Today, in the midst of tragedy, the world is looking to those who have been called by God to be salt and light to the world.
(Mat 5:14-16) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (15) Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
The world is looking to those who have hope, and they are expecting an answer.
I have been overwhelmed by how religious we can get in a state of national crisis. Our schools my not post the 10 commandments, but our money says, “In God we trust.” We may not pray in public school, but our President can call for a national day of prayer.
We may not hold adult led Bible Studies in our schools, but our town hall may post, “God Bless America” on its sign.
It is high time America turned it’s course and turned back to God! The promise to Solomon is just as true today as it was when it was written:
(2 Chr 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. How are we as believers to react?
I. CONFIDENTLY -
A. GOD DOES NOT CHANGE
(Mal 3:6) For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
1. Israel was disobedient. She would not see the fulfillment of all God’s promise to her in that day because of her disobedient, but one day they would come true. Because, God keeps his promises.
B. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE
1. We may ask where is God in all of this? Right in the midst?
2. We may ask how could he let this happen? It is brought about as a consequence of sin all the way back to Adam!
(Rom 5:12) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
3. Isaiah prophesied for 60 yrs. during the reign of 4 kings.
a. It was a time of great crisis, chaos, moral decadence
b. Time when God’s people were turning their backs on him!
4. During the time of Isaiah’s prophecy,
a. Northern Kingdom-Israel-captive by invaders b. Southern Kingdom - Judah - attacked by Assyria
c. Unstable times, difficult times!
5. We live in Unstable, uncertain, fierce days
6. Israel and the middle east has been in the news for as long as I can rememeber - we do not need to fear, God is still on the throne.
C. Perilous - 2 Timothy 3:1 - last days, difficult, i.e.dangerous, furious:--fierce, perilous.
D. We are living in those days
E. It may cause us to wonder what is going on.
NO MATTER HOW DARK THE DAY MAY SEEM - GOD IS STILL ON
THE THRONE.
I. We can gain Confidence in the presence of God
King Uzziah had died
- Reigned for 52 years.
- Subdued most of the enemies of Judah and brought a time of peace.
- Turned Jerusalem into a fortified city, equipped with arms for defense
and gave the people a great sense of confidence and security.
- He was an incarnation of power, ability, and greatness.
- His kingship was of high order, with only one recorded blot upon it.
- as long as Uzziah was around, he preserved the entire nation from
coming apart at the seems.
- Then the great one died and the throne was empty.
I have no doubt that this week the very foundations our mortality, vitality, security have been broken.
God is very much alive - God is still on the throne!
- God gave the discouraged prophet a transforming vision: Judah’s throne may have been empty but God’s throne was gloriously occupied.
There was confidence in knowing God was still on the throne!
A. Confidence in His name - (6:1)
1. Adonay (v. 1) “Lord” - expresses great reverence
a. Sovereign, Lord, master, controller, owner
2. Jehovah (v.3+5) “LORD” -
a. Self existent or eternal one
B. Confidence in His Activeness -
1. The throne is a place of action and ruling,
2. The throne is not just of rest and relaxation and retreat.
C. Confidence in His Majesty - (6:1)
“High and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
D. Confidence in His Holiness -
1. Only one of his attributes stated in triplicate.
a. You do not find God is love (3x) truth
(3x) righteous (3x).
2. Holy is he who has created us and called us to worship Him in the beauty of his holiness. Holy is he who has redeemed us, and washed away our sins, and made us by profession holy. Holy is he who has called us to a place of service before him.
3. (Exo 15:11 KJV) Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee,glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
4. His attendants -Seraphim - charged with the responsibility of guarding his holiness.
a. 2 wings to fly with - perhaps to carry out speedy orders from the Lord.
b. 2 wings to cover the feet (1) Perhaps a sign of humility, lowly service(2) Perhaps a sign of the holiness of the presence of God-Remember Moses - Take off thy shoes, for the ground is holy ground.
c. 2 Wings to cover their face (1) Easier to understand these (2) They hover around the throne of God (3) They were exposed to his glory
II. EXPECTANTLY - GOD HAS TOLD US THE FUTURE
(Acts 1:11) Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
A. The end of the world did not begin last Tuesday. It was a continuation of what began after the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
(2 Tim 1:7-9) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
B. The Bible Tells us what will come in the end, If you know and love Jesus Christ as your savior, you will not be here.
C. If you know and love Jesus Christ as your savior, you need not wring your hands, you must open your Bibles EXPECTANTLY!
D. Believers will not be here on earth during the time of the tribulation.
(1 Th 5:9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to 0btain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
(1 Th 1:10) ... wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Time of tribulation is referred to the wrath to come.
E. Jesus tells the church at Philadelphia, they will not go through the tribulaton.
(Rev 3:10) Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
F. 2 Thess 2 Sets up an important Chronologicalsequence
READ 2 Thess 2:1-9
1. Paul says that the Day of the Lord (tribulation) can not begin until certain things happen. (V3)
2. One, is that the man of sin must be revealed first (v.3)
3. But the man of sin can not be revealed until something (v. 6) and someone (v 7)are taken out of the way.
(2 Th 2:7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work:only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
4. Letteth, and let, idea of restraint. He who could let will let.
5. Whoever or whatever that restrainer is, he must be stronger than satan, since this man of sin mentioned here is empowered by Satan.
6. I believe, upon the Word of God that the restrianer, is God, The father, son and holy spirit - and his prime instrument of restraint is the God indwelt church.
7. The scriptures refer to all 3 members of the trinity indewelling believers.
(Eph 4:6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
(Gal 2:20) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
(1 Cor 6:19) What? know ye not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
8. Because the only thing powerful enough to withhold, or restrain the forces of Satan is God, and God indwells believers, before the man of sin is revealed, the Church, the body of believers indwelt by God, must be removed from the earth.
9. So that the man of sin may be revealed
10. According to Daniel 9:27, this man of sin, this Antichrist, will sign a
peace treaty with Israel at the beginning of the Tribulation and break that treaty at the midpoint.
GOOD NEWS! WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE HERE DURING THIS TIME.
1 Thess 4:13-18 READ
BELIEVERS FACE TRAGEDY
CONFIDENTLY KNOWING GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE
EXPECTANTLY KNOWING JESUS IS COMING AGAIN
III. PRAYERFULLY - GOD HAS CALLED US TO PRAY
A. What do you pray in times like these?
B. SIMPLE, pray what God told us to pray!
READ 1 Timothy 2:1-8
C. V 2 - First of all = priority one
D. V 2 - “For all men” = all 6 billion people on the earth
1. That means for all of us in the United States of America
a. Families who have lost loved ones.
b. Rescue workers who will never be the same
c. Children that are watching as this real life drama is played out.
d. Children of God who have the privilege of being salt and light in this dark world.
e. Sinners on the broad way to hell in need of a savior.
f. Missionaries who carry the message far and wide.
g. Peoples in other countries
h. Those terrorist in Afganistan or wherever they may currently be.
2. V. 2 - “For Kings and all that are in Authority”
a. President Bush to be spirit led in the response of our nation and in the days ahead
b. All the presidents and kings around the world as they watch, ally, support, harbor, give up.
(1) Pray for their salvation
(2) For wisdom as they try to lead us in these unbelievable times.
(3) NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TOMORROW HOLDS BUT WE KNOW WHO HOLDS TOMORROW.
3. V. 4 - “Who would have all men to be saved, and come into the knowledge of truth”
a. Not God’s decree, but God’s desire
(2 Pet 3:9-13) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Saved = rescued from the pit of hell
Rom 3:23 - For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.
Rom 3:10 - For there is none righteous, no not one
Rom 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death
Rom 5:8 - But God commendeth his love toward us.
He who knew no sin became sin for us.
John 3:17 - God sent not his son into the world to condemn.
Rom 10:9+10 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth
(John 3:18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God.
If you are he without Jesus Christ Today, you can not
respond to this tragedy CONFIDENTLY, EXPECTANTLY,
but you can respond prayerfully, calling out to God admitting your sin before him, believing on him alone for forgiveness of sin and salvation of your soul, and calling out to him to be your Savior.
b. Who would have "all men" to be saved -
(1) Pray for the salvation of our land
(2) Pray for the salvation of our leaders
(3) Pray for the salvation of some who lost loved ones
(4) Pray for the salvation of the terrorists
(Mat 6:10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
4. Why pray these things? V 2 "That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" Did you catch that? The whole world is not living a quiet and peaceable life today?
WHY? FACE IT. We have not been consistently and persistently praying DAILY "for kings and all in authority" in the past!
