"in Times Of Turmoil"

Cory Lemke and his wife Janice served as missionaries in Ukraine before Cory became Pastor at Shasta Way Christian Church in Klamath Falls. He wrote, “This week I talked with my friend Nicholai in Crimea. Nicholai and Nadia have five grown children and three of their children live in Ukraine with families of their own. Nicholai and Nadia also have other family members living in Ukraine.

As you can imagine this has been a very difficult week and who knows when it will end.

Nicholai said he isn't getting much sleep, getting up often in the night to pray on his knees. He is praying for peace and for protection of loved ones, but he is also praying for people to turn to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

On Sunday February 27th (a day of heavy bombing) churches in Ukraine were packed to overflowing, but none of them were hit. People are seeking answers, seeking perspectives on what is happening and the church is responding by meeting physical needs as well as spiritual needs of the people in Ukraine.

Even in Crimea, under Russian control for the last eight years, churches were full. Nicholai is a pastor, and as he talked about how he is trying to help his congregation, he brought up several points that are worth our examination.” End quote.

I want to hitch-hike on some of Nicholai’s thoughts and to add some my own.

What do you do in times of turmoil? Panic? Pray? React? Respond? Let’s read Jesus’ input: “And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who Thank you endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:4-14 (NASB).

How should the Christian respond to these crises? How should we not react?

I. DON’T BE MISLED:

A. Jesus said, "See to it that no one misleads you.” He was, contextually referring to those who would mislead us religiously. But the point is, “Don’t be a dupe; don’t let anyone lead you off the path of faith, trust, hope and love in Jesus.”

B. There are, and always have been, panic promoters.

1. Recall Israel leaving Egypt with Pharaoh in hot pursuit. They are between the devil and the deep Red Sea. “As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD. Then they said to Moses, ‘Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, “Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?” For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.’" Exodus 14:10-12 (NASB)

2. There are the “End of the world, Tuesday, March 15 at noon” panic starters. Some have been gulled and gave away everything they owned, put on white robes, climbed a hill and sang Kum Byah.

3. Remember Y2K? Some of you are too young. It was believed that when the year 2000 came around, everything would come apart. Computers would crash; automobiles would refuse to operate. Anything and everything that had any kind of computerized component was to be dead meat.

4. Some thought it would be the end of the world.

a. I won’t try to explain that – just Google it.

b. I had a guy, panic in his face, shove a book in my face and say, “If the end is coming, we must get people to read this book.” I responded, holding out my Bible, “If the end is coming we must get people to read this book.” He left in a huff.