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Aug 14, 2011

Certainty in Uncertain Times

Category: Christian Walk

Keywords: uncertainty, certainty, upredictable, confidence, rest, peace, trust

Summary:

People seem geared to want life to be fixed and certain. The reality is, however, that it never has been apart from what God has promised. This message looks at how we should be viewing our uncertain times in the light of God's clear promises and direction

Detail:

The other day I was listening to a Christian radio station and heard a message that an appreciative listener had left: In uncertain times such as these it is nice to hear a positive Christian message. I immediately thought to myself, “When are times ever certain?” As a matter of fact, I actually heard that several months ago, way before the recent stock market crash and the government debt being downgraded. Times due indeed seem rather uncertain but I think that we are only kidding ourselves if we think it is that much different today than it was in other times in history. The world has always been in turmoil and according to Jesus always will be until a point in the future when He comes back to set things right.

On a more personal level which one of us knows for certain that we have tomorrow? We may think to ourselves that in our lives everything is pretty stable but things can and do change quite quickly. The other day a man who lived just a few blocks from me was run over and killed right in his own front yard! It was a very tragic and freak accident but don’t you think that he very well may have woken up that morning thinking that at 48 years old he was pretty certain that he had many years of life ahead of him?

We like certainty and predictability don’t we? We like security and safety. We like comfort and pain free living. We want these things for ourselves and we certainly want them for those we care about.

We tend to get a little upset, frustrated and sometimes even depressed when things in our world don’t match up to our expectations, when the world looks uncertain and scary. We don’t want to lose our comfort and we don’t want our family or friends to experience any discomfort either.

Is if fair to say that our expectations of life are that everything should go along nicely, that the economy should thrive, the politicians should be upstanding, wise and selfless, everyone should have a good job, no one should suffer from ill health, there should be peace everywhere and everybody should just get along???

Dr. Kevin Elko is one of my favorite motivational speakers. He tells a story of when he achieved his doctorate degree. When he was finally done with his final dissertation he was so excited that he called home. His father answered and Kevin said “Hi Dad, this is Dr. Elko!” (Now Kevin was wanting his dad to say something like “My son! The DR! I’m so proud of your achievements son!”

Instead his dad said “hold on, I’ll get your mother.” Kevin was devastated as his father had fallen very short of his expectations. As he reflected on his feelings he asked himself, “Who is crazy – my Dad for acting the same as he has all of my life or me for expecting my Dad to act in a way that is opposite of his character?”

Who is crazy? Us for expecting the world to be a peaceful and predictable place or God who already told us that things this side of heaven were never going to be the paradise that we long for and in fact that people would get progressively worse?

Let me share with you a couple of scriptures that tell us a little bit about how things are going to be this side of Heaven.

In John chapters 15 and 16 we see Jesus preparing his followers for his departure and explaining to them that there will be persecution and difficult times and that the world will hate them because it hated Him first. He also reminds them (please note this:) to remain in His love so that their joy may be complete and that He would send the Holy Spirit to his followers to be an advocate and helper who will guide us into all truth.

John 16:33 (NIV)

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

2 Tim. 3:2-4 (NIV)

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, [3] without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, [4] treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--

Kind of sounds like most of our politicians doesn’t it???? Should we be surprised????? I don’t like many of the things I see happening in the world any more than any of you BUT isn’t it great that the Bible has already told us that this is what it would be like? In my mind it adds to the credibility of the Bible that may help some skeptics take notice that God is real and His word is true.

Because of my job as a financial advisor I talk to many people every day. Many of my clients are Christians and it often amazes me how upset to the point of despair the Christian’s get over the uncertainties in our world today. I understand why people get upset because the news media knows that bad news sells and there is plenty of it to pass along. It often times is not nearly as bad as they make it out to be but again, if they reported it in a balanced way it wouldn’t sell as many papers, magazines and commercials. I get it.

As a Christian shouldn’t our response be different from the rest of the world. Shouldn’t we be able to say, “I don’t like what is going on any more than anyone else but thank God my hope is not in this world and thank God that this is not my home forever.”

John 14:2-3 (NIV)

In my Father' s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Jesus spent six days creating the world, imagine what he has in store for us in heaven since He has been preparing that future home for us for quite a lot longer than six days....

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)

However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"---

Pretty much sums it up - it will be so incredible that we can’t even imagine it! “In the truest sense, Christian pilgrims have the best of both worlds. We have joy whenever this world reminds us of the next and we take solace whenever it does not.”--C.S. Lewis

Yesterday my wife Star and I were blessed with the opportunity to be together paddle boarding on the Spokane River. I was with my best friend, we were enjoying God’s creation together, the temperature was perfect, the water was like glass, we had the whole river to ourselves and it was beautiful.  It was kind of like a sample from a five star restaurant--just a taste that is wonderful but it isn’t the whole meal or even the entire menu. I’m grateful for the glimpse of what heaven might be like...

Let’s look at Psalm 33 together for a different perspective

Psalm 33:1-22 (NIV)

Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;

it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

[2] Praise the Lord with the harp;

make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

[3] Sing to him a new song;

play skillfully, and shout for joy.

[4] For the word of the Lord is right and true;

he is faithful in all he does.

[5] The Lord loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of his unfailing love.

[6] By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,

their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

[7] He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;

he puts the deep into storehouses.

[8] Let all the earth fear the Lord;

let all the people of the world revere him.

[9] For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm.

[10] The Lord foils the plans of the nations;

he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

[11] But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,

the purposes of his heart through all generations.

[12] Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people he chose for his inheritance.

[13] From heaven the Lord looks down

and sees all mankind;

[14] from his dwelling place he watches

all who live on earth--

[15] he who forms the hearts of all,

who considers everything they do.

[16] No king is saved by the size of his army;

no warrior escapes by his great strength.

[17] A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;

despite all its great strength it cannot save.

[18] But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,

on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

[19] to deliver them from death

and keep them alive in famine.

[20] We wait in hope for the Lord;

he is our help and our shield.

[21] In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name.

[22] May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord,

even as we put our hope in you.

So here is the challenge: Where is your hope today? Completely in God? Great.  50% world 50% God?– time for a change.  100% world – the choice is yours.

What about family, friends, neighbors and co-workers? What are they hoping in? We have a responsibility and opportunity to help people who are going through this life either without hope or hoping in the wrong things.

Jesus said the following:

Luke 4:18 (NIV)

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to release the oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

We are Christ’s ambassadors in this world. We have a responsibility to our Lord to share the hope that He offers to those around us.  As we are called to love God and to love people shouldn’t we be lovingly encouraging those around us to put their hope in God through

Jesus Christ and not in this world?

I think so….The world has always been uncertain and unpredictable that is why it is not called heaven.  Our world, our leaders, our financial markets, our armies and resources do not offer us the hope that we long for.  Our world is not getting progressively better but progressively worse.

We can experience Joy as we remain in Christ’s love and we place our hope in Him and not in this world. We can and must help others, those who are without hope

Romans 15:13 (NIV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.