NO CRISIS TOO LARGE!

NO CRISIS TOO LARGE!

Jer 32:17-18

17 Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:

18 Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name.

Luke 1:37

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

         Nine times in the New Testament we find the word “impossible” and usually it means “un-doable.” Only once does Jesus use the word when it means “implausible” when he says that is impossible [not likely] but that offenses will come. (Luke 17:1)

         In Genesis God tells Sarah that she will have a child. She complains that she is too old but God explains that nothing is too hard for Him. In Luke 1:37 Mary is told that she will have a child but she complains that she is too young! She has not had any sexual contact with a man. Sarah was not too old. Mary was not too young and the circumstances were not too hard for God.

         Why does God allow us to come up against so many impossible situations? Over and over in Exodus we see the phrase “that ye may know.” God needed to prove himself to a doubting people. He brought them to hunger and then provided bread. He allowed them to thirst and then produced water from a rock. He brought them to the brink of certain destruction and then parted the waters for them to cross.

         Paul and Silas found themselves in the dungeon with their feet held fast in the stocks. It was impossible, or at least implausible, that they would be freed so they did the only thing they could do. They made the best of a bad situation. One looked to the other and said: “Let’s sing!” God did the rest.

         As a young boy I remember singing a little chorus in church that went something like this…

Got any rivers – you think are un-crossable?

Got any mountains – you can’t tunnel through?

God specializes in things thought – impossible!

And He can do – what – no other power can do!

Almighty God, when we have done all we can do without success, let us simply sing and trust you. AMEN

IS IT STRESS OR DISTRESS?

IS IT STRESS OR DISTRESS?

Neh 2:1-4

2 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

          Nehemiah was Jewish captive in the service of King Artaxerxes. He was the king’s butler and had to control his emotions when performing his duties. Nehemiah had heard of the woeful condition of his homeland and the stress of knowing caused him to be distressed.

          Our homeland has also fallen upon hard times. The stated approval rating of our current president is hovering in the range of forty percent while the approval of the congress has risen sharply from the teens to about twenty-five percent. The reasons are numerous! Like Nehemiah, some of our cities lieth waste. Our national debt is now more than seventeen trillion dollars. One high ranking admiral now thinks that global warming is now our most urgent threat! Our dollar is becoming worthless through inflation and mismanagement.

According to an article on WebMD, the human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert and ready to avoid danger. Stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges. As a result, the person becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds.

Stress that continues without relief can lead to a condition called distress -- a negative stress reaction. Distress can lead to physical symptoms including headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, and problems sleeping. Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases.

We have all listened as Jesus chided Martha in Luke 10:41 when He points out that she is “careful and trouble.” The word careful both here and elsewhere means to be anxious and distraught. I fear that many of us, myself included, often fall into this kind of carefulness. Fortunately the Bible explains what we must do.

Jer 17:7-8

7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord  is.

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful [shall not be in distress] in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Dear Lord, help me to understand that to be in distress is really caused by a lack of faith. Help me to trust you today. AMEN

WHAT TO PRAY FOR!

WHAT TO PRAY FOR!

Rom 8:26

26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Even when he walked the earth Jesus refused to overturn a decision in an inheritance squabble.

Luke 12:13-14

13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

Listening to prayer requests can be revealing and sometimes entertaining as people ask God for some interesting things. Too often we sound like Janis Joplin singing: “Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz.” Perhaps it would be helpful to take another hard look at our prayer list. I am told that Billy Graham had a list of worthy things for which to pray. Borrowing a bit from his list let me make these suggestions.

1. Pray against spiritual coldness!

Heb 3:12-13

12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

2. Pray for doctrinal purity – that you are not drawn into believing false doctrine!

Eph 4:14-15

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

3. Pray for those with whom you have personal conflict and for those who hate you!

Matt 5:44

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

4. Pray that the Gospel will be effective in these last days!

Col 4:2-4

2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

5. Pray against sexual impurity!

1 Thess 4:3-4 & 7

3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel [how to control the urges in his own body] in sanctification and honour;

7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

6. Pray against a greedy love of money and possessions!

Eccl 5:10

10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase:

7. Pray for peace!

2 Peter 1:2-3

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

John 16:33

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

8. Pray for the salvation of the lost!

Rom 10:1

10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.

9. Pray for those in authority!

1 Tim 2:1-2

2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

10. Pray for daily provision of needs!

Matt 6:11

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

Matt 6:31-32

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Dear Lord, forgive me for my selfish praying and teach me by your Holy Spirit what to pray for. AMEN