In Times of Trouble

In Times of Trouble

“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.”

Psalm 34:17 (NKJV)

Some days it seems like we’ve got more troubles than we can possibly handle. So we pray for God’s help and then tell him what to do about it.  We forget how big God is and that he doesn’t need our help.  We think we are the only one with troubles.  Our troubles seem to be so big, but there are troubles way bigger than we know.

I’ve been thinking about all the troubles around us and in the world as a whole and it certainly is too much for a person to handle.  I was reminded of many years ago of a musical called, “Music Man”, one of my favorites.  There was a song in it that sticks with me still, “Trouble, oh we got trouble, Right here in River City! Trouble with a capital “T”.  We can reword the one line to read “Right here in the world!”  Oh yes, Trouble with a capital “T”.

We all have personal Troubles and what would we do without God to help us through them? Now let us look at the world around us.  Things are so unsettling right in our own country. In all my years I have never seen an election such as I saw this year.  Regardless of the battle, once a new president is elected, he is then our president.  The Democrats are the poorest losers I have ever seen.  They may not like the outcome, but what can they do about it now. There were many who did not like Obama when he was elected, but you did not see all the protests and marches which were to no avail.

Obviously, there will be changes that some don’t agree on, but they will happen anyway.  We have left God Almighty out of the equation for way too long.  You can ignore God, or not believe he exists, but he is still there.  He sees what is happening and if you read the Bible, you’ll know he knows each rebellious heart.  I guarantee he knows the whole world is in Trouble with a capital “T”.  You will also know and accept this truth in the Bible in the book of Daniel 2:20, where Daniel says, “He removes kings and raises up kings”. Although in America, we call them leaders or presidents, it means the same. 

Last week I compared our country to the Israelites in Exodus and again today. In Numbers 16, it tells how some of the Israelites complained about Moses, whom God raised up to be the leader. Finally, God said, enough is enough and Trouble came to those who complained.  The ground split open and swallowed many of them and then a plague came and 14,700 Israelites died from it.  If you believe the Word of God and know that God put President Trump in place as leader to the United States, then I would quit complaining right now.

Many didn’t like Obama, but God put him in place for a reason.  President Trump is in place for a very good reason whether you like it or not.  We need to trust God that he knows what he’s doing because our country is in Trouble with a capital T.

Some of these troubles are: Jobs, US made things, Security for our land, Stop killing our babies, Racial agreements, Stop our National Debt from rising, Moral Judges in the Supreme Court, For Christians to once again be respected.  I didn’t even touch so many things here, but I do have a question?  Why don’t the Christians march and protest for equality for both Black and White?  Christian lives matter, too.  If they did, you wouldn’t see those people breaking windows and wrecking cars, or shooting someone.

When you see Trouble with a capital T, it’s time to do something about it.  Stand your ground for what you believe and if you don’t understand this, think back to the time you asked Jesus into your heart and take off your blinders.  He is the same Jesus you once professed your love for.  You’re the same person who once professed you would never commit murder, but when you convinced yourself that the baby growing inside of you wasn’t really a person, you forgot that promise. God didn’t forget your promise!

I have to wonder how a Bible believing Christian could vote for any person who believes abortion is the right thing to do.  You should be thanking God that Hillary Clinton didn’t become president.  What this president does remains to be seen, but he doesn’t believe in murdering the unborn.  I believe he is who God wants at this time.

It reminds me of the story of Esther in the Old Testament.  A Jewish girl became the wife of the King of Persia, King Ahasuerus, although no one knew other than her uncle that she was Jewish.  A plot to kill all Jews in the kingdom was being planned.  When her uncle Mordecai heard about it, he went to Esther and told her that she alone could save the lives of all the Jews.  Her uncle said to her, “Who knows but you were brought to this kingdom for such a time as this.”  Esther listened and with Gods help saved all the Jews in Persia.

Who knows but what our new president was put in leadership for such a time as this.  Don’t be afraid of our future; it is in God’s hand.  We may have Troubles with a capital “T”, but God is on our side.

Day One in the Desert

Day One in the Desert

“So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur.

And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.”  Exodus 15:22

When Moses brought the Israelites out into the wilderness of a place called Shur, a part of the Arabian Desert. On day one they began to complain because they had no water to drink and God provided water.  A few days later when they wanted bread, they complained again,   “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full” Exodus 16:3

They weren’t happy because they had wanted change, but they didn’t want to wait for it.  They wanted to go back to the old ways which in the end would have destroyed them. Moses warned them. “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.” Exodus 15:26

Right now, our country has departed from the ‘old ways’ and has entered the desert; a way unknown to us.  However, now is the time to stand firm in our new leader.  He is different; we don’t know what he is going to do, but we need to give him a chance.  It isn’t all going to happen overnight.  We might feel like we’re wandering around in the desert for a while because it is different than what we are used to.  I only know that God will still provide for us and I believe it will be better than we had in the past.

The Bible tells us that God puts leaders in place and he takes them out.  I believe God’s hand is on this leader and we may have to go through some things before it all gets better.  The Israelites spent years and years battling against their leader and because they did it caused them all kinds of trouble. Not every leader is perfect and not everyone will agree with them. Just remember that it’s not the leader that saves us – it is God who saves us and brings us through. 

We all know it is time for a change, even if some don’t approve of the new leader.  Accept the fact that it won’t all run smooth because it never does, but look to the future and expect the best.

A divided country is a weak country and during troubles times, weakness is not what we need.  To make our nation strong again we need to stand side by side; casting prejudice off and petty differences aside.  We need to once again take pride in this country which has given and aided all mankind.  Get rid of the stigma of ‘politically correct.’ We began with ‘one nation under God’ and let us be called a “Godly Nation” once again.

If you choose to live a gay, lesbian, or transgender lifestyle, do it, but don’t expect Christians to bow down to your demands, or to your way of life.  We have as much right to live a Christian life as you do your choice of lifestyle. Christians need to begin to stand up and not be afraid of what they say.  Maybe we should begin doing protests and marches for the Christian to be treated fairly. 

Now it’s Day One and we will have the same challenges the Israelites had when everything changed for them.  It takes guts to face challenges – do you have the guts to do it?  Just remember that “With God, all things are possible!”

Rest in the Lord

Rest in the Lord

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.  Psalm 4:8 

So many people have trouble sleeping and many don’t understand the concept of ‘resting in the Lord’.  Resting doesn’t mean just ‘sleeping’ although it includes it.  There are 931 times the Bible uses the word ‘rest’ in the Bible.  That means it is quite significant and I would like to study it today to see if we can find the whole concept of the word ‘rest’.

First, let’s talk about rest meaning sleep.  Usually a person who can’t sleep is anxious about something.  They may not believe that’s the cause, but it really is.  Maybe they are making plans for something and so they lay awake half the night worrying about it.  Perhaps they are thinking of a loved one or even themselves and sleep escapes them.  Think it through; “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”   [Philippians 4:6] The Bible tells us that we should be anxious for nothing. If we have asked God to take care of a situation, we should not be anxious about it.

If we are still anxious then we do not trust God.  Therefore, we lay awake nights trying to figure out what we can do and leave God out of the whole situation. You may not be aware of what you are doing, but God is aware that you have no trust in Him at all.  You may have prayed and prayed about a situation and then shut God out completely. 

Now we come down to faith- what faith do we have if we don’t believe God will answer our prayers; why pray at all if we don’t expect an answer?   “Rest in the Lord”; have you ever really done that? Have you ever prayed about something and actually left it Gods hands? 

Our main scripture says we can trust God so completely that we can lay down and sleep and know that we are safe. The Bible goes even further when Jesus gives us this amazing invitation.  “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”   [Matthew 11:28]  This scripture is not talking about sleep that Jesus gives you; he wants to set your mind on receiving peace and to assure you that you don’t have to be anxious because he will carry your anxiety when you trust in him.

As I studied that this week, I realized how short I was of totally trusting God.  It showed my lack of faith in my God and I felt my failure all through me.  This doesn’t mean I should quit praying or believing God for my needs.  It means I need a closer walk with him; one that tells me he has a hold on me and will not let go; even when I don’t trust him.  It means I need to practice letting go and letting God!

So, where does sleep enter into the picture?  This means I need to build up my faith.  I know that sometimes when I can’t sleep at night and I run things over and over in my mind, that I’m not trusting Him.  Psalm 127:2 tells us that, “He gives his beloved sleep”.  We are his Beloved! What an amazing thing that is.  Remember this, Gods ‘Beloved’ are those who give their lives to him and trust him in everything, even our worries and troubles.

Have you ever thought you wanted to run from all of it, like Psalm 55:6, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” That is not how faith works; it means that you need to give God all the faith you have and trust in him with all of your heart, soul, strength and mind.

The Message of the Wise Men

The Message of the Wise Men

"Where is he who has been born 'King of the Jews?For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."

Matthew 2:2

Almost everyone knows the story of the star shining over the stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born.  While it’s a wonderful story regarding the birth of our Savior, there is more to it than that.  It brings up many questions; where did the star come from; why was it so big and is it even true?  The scriptural truth is that there was no star over Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born.  However, a great star appeared to some Wise Men in the Far East on the night Jesus was born. It signified that the King of the Jews was born. In the New Revised Version and in the New Living Testament Bibles, they read like this.  “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” When was that?  Three months to a year after the birth of Jesus. 

Tradition shows that the wise men came at time of Jesus birth, however this is not true. We know this from ancient studies and charting of the stars.  We also know that these Wise Men had to travel, many months or years by camel, to reach Bethlehem from the Far East.  It’s also interesting to note that Jesus was not in a stable at that time, but in a house with Mary and Joseph as we can read in Matthew 2, verse 11.

Some traditional views say there were three wise men, but no one really knows how many there were; only that three gifts were mentioned.  We also know they followed a Star. Bible scholars as well as scientists have studied this phenomenon for uncountable years and all have different opinions and possibilities.  However, if you believe the Bible to truly be the Word of God, there is no doubt in my mind that it happened the way the Bible says it did. 

One source, the Bible itself, may hold a clue.  In Numbers 24:17 (NLT) is a prophecy that God told Balaam speak:  “I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel.”  This scripture tells us some interesting facts; far in the future from Balaam’s time, something was going to occur and a “Star” was going to appear and it would come from the line of Jacob.

In Matthew beginning in chapter one, it tells the genealogy of Jesus Christ and part of that is Jacob, grandson of Abraham.  Fourteen generations later, Jesus is born in Bethlehem. Then, in Numbers 24, it speaks of a scepter, which the dictionary describes as a symbolic staff or wand held in the hand by a ruling king as an item of power and a sense of divinity.  This scepter will come out of Israel.  Written centuries before Jesus was born, totally covered what happened that night in Bethlehem. 

At the time of Jesus birth, there was no mention of the shepherds seeing a star; only about the angel of the Lord and then a multitude of angels all praising God. Apparently, the star did not appear until we read about the Wise Men in Matthew 2, beginning with verse one. These men came from the East which was far away from Bethlehem.  They studied the stars and discovered one star that stood out from the others. This star, which they called “His Star”, proclaimed a King was born in Bethlehem of Judea.  They left their country and the star appeared to go before them.

They stopped at King Herod’s palace and asked him if he knew of a new king that was born.  Herod was evil and told them to continue their search and come back to him so he could go and worship him.  Herod really wanted to kill the new born King, but God warned the wise men in a dream to go back to their country another way. When the Wise Men didn’t return after a length of time, King Herod sent his soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all the babies under two years old.  This is another clue that by the time Herod heard about it, Jesus may have been 1 to 2 years old.

When the Wise Men left Herod, they continued their search and the star went before them until it came to Bethlehem and stopped over the place where Jesus was. The Bible says they came to the house where Jesus was and fell down and worshiped Him.   Their search was ended; it had been a long journey, but they had searched until they found the Child.

This is the Message of the Wise Men, “Search for Him until you find Him!”  Then worship Him!  Friends, we all need a Savior; this whole world needs a Savior.  If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, search for Him.  He is not hiding, but is waiting for you at this moment.  Call to Him and he will come to you.  It is your heart that needs to search for him and not your feet.  When you find him, He will be with you forever and ever.

We don’t know what this year will bring, but we know it will be different because of a different government.  What can we expect?  Only God knows and if we believe the Word of God you will know that God is just as much in charge as he always is and will be until the end of time.  I also know that God’s hand is still on our country or we would be living like the people of third world countries. 

Won’t you join me in prayer that this coming year be one of peace, love, contentment and the joy of knowing the Lord of Eternal hope will abide with us.  Amen!