FILL MY CUP

FILL MY CUP SCRIPTURE: PSALM 23:1-6; EPHESIANS 3:14-20; MATTHEW 5:6 CONCEPT: GOD WILL FILL THE CUP BELIEVERS. PARTICULARLY THE CUP OF THE WEARY, WEAK AND WORN. PATTY YOU ARE THE RED.

OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS I HAVE BEEN PREACHING A SERIES OF SERMONS TO ENCOURAGE FOLK WHO FIND THEMSELVES WEARY, WEAK AND WORN. THE LORD HAS TOUCHED MY HEART WITH THE REVELATION THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY WITH WEARINESS.

I BEGAN THE SERIES PREACHING FROM THE TOPIC, “RUN AND NOT BE WEARYʼ. IN IT I SPOKE ABOUT THE WEIGHT OF BURDENS AND SIN THAT CAUSES US TO BE WEARIED AND HEAVY LADEN. I TALKED ABOUT HOW GOD WANTS US TO BE ABLE TO MOUNT UP WITH WINGS, AS AN EAGLE. TO BE ABLE TO RISE ABOVE THOSE THINGS THAT MAKE US WEARY AND LIKE GOD, BE ABLE TO RUN & NOT BE WEARY AND WALK AND NOT FAINT.

LAST SUNDAY, HE PREACHED ABOUT THE THREE COMMANDMENTS TO THE WEARY – COMING TO JESUS, TAKING OUR YOKES AND LEARNING FROM JESUS. TODAY, AS WE CONTINUE THIS SERIES, WEʼD LIKE TO VISIT SOMETHING ELSE THAT GOD HAS PROMISED TO THOSE OF US WHO ARE WEARY. HE SAID HE WOULD FILL US. SOMEBODY SAY FILL MY CUP.

IN OUR OLD TESTAMENT TEXT, WE VISIT THE VERY FAMILIAR 23 PSALM. AND SEE GOD AS BEING DESCRIBED AS A SHEPHERD. THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT. HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES, HE LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS, HE RESTORES MY SOUL AND LEADETH ME IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAMEʼS SAKE. HE GOES ON TO SAY, YEA THOU I WALK IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL FOR THOU ART WITH ME. THY ROD AND THY STAFF THEY COMFORTEST ME. THOU PREPAREST A TABLE

BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENSE OF MY ENEMIES. THOU ANOINTEST MY HEAD WITH OIL AND MY CUP RUNNETH OVER. TOGETHER: SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE AND I SHALL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.

ALONG WITH SHARING WITH US THAT GOD, AS A SHEPHERD GUIDES, AND LEADS US, AND GOES WITH US THRU DARK TIMES AND COMFORTS US. AS WELL AS BEING A GOD WHO TAKES CARE OF US IN OUR ENEMIES PRESENSE. HE TELLS US ALSO, THAT ALONG WITH ANOINTING HIS HEAD, THAT HIS CUP RUNNETH OVER. IMPLYING THAT NOT ONLY IS IT FULL, BUT BEING FILLED BEYOND CAPACITY.

OUR CUP REPRESENTS OUR LIVES. OUR CUP REPRESENTS THE VOID WITHIN US THAT YEARNS TO BE FILLED. IT IS OUR PLACE OF INNER FULFILLMENT AND WHOLENESS. THE CUP REPRESENTS OUR SPIRITUAL CONTAINER THAT HOLDS THE SPIRITUAL PRESENSE AND POWER OF GOD.

THE PSALMIST SAID THAT HIS CUP WAS RUNNING OVER. WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE. SPIRITUALLY OVERFLOWING. LIVING A LIFE THAT IS ABUNDANT. A LIFE THAT WE LIVE TO THE FULLEST. HAVING THAT VOID WITHIN FILLED AND BEING FULFILLED AND WHOLE. ANYBODY WANT TO HAVE A CUP THAT RUNS OVER.

BUT PASTOR, IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD, SO MANY OF US CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HAVING A FULL CUP, YET ALONE ONE THAT IS OVERFLOWING. FOR TOO MANY OF US, WE LIVE LIVES THAT ARE SPIRITUALLY DEPLETED, IF NOT EMPTY AND BANKRUPT. ALL TOO OFTEN WE STRUGGLE TO MAKE IT DAY TO DAY. SEEKING SURVIVAL, AND NEVER KNOWING OR PURSUING ABUNDANT LIVING. TOO MANY OF US FEEL EMPTY AND SO OFTEN UNFULFILLED.

WHAT IS THE PSALMIST TALKING ABOUT? A CUP RUNNING OVER! WE LIVE ALL TOO OFTEN AMONGST FOLK, EVEN

THOUGH THEY WON'T ADMIT IT, WHO ARE RUNNING ON EMPTY AND LIVING UNFULFILLED LIVES WITH LITTLE OR NO REAL MEANING. LIVES YEARNING FOR PURPOSE AND TRUE MEANING. LIVES THAT ARE DESP ERATELY IN NEED OF BEING FILLED. IF SOMEBODY KNOWS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, SAY FILL MY CUP.

1. THAT'S WHAT PAUL PRAYED IN EPHESIANS 3:14-20 HE GOT DOWN ON HIS KNEES AND PRAYED 16 That he would grant US, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in OUR inner man;

17 That Christ may dwell in OUR hearts by faith; that WE, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that WE might be filled with all the FULLNESS of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, GOD WANTS TO FILL OUR CUP. HE WANTS TO FILL US WITH HIS FULLNESS. FILL US UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO COMPREHEND AND UNDERSTAND JUST HOW BIG HE IS. UNTIL WE BEGIN TO REALIZE THAT HE IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY

ABOVE ALL WE COULD EVER ASK OR THINK. GOD WANTS TO FILL US WITH ALL OF HIS FULLNESS. HE WANTS US TO BE FULL AND COMPLETE. WHOLE AND FULFILLED. GOD WANTS TO FILL OUR CUP. SOMEBODY SAY, FILL MY CUP.

BUT REV. WHY DO I NEED MY CUP FULL?. WHY DO WE NEED A FULL CUP?. I始M GLAD YOU ASKED. I DON始T KNOW ABOUT YOU. BUT MY LIFE CAN GET REAL CRAZY SOMETIMES AND I CAN GET HIT FROM EVERY DIRECTION. ON MYJOB, IN THE CHURCH, IN OUR HOME. OUR CHILDREN ALWAYS NEED SOMETHING, MY HUSBAND ALWAYS NEEDS SOMETHING, MY FAMILY ALWAYS SEEMS TO NEED MY HELP AND THEN OUT OF NO WHERE COMES SOMETHING ELSE. I NEED GOD TO FILL MY CUP SO THAT I HAVE THE STRENGTH ON THE INSIDE TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THIS STUFF I HAVE TO HANDLE ON THE OUTSIDE. I NEED GOD TO FILL MY CUP, SO THAT MY MIND IS FILLED WITH HIS THOUGHTS AND MY HEART IS FILLED WITH HIS SPIRIT. I NEED TO BE FILLED BECAUSE I NEED GOD始S JOY TO HELP ME MAKE IT THRU MY DIFFICULT

MOMENTS. WHEN MY BODY FEELS WEARY AND MY MIND IS WEARY AND I FIND MYSELF WRESTLING WITH EMOTIONAL WEARINESS, I NEED GOD TO FILL MY CUP AND GIVE ME STRENGTH WITHIN TO MAKE IT AND JOY TO TAKE IT. MATTHEW 16:24 SAYS, UNTIL NOW YOU HAVE ASKED NOTHING IN MY NAME, ASK THAT YOUR JOY MIGHT BE FULL. IN OTHER WORDS, WE NEED OUR CUP FULL SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ALL THE JOY WE NEED TO STAY ABOVE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT SEEM TO TRY TO WEIGHT US DOWN. I NEED MY CUP FULL WITH JOY. BECAUSE THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH. WHEN GOD FILLS MY CUP, I KNOW THAT HE IS WITH ME. WHEN HE FILLS MY CUP I FEEL A LITTLE WHEEL TURNING AND FEEL A LITTLE FIRE BURNING. WHEN GOD FILLS MY CUP, I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO FACE TOMORROW. WHEN HE FILLS MY CUP, I CAN GO THRU THE FIRE AND THRU THE FLOOD, I CAN FACE THE SHADOW OF DEATH AND THE PAIN OF SORROW. WHEN HE FILLS MY CUP, I KNOW LIFE IS WORTH THE LIVING, JUST BECAUSE HE LIVES.

OK, BELOVED. WE REALIZE THAT GOD WANTS TO FILL OUR CUP. HE WANTS OUR LIVES TO BE FULL AND HE WANTS US TO BE FILLED WITHIN WITH HIS PRESENSE AND WITH HIS POWER. BUT HOW DO WE GET A FULL CUP? THAT始S A GOOD QUESTION.

FIRST THING IS THAT YOU HAVE TO REALLY WANT IT. THERE WAS A MAN AT A POOL IN A PLACE CALLED BETHSEDA. HE HAD BEEN THERE 38 YEARS WAITING TO GET INTO A POOL OF WATER THAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE STIRRED BY ANGELS. WHEN THE WATER STIRRED THEY BELIEVED THAT WHOEVER GOT IN FIRST WOULD BE HEALED. BUT THIS MAN COULD NEVER GET INTO THE POOL. THEN ONE DAY JESUS CAME

BY AND SAW THIS MAN AND ASKED HIM, DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE MADE WHOLE? DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE WELL?

THAT始S THE FIRST THING WE MUST DO, WE MUST WANT IT AND SEEK IT. BUT NOT WITH A DEFEATIST ATTITUDE OR

OUTLOOK. BELOVED, LOOKING BACK AT THE 23 PSALM, THE PSALMIST GIVES US MORE INSIGHT INTO HOW TO HAVE OUR CUPS FILLED – HE MADE A DECISION AND SAID THAT THE LORD WAS HIS SHEPHERD. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHO WE FOLLOW AND WHO WE ALLOW TO LEAD US. IF WE ALLOW GOD TO LEAD US AND IF WE FOLLOW HIM AS SHEEP FOLLOWING A SHEPHERD, GOD WILL LEAD US TO A PLACE WHERE OUR CUPS WILL RUN OVER. BUT WE MUST DECIDE WHO WE SHALL FOLLOW: GOD OR THE WORLD/DEVIL. GOD WHO LEADS US TO GREEN PASTURES AND STILL WATERS OR THE DEVIL WHO ALWAYS LEADS US TO DISCOURAGEMENT, DISAPPOINTMENT AND EMPTYNESS. WE HAVE TO CHOOSE FULLNESS AND BEING WHOLE OR THE DEVIL WHO PROMISES FULLNESS, BUT ULTIMATELY ONLY COMES TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY. THE QUESTION BECOMES WHO IS YOUR SHEPHERD? WHOʼS LEADING YOU?

IN ORDER TO HAVE OUR CUPS FILLED, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO WANT OUR CUPS TO BE FILLED AND FOLLOW THE

ONE WHO WILL FILL OUR CUPS. THE BIBLE SAYS, IN MATTHEW 5.3, BLESS IS HE WHO DOTH HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR HE SHALL BE FILLED. YOU HAVE TO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS OR HOLINESS AND THEN WE WILL BE FILLED. GOD IS NOT GOING TO FILL A DIRTY CUP. GOD IS HOLY. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE LORD OUR GOD IS HOLY AND WE SHALT BE HOLY. WHEN WE STRIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HUNGERING AND THIRSTING AFTER IT, WE ARE SEEKING HOLINESS AND BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY, HUNGERING AND THIRSTING AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS, WE ARE FILLED BY THAT WHICH IS HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS. GET IT. THE BIBLE SAYS DRAW NEAR UNTO ME AND I WILL DRAW NEAR UNTO YOU. WHEN WE HUNGER FOR GOD始S PRESENSE AND THIRST FOR HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, GOD FILLS OUR CUP.

AND SO WE COME TO YOU AS JESUS CAME TO THE MAN AT THE POOL OF BETHSDA AND WE ASK, ARE YOU DISSATISFIED WITH BARELY LIVING. LIVING EMPTY AND

UNFULFILLED. SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT AND DEPLETED. NO SPIRITUAL POWER OR MIGHT. DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE FILLED. JESUS SAID TO THE MAN WHO WAS WAITING TO BE HEALED, RISE, TAKE UP HIS BED AND WALK. AND IN LIKE MANNER WE SAY TO YOU NO MORE EXCUSES. IF YOU WANT GOD TO FILL YOUR CUP AND YOU WANT HIM TO DO IT ALL THE WAY, THEN GET UP AND TAKE UP YOUR BED AND WALK.

DON'T LAY THERE AND WALLOW IN SIN. STOP FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT SO LONG YOU DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN STOP IT. I KNOW YOU ARE LONELY AND NEED COMPANIONSHIP. I KNOW YOU HAVE CONVINCED YOURSELF TO BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN'T MAKE IT WITHOUT IT. BUT DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE WHOLE. IF SO, STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE HOW. LET GOD HANDLE THAT, JUST DON'T LIE IN IT ANY LONGER. GET UP. THAT'S RIGHT, GET UP. YOUVE BEEN LYING IN THAT MESS LONG ENOUGH. GET UP, YOUVE GIVEN IT POWER OVER YOU LONG ENOUGH. GET UP, ITS STOLEN, KILLED AND

DESTROYED YOUR LIFE LONG ENOUGH. JUST GET UP. AND AFTER YOU DO, TAKE UP THAT BED. PICK UP ALL OF THOSE EXCUSES, ALL OF THOSE REASONS WHY YOU CAN'T, AND WALK. WALK. THAT'S RIGHT. MUST JESUS BEAR THE CROSS ALONE AND ALL THE WORLD GO FREE...

WHEN YOU GET UP AND PICK UP THAT BED AND WALK. WALK HUNGERING. WALK THIRSTING. WALK ASKING TO BE FILLED. FILLED WITH THE HOPE OF BEING FILLED. WALK WITH THE EXPECTATION OF HAVING A FULL AND ABUNDANT LIFE. WALK ASKING FOR YOUR JOY TO BE FULL AND EVERLASTING. WALK IN THE SPIRIT.

BECAUSE WHEN GOD FILLS YOUR CUP, HE WON'T JUST FILL IT TO THE BRIM. NO, HE KEEPS POURING UNTIL YOUR CUP RUNS OVER. HE KEEPS POURING UNTIL YOUR NEEDS ARE MET. HE KEEPS POURING UNTIL YOU PASS FROM SURVIVAL TO PROSPERITY. FROM GETTING BY TO ABUNDANT LIVING. LOOK AT JESUS. GOD SENT HIM TO BE A SACRIFICE. AN

OBLATION AND EXPIATION FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. HE CAME TO BE EMPTIED OUT. TO POUR OUT HIS LIFE. AND WHEN HIS LIFE WAS FINISHED AND COMPLETELY SURRENDERED TO GOD, HE WAS FILLED. DEATH WAS FILLED WITH ETERNAL LIFE. DARKNESS AND THE GRAVE WERE FILLED WITH EVERLASTING LIGHT. GOD WANTS TO FILL YOUR CUP AND GIVE YOU VICTORY IN DEFEAT. POWER IN WEAKNESS. JOY IN SORROW, PEACE IN THE STORM. STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS, GOD WANTS TO FILL OUR CUPS.

DO YOU WANT IT FILLED. CAUSE IF YOU DO, YOU始RE GOING TO REALLY WANT TO BE FILLED. SO MUCH THAT YOU始LL FOLLOW THE LORD AND LET HIM LEAD YOU TO WHERE HE WILL FILL YOU AND GIVE YOU WHOLENESS. AND AS HE LEADS US, HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND YOU WILL BE FILLED.

CLOSING: FILL MY CUP LIKE THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, I WAS SEEKING. FOR THINGS THAT ACOULD NOT SATISFY AND THEN I HEARD MY SAVIOUR SPEAKING: DRAW FROM MY WELL THAT NEVER SHALL RUN DRY THERE ARE MILLIONS IN THIS WORLD WHO ARE CRAVING THE PLEASURES EARTHLY THINGS AFFORD BUT NOTE CAN MATCH THE WONDROUS TREASURE THAT I FIND IN JESUS CHRIST MY LORD. SO, MY BROTHER IF THE THINGS THIS WORLD GAVE YOU LEAVE HUNGERS THAT WON始T PASS AWAY MY BLESSED LORD WILL COME AND SAVE YOU IF YOU KNEEL TO HIM AND HUMBLY PRAY. FILL MY CUP LORD, I LIFT IT UP LORD. COME AND QUENCH THIS THIRSTING OF MY SOUL BREAD OF HEAVEN FEED ME TIL I WANT NO MORE FILL MY CUP! FILL IT UP! AND MAKE ME WHOLE! FILL MY CUP LORD, FILL OUR CUP, FILL OUR CUPS LORD, AND MAKE US WHOLE! AND GIVE US REST FOR OUR WEARY SOULS! YEAH! YEAH! HALLELUJAH!