“DOES ANYBODY CARE?”

PSALM 142:1-7

Mamie made frequent trips to the branch post office. One day she confronted a long line of people who were waiting for service from the postal clerks. Mamie only needed stamps, so a helpful observer asked, “Why don’t you use the stamp machine? You can get all the stamps you need and you won’t have to stand in line.” Mamie said, “I know, but the machine can’t ask me about my arthritis.” People want to be cared for! They want to know that you care!

Job 14:1 Man [that is] born of a woman [is] of few days, and full of trouble.

Mark 4:38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

2 Corinthians 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ballpoint pens would not work in 0 gravity. To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300C.

The Russians used a pencil.

Let’s take a common sense approach to God’s loving care and gain an understanding of how His love for us is conveyed. It doesn’t have to be complicated. I think a people want answers and real discernable help from God

I want us to take into consideration God’s loving care from a three-fold formation. That formation consists of:

I. THE PROMISE OF GOD’S CARE

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

What does He Promise? He makes a four-fold promise to His Children:

A. He will listen to Us

Psalms 34:15 The eyes of the LORD [are] upon the righteous, and his ears [are open] unto their cry.

B. He is interested in us

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

CARETH 3199. mel’-o; a primary verb; to be of interest to, i.e. to concern (only third person singular present indicative used impersonally, it matters):— (take) care.

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine.

Luke 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Psalms 115:12a The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless [us];

C. He will sustain us

Psalms 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

D. He will provide for us

Matthew 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

II. THE PROVISION OF GOD’S CARE

A. Its access - prayer 142:1, 5

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard [him], and saved him out of all his troubles.

Psalms 62:8 Trust in him at all times; [ye] people, pour out your heart before him: God [is] a refuge for us. Selah.

B. Its acquirement - patience

Psalms 27:13-14 [I had fainted], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Psalms 33:20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he [is] our help and our shield.

Psalms 40:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

Lamentations 3:25 The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.

C. Its attribute - peace

Psalms 29:11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

III. THE PERCEPTION OF GOD’S CARE

1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

A. His Presence (He’s not just God - He’s our God)

Leviticus 26:12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.

Exodus 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go [with thee], and I will give thee rest.

Psalms 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and [why] art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him [for] the help of his countenance.

B. His Voice 143:8

Isaiah 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This [is] the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

I will hear what God the Lord will speak... (Psalms 85:8)

C. His Church

Mark 2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken [it] up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

Luke 6:36 Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate.

Romans 12:10 [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men], especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Luke 10:33-34 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion [on him], And went to [him], and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

D. His Holy Spirit

John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

E. His Word

Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Psalms 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! [yea, sweeter] than honey to my mouth!

Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Psalms 19:8 The statutes of the LORD [are] right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD [is] pure, enlightening the eyes.

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: