Fire and Flood!

Text: Isaiah 43:1–3 “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, And he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.”

Introduction:

This chapter is about Isreal, her promises, care, future. But is also informs us how good God is to us all! There will times bottom is no where to be found, but be assured “GOD IS THERE WITH US!!”

Life doesn’t always go: Just in a straight line, at times it goes through great cures, bring us to great chasms to cross and has Rivers to Forge.

a. Find ourselves getting into fire and floods of life. Isaiah 43:1”...Fear not”

b. Listen He knows: Your name, He knows where you are, He knows what your are in. “… fear not.”

c. Some things to Remember: who you Belong to, Remember who you Serve, Remember who the Sustainer is.

2. Times of tears: Flames and Floods hit us. Job, Joseph, Peter, Hagar, Hannah, YOU! Each have there own story to tell. in those stories are times “Nobody would Ever Believe My Day Today.” They happen.

I. Search The Scripture: Grab A Promise TO Hang On To

A. WHY?: For Strength, For Hope, For Insight, For earth shaking Fears!

B. Verses to Grab (such as):

Isaiah 43:2–3 4 “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Daniel 3:17–18 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Hebrews 13:6 “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”

John 14:27 “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.”

Proverbs 3:24 “When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.”

Note: What I am saying is? Hang onto to some of these great promises that God gives you!

Proverbs 3:5–6

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.” This is how I ended up here In New Philadephia, Ohio!

II. Hang On Through The Curves: They Can be Rough and Wild!

A. Detours Come:

The Highways of life are seldom all straight, very much like our roads. West Virginia The Shawnee Forest, wow, what a journey.

Going for a Bic ride with my Brother, wow.

B. Changes Come: Loneliness, Illness, Separations, Afflictions, Disappointments, Death takes a loved one. Detours Happen usually suddenly, BANG THEY ARE HERE. Changes come: Travel slower, cautiously, carefully, alertly.

C. Disappointments Come; Of Others, Of Self, Of Plans, Of hopes, Of Valleys , etc.

III. Length of Fire and Flames: Undetermined, no one knows.

A. Can Be: Short, can be very long. Some go away and some stay for a life time.

B. Hope: Times we come back on the main High way, YES! Smooth sailing, O so nice.

C. At Times: People try to turn back because of difficulties usually doesn’t work out as easy as you thought. Some just quite in the midst, suicide of some means. End in a cowardly fashion. One group a whole pack together of six or seven laid out fashion beside each other. Just gave up, couldn't see beyond detour.

D. It Would Seem: That misery and suffering is always beside us.,. Hardly a day goes by, that we are not touched somehow by them.

E. Why?, I can not always say: Other Then The Devil is aboard in this world, illness, sorrows, sicknesses, sufferings, afflictions, ect. No one in this life is free from sins fall out, but that is not the end of the road for the redeemed, P.T.L. But Gods blessed promise given to Paul is also given unto us 2 Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

F. We still have: Unchangeable, eternal, everlasting, wonderful secure Covenants of God, Unchanging God and Unchanging Bible of promises from God. Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

IV. Can Find Beauty In Detours:

A. The Shawnee Forest: It is Beautiful, worth the drive there.

B. The Unmolested country side: Drink It in. Some very friendly folks, my wife and I at a Pizza Place by a Flowing River side stayed one night. I wanted to hike River and pray about some specific things.

C. Greater appreciation: Of smooth, Of mundane! Appreciation of the Sunny days, things all around you and all that are in them.

D. The spirit of The detour: The fire, The flood is important to God, He has not forgotten us.! How are we going through them?

1. You can choice: To grumble, to complain, to sorrow through the whole journey. Where did Job, Daniel, 3 Hebrews, Joseph, Paul, Jesus Christ and think that all the grumbling, complaining, fussing will help your plight but it does not. and are not their own troubles intensified? Try facing with Good cheer and trusting spirit. It Is the spirit to stand where no man stands alone and it is man does not have to and may not be there with you.

You Can Learn to stand: “Where No Man stands Alone.” With God Not People.

2. Psalm 30:5 “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

3. Matthew 28:20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” David Livingston favorite verse.

E. One said about Anxieties: “It is the parents of many sins and more miseries and the poison of the soul.” So glad we are in our Fathers Omnipotent Hands!

1 Peter 1:13 “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

Colossians 1:5 “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;”

Psalm 42:11 “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”

Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord.”

2 Kings 6:16 “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”

Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord.”

Psalm 46:1–3 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.”

Psalm 18:2 “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”

Psalm 37:24 “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: For the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.”

Psalm 138:7 “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, And thy right hand shall save me.”

Proverbs 15:15 “All the days of the afflicted are evil: But he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.”

My Fathers Way: By A.M Overton

“My Father’s way may twist and turn,

My heart may throb and ache;

But my soul I’m glad I know,

He maketh no mistake.

“My cherished plans may go astray,

My hopes may fade away;

But still I”ll trust my Lord to lead,

For He doth know the way.

“Tho’ night be dark and it may seem

That day will never break;

I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him,

He maketh no mistake.”

“There is so much now I cannot see,

My eyesight’s far too dim;

But come what may, I’ll simply trust,

And leave it all to Him.

“For by and by the midst will lift

And plain it all He’ll make;

He made not one mistake.”