Burden Free Walking
Key Passage: 1 John 1:5-7
Date: June 7, 2024
We have been in First John. This will make three Sundays this year that we’re in it. Of course, from our theme, Walk in the Light, First John, 17. We’re going to kind of start there.
Then we’ll, I believe, get a little bit more focused on another passage where God wants us to end up at this morning. So stick with me through that.
And then next Sunday, every Sunday morning in the month of February, we’ll preach on a Christian family, how to have a Christian home. And February will be a lot about family.
And then next Sunday night. Next Sunday night, Brother Jacob Woods will be preaching his first sermon in church. And that’s always special. You’ve got to be here next Sunday night for sure. Now, he’s preached this many times to his wife, I’ve heard. And so she’s allowed to, you know, that next Sunday night. But you’ve got to be here in his first time preaching in church. Looking forward to that.
And then the next four Sunday nights we’ll be preaching on end times, starting that second Sunday night in February. It was the 14th, I believe it is, and use that. Many people are interested in that subject. And the Lord might allow you to use that. Say, “Hey, my preacher, he’s going to preach on end times. You want to come?” The Lord might use that to get someone in church. And that would be wonderful. So if you use that a little bit, please do so.
And so looking forward to all those things. Now here’s the deal. I announced all those things. Now I have to get my wife mad at me and make sure those subjects are on her mind when she preaches at me. Because that’s what I do. She preaches at me. I write them all down real quick. Then I preach them back at you later on. So the timing has got to be right when I name up the sermon is going to be ahead of time. That’s tough now, you know. So help me out on those things, you know.
1 John chapter 1, and we’re in verse number 5. 1 John 1 and verse number 5. Would you please stand as we read God’s word together? 1 John 1, and I believe this will be the first time we’re in this passage for a while. We’ll be back to it, but for a while. 1 John 1:5. The Bible says this: “Then is the message which we have heard of him and declaring to you that God is light.”
There’s so much there. We haven’t touched that one. He’s love. He’s light. He’s life. And God—God is light. And in Him is no darkness at all. This old world is going to get dark, but God’s not. He’s your light. You’ll be all right with Him.
In verse number 6, if we say that we have fellowship—that’s just closeness to Him—if we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all our sin.
Now, I want to believe the Lord to have us focus on just one word. It’s found in verse number 6 and verse number 7. I’ll pause when we get to that word, if you’ll say it out loud, please. Verse number 6: “If we say that we have fellowship with him and…”
It could very easily say, “If we say that we have fellowship enter in darkness.” But it doesn’t say that. It says if we walk. There’s a reason God did that. Verse number 7, He says, “But if we walk?” Yeah. He could very easily say, “But if you’re in the light.” He didn’t say that. He said, “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with another blood of Jesus Christ and Son cleanses them from all sin.”
Just that word walk. I thought the Lord wanted to just focus on that word, and I’m going to try to narrow it down just a minute here. But just for a moment, we’ll focus on that walk, and then we’ll change the ears. Would you please stick with me?
Let’s pray. Would you ask God—we’ve got to have God to work in a heart. Would you ask Him to do that this morning, please? Would you do so as I do the same?
Father Lord, we need You. Lord, You know, I’m burdened. Lord, I pray that You would give us something from You today. Lord, I’ll mess it all up. I’ll take Your word, Your message, and I won’t do that, Lord. Father, would You come, and You come in powerfully, strong, and right, and You teach, and You preach Your word through a simple preacher? And Lord, we’ll thank You. We’ll praise You. We’ll brag on You for what You do. Would You do so? Would You change us in doing that? We’ll thank You for it, Lord. And it’s in Jesus. Then we pray. Amen.
Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.
Have you stopped walking? Now just think about it. Have you stopped walking? He says, “Walk in the light.” I think you’re standing in the light or not to do it. You’re in church. That’s a good sign. You’re at least standing in the light. But the Bible there doesn’t say standing in the light. The Bible says, walk. Are you walking?
Now, let the Holy Spirit work. Just ask you, maybe get real with yourself for a moment. Are you walking? Is there forward motion in your Christian life? Are you going anywhere? Do you have a destination? Are you moving?
We were at the mall a little while ago, my wife and I, and I just get in the habit of walking fast. And my wife said, “Slow down. I want to relax. We’re on a date.” I thought, “I want to walk fast because she’s going to want to buy something.” It doesn’t say you’ve got to walk fast or slow, but it does say walk. Are you walking?
“But if we walk in the light…” When was it that you stopped walking?
Was it maybe when the Spirit of God said, “Hey, I want you to go witness to that person. I want you to go say, ‘I’m sorry.’ I want you to go make that thing right,” and you never done it? Maybe it’s when you got lax and a sin came back in your life. When are you walking? Walking in the light. Maybe you say, “Well, I just need a little break.”
And from that little statement, that little fault in your mind, you’re really, the honest truth is you’re standing. Where are you at in that? Have you maybe chasing the dollar a little more than you should? The Bible does say you can’t serve God and Mammon.
What are you walking? Just think about, are you walking? I think sometimes Christians we get so burdened down that we stop walking. I want to get a little illustration here. We’ll get a book pack out here. And if I can get a young man to be my help. Michael’s already got his hand up before he even asked.
All right, come on, Brother Michael. Come on, Brother Michael. I’ve got to get something out of here. Good deal. All right, I’m going to put this thing on your back. Turn around. Let’s put this thing. There you go. You’re right. Good deal. Good deal. Can you walk with that right there? Good deal. How long? Can you think he could walk a day with that like that? Yeah. You think he could walk all day long with that right there? I think he could too. Michael’s a good young man. He’s in shape, ready to go, too. All right, now, Michael. You’re making for a good illustration. Life has a way of adding burdens without you even knowing it. I mean, you just breathe air and burdens come on. I mean, burdens happen. They really do. Good deal. Can you walk with that? Yeah. I believe you can. How long do you think he could walk with it? A day. A day. A day. I believe it could too. I believe it could do. It’s funny.
Hey, can any parents testify children add weight? Y’all think we ought to add two bricks for that? I mean, I did say, somebody says, out of all in there, man. Children add weight. They really do. They’re great, but they do add weight. All right, good. How you doing, man? He’s doing good, good day. Could you walk with that? How long could you walk with that? Is that good day? All right, good deal.
Hey, with children, there comes this thing called extra bills. Anybody know what I’m talking about out there? I’ll tell you what. Bills come from all different directions. This thing here has got all kind of just everywhere you look. You can put something in there. I mean, and bills come from every angle you can ever think about it. Let’s see, maybe I can get a brick in this out here. Let’s see if we get it here. I mean, they just come.
And then, help me out some of these older folks, then after all that, as you get a little bit older, you have health issues. Anybody want to say amen right there? Your knee starts hurting, your elbow starts hurting, your ear starts hurting, your eye, everything hurts after a while. You don’t know what I’m talking about. I mean, and they just come all different angles. You just name it. It just starts coming. You good, man? You good. Could you walk with that? Could you walk with that? Yeah, he can walk. Can you think he can walk with that? How long do you think he could walk with it?
He says two days. How many things he can walk two days straight with that? Not a chance, not a chance. Okay, one day. How many thinks he can walk two hours with that? There’s a question. I don’t say that. Life, it is just amazing. Anybody, you just wake up with something on your mind has bothered you? I mean, you know, it’s a problem or situation, and you’ve kind of taken care of it, but it’s just you wake up and it’s on your mind, you know? You don’t talk about it?
How are you doing there, man? Could you walk with that? I believe you could walk with that. For two minutes, he says. Two minutes. I mean, it’s amazing how life just… And then, then if you get married, you’ve got to keep your marriage together. That takes a little work. Are you ever going to get married? Good answer, good answer. I’ll just add a couple more in there. We’re going to be done. Good deal. Good deal. You’re all right? Good deal. My wife just got this thing for me off of Craigslist. She’s going to be mad. You were ruining my backpack. You’re okay, man? No. No. Could you walk with that? No. You could walk at the back of the church with that, couldn’t you? Yeah, don’t do it right now. Don’t do it right now. How long do you think he could walk with that?
Hey, let’s give him a hand. He did a great job. We’ve got to take some of these out of here before he takes that thing off. Come on, let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s get him another hand. He did a great job. And Michael, we’ve got something for you here right here. There’s Pop-Tarts in there. There’s a drink in there. There’s chips in there. After church, though, man. Good job. Good job. Yes, sir.
I think a lot of Christians have stopped walking because they’ve got about 1,000 pounds on the back. You’re going to walk for a while, but friend, you’re not going to be singing with meaning, “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.” You’re not careful, you’re going to be saying, “Every day with Jesus, it gets heavier and heavier.”
Would you look over to 1st Peter, just a couple of pages before 1st John? I wanted to cover a lot of different things, but I think the Lord just wants us to focus in on this one part. Many are not walking because they have so many cares. That’s the title of the message this morning: Burden Free Walking. Burden Free Walking.
Look in verse number 7, if you will. First Peter 5, would you look in verse number 7? And keep your finger there. We’ll keep referring back to this verse. First Peter 5, verse number 7. He says there, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.” Would you read that out loud with me, please? Here we go: “Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.”
It’s a sad thing to see so many Christians just weighted down when God Almighty says, “Hey, I want you to cast all your care.”
Can we just mention a couple words about this thing? First of all, He says casting. You’re not going to take a burden and cast it. And I’m not going to throw any bricks. I heard about a preacher in New Mexico that it really… is a guy used to go to church, his dad pastored out there, and he said his dad had a foam brick in the pulpit. And when anybody fell asleep, he would take that foam brick and he would throw it at them. These aren’t foams, so we’re not going to do that, okay?
But look, friend, you’re not going to cast a burden without doing it intentionally. And as you walk through life, life just has a way of weighing you down. And if you just ignore it and say, “I’m okay”—did you notice at one point? “I’m okay, I can walk for two days.” He wouldn’t know it okay, and he couldn’t walk for two days. But we do the same thing.
And I must, on purpose, cast all my care. You’re not going to cast something just by coincidence. You’re going to have to work at that thing.
It may be in your prayer time. You go through the things and you say, “Lord, what is burdening me? I’m just so weary.” You’re saying, “What is it wearying me? What’s burdening me?” And you might have to go through thing after thing, saying, “Lord, I’m giving that to You.” But you’re going to have to work at it. It’s not going to just happen. You’re not going to go, “Oh, that’s great.” You’re not going to do that unless you intentionally say, “Hey, I’m casting.” You got to work at it.
Sometimes I don’t even know it’s bothering me. You know, they say men or ladies are different in this area. They say men typically, we just kind of get quiet. Not always, we typically just get quiet. And then once we figure it all out, then we talk about it. They say ladies usually talk about it, and part of it, they figure out by talking about it. But we’re all a little different on all those things. But sometimes you might have to say, “What in the world? Why am I just so heavy?”
It might take some time. It might take some prayer for you to go to the Holy Spirit and say, “Holy Spirit, why am I burdened down? Why am I weary?” And on purpose, it’s not just going to happen, it’s going to have to be on intention.
Can I say this? It’s humbly. Notice that verse right before verse number 6 right there. First Peter 5, look at verse number 6. Let me see if I can get it myself. Verse number 6, “Likewise, you younger submit,” that’s verse number 5. I’m sorry, verse number 6, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time.” Did you notice at the end of that, verse number 6? There’s not a period. I understand man put the punctuation in there, but usually a pretty good, gifted, godly, Spirit-filled man worked at those things. It’s a continuation.
So here’s the thing. It’s a little bit humbling when I say, you know what, I can’t figure it all out, I can’t bear it all, I can’t walk for two days with this thing on. Lord, I’m going to give it to You because some of us were just used to figuring out everything in life, but you’re going to come to something you can’t figure out and it’s going to burden you. But if you’re just used to, “I can handle it. I’ll study it all out. I’ll find out what…” I’ll Google it. You’re going to find out a whole lot of things Google can’t solve, friends. And it’s humbling to say, “Lord, I need Your help. I’m going to put this thing in Your hands.” I’m taking my… You can’t cast something that you don’t let go of.
I’m not trying to be hurtful, but sometimes we have a hard time letting go of things because we lack faith, and sometimes a little pride is involved in there. “I can’t solve everything.” And it’s humbling just to cast. You’re letting go of you, you’re putting it in His hand, “casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.” It’s humbly.
Can I say this? Notice what it says. It says casting. That’s continual. Somebody said, “Well, I can put it in the Lord’s hands, but before I turn around, the devil’s done handed it back to me.” A little bit of truth to that. Sometimes I’m just one time moving by and give it to God. It’s not always like that, especially with big things. And continual things in your life, you’re going to have to continually cast it. It’s a continual thing. The devil, you can give it back to him as many times you want, but every time you give it back to me, I’m going to give it back to the Lord because it belongs in His hand. It’s a continual thing.
You’re intentionally, every time it comes to my mind, “Lord, I’m going to pray about it and give it back to You.” You just let it know. It’s a continual thing. You’ve got to work at it. And look, before you know it, before you know it, it becomes a way of life. That’s what God wants to be. See, but here, we’re so used to the way of life down here. We handle everything. Well, that’s not God’s way. I’m not going to grow. I’m not going to be burden-free, care-free if I make it a way of life, casting continually.
You know, Paul sought the Lord thrice. I don’t think that was briefly, well, you know, kind of like when we pray before we eat and we’re hungry, “Thank You for food. Amen,” you know? You’ve heard those say, “Rub-a-dub-dub, lovey Jesus,” not that. Three times. I think he fasted and prayed, probably seasons of prayer. Maybe a little bit of resemblance. Jesus fasted 40 days and Moses 40 days with the mountain. Maybe something like that, three different times he got along with God in a special way. And he said, “Lord, what about this thorn in the flesh?” He said, “That is the messenger of Satan. He’s buffeting me.” In other words, can I put it in Tennessee vernacular? Satan’s beat the snod out of me over this thing right here. That’s what he’s saying. And he kept going to the Lord three major times. And finally, finally the Lord allowed him in his heart to turn it over to the Lord. And that’s when he said, “I’ll glory in mine from it. Not the power of Christ that rests upon me.” God gave him some light on that thing.
But it’s a continual thing. It’s not going to be a one-time deal. “Well, I gave it to the Lord. Praise God for that.” But it may be a moment-by-moment thing for a while, especially in strongholds, especially in a weakness, maybe from your background and a major hurt or trauma. And it may take time, but God wants it where it becomes a way you deal with life.
Casting. That next verse talks about the battle. “Be sober and vigilant because you’re adversary, the devil.” That’s the next verse. You’re in a battle. And in a battle, you don’t really want to be weighed down with all those cares. You’re not going to be able to fight very efficiently. So it’s a continual thing. Casting. Get honest about it. “Lord, this thing is weighing me down. It’s burdening me. And probably, I need some help.”
I think about that song. I love this part of the song. I think of my prayer time to mention to the Lord this morning: “Oh, for grace to trust Him more.” God gives you the grace to cast your care upon Him. That becomes a way of life. Casting.
Now, some of you have some major trauma in your life, and sometimes major trauma or just more than just one. You need to work at this thing for a while. Sometimes you need to kind of focus really on casting things. Would you look over in Psalm 62, verse number 8? This is such a good verse for that. I try to give illustration to help with it, but Psalm 62:8 is a great, great verse. Keep your finger over there in Peter, we’ll go back to it. But Psalm 62, in verse number 8 of God’s word. When you find that, would you say amen?
Psalm 62, verse number 8. And there He says, “Trust in Him at all times, ye people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” Selah means dwell on it. Think—excuse me—think of it. Think about it. That “pour out your heart.” Sometimes Satan just has a way of major things in your life, and in the midst of those major trials and burdens, he fills your heart and your mind with some hurts and wounds that are just so severe, and you’re going to have to work at pouring your heart out.
I think about a man, a good man, very good man, who love him to death. But a man that God had really spoke to him in a church service. And he came to my office, I think, at an evening. We had met my office at nighttime. Not a guy. I think the only time I ever seen him crying was this time. And began to tell me how he had accidentally shot and killed one of his very dear friends years before.
It had gotten to the point it was affecting his marriage, his children, everything. I didn’t even have family members come to me a little before he came to me and said, “Hey, we’ve got to do something. I don’t know what to do about this thing.” And it got to the point where it had just weighted him down. It was crawling through life. It was affecting everything in his life. God spoke to him in his service. By the way, if you want God to work in your heart, a good place to be at is in a service, church service. Probably the best place for God to work in your heart is in church service.
They said, “Pastor, you’ve got to do something.” God used just him telling another person about it. Just something happened years before. Just that alone helped him in some ways take the weight off. But then it said, “Hey, friend, this is what I’ll do. If you would, would you go get alone with God somewhere in a park somewhere? And would you go through that whole event you just told me, and would you relive every minute, every moment, every thought you had, everything, every smell you had, just relive everything about that time with God?” That’s part of it.
Friend, you say, “I can’t admit to God what’s going on in my heart. I’m bitter about what happened to my nieces or my nephew. I’m bitter about this divorce. I’m bitter about this.” Friend, God knows what’s going on in your heart anyway. We think we’re hiding something from God. Hey, friend, man looks on the outward appearance; God looks at the heart. He knows what’s going on in your heart anyway. Sometimes we need to go back and just pour our heart out.
Some of you got some burdens right now in your life. Maybe it’s even our country and just the burden of how our country is going in left field and going down here, just weighing you down. Friend, I understand your burden. I’m there myself somewhat, but we do not want to walk through this life carrying that burden, casting all your care upon Him. I can’t do a whole lot more about it than vote and preach about it when I get you and pray.
Casting all your care, pour your heart out to Him. It may be a major thing. It may be someone is doing… Sometimes it’s harder to watch someone do someone else wrong than it is to watch them do you wrong. And it’s just weighing you down, and the injustice done to someone else just bothers you. Friend, casting all your care upon Him. All of it. Look, you’re not a hero by hanging on to that. Listen, friend, you cast all your care upon Him.
He says casting. It’s a continual thing. Just a couple of thoughts. Look down to that verse, verse number 7. Something else. Notice He says, “Casting all your care upon Him.” Your care. Here’s the thing about burdens or care. Some things, for Brother Chip, it wouldn’t bother him at all, and he cannot believe that Brother Warren is so upset about that thing. But then something else won’t bother this guy at all, Brother Warren, and he can’t believe Brother Chip’s so upset about this thing. All your care, casting all your care. You have an individualized care or burden. Look, it’s the thing that’s getting you. What is the thing that your mind goes to and it dwells on and you say, “I wake up with this thought,” and anytime I see this situation, it just bothers me? That’s your care. Casting all your care upon Him. Your personalized care, not all of that, casting all your care.
But then notice another word He uses in that verse there: care. Can I use this word maybe in place of care just a little bit? I’m not trying to change the word of God. I’m just trying to make it real for you and I. But just for a moment, would you let me maybe put a word in there for care: pressure? Anybody ever have the pressure of finances on you? You know what’s going on a lot in our time? Pressure of your health. If I were to get COVID, I don’t know if I could make it through that. That’s a lot of pressure. Some are feeling the pressure. I don’t want to give it to anybody else. Pressure. Young people, sometimes you feel pressure. Am I going to fit in anywhere? Am I ever going to get married? Pressure. Pressure of, “Can I have good relationships in my life?” Can I say there’s pressure if you’re raising children? Man, wouldn’t it be a blessing if children came with instruction books? Wouldn’t that be a nice thing? “Well, this child right here, this is what they need,” you know. It don’t happen like that. Just pressure. The cares of life, pressure about past sins in your life. And Satan brings that back to you. Someone said, “Satan reminds you of your past; remind him of his future.” Amen.
The cares of life and the pressures of life. Casting all your care. Now, notice another word in that. Casting, no, it’s in it, casting all—all your care. Anybody ever like this? You say, “I didn’t realize how much I was under until I was away for a couple days, two or three or four days.” I was like, “Wow.” And I have a different person. I was happier, freer than I’ve been a long time. All. Casting all. I mean, you have to work. You have to do it intentionally. It’s not just going to happen, but all your care of the big things, the little things. I mean, you just got to work at giving them all to Him. I want to get all these things out. I want to be able to enjoy the Christian life. I want to walk free of burdens. I don’t want to be weighted down. I want to really truly mean it when I’m singing, “Every day with Jesus.” It’s sweeter than the day before. I want to be that happy-go-lucky Christian that God wants you to be. That’s the way God wants you. It really can be sweeter than it was the day before, but you will not be like that if you just walk through life and let Satan add the bricks. You’ve got to work at it, one after one.
That burden, that situation, that problem, that person’s about to mess her life up and you’re trying to warn them about it about a million times and they just won’t listen to you. What am I doing about that? Casting all your care upon Him. Yeah. You can’t change anybody anyway. Can’t even change yourself half the time. Casting all your care upon Him.
Hey, are you burden free? Are you enjoying living with the Lord? I find myself getting weighted down in the Lord. The Lord says, “Well, I’m here. You can’t carry all that weight. You don’t do a good job of it anyway. I can do so much better than you.” I say, how foolish for me to… We all deal with it differently. Some of us try to ignore it. “Well, I’m all right.” Don’t look like you’re all right when you come home and kick the cat, you know what I mean? And some of us take it out on those people who are closest to us. And then we compensate out in front of everybody. We’re always laughing, joking, “Ha, ha, that’s great.” But those people that are close to us, they know you’ve got burden all over the place. Casting all your care, all of it. Where will it not? Those of your spouse, they know all your care. Sometimes we’re just handling it by trying to joke everything off. Sometimes we’re just, we’re always quiet. Everybody handles it differently, but casting all.
Years ago, the kids were little and we had snow here in Tennessee. Isn’t it funny, they call for a light dusting, and all the bread and milk and water in the grocery stores disappears, you know. I don’t mean anything by it. I hope Ms. Stacey don’t get offended. But Wednesday night, we had the fellowship after church from Brother Bill, and Ms. Stacey was leaving out for an honor. She said, “It’s snowing out here,” you know. And it probably was at the time. I don’t know. I was inside.
Adam Miller looks like they’re going to move down from New York to move down here and go to church or prays Lord, and he sent me a picture or oh, I don’t know sometimes this week there’s a picture of a couple feet of snow and he said, “Hey, you want to hear this?” I’m like, “Thanks for the generosity, but you can have it, brother. I don’t want any of that.”
But we literally had a snowstorm—I shouldn’t say snowstorm, we had a little snow, probably a couple of inches, if that—years ago. We went over here on Florence Road. I think we’re Florence Road crosses over 840. It’s grown up a little bit now, but it used to be where you could sled down there. And me, Tammy, and John Sarah, we went down there. We actually took our dog Sandy with us. She is a great family dog.
And the thing about sledding, it’s nice. Man, you just, you’re sledding down, but the problem is you’ve got to get back up the hill pulling that sled. That’s just no fun. It’s hard enough to get up the hill, but when you’ve got a sled pulling it, you know. Well, man, we just came up with an ingenious idea, and Sandy actually took part in it. She did it. We would sled down, and Sandy had her collar on, and we would tie the sled to her collar. I don’t get so mad at me. She has four legs, we only had two. You know what I’m telling you? That old day—that’s the talk of our family—knows all day. We had sled down, Sandy, we’d go. She just loved it. She had down there with the family. Know, and then we’re climbing back up, but we would tie the sled to Sandy and she’d carry it back up. Oh, life is great, man. This is a good dog I’m talking about right here. You know, and that’s what the Lord volunteers to do: casting all your care upon Him.
Hey, we’re swimming upstream if you’re living for the Lord in our day and time. Yeah, and “all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” You’re going to have some trials and burdens living for the Lord in this world. But God says, “Hey, while you’re going up the hill there, hey, won’t you cast all your cares over here? I’ll carry them for you.”
Here’s an amazing thing, and I didn’t know what time, but just look at the clock. It’s amazing. I want you to notice the last part. It’s a great, great part. Look at the last part of that verse, 1 Peter 5:7. “Casting all your care upon Him.” Look at that last part. Here it is: amazing. “For He careth for you.” Why in the world would God Almighty come along and say, “Hey, tie the sled to my collar”? If you… Why would God, Almighty God, do that for a peon like me and you? Because He cares about you. For He careth for you.
He sees me so weighted down trying to carry it all. God says, “Paul, I can carry it all. I’m omnipotent. I got all the power in the universe. I mean, I made that. I just spoken to existence. Why are you carrying all those burdens? Go ahead and cast them over here to me. I care for you, Paul.” When you’re hurting, you just wake up hurting, your heart hurts. You ever just felt such a hurt inside? You physically feel pain in your chest. He cares. When you’re burdened down with finances, He cares. When you’re hurt and you say, “Am I ever going to have any relationships that are long-term and not hurtful?” He cares. When your health is just bad, I don’t know, something like the health has gone from bad to worse and don’t know if I can get over this, He cares. Friend, He careth for you.
You say, “My marriage is so far from when I dreamed about it. We got married. I thought it would be one of it.” So far from that, I don’t know if I ever have a good marriage that I want to have. Hey, He cares. He cares about all that. He cares. It’s a sin-cursed, sin-messed-up world. But in the midst of it all, He cares. He cares.
Careth. Would you look over and we’ll be done? Look over one more place and we’re done. Look over in Deuteronomy chapter 11. The reason I want you to look this verse up because it’s the first time in all the Bible the word “careth” cometh up. And it’s amazing how God often defines words from His word. I like it when God gives the definition of a word instead of me or some other doctor messing it up, you know. Just let God define a word. Remember we just read it: “For He careth for you.” Give me some meaning on this word “careth for you.” Well, let’s look and find the first time it’s used in all the Bible. Deuteronomy 11, verse number 12. Deuteronomy 11:12. God is talking about the land that He promised to the children of Israel. Promised Land. Land flowing with milk and honey. That means ice cream and milk, amen, milk and honey. Come on now. Thank you, brother. I appreciate that. Deuteronomy 11, look at verse number 12. “A land which the Lord thy God careth for.” First time you’ll find the word “careth” in all the Bible right there: careth for. “The eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.”
Now, here’s the thing in my mind, at least, when I wanted to find out a little bit more about that word “careth,” the thing that stuck out in my mind the first time God used the word “careth” in the Bible: the thing He says, “My eyes are always upon that thing I care about right there.” And God says, “I care about you.” In God’s eyes, they are always on you. If you’re on the mountaintop, He’s looking at you. If you’re in the bad times or valley, He’s looking on you. At nighttime, He never slumbers, never sleeps—all the time, 24/7, God Almighty, He’s looking at you. He cares so much. And He never takes His eyes off of you. Never. He’s always watching what’s going on in your life. And God says, “Hey, won’t you cast all your care upon Me because I care for you?”
One last thought, we’re done. You won’t get rid of all your burdens in darkness. You won’t keep all the burdens away in darkness. The way the place you get rid of the burdens is walking in light. The place you keep the burdens off is walking in the light. God wants you to be burden free so you can walk for life.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes, please?
Our heads bowed and eyes closed. You said, “Preacher, I have some cares I need to cast upon the Lord. I need to just cast all of them, all.” Some burdens in my life, cares I need to cast upon the Lord. That’s you this morning. You slip your hand up, preacher. That’s me. I need to cast my care upon Him. God bless you. Many, many, many hands. Oh, yes. Can I just say this? Concerned Americans all across this world need to cast a whole lot of care upon Him. All of us got our care. God bless you. So many hands, so many hands.
Maybe here this morning you say, “Preacher, there is a major care, and I’m going to bring it to the Lord, and I’m going to do my best to pour my heart out to the Lord on this issue.” I’m talking about, will you tell Him everything you feel and think about it? It might not be pleasant, but He knows what’s going on there anyway. You said, “Preacher, I might go back and relive this thing with the Lord, but I’m going to do my best.” There’s one major care, and I’m going to do my best over that issue. Maybe a loved one you know passed away, whatever may be. “I’m going to do my best to cast all my care upon Him about this one major issue in my life, and preacher, I’m going to be working that out of my heart to God.” That’s you this morning. You lift your hand up, preacher. That’s me. That’s me. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. That’s the place to take it. Burdens are lifted at Calvary. Oh, yes, friend. That’s the place. Casting all your care upon Him. Vengeance is Mine, saith the Lord, I will repay. Give it to Him, all of it, whatever it may be, all of it.
Then one last question: He cares enough for you to purchase your salvation. We live in a sin-messed-up world. It really is a messed-up world. But God says, “I love you so much. I’ll give My Son, shed His blood on the cross at Calvary so you can experience heaven, joy, if you will, the perfect Eden again.” You hear this morning, you say, “Preacher, I’ve never accepted Jesus as my way to heaven. I’ve never… I know He cares enough to give me a way to heaven, and I need to get this thing settled. I need to get saved to make sure my own way to heaven.” If that’s you, with our heads bowed, I suppose, “Preacher, I need to slip my hand up.” That preacher, I need to settle this thing as far as my salvation. I know He cares. He’s purchased it for me, and I need to get saved. Slip it up in Him. I like that. Last Sunday, a lady asked the Lord Jesus Christ to be their Savior. I see another hand back there.
Just a moment, just a moment, we’re going to stand. When we stand, I’m going to have a word of prayer. I won’t be long. As soon as I say, “Amen,” can I ask you, can I invite you to an old-fashioned altar? It’d be a great, great place to give your burden to the Lord. Maybe someone’s wrecking their lives and you’re so burdened about it. It’d be a great place to cast your care upon. Whatever the need, cast all your care upon Him. At that time, there’ll be a man standing down front here and a man in the back. Would you go to them and shake their hand? They’ll get a lady if they need to be, if it’s a lady, and they’ll take the Bible and from the Bible show you how you can know for sure you go to heaven. Would you come? Would you come?
Let’s all stand if you would, please. Would we all stand? Listen, great, great time in the next five minutes to give your burdens to the Lord. Would you do so? You need to get saved? Would you come do that? We’re going to pray as soon as I say, “Amen.” Would you come?
Father, thank You for the invitation, Lord, from Your word. I’m amazed that You’d give such an invitation to us. You tell us to cast all our care upon You. We don’t deserve that, Lord. Thank You for caring. Lord, this one raised their hand about salvation. Lord, I do pray You assure them in their heart. We love them. Let them come, get it settled. Bless our folks, Lord, I pray. Help us to walk out of here being able to walk for You, burden free. We thank the Lord for what You do, Jesus. And we pray. Amen.
Would you come as our instrument plays? Would you come? That’s right. Don’t wait for anybody else. Would you come? Casting all your care upon You. You’re not sure you’re saved? We’d love to help. Love to help you come. Maybe the best place of all the years, if there’s one place you’d have to pick that, to give Him all your burdens, your cares, at an old altar, just to find an old altar. You come down an old-fashioned altar. Yes, the Lord’s everywhere, anywhere. You can do it anywhere. There’s something special, an old-fashioned altar in the house of God, just coming to give them your burden, casting all. You won’t do it just by accident. On purpose, time and again, casting all. It’s a continual thing. It’s your care. Some might not understand it: why is that bothering you? But it’s your care. It’s your care. All your care, whatever it be, all your care, casting all your care upon Him. If you’re questioning if you’re saved or not, can I say He loves you? He wants to help you with that burden, and we love to be a help in that. There’s a man, Brother Patterson, right here, and a man in the back. You come just shake their hand.
Well, would you just play one more time so nobody comes out to be it? Maybe you’re questioning, “Do I have a care?” What’s the thing on your mind? What’s the thing on your mind? What’s the thing the Holy Spirit’s bringing up? What is it? Maybe it’s a person, it’s an individual. Maybe it’s a situation. Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.
Hey, aren’t you glad you have a God that cares? Praise the Lord. And His eyes never leave you. He always watches. He careth for you.
You won’t get rid of all your burdens in darkness. You won’t keep all the burdens away in darkness. The way the place you get rid of the burdens is walking in light. The place you keep the burdens off is walking in the light. God wants you to be burden free so you can walk for life.
Original File: Burden free Walking - Pastor Paul Chisgar Sunday AM 13121