911: When Buildings Fall & Waters Rise
Matthew 14:22-33
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We all know where we were and what we were doing 4 years ago today. We remember how we felt because to some degree we have felt that way ever since, and events like Katrina and anniversaries such as this one remind us of the soon return of Christ in the skies and the coming judgment for this earth. Last week we looked at the “why.” This week we need to look at the “what.” What should we do when these cataclysmic events strike?
I. HAVE FAITH - NOT FEAR Vs. 26. “...and they cried out for fear.”
Vs. 27, “...Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”
Vs. 30, “...But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid;”.
Vs. 31, “...O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
I am not suggesting that we should not express normal emotions of concern and uncertainty. I am saying that fear is not the spiritual response.
2 Tim. 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Fear will not comfort anyone. Fear will only bring more anxiety and distress.
As we have observed the horror that is present on gulf coast resident’s faces over the last 2 weeks, we each have related with them, whether we’re related or not! And we Christians should not be naïve to overlook the fact that the worst is yet to come for this planet.
Yet, we must not let fear reign during times of crisis. There are no answers in fear. Only faith will have the answer for us.
Jesus said in Mark 11:22 , “Have faith in God.”
Just Dial 911—
Genesis 9:11
And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
Do you believe God’s promise? Tsunamis and hurricanes are localized. The rainbow is God giving us His word on this…do we believe Him and trust Him?
Then the first 9 vv. of chapter 11 is the Tower of Babel…sinful man continuing to do his thing. But God’s promise has held true and will to the very end…God’s final judgment will be different…not water, but fire next time! And praise God, we Christians won’t be here for that!
So, Have Faith and not Fear.
II. PRAY - DON’T PANIC
When panic takes over prayer ceases. We must continue to pray for those who are homeless or missing loved ones. We should pray today for all ravaged by terrorism 4 years ago, and for the ongoing worldwide war against it!
Just Dial 911—
Neh. 9:11
And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.
The natural man panics…but the supernatural man prays!
Job 9:11
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
Job didn’t see God in some low times, but he knew He was there, and he prayed until he got his answer!
Psalm 91:1
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
It’s hard to see in the shadows, and it can be scary there, until we realized Whose shadow that is!
1 Cor. 9:11
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
Things are just things, and they pass away, but the devil cannot touch our spiritual things…our salvation is secure as we are in God’s hand. Job said “naked came I out of my mother’s women and naked shall I return.” “the Lord gave and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord!” In eternity material values don’t matter. “only 1 life, twill soon be passed…only what’s done for Christ will last!”
2 Cor. 9:11
Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
Truly, if we have Christ we have it all…we’re rich, we’re blessed, and we should be thankful in all circumstances for this!
III. BELIEVE GOD - DON’T BLAME HIM
This is not God’s fault, though we call it an “act of God.”
Some will blame Him. Some will turn against Him.
Some will suggest that God is punishing certain individuals.
It’s part of our nature to make ourselves feel better by assigning blame.
Some will seek to blame the President, the government, FEMA, CIA, etc. There is a place for this but it shouldn’t be a political tool…this is about saving lives!
So Dial 911—
Eccles. 9:11
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
It’s a sin-cursed world, and we are the sinners who cursed it, and bad things happen.
Daniel 9:11
Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
Deut. 9:11
And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.
We shouldn’t blame God, but believe on Him. God is not responsible for our circumstances…He wants to save us from them, and He will, if only we believe, like the blind man…
John 9:11
He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
We don’t know all the reasons why. We do know that God is in charge, and He controls all. Thus, we must believe and not blame.
IV. RESPOND - DON’T RUN
We must take this as a lesson and a call from God to do that which must be done.
Dial 911—
Matthew 9:11
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
Jesus went where the opportunities were, to those who recognized their need of Him. And this is the time for believers to reach out as well!
Luke 9:11
And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
Psalm 9:11
Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
V. BE ASSURED - NOT ANGRY
Be assured that God always does the right thing.
Be assured that God never makes mistakes.
Our Anger must be directed toward sin.
Righteous anger must be directed toward the Prince of sin.
We must unite against the act of terrorism, not the terrorist.
God loves the sinner. But he hates their sin.
God gave His Son for the sinner.
Anger will only enhance confusion and misunderstanding. So we need to focus upward in assurance, not outward in anger.
Peter got into trouble when he looked at the storm, but when he looked at his Lord he rose above the storm. We have a problem in that we always want to “feel” good. We need to rest in the “fact” that all is well even when we don’t feel it. Bad things happen, but God is good!
Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, and was handicapped…he was lame. He had special needs, and our hearts go out to ones like that. But the king took him in as his own and he lived and was blessed there.
2 Samuel 9:11
As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons.
I don’t mind living “hand to mouth” as long as it’s God’s hand and my mouth! He who puts food on the table will put gas in the tank. If He can be trusted with our souls He can be trusted with our feet and everything that stands above them!
Dial 911—
Proverbs 9:11
For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
We can be assured the goodness of God in all things if we have the assurance of salvation…
Hebrews 9:11
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
God’s anger is sometimes poured out on wickedness, but He knows His own, and when He sees that blood he passes over us.
Exodus 9:11
And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.
And the wicked have their reward…
Rev. 9:11
And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
What will we do in time of crisis?
We must have faith, not fear.
We must pray, not panic.
We should believe and not blame.
Don’t run from problems…respond to those in need.
And depart in peace with assurance…
Philip. 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
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