As We Consider The Voice of Truth!
Scripture: James 4:14 For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. (NKJV)
Introduction: We have a prayer meeting right up here every Monday night. Several of my closest Brothers in Christ meet in this place we call the upper room. We call it the upper room because it is a loft up over my garage or junk shed, or whatever you want to call it.
Tonight we prayed until the table we were standing at, fell flat to the floor on one side. When the table fell it put me in mind of what happened when the twin towers fell burning to the ground. At least three thousand people lost their lives that day and since that day thousands more have died defending what they believe to be right.
What are you defending? Are you listening to the Voice of Truth? What have you done with Jesus? Are you standing for what is really right? How is what your doing with your life affecting your children? How is what you are allowing to go on in you home affecting your kids? Do you allow, sinful things to go on in your home? Are you living you life just for you or are you living for others? Does Jesus Christ live in your heart? Where is your eternal resting place? Are you heaven bound or is Satan in charge of your life?
These are questions we all need to know the answer to.
Introduction: We have a prayer meeting right up here every Monday night. Several of my closest Brothers in Christ meet in this place we call the upper room. We call it the upper room because it is a loft up over my garage or junk shed, or whatever you want to call it.
Tonight we prayed until the table we were standing at, fell flat to the floor on one side. When the table fell it put me in mind of what happened when the twin towers fell burning to the ground. At least three thousand people lost their lives that day and since that day thousands more have died defending what they believe to be right.
What are you defending? Are you listening to the Voice of Truth? What have you done with Jesus? Are you standing for what is really right? How is what your doing with your life affecting your children? How is what you are allowing to go on in you home affecting your kids? Do you allow, sinful things to go on in your home? Are you living you life just for you or are you living for others? Does Jesus Christ live in your heart? Where is your eternal resting place? Are you heaven bound or is Satan in charge of your life?
These are questions we all need to know the answer to.
Here is another one for you to answer! Where were you when you heard the news of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001? We're not likely to forget the state of affairs surrounding that day in our lives. I will always remember where I was. It was in the galley of my shrimp trawler.
As we pause both as a people and more exclusively as a community of believers, I want to share with you three things that we need to keep in mind when we reflect on this tragic event or any other tragedy that comes our way as we travel on the journey of life.
1. Life Is Brief and Uncertain (James 4:1317, 13)Go to now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appreareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15) For that ye ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16) But now ye rejoice in your boasting; all such rejoicing is evil. 17) Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, an doeth it not to him it is sin.
Most of those who worked in the Trade Towers or the Pentagon woke up that morning, went through their morning routines, and ended up at work as usual.
Those who were on the fatal flights that day probably didn't think anything about getting on those planes. However, for many in the Trade Towers, for those on the planes, for those in the Pentagon, this was their last day. (We each have a last day coming!)
Life is brief and so uncertain. James says it's like a vapor that disappears in an instant. We should ask ourselves three questions:
A. Am I Ready to Die? Another way to ask this question is: What have you done with Jesus? The Bible says that God loves you, and that Jesus Christ suffered, died, and shed His blood and rose again so that we could be forgiven and restored to God. Have you ever confessed your sin to God? Have you ever believed and received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? If you have not, I beseech you make that decision right now because life is brief and uncertain. If you have made this decision, what kind of legacy will you leave when you die? Are there people you haven't forgiven? Friends you haven't shared the gospel with?
B. Am I Living in Surrender? James tells us not to tell others our plans, but to qualify every future action in our lives to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that" (James 4:14, 15). One of the biggest struggles in life for Christians is to submit our future to the Lord, but it's the most important struggle to overcome!
C. Am I Living to the Fullest? James tells us that knowing the good we should do and refraining from it is sin (v. 17)! While we are still living, we should take every opportunity to serve the Lord. Are you doing this?
2. God Is Our Only Source of Hope (Ps. 46). These verses tell us not to fear, but to hope in God during trouble.
Reflecting on the events of September 11, we are forced to answer some basic questions like, "Is there a God?" and, "What kind of God would let this happen?" Is this world just chaos, and is tragedy the proof? Is God cruel and heartless about us?
God has revealed Himself through this world and through Scripture, and as Christians, we believe He exists, so why did He allow this to happen? He is not uninvolved or uninformed, as some critics and even scholars might suggest; the Bible teaches that He is ultimately in control. The Lord works through tragedy. Was it not the most horrific tragedy when Jesus Christ, God in human form, was tortured and crucified?
As we pause both as a people and more exclusively as a community of believers, I want to share with you three things that we need to keep in mind when we reflect on this tragic event or any other tragedy that comes our way as we travel on the journey of life.
1. Life Is Brief and Uncertain (James 4:1317, 13)Go to now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appreareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15) For that ye ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16) But now ye rejoice in your boasting; all such rejoicing is evil. 17) Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, an doeth it not to him it is sin.
Most of those who worked in the Trade Towers or the Pentagon woke up that morning, went through their morning routines, and ended up at work as usual.
Those who were on the fatal flights that day probably didn't think anything about getting on those planes. However, for many in the Trade Towers, for those on the planes, for those in the Pentagon, this was their last day. (We each have a last day coming!)
Life is brief and so uncertain. James says it's like a vapor that disappears in an instant. We should ask ourselves three questions:
A. Am I Ready to Die? Another way to ask this question is: What have you done with Jesus? The Bible says that God loves you, and that Jesus Christ suffered, died, and shed His blood and rose again so that we could be forgiven and restored to God. Have you ever confessed your sin to God? Have you ever believed and received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? If you have not, I beseech you make that decision right now because life is brief and uncertain. If you have made this decision, what kind of legacy will you leave when you die? Are there people you haven't forgiven? Friends you haven't shared the gospel with?
B. Am I Living in Surrender? James tells us not to tell others our plans, but to qualify every future action in our lives to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that" (James 4:14, 15). One of the biggest struggles in life for Christians is to submit our future to the Lord, but it's the most important struggle to overcome!
C. Am I Living to the Fullest? James tells us that knowing the good we should do and refraining from it is sin (v. 17)! While we are still living, we should take every opportunity to serve the Lord. Are you doing this?
2. God Is Our Only Source of Hope (Ps. 46). These verses tell us not to fear, but to hope in God during trouble.
Reflecting on the events of September 11, we are forced to answer some basic questions like, "Is there a God?" and, "What kind of God would let this happen?" Is this world just chaos, and is tragedy the proof? Is God cruel and heartless about us?
God has revealed Himself through this world and through Scripture, and as Christians, we believe He exists, so why did He allow this to happen? He is not uninvolved or uninformed, as some critics and even scholars might suggest; the Bible teaches that He is ultimately in control. The Lord works through tragedy. Was it not the most horrific tragedy when Jesus Christ, God in human form, was tortured and crucified?
Yet, the Lord provided salvation through this tragedy. It's God's job to guide His creation, and ours to hope only in Him.
3. We Should Be about our Fathers business in doing all we can at Eliminating Hatred and Terrorism (Rom. 1).
Romans 1:16 tells us that we are "not to be ashamed of the gospel because, 'it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.' " (NKJV)
That includes Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. This doesn't mean we support acts of terror or that we are promoting other religions, but it does mean that even terrorists are fallen, sinful people just like we are without the salvation of Jesus Christ. The gospel is a gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15). We, as believers, have a responsibility to fight darkness, terrorism, and hatred with prayer, and evangelism.
Are you doing your part?
Conclusion: Are you ready to die, to surrender, to live? Is your hope in God or yourself? What are you doing to advance the message of Jesus in your own community and around the world?
Listen: Our life is vanishing quickly, so make a decision today to surrender your life completely, hoping in Him through tragedy and triumph.
In this upper room we have made a decision to will our wills over to Christ so He can use us in whatever manner He sees fit. How about you? God’s Word is the Voice of Truth, His truth is calling out into the darkness of this world and asking you, "are you ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?" If you are ashamed, God is preparing a place for you along with Satan, if not, your place is going to be a place of beauty and glory where nothing rules but the Voice of Truth!
What is your truth?
3. We Should Be about our Fathers business in doing all we can at Eliminating Hatred and Terrorism (Rom. 1).
Romans 1:16 tells us that we are "not to be ashamed of the gospel because, 'it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.' " (NKJV)
That includes Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. This doesn't mean we support acts of terror or that we are promoting other religions, but it does mean that even terrorists are fallen, sinful people just like we are without the salvation of Jesus Christ. The gospel is a gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15). We, as believers, have a responsibility to fight darkness, terrorism, and hatred with prayer, and evangelism.
Are you doing your part?
Conclusion: Are you ready to die, to surrender, to live? Is your hope in God or yourself? What are you doing to advance the message of Jesus in your own community and around the world?
Listen: Our life is vanishing quickly, so make a decision today to surrender your life completely, hoping in Him through tragedy and triumph.
In this upper room we have made a decision to will our wills over to Christ so He can use us in whatever manner He sees fit. How about you? God’s Word is the Voice of Truth, His truth is calling out into the darkness of this world and asking you, "are you ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?" If you are ashamed, God is preparing a place for you along with Satan, if not, your place is going to be a place of beauty and glory where nothing rules but the Voice of Truth!
What is your truth?
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"
Robert N. Graves. Sr.
Fisherman for Christ!
Robert N. Graves. Sr.
Fisherman for Christ!
posted by Fisherman For Christ at 11/21/2006 01:04:00 AM
3 Comments:
Great post!
I doubt any of us will forget where we were and what we were doing on 9/11/01. Much like my memory recall of the day JFK was assissanted. There are permanently etched in our minds.
How much better for the Voice of God to be permanently placed in our hearts.
Have a great Thanksgiving! Keep on writing these great posts.....which I am so thankful for!
Diane
Bless you Bobby. When that table fell the other night I was reminded of how the temple fell at the death of Jesus. And how the curtain between us and God was removed through what Jesus did for us on that Cross. Looking forward to seeing you again. God Bless and happy Thanksgiving. Phillipians 1:3
Thanks again Bobby for your submission to the Spirit and your willingness to share the Upper Room for our prayer meetings. I look forward to every Monday night!!! If people only knew the power in that room and the prayers that are lifted on their behalf...WOW!!
I think when confronted with the thought of "Why did this happen," and "Does God exist," we need to understand that GOD created the world, but our choices made it what it is.
-jeremiah
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