Title: I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
Text: Psalms 46:1&2
Intro: Many questions are being asked this week.
- What will happen to the world’s economy?
- Is this the beginning of the end?
- Is this WWIII?
- What about germ, gas, and nuclear war?
- Was this God’s judgment on this nation?
- Why did God allow this to happen?
When Rev. Billy Graham addressed the world he answered theses questions by saying “I don’t know, but I accept by faith that God is a God of love, mercy and compassion, even in times of suffering and darkness.”
Today we can stand and say with all assurance that:
- No matter what calamities may take place
- No matter what befalls this nation
- God has not abdicated His throne.
- He is in control
- He will bring about his perfect will upon
· This nation
· This people
· This His church.
May we look upon this as not necessarily Gods judgment upon this nation but that what Satan has meant for evil God will take and use for His Glory, as He sends out a three fold call for us to return to Him.
I. A Call To Remembrance
1. God is still God
a. He has not changed his name to:
- I Was
- I used To Be
- He is still “I AM”
· He is still alive
· He is still Blessing
· He is still Freeing
· He is still redeeming
· He is still God of Heaven and Earth
b. He has not lost one ounce of His power or strength
Deuteronomy 4:39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
- The power displayed at creation is still available at His disposal
- The power displayed at the Red Sea is still available
- The power displayed by the Old Testament Prophets is still available
- The power displayed at Lazzarus Tomb is still available
- The power displayed at the upper room is still available
- The power displayed in the prison cell of Paul & Silas is still available
2. The people of this nation need God
a. This country was formed on the principles of God Almighty.
b. That God is the source of our strength
· Not our military might
· Not any coalitions or foreign policies
· It is God that has blessed this nation
c. God is our refuge and our strength
3. That it is God’s blessings on this nation that has made her the greatest country on this earth.
a. He has blessed her with protection for more than 200 years
b. He has blessed her with prosperity
c. He has blessed her with power
d. He has made this nation the desire of the whole world
- Not our Education system
- Not our own ingenuity
- Not our economy
- Not our military
- His blessings alone
Psalms 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
Psalms 118:9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
4. That God has taken care of this nation in the past.
- Revolutionary war
- War of 1812
- Civil War
- Depression
- WWI
- WWII
- Korea
- Vietnam
- Gulf war
- Assassinations of leaders
- Cold War
- Natural Disasters
Hebrews 13:5: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
· He has always been there for us.
II. A Call To Repentance
1. As a nation we are being called to repentance
· Let us not forget that as a nation we have:
a. Trampled on the statutes of God
b. Shaken our fist in the face of God
c. Thrown Him from our governmental institutes
d. Driven Him from our public schools
e. Declared Him irrelevant to our modern lives
· It is time to put away our sins
f. We have murdered babies and called it choice
g. Defiled our bodies formed in His image with the perversion of homosexuality and called it an Alternative Lifestyle
h. We have filled our nation with every form of fleshly sin we could think of:
- Adultery
- Pornography
- Drug Abuse
- Drunkenness
- Greed
- Hatred
- Abuse
· America it is time to heed the call of repentance
2. As the Church of Jesus Christ we are being called to repentance
1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God:
a. For to long the church has tried to make it’s self appealing to the world.
b. It has compromised the holiness of God until it is no longer recognizable as the Bride of Christ
c. It has fulfilled the prophecy of II Tim. 3:5 having a form of godliness but no power.
- No power over sin
- No power over Satan
- No Power to win the lost
d. The church has become more concerned with activities of entertainment rather that activities of anointing.
- We have become to busy to grow in God
Ø To pray
Ø To witness
Ø To Worship
Ø To read His Word
- This world needs to see a church that can pray
- This world needs to see a church that still believes in a God that does miracles
- This world needs to see a church that can touch heaven with its worship and it intercession
e. For to long the church has been satisfied being a spiritual thermometer rather than a spiritual thermostat.
- A thermometer measures temperature
- A thermostat sets the temperature
· Church it is time that we heed the call for repentance
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
III. A Call To Renewal
1. The President has told us that we should go back to business as usual.
- Go to the market
- Go to the mall
- Go to work
- Do not allow your life to be altered
2. But God is calling for change in our lives
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
a. That we would put Him first in our lives
b. That we would seek Him daily
c. That we would trust Him more than our own abilities
d. That we would put away foolishness in our lives that hinders growth, anything that does not please God.
- Corrupt speech Eph. 4:29
- Foolish jesting Eph 5:4
- Besetting sins Gal. 5:7
e. Get back to the business of God
- MINISTERING TO THE HURTING
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
- SPREADING HIS WORD
Ø There is hope in God
Ø There is peace in God
Ø There is rest in God
Ø There is assurance in God
Ø There is strength in God
Ø There is love in God
Ø There is forgiveness in God
Ø There is salvation
- REACHING THE LOST
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
- PRAYING FOR POWER
Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
3. God is saying to us today not to return to business as usual but to renew our spirits in Him.
Conclusion: What about tomorrow? I don’t know. The people that boarded those planes thought that it was just another day. I hope that they were all ready to meet their creator. But most likely there were those that found themselves in an eternal hell. The world is a very uncertain place today, all the more reason that we should be sure of our salvation in Christ.
God is giving us a wake up call today. I am not worried about tomorrow because I know who holds tomorrow in his hand.
If you are not sure about your salvation, don’t pass this opportunity by, give your life to Christ today.
2 Corinthians 6:2: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation)
Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
