Sun Evening Message 4-25-04
GOD IS IN TROUBLE
Psa. 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
Illust. Little Boy’s Prayer........God please take care of yourself because if anything happens to you we’re in a world of trouble !
I want you to know tonight that God is in trouble ! Meaning that whenever we are in trouble...he is with us. He is as the Psalmist says...."a very present help in trouble"
I. God Is In Trouble To Be Our Shelter ! V. 1
God is our refuge......
Psa 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him : God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Psa 91:1-2 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him I trust.
Psa. 62:7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Song: Rock of Ages written by Augustus Toplady, a great preacher who was afflicted with sickness most of his life. He died at the age of 38, and his final words were........ My heart beats every day stronger and stronger for glory. Sickness is no affliction, pain no cause, death itself no dissolution... My prayers are now all converted into praise.
When we are in trouble, the Lord is in there with us, and we can find the shelter from the storms of life !
Catherine Booth-"The waters are rising, but so am I. I am not going under, but over." There may be times when the storms come, and the flood waters rise, and we’re standing on our tippy toes straining to keep our head under water...but God will be there, and will lift us up above the waters ! He is our shelter !
a. he is our shelter in the storm of stress.
"No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow’s burden is added to the burden of today"
Someone has said..."Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday."
Let us hear, and heed the words of Jesus.
Matt 6:25-33
b. he is our shelter in the storm of sorrow.
It is often in the midst of sorrow that we sense God’s presence greatest. I have witnessed scores of people who had untold sorrows, but found God’s grace sufficient ! In the times of sorrow, he will come. He will be our refuge.
c. he is our shelter in the storm of solitude.
You remember the old song: "No Never Alone" Oh....how true it is !
1. I’ve seen the lightning flashing and heard the thunder roll;
I’ve felt sin’s breakers dashing, trying to conquer my soul;I’ve heard the voice of my Savior telling me still to fight on;
He promised never to leave me, Never to leave me alone.
Refrain:
No, never alone! No, never alone!
He promised never to leave me, Never to leave me alone!
No never alone! No, never alone!
He promised never to leave me, Never to leave me alone.
2. The world’s fierce winds are blowing temptations sharp and keen;
I feel a peace in knowing my Savior stands between;
He stands to shield me from danger when earthly friends are gone;
He promised never to leave me, Never to leave me alone.
3. When in affliction’s valley I’m treading the road of care,
My Savior helps me to carry my cross when heavy to bear,
My feet, entangled with briars ready to cast me down,
My Savior whispers His promise, "I never will leave thee alone."
II. God Is In Trouble To Be Our Strength.
a. by his strength he will guide us.
Exo 15:13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strengh unto thy holy habitation.
b. by his strength he will gird us.
Psa 18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Psa 18:39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
The word "gird" means to bind in such a way that it will not come apart. Sometimes we may feel that we’re coming apart, but God is in strength will bind us together so that we do not fall apart !
c. by his strength he will galvanize us.
Psa 138:3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
III. God Is In Trouble To Be Our Solace.
What A Friend We Have In Jesus was written by Joseph Scriven. He lost his fiancee in a accidental drowning at the age of 25 on the night prior to their wedding. Later on he wrote "What A Friend" as a poem and sent it to his ailing mother !
Illust.
George McCauslin was a director of the YMCA. Some years ago, he was serving at a YMCA that was losing members, it had financial difficulties and terrible staff problems. George found himself working 85 hours a week. He was getting little sleep at night, and he took little time off. When he was off, he was worrying and fretting about the problems of this YMCA.
A counsellor told George that he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He had to learn somehow to let go and somehow to let God into his problems. He didn’t know quite how to do that.
So George took an afternoon off, took a pad and paper, and took a walk in the woods. As he walked through the cool woods, he could just feel his tight body and his tight neck start to relax. He sat down under a tree and sighed. For the first time in months he relaxed.
He got out his pad and paper, and he decided that he would let them go, the burdens of his life. He wrote God a letter. He said, "Dear God, today I hereby resign as general manager of the universe. Love, George."
He then said, smiling, "And wonder of wonders, God accepted my resignation."
God wants to be our solace. He wants to aid us, and comfort us....but often times he can’t help because we refuse to let him take care of it. Perhaps, tonight we too need to resign from being the general manager of our lives
a. The Spirit Is Our Solace.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
b. The Scriptures Are Our Solace.
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
I attended the funeral of Ruth Younce this week. She was the grandmother of Nancy. The pastor spoke of her love for the word of God, and how she had a Bible by her bedside, one on the kitchen table, and one in the den on a table. She would read it first thing in the morning. She would read it at the table as she was eating, and she would read it during the day while in her den. And then the last thing that she did before retiring at night was read the word. The word of God was definitely a comfort to her heart, and will be to ours if we read it, and apply it to our lives !
c. The Saints Are Our Solace.
1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
A despairing man confessed to his pastor, "My life is really in bad shape." "How bad?" the pastor inquired. Burying his head in his hands, he moaned, "I’ll tell you how bad--all I’ve got left is God." The pastor’s face lit up. "I’m happy to assure you that a person with nothing left but God has more than enough for great victory!"
When God is all you’ve got, you’ve got more than enough.
God is your stronghold,
and with Him as your guide,
you need never be afraid.
No circumstances can block His love.
No grief is too hard for Him to bear. No task is too difficult
for Him to complete.
When what you are feeling
is simply too deep for words
and nothing anyone does or says
can provide you with the relief you need,
God understands.
He is your provider --
today, tomorrow, and always. And He loves you.
Cast all of your cares on Him...
and believe.
-- Linda E. Knight
Are you in trouble tonight or is your heart troubled ? Remember that God is in trouble with you !
He will give you shelter. He will be your strength. He will be your solace !
Praise the Lord........he’s in trouble !
