"Troubled! Stirred Up!

Scripture Text: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Mat 24:35 (KJV)

 

One of the things that you and I are contending with more now than ever before is a world that is troubled. Wars and rumors of wars - some of them looking pretty grim. North Korea threatening to go Nuclear again because the United States had not yet removed her terrorist status. Iran still threatening to wipe Israel off the face of the map by any means possible. A fleet of ships sit anchored in the Persian Gulf due to troubles in the middle East and the Caucusus Mountain region, and "The Bear" (Russia) sitting poised to pounce at her discretion. These are troubled times; these are times that are being stirred into voices of war; to many ... these are times of hardened fear(lingering terror). In a minute were going to be talking about What's coming and the Hope that we have In Jesus - but before we do, let's listen this great song, It's happening now, and I'll be right back after the song with the message.

These are troubled times; these are times that are being stirred into voices of war; to many ... these are times of hardened fear(lingering terror). As we face our day of "going home" which may be years for some and days for others, we can have the calm assurance that we are not alone.

Oh but brother Wayne I just lost my mother and I cannot seem to go on. Oh but you just don't know how it is brother Wayne. I have just lost the love of my life. I can assure you I do know what it is like to lose a family member. I have lost a Mother and Father and most recently a sister. My wife and I went through the pain of losing a son, and we know that one day one of us will lay the soul of the other in the loving arms of God. It is a fact of life - but the GLORY OF IT IS - IF WE ARE IN CHRIST - HE IS WITH US!

I remember a time when Moses was getting older and he knew he was not going to be able to enter into the promised land and he stood before the Israelites who were just now beginning to trust in the Lord having seen all that He had done at the hands of Moses and Aaron, and he tells them, he is finished. He can do no more for them but he is passing the mantle over to Joshua. Well let's just look at that verse there shall we?

"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Deu 31:6 (KJV)

Now on the other hand, think of Joshua. Anyone remember who your life changed at the birth of your first child? How 'bout when you were married and you all of a sudden realized the weight of the responsibility to care for and provide for your wife in the good times and the bad. Here's Joshua being handed a motley crew to say the least, and he is instructed with getting them into a land that they have never been in  before - a land that has been told them that is flowing with milk and honey - but look at what else Joshua is told....

"Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses." Joshua 1:2,3 (KJV)

Joshua was a warrior - and he could handle himself. But what about all of the women and children he was now responsible for? You can see where Most men would be troubled, stirred up, and even fear stricken: yet the Lord comes to Him saying,

"There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Joshua 1:5 (KJV)

He goes on to say a couple of verses later these words...

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:9 (KJV)

Lastly, some may find it hard to believe that there is comfort in Prophecy but look at what Jesus says to His own disciples and to you and I today.

"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." Mat 24:6 (KJV)

We have a tendency to look at the first part of that verse, that's what the sensationalists want you and I to see - it's what they know and where they live and make their living. Yet, it is the second part of that verse where the real dividends are harvested for everlasting joy, and that's where Jesus says, "for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."  You see, God is in the details. He know what the future holds.

Part of the reason that many do not wish to study the Book of Revelation is that it causes one to be troubled. It causes one to become stirred up in his soul to the place of such passion that many shake their fist in God's face and wonder why it is that God would allow such a troubled time - a time of stirring and a time filled with hardened fear or lingering terror. 

When I first began to study the book of Revelation it was exciting and as God blew open the doors of understanding it just made me want to study it more and more. Yet I have been studying and writing, writing and studying and I have now come to a place where like John and like Ezekiel there are things I do not want to know; things I could never even share with most people because they couldn't take it. Things that to me are troubling, things that stir me up on the inside; things that hug the edge of hardened fear or lingering terror.

If you stop and read the 24th chapter of Matthew alone you wonder why God would allow such a thing to happen to any nation. If you read Revelation Chapters 6 through 17 you no longer want to understand, you no longer want to hear it nor listen to it - especially if you read it through the eyes of

"And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." Mat 24:19-21 (KJV)

It is because we are conditioned to live in this world. We are conditioned to the ease of life and thank you very much but, we can do without the "pangs" of life.

I'm sure every soul that did not have a car or didn't have the money to evacuate in the wake of Hurricane Gustav - or Hurricane Katrina a few years ago, felt as though their world as they knew it was potentially coming to an end. Do you think they will question God on the next storm? Surely this is a time when many are troubled, and are emotionally and physically stirred up into disarray, and some are living in a hardened fear.

Right in the midst of all of this horror and terror of night comes a verse that serves as an anchor and is so quickly passed over that most seem to not see it for all of the horror that surrounds it. But, oh my friend, if we might grab hold of this verse on our way into sin; if we could grab hold of this verse in the midst of uncertain illness; if we could grab hold of this verse in the pale of our glory days and realize it's power and it's promise - nothing would be able to cause us to stumble. Listen as I recite it to you today and drink it in my friend. 

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Mat 24:35 (KJV)

What are the Words that will not pass away?

Words of Grace and Mercy. Rom 3:23-26
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

What are the Words that will not pass away?

Words of Peace and Comfort 2 Cor 1:3-5
"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." (vs 4)

What are the Words that will not pass away?

Words of Restoration and Sanctification 1 Cor 6:8-11
"And such were some of you: but ye are washed (Hallelujah!),  but ye are sanctified (Praise His Name! ), but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (vs 11)

What are the Words that will not pass away?

Words of Promise and Hope Ephesians 1:13,14;
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory".

What are the Words that will not pass away?

Words of Life not just in this world but in the next. Hebrews 6:17-20
"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;" (vs)19

Are you one who is numb this morning from the awesomeness of life? Are you travailing in pangs waiting to be delivered yet it seems as though there is no comfort in sight? Are you lost in the hopelessness of an avalanche of bad things happening to a good person? I have good news for you today my friend.

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but HIS words... the WORDS OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD - HE THAT IS HOLY AND TRUE, SHALL NOT PASS AWAY." Mat 24:35 (KJV)

Let's pray.

Father God, I bow before you troubled, stirred up, and in hardened fear. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of YOUR mercies O Lord, that we are not consumed, because Thy compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. YOU Oh Lord are my portion, therefore will I place my hope in You. Oh Father, YOU are good and benevolent unto them that wait for You, and seek after You in all of their ways. Therefore I place my hope in you and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD to Manifest itself in me now and in the days to come. I trust in you Oh Lord to deliver me... and I pray this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen. (ref., Lam 3:21-26; KJV)

 

 

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