We have previously taught on five ways that God uses problems:
• To DIRECT you
• To INSPECT you
• To CORRECT you
• To PROTECT you
• To PERFECT you

So expect problems…just don’t judge others while they are in them…we really stink at it!

Religious people in Jesus’ day often judged Him and His disciples. But look how He answered them in the following scriptures…with wisdom and justice. That is our example…not hatred or demeaning or rejection.

Mt 9: 11-12, "And when the Pharisees saw this they said to His disciples, 'why is your Teacher eating with the tax-gatherers and sinners?' But when He heard this, He said, 'it is not those who are healthy who need a physician but those who are sick.'"

Mt 12:1-8 – "At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grain fields, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, 'Behold, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.' But He said to them, Have you not read what David did, when he became hungry, he and his companions; how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath, and are innocent? But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, "I desire compassion and not a sacrifice", you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.'"

Oswald Chambers said, “The Lord said, ‘Come to Me’, not ‘do this or don’t do that…but come to Me’. If you will simply come to Jesus, your real life will be brought into harmony with your real desires. You will actually cease from sin, and will find the song of the Lord beginning in your life. If you really want to experience ceasing from sin, you must come to Jesus.

You have to let go of everything and deliberately commit it all to Him… ‘and I will give you rest…that is, I will sustain you.’ He is NOT saying, ‘I will put you to bed, hold your hand and sing you to sleep.’ Rather He is saying He will get us out of bed in our half-dead condition to give us majestic vitality and the power of the Son of God within.”

John 15:11 – "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."

It just doesn’t get any better than that.

It’s NOT about a bunch of rules and legalism…it’s for freedom that He set us free. Freedom, not a free for all though!

So, don’t get caught up in evaluating and judging others…leave that to God.

YOU just come to Jesus and let Him take it from there…He’s REALLY good at what He does…and we’re not!

When Paul journeyed to Athens, he observed a city of Greeks who were religious and lost in idolatry. (Acts 17:16-34) "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the creator who is blessed forever." It was "normal" to them. (See Romans 1:25)

In like manner, this godless and idolatrous mentality is upon us in our world today. Children are being born (multitudes out of wedlock and commitment to God) into a family/home environment where dysfunction, chaos, rebellion, and disobedience seem to be the "new normal" – that is all they know.

God's plan for a future of hope, peace, and eternal life through Jesus His Son are being mocked and discarded for temporary pleasures, lusts and selfish ambitions in serving the god of this world. It all seems so "normal." This mentality puts the child first, mother second, father (if in the home at all) third, and then last and least, the living God – the perfect equation for failure and despair.

​THERE IS HOPE, but only on God's terms. Paul made it clear to those in Athens that all everywhere should repent, for God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world THROUGH JESUS His Son, whom He raised from the dead.

God directed His prophet Ezekiel to speak these words o the rebellious house of Israel, "None of My words will be delayed any longer. Whatever word I speak will be performed, declares the Lord God." (Ezekiel 12:28)

God has made it clear that He alone is in control and has sovereign dominion and authority over time and space. His promises will not be delayed nor subverted by scorners who attempt to do so.

We are living in a time when lawlessness abounds, and the love of many is growing colder toward God and one another. "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 endures to the end, he will be saved." (Matthew 24:4-13) The rebellious are deceived enough to think that God's promises "ain't gonna happen."

Peter addressed this maligned attitude. "Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.'"  (2 Peter 3:3,4)

Wake up doubters while there is still time, "For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay." (Habakkuk 2:3)

​Things have certainly changed since I was growing up in the 1950s-60s. The moral decline in this country is quite evident…at least to those who are looking!
 
What causes a nation to decline? Some steps that lead to that decline are:

• The people turn to blatant immorality and forget God
• Ungodly leaders arise
• Apathetic, uncommitted by-standers look on in silence

 
Wow! That certainly describes the last 30 years it seems. But I don’t want us to think that the sky is falling. God has given us instructions on how to live in this world and not do the lesser things of the world. And the more of us who live like that, the more likely we can make America Godly again.
 
If you read 1 Thessalonians 4:3-12, you’ll find eight steps on how to please God and turn a nation around.

1. Vs 1 – abstain from sexual immorality…what a novel idea!
2. Vs 4-5 – know how to possess your own vessel in sanctification and honor…work on yourself, not others
3. Vs 6 – don’t cheat on your fellow man
4. Vs 7-8 – no impurity…strive rather for integrity, truth, sobriety etc.
5. Vs 9-10 – love one another…forgive, forget, move on
6. Vs 11  - lead a quiet life…slow down
7. Vs 11b – not attend to your own business…don’t be a rescuer, learn to say “no”
8. Vs 11c – work with your hands (mow a lawn, cut a shrub, wash a car)…be a worker not a shirker

 
Summary:
 
Serve God — Serve Each Other — SAVE THE NATION!

​Why is the term used, “die to sin”? Well, just like physical diseases, we all were born with a “spiritual disease”, the Adam nature. God did not invent this broken nature. What God gave Adam and Eve was perfect and in alignment in all its ways. But what God did give was free will. You get to choose!

Adam chose all right…chose to listen to the deception from Satan and not the truth from God. God told them not to eat the fruit of a certain tree (the one of knowledge of good and evil) but only to eat of the tree of life. Once convinced by Satan’s deception that God would like it if they ate of the forbidden fruit…the deal went south and we have a broken nature passed on down and not the one God intended.

God never worries though when we fail Him. He had a plan from the start. Jesus came, sacrificed His life as ransom payment to God. You, accepting that new, free gift of salvation in Christ, will now be able to be restored to God. Bingo – God wins again!

But you say it’s too hard to follow what God says. No kidding, Sherlock! Your broken Adam nature will never be able to fully accomplish what has set out for you to do. You need the Jesus nature, the Spirit of God within. Once you ask Jesus to forgive you and actually give Him permission to reside in you, then you must go one step further and ask Him to reign in you.

Jesus is the example…you must do the same:
• He died and rose again…you must die to the broken nature and rise with the new nature of Christ
• He was insulted and belittled for righteousness and obedience…you must bear the same
• He endured unfair accusations…you must do the same
• He forgave those who wronged Him…you must do the same to those who have wronged you
• He sacrificed for others…so must you

You CAN do this because of what God tells us in Ezekiel 11:19: "And I shall give them one heart and put a new spirit within them. And I shall take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh."

He died for you, now you die for Him so you can rise up a new creature.

Read over 2 Peter 1:5-11 for the true formula for success. God is with us.

•  I can’t do this anymore
• This is too much to bear
• Why doesn’t anyone help me
• This is so unfair
• I just can’t go on

I’m sure we’ve all felt like that a few times in our lives. It’s a dark place to be but how wonderful when God sends along an “encourager”. Are YOU an encourager?

Or are you:

• A discourager
• A judge
• Selfish
• Lazy
• Indifferent
• Angry
• Full of revenge

If you depend on people, that’s what you’ll probably get. But if you depend on God, Ephesians 3:20 will fill your empty soul… "God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” Now that’s encouragement.

Listen to the definition of “encourage”…

• To stimulate

• Strengthen
• Spur on
• Assure
• Reassure
• Boost
• Excite
• Galvanize
• Provoke
• Energize
• Fortify
• Invigorate
• Rally
• Stir

Makes you want to run right out there and encourage someone, doesn’t it! But encouraging someone is not problem solving…that’s God’s territory.

If someone is focusing on their problem, then God sometimes seems to fade into the background. The problem starts to loom larger than God.

Encouraging can sometimes bring that focus back on God, or bring some joy into our hearts during times of failure.

God is the encourager in chief, but we are His servants and should do the same to others.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Deuteronomy 3:28
But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.

Judges 20:22
But the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and arrayed for battle again in the place where they had arrayed themselves the first day.

BEST ENCOURAGEMENT OF ALL…

Colossians 2:2
that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

You can do this, we can do this, together in Christ we can overcome any danger, any challenge, any fear…as we encourage one another in Him.

Someone once said that one life wholly devoted to God is of more value than 100 lives simply awakened by His Spirit…so true!

What does God say about our lives? Read all of Colossians…what a book!!
​
• Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving (4:2)
• Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person (4:6)
• To be firmly rooted and established (2:6-7)
• Put off the old (3:5-10)
• Put on the new (3:12-17)

In a nutshell, after reading Colossians, we can see the picture our lives should portray. Hmm-go through and check off what applies to YOU:

I pray it does…let’s make it happen. JUST DO IT!
​

I once heard it said that uncertainty is a given…fear is optional! That is so true. Fear is real, for sure, but God said we have a choice to make. He tells us not to fear, for He is with us (Genesis 26:24)
 
He goes on to tell us a group of “fear nots”:

• 1 Kings 17:8-16
• 2 Kings 6:15-17
• Isaiah 41:10
• Isaiah 43:1-2
• Matthew 10:31-32
• Revelation 1:17-18
• Psalm 3:6
• Psalm 27:3
• Psalm 91:5-6, 10

 
Over and over again (and that is just a few verses listed), God is telling us not to fear. He supplies us in times of want; He is protection in times of peril; He is strength in our weakness; He is companionship in trial; He has overshadowing care for us, and gives us life beyond the grave.
 
That would surely be enough to make us fearless, don’t you think? But we have to be reminded over and over again of the greatness and power of God to help us in our times of fear. They will come, but they don’t have to stay.
 
Don’t be a scaredy cat! Choose to trust in God and make those fears flee.

God loves us so much…He actually WANTS to spend time with us. He WANTS to share with us and be a central part of our lives. He SEEKS our company!
 
Exodus 24:9-11
Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet, there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they beheld God, and they ate and drank.
 
Don’t listen to the devil when he says, “you’re not worthy” … you’re NOT … BUT God chose you anyways!
 

• His disciples included a tax collector – a tax collector! – they were considered traitors to Israel
• He praised John the Baptist – a real counter-culturalist (was he the first “hippy”?)
• Jesus met with Nicodemus, a Pharisee
• He dined with Simon the Leper

 
For Jesus, the person was more important than the label society put on them. He sought their company…
 

• Do you seek His?
• Or do you tell Him, “Be there in a minute”

 
You sit down to have some quiet time with the Lord BUT:
 

• You read a few verses and get sleepy.
• You read a few verses and remember the laundry needs to go in the dryer.
• You read a few verses and remember you didn’t check your appointments for the day, so you go to your calendar saying, “Be there in a minute.”
• You remember the clothes have to come out of the dryer … your life can be full of wrinkles … but God forbid they should be in your clothes!
• Your cell phone pings, gotta check it, what if it’s one of the kids who needs something? “God, be there in a minute.”
• Or you are deep in prayer and have what I call “squirrel chasing” prayers. You start to pray about something and get off in a tangent and never get to hear what God is saying about it … just run down your list and run after every thought that comes in your head!
• Oops! Ran out of time, God … have to go to work, or take the kids to school, or run an errand for someone, or volunteer at Metropolitan Ministries … “Be there in a minute, Lord.”

 
As Paul so well put it:
 
Colossians 3:7-8
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.
 
Don’t let the world pull you away from time with God … whether your “alone” time with Him, or as you walk (or run) through your day.
 
Colossians 3:15-17
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom, teaching, and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
 
Let’s all together tell God, “I’m right here now, not later.”
 
Psalm 34:1-4
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in Thee Lord; the humble shall hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
 
I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

​There are so many real horrors in this world – barbarism, Nazism, terrorism, hatred, killing, sexual perversions…you name it – the broken, “post-Adam” mankind has done it! But I want you to think on this…for all the horrors and sin, God still found us worth dying for.
 
To us, the world is often rotten and unfair. Remember, though, Jesus offered no immunity to horrors and unfairness – only a way through it. The cross overcame evil, not the horrors and unfairness of it.
 
God loves us, He wants to bless us, but He’s not stupid. He won’t pour His blessings into a bucket with holes in it. He has set some standards for living and He encourages us to learn them and follow them. There are ample examples in the Scriptures of His many blessings being poured out onto those who obey Him. Plug up those holes in your bucket by obeying Him, worshipping Him, praising Him.

• Obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22)
• Whoever does the will of God will enter heaven (Matthew 7:21)
• Jesus Himself learned obedience through that which He suffered (Hebrews 5:8)
• If you obey God, you will be His possession (Exodus 19:5)
• In reading and obeying God’s word you will prosper and succeed (Joshua 1:8)
• Obey God and prosper, be strong and courageous (1 Chronicles 22:12-13)
• Delighting in the Lord is like being planted by streams of water and you will prosper (Psalm 1:2-3)
• You will inherit the kingdom of God (Matthew 25:34)
• By your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return (Luke 6:38)

 
Don’t get me wrong now, having trials and troubles doesn’t mean you’re off God’s list…they are either allowed or actually constructed by God to change you and strengthen you. It’s not easy, but with Him, it’s doable.
 
God has abundant blessings for His people. Join with Him, obey Him and be mightily blessed!