If we would do much for God, we must ask much of God… I cannot insist on this too much. Prayer is the first thing, the second thing, and the third thing necessary for a minister, especially in seasons of revival… Pray, then, my dear brother, pray, pray, pray.
Edward Payson

SaddleUp an usual way to pra

SaddleUp an usual way to pra

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November 2, 1990
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THE EKKLESIA

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SADDLE-UP

By

Phil Scovell

A common topic of radio and television talk shows is “Coping With Stress.” “stressed out, stress level, stress zones, STRESS TOLERANCE, stress analysis, stress syndrome, stress critical”, and “stress fatigue” are but a few buzz words used to characterize the pressure faced in today’s society.

The coping with, or handling of, such stress has become a multi-million dollar industry. Books, magazine articles, stress clinics, counseling, cassette recordings of ocean sounds with subliminal messages, relaxation tapes, meditation, drugs, diet, music, hobbies, exercise programs, seminars, and even herbal compounds all are promoted and prescribed in various ways to deal with stress. Specialists are hired by companies to teach employees how to deal with stress problems. Radio talk shows feature psychologists who offer advice to those who call with problems on a daily bases. Psychics, once called “mediums,” now “channelers,” furnish counseling services to assist troubled individuals by looking into the supernatural for a substantial fee. Even churches have succumb to hosting “Christian” seminars so pastors, church leaders and laity can learn how to cope with the effects of stress upon the Christian life. Fortunately, the Bible offers a simple solution for the Bible Believer and it’s free.

I Peter 5:7

CASTING ALL YOUR CARE UPON HIM; FOR HE CARES FOR YOU.

This was a peculiar thing for Peter to say! He, Peter, was compulsive, zealous, argumentative, pertinacious, critical, capricious, fickle, sometimes faithless, impulsive, aberrant, and even violent. He lied, forsook his calling, deny his Lord, and often seemed to be plagued with discouragement. Yet, he encourages us to “cast our cares” upon the Lord. This can only mean two things: Personal deliverance had been experienced, and he was led of the Holy Spirit when he wrote. Since Peter’s words are inspired of God, let’s consider the meaning of the words he used.

CARE

We are told to “cast all our care” upon the Lord. The Greek word for “care” is rendered (solicitude). In another words, all our concerns, fears, apprehensions, and anxiousness is to be cast upon the Lord. This word, “care,” is used five other times in the New Testament.

In Matthew 13, we find our Lord’s parable on the sowing of seed. Actually it is a parable of the four types of soil rather than just of a sower planting seed. The soils in which seed was planted are described as: way side soil, stony ground, thorns, and good ground. The seed dropped on the earth by the way side was quickly DEVOURED by birds. Those falling into stony ground failed to produce because of shallow roots. The seeds planted where thorns grew were “choked” and thus became unfruitful. The seeds planted in the fertile soil produced prolifically and predictively.

The word “care” from I Peter 5:7 appears first in the reference to the seed planted among the thorns. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choked the word, and he becometh unfruitful. (Matt. 13:22). Here we gain perspicacity to the true nature of the word “care” used

later by Peter in his epistle. It is that pertaining to this “world” which “chokes” our intimacy with God. Jesus includes “the deceitfulness of riches” in his story; Thus, the riches of this world, rendered (wealth), can and do choke, [the Greek word is (strangled completely]), our fellowship with God. I might add that such can happen whether one is opulent or not. It is the love of money which is the root of all evil, (I Tim. 6:10), not the possession or lack of which chokes/strangles the Word.

Mark also makes reference to our Lord’s parable of the sower and thus the second use of the Greek word “care” is found. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things enter in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19). Mark’s account includes “the lusts of other things” as compatible with

the “cares of this world,” and the “deceitfulness of riches.” The word “lusts” actually is translated (longing). This (longing) of other things “entering in” is a worldly mundane intrusion which sidetracks one’s personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. Thus again our fellowship is choked/strangled by the care of this world.

Luke likewise records this parable in his Gospel but adds something more to bring the picture into definite focus. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. (Luke 4:14). “Pleasures” is interpreted as (sensual delights). This same word is

found four other times in the New Testament and simply refers to those things of a physical/fleshly nature which are done to please body – senses. In modern vernacular, (sensual) implies sexual; but such is not the case in Greek. It is true that such could refer to the sexual nature but the Greek word includes, rather than refers, to the sexual. Thus, that which pleases, gratifies, in deference to the spiritual or intellectual. Such are the “cares” of this world. It also should be noted that Luke says that these things, the cares, riches, and pleasures, of this world hinder one from producing fruit of “perfection.” This word, “perfection,” refers to (maturity). Such worldly cares and conduct are inimical to spiritual maturity and thus growth is impeded.

Again in Luke’s Gospel, our Lord makes use of the word “care” in reference to His return: “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts b overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon unawares.” (Luke 21:34).

“Surfeiting” is our word for (headache) and “drunkenness” is self interpretive. Headaches, whether from stress or drunkenness, are; in this case, associated with the “cares of this life.” They are, perhaps, symptomatic of the “cares” and may even perpetuate the “cares” of this life; but they are related.

Paul likewise made reference to such “cares” in his epistles. In II Corinthians 11:23-27, Paul offers a rather lengthy list of those things which he had suffered for the cause of Christ. His experiences included ship wreck, imprisonment, beatings, stoning, hunger, pain, cold and nakedness, as well as conflict with many who tried to stop his Gospel preaching. We could certainly say all such would bring stress to his life but in light of such hardship, (stress) seems to be an inadequate description. He concludes, however, by saying sententiously in verse 28 that he likewise shoulders the “cares” of all the churches.

From viewing all the passages where the Greek word “care” is used, we should be able to grasp Peter’s usage in I Peter 5:7: “Casting all your care upon Him…” The “cares” we are to cast upon our Lord as Christians are those circumstances and situations which bring stress, fear, doubt, discouragement, and even defeat to the Christian’s life. The symptoms of such stress – headaches, sleeplessness, obesity, anorexia, nervousness, depression, anger, and a host of other pernicious infirmities – all would likewise fall into the category of “cares” which are to be cast upon the Lord. Additionally, all such things used to override these “cares” – alcohol, drugs, tobacco, sleeping pills, tranquilizers – would find less prominence in our lives if we could just learn to “cast all our care upon the Lord.” The question is, how do we learn to “cast” our burdens/cares upon the Lord?

CASTING

We are told by Peter that the way we unburden the “cares” of this life is by “casting.” It means to (throw upon), but it also carries with it the idea of stacking one upon another as stacking papers or blocks. In short…layering. This is an unusual word and is found, in this same identical form, only one other time in the New Testament. And they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. And as He went, they spread their cloths in the way. And when He was come nigh, even now at the decent of the mount of olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; saying, Blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord: peace in Heaven, and glory in the highest. (Luke 19:35- 38). This event in the life of our Lord is recorded in each of the four

Gospels. Although Mark uses a similar word which is rendered “cast” and is likewise translated (to throw upon), it is a slightly different word than was later used by Peter in his epistle.

As seen from the Gospel record, Jesus was placed upon a colt, a young donkey, and entered Jerusalem. The people laid their coats and other personal clothing on the ground in front as well as branches from palm trees to show their humility and submission to Jesus as the Christ. It is interesting to note, however, that the word “cast” was used to describe the act of pulling their coats off and laying them upon the colt before Jesus mounted the animal. In another words, they placed several layers of personal clothing on the colt before allowing Jesus to ride the donkey. This gives insight as to the usage of this same Greek word when Peter instructed us to “Cast” our cares upon the Lord. As they “cast” their personal garments upon the back of the colt on which Jesus was to ride, so we should, as Believers, cast; or shed, ourselves of personal cares and concerns in order that we might be free to worship and serve our Lord.

It is also interesting to note that the “Triumphant Entry” of our Lord into Jerusalem – the city of peace – was not only preceded by the removal of personal outer clothing to place on the back of the colt but then the same procedure was followed as he road into the city. As such was done, the Gospels all record that those who did so rejoiced and praised God.

If we are careful to “cast all our cares” upon our Lord – placing them one-by-one upon Him – we must assume therefore that we would then be free to rejoice and praise God for all He as done. Stress, personal conflicts, strained emotions, unmanageable circumstances, impossible situations, and all such worry must be pealed off and stripped away in order to be laid upon our Lord. If we are unable to handle all such problems, why not allow Him to take responsibility for them since he has expressed His desire to do so?

HE CARES FOR YOU

Often circumstances dictate indifference. “Does God really care?” Yet Peter confirms He does. This word translated “careth” in the King James is the Greek word (melo). It simply means (to be of interest to). This same word is often used negatively in the New Testament. For example, when a storm was causing the ship to sink and Jesus was asleep in the hinder part of the boat, His disciples came and said, “Lord, don’t you care?” [See Mark 4]. Yet Peter, in a positive way, uses this word to reveal God’s deep concern for His own.

The word for “meditation” in the New Testament is used only three times as (premeditate, imagine), and (meditate). It is translated (to revolve in the mind). The root word for (meditate) comes from the Greek word which Peter uses – “For He cares for you.” Merging these two thoughts, we can say that our Lord is deeply concerned about us and we are continually in His thoughts. If this is so, why should we carry those burdens which He desires to bare for us?

SADDLE-UP

In Luke’s Gospel we read that after they placed their personal garments upon the colt, they “set Jesus thereon,” (Luke 19:35). Simply, they saddled the colt for the Lord by laying those things personal, which they removed from their own bodies, upon the colt and then “they placed Jesus thereon.” Our personal involvement is necessary if we are going to “cast” all our cares upon the Lord. We must expurgate, strip, ourselves of those things personal to our lives which would in any way hinder us from personal contact with our Lord. He is interested, willing, and concerned that we do exactly that but He will not remove them or even carry the burden unless we act by faith. We must place Him squarely on our problems and we can only do that by prayer.

PRAYER

Most of us try to complicate prayer and make it something difficult, something hard, something unobtainable, or something impractical. Let me suggest something you may find difficult to accept at first. Each day, either morning or evening, or whenever it is a time in which you can remain quiet before the Lord for a few minutes, sit, or kneel, or even stand and simply think before the Lord. Many practice this simple form of prayer while walking, jogging, or riding a bicycle. Specifically think of everything which is heavy on your heart. Consider yourself before the Lord in uncomplicated prayer. Specifically lay out your problems, worries, dissatisfactions, fears, doubts, inconsistencies, failures, frustrations, and limitations before the One who cares, is interested, in you. Lay them one-upon-another. Stack them up in thought. If you find this difficult to do mentally at first, take pad and pen and write these things on a page oneby -one and stack them up before you on the desk or table. In this way, you will be allowing your thoughts to become His. When you have exhausted all the things which are troubling you at the moment and you have emptied yourself of all the worry and fear which accompanies them; release them and He will lift them from you. Then begin to worship.

“How long should I practice this form of prayer?”

Daily! Perhaps more than once a day if necessary.

“How will I know they have been lifted from me?”

Peace will replace those burdens. Remember what happened when they saddled the colt for their Lord and laid their personal garments before Him as He road into Jerusalem – the city of peace? They worshipped Him and praised God with a loud voice. We must do the same if we are going to practice casting all our cares upon Him. It is during this time of praise and worship we find God’s thoughts becoming ours. When that occurs, we will experience “the peace of God which transcends all understanding,” (Phil. 4:7).

DOES IT WORK?

Most do not experience much the first few times they pray in this fashion and quickly assume failure. It must be practiced by faith – “Without faith it is impossible to please God,” (Heb. 11:6). If you remain faithful in practicing this form of prayer – exchanging your thoughts for God’s – you will be rewarded, not to mention amazed, at just how much He cares for you.

Something to remember, however, is that this practice does not mean your problems disappear. The experience of those saddling the colt for their Lord was that “they” were changed and thus were then able to rejoice and praise God for His mighty works. Yes they had seen many miracles done by Jesus before this occurred. In fact, John’s Gospel records this “triumphant Entry” happened the day following the resurrection of Lazarus. We cannot, however, live on passed experience, passed miracles, or passed victories. We must exercise faith, and worship the Lord, for what He is going to do today; and what He is going to do is carry our cares if we will cast them upon Him. If we will cast our burdens upon the Lord, exchange our thoughts for His, we will be free from the “cares” of this world and thus liberated; we can worship Him with deep spiritual intimacy. Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain you: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22).