First, let me honest. I don't know why.
But I do know Who. God will make all 'wrongs' right one day. I don't have all the answers, but I know the One who does and rest assured, He will repair all the damage that this fallen world has caused. We will see that whether it's this side of Heaven or the next.
When I was a boy, my father was killed in a tragic car accident. That event caused me tremendous pain and damage. But God has used that damage to make me more insightful as a pastor and more dependent on Him in my spiritual walk. One day, I'll see my father again and all the pain of the incident will be forever gone, so much so it will be as if it never happened. You see, the epic of history is not over yet. We live for such a brief time compared to eternity. One day, we will see God fix it all and we'll understand. Until then, we must trust. And when we need more faith, we are to run to Jesus for it. He may not give us understanding, but He will give us faith . . . and that is so much better!
When the enemy of your soul attacks during a catastrophe, look to God’s Word for protection and grow in faith.
Soulman: Provider of Soul Food.
Showing posts with label Crisis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crisis. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
FALLING AWAY
When tragedy hits, it’s easy to run to temptation for escape. Some, in the face of tragedy, are so full of pain that they turn to anything to numb the ache. People turn to, among other things:
- alcohol
- drugs
- sexual immorality
- over-eating
But the problem with this is that it only adds misery to misery. Sin can’t deliver in times of real hardship. It’s not solid enough.
Job struggled with this tendency. We all know that Job experienced pain greater than most. He was a rich man with 10 children, 7 sons and 3 daughters. In an instant, his estate was looted by terrorists, his children were killed in a catastrophe, and he was struck with a skin disease that produced terribly painful boils. Yet he had done nothing to deserve all of this.
He was a good man. But in his pain, he became tempted to turn away from God to sin. A friend of his, the only friend of his who actually gave him solid advice, says to him in Job 35:21:
“Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.” (Job 35:21)
And then he tells Job how to protect himself by telling him to audit sin’s cost. If we want to protect ourselves from escaping to sin, we need to audit sin’s cost.
Our Protection: An Audit of Sin’s Cost. Take a look at verses 5-8.
“5. Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you. 6. If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him? 7. If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand? 8. Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only the sons of men.” (Job 35:5-8)
Job’s friend is telling him, basically, that if he sins he’ll only add misery to misery in his life and in the lives of others. Sin messes up the mess even more and messes up others in the process.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
PRAYER IN TRAGEDY
The Apostle Paul was so persecuted and so beaten down by his adversaries that he felt like quitting. The tragedy in his life was overwhelming. I know some of you have dealt with terrible tragedies in your life. You’ve already walked through a lifetime’s worth of pain. And then the other shoe drops. Your loved one gets ill. Your kid joins a cult …You lose your home and net worth. …Our economy & our government go full tilt! It makes you want to give up. That’s the way Paul felt in 1 Cor. 1:8-9. Take a look:
“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9a)
Paul talks about a time where tragedy broke him. It was beyond his ability to endure. And he says that he despaired and felt as if he had been sentenced to death. But he doesn’t stop there. He also describes his protection against this devastating enemy of despair. The protection is: prayer to a reliable God. Take a look at vv. 9-11:
“9b. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead . . . 10. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11. as you help us by your prayers.” (2 Corinthians 1:9b-11)
Paul says that all of the tragedy had an effect on him. It brought him to the end of himself so he had to rely on the supernatural power of God. And the vehicle he used to tap into that power was what? Prayer! Look at v. 11, he received God’s help through the prayers of his congregation.
We need to be praying during these times. If you feel like you can’t make it, call someone up who knows God and pray with them. Pray, pray, pray!!! Prayer feeds your faith and protects you from despair. If you’re struggling with despair, fight it off with prayer! Fight despair with prayer!!!
“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9a)
Paul talks about a time where tragedy broke him. It was beyond his ability to endure. And he says that he despaired and felt as if he had been sentenced to death. But he doesn’t stop there. He also describes his protection against this devastating enemy of despair. The protection is: prayer to a reliable God. Take a look at vv. 9-11:
“9b. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead . . . 10. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11. as you help us by your prayers.” (2 Corinthians 1:9b-11)
Paul says that all of the tragedy had an effect on him. It brought him to the end of himself so he had to rely on the supernatural power of God. And the vehicle he used to tap into that power was what? Prayer! Look at v. 11, he received God’s help through the prayers of his congregation.
We need to be praying during these times. If you feel like you can’t make it, call someone up who knows God and pray with them. Pray, pray, pray!!! Prayer feeds your faith and protects you from despair. If you’re struggling with despair, fight it off with prayer! Fight despair with prayer!!!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
FEAR: Part 3
Jesus says:
“If you don’t know Me, if you are not a Christian and don’t have a personal relationship with Me that acknowledges Me before men as God, you have something far worse to fear than the death of your body, you have the fear of Hell to worry about. You’re to be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell.” He’s talking about God the Father.
Are you sure you’re going to Heaven when you die? If you don’t know your Maker, the Bible says you need to make a decision right now to know Him. Because the truth of the matter is that if you don’t, you’re going to a place that has a lot more heat than a flaming building. If you do know the Lord, the death of your body is just a doorway into God’s house.
If you’re afraid and you’re a Christian, stand strong. If you’re right with God, nothing can touch you that is out of His hands and every pain that you feel in this world will be turned into joy in the next. That’s as sure as the fact that there is a God in Heaven.
If you’re not a Christian, I appeal to you to accept Jesus Christ right now as your Savior and be released from the fear of death. The Bible says the fear of death is slavery. Make a decision to accept Jesus as your Savior. Believe that He was and is God and that He paid for your sins on the cross, confess that you’re a sinner, and ask for His forgiveness.
“If you don’t know Me, if you are not a Christian and don’t have a personal relationship with Me that acknowledges Me before men as God, you have something far worse to fear than the death of your body, you have the fear of Hell to worry about. You’re to be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell.” He’s talking about God the Father.
Are you sure you’re going to Heaven when you die? If you don’t know your Maker, the Bible says you need to make a decision right now to know Him. Because the truth of the matter is that if you don’t, you’re going to a place that has a lot more heat than a flaming building. If you do know the Lord, the death of your body is just a doorway into God’s house.
If you’re afraid and you’re a Christian, stand strong. If you’re right with God, nothing can touch you that is out of His hands and every pain that you feel in this world will be turned into joy in the next. That’s as sure as the fact that there is a God in Heaven.
If you’re not a Christian, I appeal to you to accept Jesus Christ right now as your Savior and be released from the fear of death. The Bible says the fear of death is slavery. Make a decision to accept Jesus as your Savior. Believe that He was and is God and that He paid for your sins on the cross, confess that you’re a sinner, and ask for His forgiveness.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
FEAR: Part 2
Our Protection: A Personal Relationship with a heavenly God.
“28. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32. Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in Heaven. 33. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 10:28-33)
Jesus lists two fears in this passage.
One is de-fanged and one is sharpened. The de-fanged fear is found in verses 29-32. Here he says,
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32. Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in Heaven.”
Jesus is saying here that if you’re a person who acknowledges Him before other people, in other words, if you’re an obvious Christian, your life is in God’s hands. Nothing can kill you unless God wants it to. And if something or someone does kill you, it just means your job on Earth is over and you’re going to Heaven.
Every single Christian who has a real relationship with God in those WTC buildings died exactly when and where God wanted them to. Their deaths did not surprise Him and they’re not grieving their deaths now. They’re in Heaven with Him. If you’re a Christian this morning and your children are Christians, and if you’re living a life for Him and are close to Him, there is nothing that can happen to you that isn’t a part of God’s perfect plan for your life and that He won’t use some day for absolutely good purposes. If you are close to God, it is impossible for you to die in vain. God promises this over and over again in His word. So, you have nothing to fear. The wolf is defanged. He really has no ultimate power over you.
But there is another fear in the passage that Jesus doesn’t de-fang. And that’s the fear of the afterlife for those who don’t know Him. Take a look at v. 28. He says, “28. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell”
Check out the 3rd part of this topic on my next post.
“28. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32. Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in Heaven. 33. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 10:28-33)
Jesus lists two fears in this passage.
One is de-fanged and one is sharpened. The de-fanged fear is found in verses 29-32. Here he says,
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32. Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in Heaven.”
Jesus is saying here that if you’re a person who acknowledges Him before other people, in other words, if you’re an obvious Christian, your life is in God’s hands. Nothing can kill you unless God wants it to. And if something or someone does kill you, it just means your job on Earth is over and you’re going to Heaven.
Every single Christian who has a real relationship with God in those WTC buildings died exactly when and where God wanted them to. Their deaths did not surprise Him and they’re not grieving their deaths now. They’re in Heaven with Him. If you’re a Christian this morning and your children are Christians, and if you’re living a life for Him and are close to Him, there is nothing that can happen to you that isn’t a part of God’s perfect plan for your life and that He won’t use some day for absolutely good purposes. If you are close to God, it is impossible for you to die in vain. God promises this over and over again in His word. So, you have nothing to fear. The wolf is defanged. He really has no ultimate power over you.
But there is another fear in the passage that Jesus doesn’t de-fang. And that’s the fear of the afterlife for those who don’t know Him. Take a look at v. 28. He says, “28. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell”
Check out the 3rd part of this topic on my next post.
Friday, April 3, 2009
FEAR: Part 1
Fear is one of the first things that strike’s our hearts when tragedy occurs, especially if the tragedy is an act of terrorism. Its very design is to spread terror.
It may cause you to have more fearful thoughts: What if terrorists get their hands on a nuclear bomb or learn chemical warfare? Will my life end in a ball of flames one day? And what about our children, are they really safe in the environment we are creating for them? Some of you may be worried about the end times. You fear that the end of the world is approaching. And everything stable and safe in your life suddenly feels frail and insecure.
Jesus talked about these fears when He sent his disciples out in the world to do ministry on His behalf. He recognized the evil in the world and talked to his followers about it in Matthew 10:16. Take a look:
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.” (Matthew 10:16)
There are wicked elements of this fallen world that that can best be described as ravenous, blood thirsty beasts bent on consuming goodness. But Jesus doesn’t leave us hanging. As our shepherd, he defangs the wolf in verse 26 where he says:
“ . . . do not be afraid of them.” (Matthew 10:26)
Jesus says, “don’t be afraid of the big, bad wolf.” And as you read it, you think, “Why not? Why shouldn’t I be afraid of him? He can kill me with those big teeth and razor claws. His jaws just bit our largest building in the world in half and a bunch of sheep died. Why shouldn’t I be afraid, Jesus?” And Jesus answers, “You don’t have to be afraid because I’ve offered you protection. And that protection is a personal relationship with a heavenly God. A personal relationship with the Almighty heavenly God of all creation defangs the wolf. Take a look at vv. 28-33.
Check out my next post about "Our Protection"
It may cause you to have more fearful thoughts: What if terrorists get their hands on a nuclear bomb or learn chemical warfare? Will my life end in a ball of flames one day? And what about our children, are they really safe in the environment we are creating for them? Some of you may be worried about the end times. You fear that the end of the world is approaching. And everything stable and safe in your life suddenly feels frail and insecure.
Jesus talked about these fears when He sent his disciples out in the world to do ministry on His behalf. He recognized the evil in the world and talked to his followers about it in Matthew 10:16. Take a look:
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.” (Matthew 10:16)
There are wicked elements of this fallen world that that can best be described as ravenous, blood thirsty beasts bent on consuming goodness. But Jesus doesn’t leave us hanging. As our shepherd, he defangs the wolf in verse 26 where he says:
“ . . . do not be afraid of them.” (Matthew 10:26)
Jesus says, “don’t be afraid of the big, bad wolf.” And as you read it, you think, “Why not? Why shouldn’t I be afraid of him? He can kill me with those big teeth and razor claws. His jaws just bit our largest building in the world in half and a bunch of sheep died. Why shouldn’t I be afraid, Jesus?” And Jesus answers, “You don’t have to be afraid because I’ve offered you protection. And that protection is a personal relationship with a heavenly God. A personal relationship with the Almighty heavenly God of all creation defangs the wolf. Take a look at vv. 28-33.
Check out my next post about "Our Protection"
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