God, What I really need is....
Security in these times of trouble
Psalms 37:1-10 read
We have been doing a series on... God, what I really need is...
last week...we looked at what we really need is God.
The second part of that sermon was that what we really need is Spiritual Growth.
Today we will look at what we need God is.... Security in these troubled times.
I want to talk to you about security.
What will it take for you to worry less and trust God more.
It is Memorial day, a day we honor all the men and women who have fought to keep us safe. Who decided a long time ago, it is better to fight the battle on someone’s else’s front than our own shores.
On September 11th, 2001, the battle did come to our front, by an unseen and unidentifiable enemy. WW1, WWII, Korean, Vietnam,, all these wars were against identifiable people and countries.
Today we fight “Terrorism”. A group of people from all over the world who are tying to unite in the common cause of scaring and destroying us.
Quote:
Former President Bush, surrounded by his security counsel said it best:
“We are facing a different enemy than we have ever faced”.
This enemy does not even fight fair. No declared war, just going around the world and killing innocent people.
We were in shock and awe. This is the United States, this does not happen here. This does not happen to me. This should happen to someone else. Some other family.
Questions to answer:
How do we react to living in an unsafe world?
What is our response as a Christian?
Where does our security really come from?
Are we more than survivors, more than the fittest of the fit?
The short and quickest answer:
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 124)
The God who says that He will never leave us nor forsake us.
We have been studying in Jeremiah on Wed. Night. This week we saw that Jeremiah was discouraged that unbelievers were appearing to be blessed, appearing to have things going their way while he struggled. His pay back from being a follower was people seeking to destroy him and harm him.
The text this morning tells us to not fret evil people.
They will soon die off.
He tells us to trust God and keep doing what he knows to do.
He tells us to commit our lives to Him.
He tells us to be still and wait patiently.
He tells us to refrain from anger.
Whew Don’t you feel bette
Your not angry anymore.
Your not scared from what you see in the world.
Your not worrying about anything.
Yea right
On September 11th- ninth month, 11th day, God sent us a 911.
It’s amazing how many people dialed up to God and wanted to call a long forgotten friend.
In an emergency call 911. God it is me, I need your help.
Here’s the first truth.
I. Our security is in God
If you are trying to build your own bunker, buy enough food, have enough guns, it won’t give you the security that your heart longs for.
The prosperity of the wicked appears to be a blessing.
They appear to be experiencing the good life.
The key word is appears.
The Lord showed Jeremiah:
Many shepherds are ruining my vineyard.
I am always on their lips, but far from their hearts.
They will sow, but reap thorns.
They will tire themselves out, but gain nothing.
To build self gained security, self gained prosperity without God is a failure waiting to happen.
To most people security is safety, protection, shield of defense, salvation(heaven), shelter, refuge, without God that is a impossible task.
Wanting to treat God almighty like a security blanket.
When I go to sleep God, please be with me.
When I venture out into the unknown, please keep me safe.
(Like Nemo swimming away from the reef. (FINDING NEMO)
Pretty soon we get brave and we don’t think we need that security blanket, and it gets thrown in the corner.
llustration:
Linus from the Peanuts cartoon, “only one yard of flannel stands between me and a nervous breakdown”
Our security is in our relationship with God.
He is our God, we are His people. He promises to be with us,
He does not promise no problems. In fact, to believers he does say there will be persecution for our faith and who we put our trust in.
The United States is a self proclaimed superpower. Meaning that we are one of the countries with the biggest stick. We choose if we will be evil or good with that. I can think of many other countries if they had our capabilities that would not be a peacemaker, they would be a nightmare to the world.
II. Our security is in the strength of our faith
Hold on before your mind wanders where it shouldn’t. Let me explain.
God doesn’t tell us we won’t have troubles.
He assures us of two things.
(1) Being a believer there will be persecution and ridicule for your faith.
(2) He promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Security does not come from absence of trouble, it comes from your faith in the promises of God.
Jesus said:
I have told you these things so that you may have peace (security). In this world, you will have troubles. But take heart, I have overcome the world. John 16:37.
We don’t have courage to endure because we are strong.
We make it because we serve a God who is all powerful, will keep his promises, keeps a watchful eye over his children.
Illustration-
Remember when you had a little child’s hand who is learning to walk. They go walking and all of a sudden they go flying, they stumble. They would of wiped out but you had their hand. They stumbled, but it did not take them down...because a hand and person much stronger than them held them up. They keep going, because they have faith in the one holding their hand.
Our confidence isn’t shaken when we go through trials. Because our faith is smart enough to know that our security is in the hand we are holding.
I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is my right hand, I will not be shaken
I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from. My help comes from the Lord.
The God who made the heavens and the earth has a hold of my hand.
I will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day”(91:5).
The opposite of security is worry.
I can live worry free because my security does not come from lack of troubles, but because I am confident of the hand that I am holding through it.
You know what one of the saddest things I have heard is Christians remarking “I hope that I make it”. If you put your trust in Jesus Christ and have an active relationship with Him- there is nothing that can take you out of Jesus hand. That’s a promise
No matter how many times you are stumbling, if you will not let go of His hand. He will keep you on your feet.
If you have true Christian faith, you will not always have to search for evidence, you will already possess it. The Spirit of God inside of you.
Everyday will not be sunny. S-U-N-N-Y.
But everyday will have the Son. S-O-N.
Illustration-
The brick walls are not always to keep you out, sometimes they are there so that we have a chance to show and to learn how badly do we want something.
Illustration-
When God takes you to the edge of a cliff. One of two things should happen. He will catch you when you fall, or he will teach you to fly.
That’s worry free living That’s security
God will catch me if I fall.
God will teach me to fly from this circumstance.
I have faith in His promises for that to happen.
We are celebrating Memorial day, but we are also celebrating Pentecost this month. The birthday of the church. On the day of Pentecost, there was a transformation of a rag tag group of Jesus disciples into a bold and powerful followers of God.
Hold that hand firmly. God won’t abandon us.
We are given new identity, not based on what is happening in the world, but on the fact that we are men/women of God who had been brought back to life by God almighty.
As we see dark things going on in this world, we become the light that shines.
We are the ones commissioned to go set this world on fire for God.
Security isn’t safety- it is who we are in Jesus
III. Our security is the fact that God looks at eternity.
This is not all there is.
Sure some unbelievers looked blessed, appear to have it all.
This is the best that they will have. We are promised eternity of blessings.
There are not guarantees in this life that we will be safe.
We are promised that we are loved and that is our security and blessed hope.
Life is good because God is good. God is our refuge and strength.
Closing:
What are you putting your faith in?
Are we living in perilous times? Yes.
Is our faith tested and strained? Yes.
Can we make it? Yes
We cannot be looking for a security blanket, we need to be building our relationship with God, who is our security.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me
A prayer without Jesus is like a letter without postage.
Altar call
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