MY STRONGHOLD IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE!

MY STRONGHOLD IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE!

Nah 1:5-7

5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

          Sometimes it seems as if Gospel ministry is weak and ineffective. Our efforts at stemming the tide of evil seem only to make the breach larger. It is as if we have disturbed a beehive while swatting a bee. The situation is worse than before. We preach righteousness but sin grows – and now sin is angry because of the preaching! We preach faithfulness but infidelity is the result and we are blamed for discovering it.

John 1:5

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

          In the above verse the word “comprehended” is the Greek word katalambano which literally means “to catch what has been thrown.” It means that the darkness dropped the ball and did not, either by failure or refusal, to lay hold on it. It would be easy for the light to blame itself for the failure but it is the darkness that is at fault. In baseball terms, the problem is not a wild pitch but a fielding error.

Matt 6:23-24

If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

          We are now beginning to see that the problem of our nation is a sin problem. The economy is broken by our greed! The home is in shambles due to our failure to love! Our government is oppressive due to a lust for power. It is easy for the churches and her pastors to feel responsible but the following verses seem clear enough.

Here is the problem: Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. (Isa 1:2)

And here is the result: Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. (Isa 1:4-7)

Here is the solution: Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Isa 1:16-20)

What our nation needs is not another Tea Party but a communion service!

Dear Lord, make our message clear and plain. Open ears and hearts and minds to your truth. Heal our land. AMEN