common need, the common need of every man, woman, boy, and girl in the whole universe is they need a Savior. Because we all have sins, all of us. And Jesus died on the cross to meet that need. When you go to Jesus, he’ll give you—he’ll fulfill that need. He’ll take away your sin. He writes your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. He’ll give you a home in heaven. He wants to meet that need. He’s the only need filler that can fill that need.
You’re here tonight. You say, “Preacher, I want Jesus to meet my need.” And there where you’re standing, you say, “You know what? I know I’m a sinner. I understand there’s a penalty, but I believe Jesus died to pay for my sins, and I want to go to Jesus right now. I want to trust in Jesus alone to be my need filler to meet that need. I need a Savior.” If that’s you right there where you stand in your heart, would you tell the Lord Jesus? Say, “Jesus, I admit it. I’m a sinner. I’ve got a need. I need a Savior. I have sins. I understand there’s a punishment. Jesus, I believe you died and rose again. Would you meet my need? Would you pay for every one of my sins? Would you be my personal Savior? Thank you, Jesus.”
Our heads are bowed and eyes are closed. That’s the greatest thing you can do. The greatest thing you can do. If you just asked Jesus to meet that need, to pay for your sins, we’re thrilled for you. It’s wonderful. It’s the greatest thing you ever do. We’re so happy for you. We’d love to be of help if we can, some literature or whatnot. If you just asked Jesus to be your Savior, you just did that, asked Jesus to meet that need. Just lift your head up. Just ask Jesus to be my Savior. Just let me know. If I just called on Jesus to be my Savior, just let me know in my life. Oh, he can meet that need. He can meet that need. He’s the great need filler. He’s the only one to do that.
So glad you’re in God’s house on a Sunday night. I’m thrilled to see every single person here tonight. We’re just glad to have you in God’s house tonight. And let’s go out—be back Tuesday—and give a testimony, but let’s just try to meet the needs of the people around us. Let’s seek for their needs, and the Holy Spirit, man, he can guide you to the needs of others like nobody else. He knows their need, their greatest need, and he can usually be a need filler. Let’s just seek to be that. Glad to have you on a Sunday night. Be back Tuesday night. Looking forward to God working on our hearts and our lives in Tuesday night’s service. Thrilled to see everybody. Good to have Brother Field down with us. That’s awesome. He’s got a six-hour drive back tonight, and he’s got to go to work tomorrow morning, and he’s not 20 years old anymore either. He said, “To watch it now.” I told him, “Man, when we’re young, we do that stuff. A little hard, at least by me, you know, at least by me, you know.” But the good dad, Brother Phil, thanks for playing for us. Everybody, Bob, and he used to probably—that’s just a blessing. Brother Joel, young Brother Joel, not Joel, Joel Young—well, Joel Powers, would you dismiss us with a word of prayer, please?
Original File: Are You A Need Filler - Pastor Paul Chisgar - Sunday PM 11202022