"Don't Allow Trouble Into Your Heart."
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I. Introduction
I. Introduction
John 14:1 (KJV 1900)
Let not your heart be troubled...
The fourteenth chapter of John begins with these words from Jesus:
“Let not your heart be troubled.”
If it had happened in 2022, he might well have put it this way: “Don’t allow Trouble Into Your Heart.”
Now, if you take that as it is, without paying any attention to the context of His words, they are still very kind and comforting.
But since you are a student of the Bible, you might zoom out a little and see who all is involved and exactly what is going down.
II. Scripture Setting.
II. Scripture Setting.
They have just had dinner.
But a dinner unlike any other...
Together for years now, many a meal had they shared around countless camp fires. It was simple fare: Olives, flat bread, fish over coals.
But far better than the food they ate, was the companionship, the fellowship, being together and being with HIM.
But this dinner was the last one.
Wht did it all mean? Jesus had looked into the dull eyes of Judas and said: “Do what you’re going to do.”
Judas gets up, half stumbles out of the room, and the rest of the disciples look at each other: “That just happened.”
They are bewildered, concerned, unhappy and discouraged.
Small wonder! Jesus had said that he was going away, that he would die, that one of them was a traiter, that Peter of all men, would disown Jesus three times, that Satan was actively working against each of them and that they would fall away!
Not a happy dinner party by any stretch of the imagination!
And now that Judas has left, Jesus begins His final, farewell discourses.
Chapter 14 is the last time that they will have this one on one with Jesus.
The material of chapters 15–16 is likely to have been shared during the progress through the city to the Garden of Gethsemane
And once there, it is time for prayer: sleep on their part, agony and submission on His.
Yes, the disciples are confused and discouraged in chapter 13, they have a lot on their minds and everything is so uncertain!
But let’s not be selfish: How do you think Jesus fealt that night?
How was that last supper for Him?
He knew that in mere hours, a torch lit mob would come for him.
Betrayal!
He would be bound and beaten by hateful cowards.
Thorns would be woven into a crown of mockery, that crown would be beaten with rods into his scalp as blood filled his eyes and trickled in rivulets, down his body.
Jesus was fully aware, that in hours, the flesh of his back and torso would hang in ribbons, and that onlookers would be able to see the white outlines of bloody ribs and pulsing organs beneath!
Jesus knew what was about to happen to Him!
He knew the agony and the shame!
But I want you to hear again, what Jesus tells his disciples:
“Let not your heart be troubled.”
It blows me away!!! Jesus is more worried about them, cares more about their inner turmoil and future than about his own!
May I just remind somebody: Jesus cares about you!!
He really cares about you!
He is concerned for your well being and your inner peace!
Jesus knows that your heart is that center of your personality!
He knows that if you are healthy there, if you are whole there, everything else will feed from that!
Your ability to function freely under the anointing of God, your happiness and creative drive depends on the condition of your heart:
And so he tells them:
“Listen, guys, don’t allow trouble, into your heart.”
III. Application.
III. Application.
As varied and unique as we are, did you know that people everywhere basically share the same troubles?
It’s true.
It doesn’t really make a difference, the color of your skin, the language you speak or the time zone and country you live in:
People are worried, troubled.
We are troubled by the spectre of financial crisis or health crisis.
We are troubled by relationships issues in our marriages or family.
We are troubled my workplace pressures, worries about our career.
We are troubled my unfair treatment, when people do not treat you in the way that you deserve to be treated.
We are troubled by emptiness and a lack of fulfillment.
And we are troubled by fear of failure.
What’s to be done?
What’s to be done?
Now If you were speaking to a secular counsellor, they would have advice for you that might well be very productive: Budgets and cash flow plans, best practices for dealing with others, and things like that.
And I take good advice for what it is! I appreciate that!
But I also understand there are limitations to man’s wisdom.
And I know that as the people of God, we have access to more comprehensive solutions
So here is what we need to do in the face of all that:
Rather than turning to some sort of coping mechanism to find comfort or diversion, we as Christian people, need to turn to the Word of God!
We need to learn to turn first to God’s Word and then use it!!!!
Let me show you how:
Financial Troubles.
Financial Troubles.
If there is one issue we all face, surely that is a lack of money!
I mean, there is never enough of the stuff!
And the goofy thing is: Were I 100 times wealthier, I’d still have money troubles!
It seems as though one can hardly escape the constant need for more!
And as I have said, there are some common sense things that are important for you to do:
You should have a budget or a cash flow plan in place.
You should be responsible, Etc.
But now I am going to cut straight to the chase and tell you the most important thing that any believer can do in regards to money:
You need to honor God with your increase!
Honour the Lord with thy substance,
And with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,
And thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
We have talked before about the doctrine or teaching of firstfruits.
Do yourself a favor and listen to Bro Keith Clark preach: “Firstfruits and lastfruits.” it’s free online and it will change the way you think about money, I promise!
You will come to love giving your firstfruits!
This means that the first and the best that you have goes to God!
Another word for it is tithing!
At least ten percent of your income, that should be set apart for God.
Ten percent is the tithe, and everything that you give over and beyond that is offering!
I can give you additional material if you like, to prove that God expects this from His people, and prove that this was before the law and extends beyond the law and it is God’s way!
I can give you Scriptiure to show you that it’s not about money as it is about obedience and honoring the Lord of your life!
But the short and sweet is simply this: Honor God because it’s right! And if you do, money troubles will not rule your life and rob your sleep!
Now, let me just get something out of the way: “I am not after your money!”
Praise God, I have a job! And I am grateful for it! and the preacher must tithe also, because it is a principle that applies to all!
The other thing I want to say is this: Whenever we teach on this, wherever I am, I always say:
“If you are not yet fully honoring God with your increase, this is not a chewing out session!”
I do not want you to feel small and self conscious!
I am not here to beat you down or make you feel guilty or shame you!
I say that every time I talk about this and no matter where I am!
And I mean it! I am not here to beat you down or make you feel guilty or shame you!
The best way you can recieve this is the same way you listen to the coach when he says: “Trust me, do exactly what I say, when I say and you will succeed!”
I’m just gonna tell you: It is universal! This works!
If you will obey God’s financial plan, and honor him with your increase, God will bless you!
I know this works because I have been on both sides!
I have not obeyed and suffered!
I have obeyed and been blessed!
And I believe it so much that I have a challenge for you today:
If you are here and you cannot quite swing all of your financial obligations on top of your tithing, I want you to tell me!
I totally get it! Sometimes things are tight financially!
If things are so tight, that you can’t handle tithing as well as groceries, then I have a one time offer for you.
Here is what I will do, because I want you to taste the blessing and learn the principle and enjoy it, Here’s what I want you to do:
Pay your tithe Anyway! I will buy your groceries for that pay period, and then you just watch what God will do!
We will pray together, you will give your tithe to God, and I’ll make sure you’re covered foodwise for that first pay period.
I promise you, God will not leave you hanging!
And by the time next pay period comes around, you won’t need me to help, God will provide!
And the 90- perecent that you have, God will make it go farther than the original 100 percent ever could!
I promise you!
Please, please, please do not lose sleep over money!
I’m not talking about a prosperity gospel and private jets and stuff like that. We are talking, basic BIble principles that work everytime!
Accept the challenge to honor God according his financial plan laid down in Scripture and you will see: God will take care of you!
And friend, if you are doing everything the Scripture tells you to, If you are working as hard as you can, if you are using your common sense and discipline with your finances, and still you are having money troubles, this is what you need to do:
“Don’t allow trouble into your heart.”
God will provide.
Health Troubles.
Health Troubles.
If you are facing health troubles, I want you to begin to memorize and pray and use these following Scriptures:
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
Who healeth all thy diseases;
Surely he hath borne our griefs,
And carried our sorrows:
Yet we did esteem him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities:
The chastisement of our peace was upon him;
And with his stripes we are healed.
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Relationship Troubles.
Relationship Troubles.
If you are facing relationship troubles, I want you to study and obey and pray and use these following Scriptures:
Some of these apply to the marriage relationship, and some to family and relationships in general.
You oughtta write them down, read them and apply them to your own situtation!
Genesis 2:24 (KJV 1900)
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Listen, to our single folks here, you oughtta try to find the one for you!
There is nothing wrong in that!
Keep looking and ask God to bring the two of you together!
Don’t give up! God has just the one for you!
Ask God for guidance and then do what you can!
Here’s another awesome verse:
Ephesians 5:25 (KJV 1900)
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Husbands, you gotta be willing to take a bullet for your woman!
I say that and without fail, everyone agrees, all the men will say amen!
“You bet I’ll take a bullet for her!”
Okay, good. But what do you do when your Mom gets a little rough with her?
Who’s side you gonna take?
All I’m gonna say is this: you’d be a fool to allow some uncut apron strings drive a wedge between you and your wife!
Folks, I love my mother! I really do, but if the day comes that my wife and my mom don’t see eye to eye, I don’t even have to think about it!
I know who’s side I’m on!
Now If you married a troublemaker and she’s satan’s little sister, that’s another thing.
But thank God my wife is wise and has sound judgement which makes things easy!
I cannot imagine a situtation in which I would not support T against all comers and that is that!
Now, she doesn’t like to to talk like this but it’s true:
Y’all have never seen me mad! But I’m just gonna tell you: Anybody that has a problem with my wife, has a problem with me!
God has appointed me her defender!
There isn’t so much as daylight between us! ( As long as I’m behaving that is.) LOL
When you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the father folks!
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Relationships are the stuff of life!
The ties that bind us and connect people together!
Let me tell you something that I have told others through the years:
I am not a match maker!
I am not in the business of making matches or breaking them up!
But I do want each of you to be happy, fulfilled and able to serve God!
That will remain the case with 30 people in the church or 300!
I do not want anyone’s life to be overcomplicated or difficult or unhappy!
And so here is another Scripture:
2 Corinthians 6:14 (KJV 1900)
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Now don’t get me wrong here: I am not saying you can’t date folks that are not yet saved. I am not saying that at all.
Honestly, the whole “flirt to convert” method does not work. That often ends badly. Mostly.
And yet, every situtation is different: I know a great man of God who is a better preacher and pastor than I am. He fell in love with a supermodel.
They met, He liked her for who she was, they got to know one another and fell in love!
He taught her a Bible Study, she came to God and they now have a beautiful family and are doing great things for God together!
It happened naturally, because she had a heart toward God!
If only it worked out like that more often! We truly do need to ask God for his opinion and blessing!
God gave you His Spirit for a reason!
You need to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit!
When it’s right, you’ll know!
And when it’s not, please pay attention to red flags!
I used to spend a lot of time in my service truck. Between country music, audio books, AM talk radio and NPR, I found Dr. Laura Shclessinger!
I guess she is a behavioral psychologist or something, but tends to give some good advice.
I’d be in a train or corporate yard somewhere, working away under a fire truck or a backhoe with Dr Laura playing in my truck.
People would call in and tell her the problems they had with their spouse.
And every time she would ask the same question: “How bad was it before you got marriad?”
To which the reply was always the same: “Well, it was always there to some degree.”
And Dr Laura would say:
“People don’t change people!” “Why did you think it would change once you got married?”
“Anything that you don’t like about a person, will always be magnified once you make the committemnt.”
“ As time goes on, it will only become worse, so don’t go into a relationship trying to change someone! Either count the cost and say it’s worth it, or find someone else!”
Now folks, I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I know this:
The relationship is not worth it, if that relationship serves as an anointing killer in your life!
If it hinders your confidence toward God, it’s not worth it!
If it hinders the free flow of anointing and joy and creativity in your life, I’m, telling you that relationship is not worth it!
Then I also know of folks who came from different backgrounds and came to God not at the same time, but eventually!
Things worked out!
Here are the facts: To be unequally yoked is very difficult.
In the worst case, you have to deal with disagreement in your home and relationships every day. Whether it’s just you two or you have children. There are different priorities in the home that can cause major friction.
In the best case, you can be a witness until they come to God!
Every situation and every person is different!
That’s why you need the counsel of Almighty God!!!
I will say this: When you spend time with people, when you invest in them and you are in fellowship together, and they are not saved. One of two things will happen:
Either you will pull them out of their situation, or they will pull you out of yours.
So, make sure you are right with God, and if that relationship starts to slip, it’s time to reevaluate all the other relationships in your life!
You and God comes first, everything else is second!
So be prayerful and ask God for specific direction when you read His Word:
If you will follow the leading of the Holy Ghost, there is no neeed to be unhappy and lose sleep.
“Don’t allow trouble into your heart.”
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
As you communicate with people, here is another Scripture that will help you!
Ephesians 4:29 (KJV 1900)
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Here is some really, really good advice from James that will help every one of your relationships!
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Did you know that your mouth and the control or lack that you have over it, makes a huge difference?
You can talk yourself into a relationship and you can talk yourself out!
So follow this Scripture:
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
1 Corinthians 13:4–8 (KJV 1900)
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Unfair Treatment
Unfair Treatment
How about unfair treatment? That’s a real problem sometimes!
I’ve had people treat me unfairly, because I didn’t go to the strip club and the bar with the other fellas after work.
I’ve been mistreated becasue I didn’t buy into the general mistreatment of another person!
And sometimes It’s just because you are different!
Not fun to be mistreated!
And every situation is different!
But here are some verses you can learn and apply and pray and use:
Rom 12:19 Modern English Version
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to God’s wrath, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine. I will repay,”[a] says the Lord.
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:
Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
Be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee;
Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Emptiness/ Lack of Fulfillment.
Emptiness/ Lack of Fulfillment.
How about emptiness?
Sometimes that is the trouble.
“I feel empty.”
“I feel a lack of fulfillment.”
If that’s how you feel friend, please come tell me.
Got the answer.
And really, it is two fold.
The first is that we ought not feel empty.
We should be full!
Jesus wants to fill our hearts with His Spirit and the fruits of His Spirit!
The first thing is to focus on that!
And secondly, when you are busy working in the Kingdom of God, when you look down and find your hand on the plow, I gaurantee, you will be happy!
Come talk to me, and let’s get you plugged into some area of service!
There is an area of service/ministry for you!!!
We need you!
The kingdom needs you active!
Even if you are trying, just trying, God sees that and will bless it!
Even if you don’t know exactly where to serve and where you place is, just get the car moving!
We want God to guide our lives and a moving car is much easier to steer!
If you are troubled by a lack of fulfillment, there is an easy fix for that!
Pray! Build up your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost!
God does not want you bound up in fear and doubts!
He has more for each of us!!!!!
Jesus cares for His followers and he said:
“Let not your heart be troubled!”
Failure.
Failure.
Finally, if you fear failure, thank God!
Thank God I’m not the only one! LOL!
We all at times, succumb to voices of doubt and discouragement.
And that is when you have to remember that your emotions will lie to you!
Stand on what you know to be true!
Love the truth!
The truth is, God loves you whether you have reached your goals or not!
10 percent of your goals? 90?
God loves you all the same!
You are His child! You are the apple of His eye!
Who cares what anyone else thinks!
Don’t judge yourself and your performance and success by their metrics or the metrics of the world!
Those things are shifting sand! smoke and mirrors!
They do not last and do not apply to your spirit man!
Let God set the metrics in your life!
I don’t hear Jesus preaching that we should be successful.
For one, that has to be specifically defined. And each of us has our own calling!
But I do hear Jesus tell us to be faithful!
1 Corinthians 4:2 (KJV 1900)
Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Look to Jesus for affirmation and reward!
He knows what you can do!
Zacheus was successful by any measure!
But see the problem is, (and He must have figured it out: ) Even if you win the rat race, you’re still a rat!
Zacheus wanted more in life!
More than societal and cultural expectation!
he wanted true affirmation and real peace!
He wanted to be close to Jesus!
And that is always the best place to be!
When everbody else looked at Zacheus and called him a rat,
When everybody else looked at Paul and called him the enemy of Pentecost,
When others look at you, just remember: God knows what’s inside of you!
He knows what you can be!!!!
Let Him define success for you!
Let Jesus set the metrics!
And then just you be faithful!
Be diligent! Work hard and do what’s right!
Seest thou a man diligent in his business?
He shall stand before kings;
He shall not stand before mean men.
IV. Conclusion.
IV. Conclusion.
Jesus was hours from torture He knew was coming!
He knew he was soon to be murdered.
And with aaaaaallll of that on His shoulders, you know what he said?
“Don’t allow trouble into your heart.”
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.