In Times Like These
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Introduction
Introduction
In times like these you need a Savior
In times like these you need an anchor
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock
Refrain
This Rock is Jesus, Yes He's the One
This Rock is Jesus, the only One
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock
This is a part of famous hymn
Composer: Ruth Caye Jones
📷Born: 1902, Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. Died: August 18, 1972, Erie, Pennsylvania. A self taught pianist and organist, Ruth married Bert Jones, and together they worked in the evangelism field. In 1948, they founded a radio ministry in Erie, Pennsylvania
the Bible does indicate that as the time for Christ’s return approaches, evil and social chaos may well intensify. The Bible says that “evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13).
when the Bible says evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived”, And the hymn that I just mentioned or read is just befitting; “in times like these you need a Savior” - as children of God where does this leave us.
1. Do we just sit around and witness the downfall of humanity?
2. We’ll we just turn a blind eye to injustices?
3. Have we asked ourselves why don’t we reach out to those in need if we have the power to bless and help?
Can we do something about it? Can we make a difference in a society where it’s standard is set by humans, by people who doesn’t even understand what a homeless person is going through? - (Spiritual)
The answer to all of these question lies within your heart if you can answer this one question....
ARE YOU A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST????
Let me pray for a while
As you contenplate, there are three words you must consider:
1. Boldness
2. Intentional
3. Prayerful
Boldness
The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.
“The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”
Acts of the Apostles 4:13 NLT
In this particular verse, while Peter and John were speakng to the people, they were confronted by the priests, temple guard and the Saducess, they were arrested and put them in jail all because they were preaching.
Have we experienced this? Or even like people trying to “shus” us, stop us because we are preaching about Jesus?
I’m telling you, we will be tested. This generation will stop us! Those who goes against the very word of God will always create a difficult situation and where our faith will be tested and our belief will hang in a balance.
The Bible said “they saw the boldness of Peter and John.”
Greek: Parresian -confidence, frankness.
They were not arrogant or boastful. They have this confidence when they share their faith, and it shows how confident they are.
We, as believers, should by now, have that same level of confidence. And not only that, we should also always be ready to tell others about our faith in Jesus.
Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
The underlying truth both us and the apostles have in common is that they where with Jesus and we have a relationship with Jesus.
It is this fact that will give us boldness in witnessing for Christ.
INTENTIONAL
The next word is INTENTIONAL
When you are intentional you choose to make decisions and take action on what's really important to you. ... You intentionally set an intention to achieve a specific outcome or result in the future.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
If you say “Jesus”,
I’ll bet the next thing you will say; “He is my number one priority”!
Here me out. JESUS IS NOT JUST PART OF YOUR LIST OF PRIORITIES.
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
So the Pharisees asked Jesus, but in essence, they were asking, “Which one should be the priority”
So, listen, prioritizing Jesus doesnt mean that we FILL our lives with so many schedules.
Such as:
Do devotion
Do Bible study
Do the 3 o’clock prayer habit
Attend church
Don’t get me wrong, all of this is right but:
The way Jesus replied meant:
First, Jesus tells them to make their top priority into their only priority.
They need to love God with everything, holding nothing back. There can be no second priorities.
But then there’s a second commandment: Love your neighbor, as yourself.
God created us specifically to worship Him, to adore Him, and to Love Him.
Now. If you Love God with ALL your heart, there’s no way you can’t love your neighbor. Am I right?
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
The world is not getting better, it’s getting worst, that’s what the Bible says. Now is the time to be reminded that we have to be intentional in our walk with Jesus. And its not just about filling our schedules with “churchy” stuff.
Gregory Coles is an author and an English instructor at Penn State University - said:
God wants more than just the top line of your priority list. He wants the whole list. He doesn’t want to be sequestered to a single part of your life. He wants to be the substance of every part, the logic behind every choice you make. Whether you’re singing a worship song or taking a nap, God wants His kingdom to be your ultimate goal. As Paul says in
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Last but not the least
This last point, is the fuel.
Your boldness and how you become intentional is hinged on how deep you are in your prayer life.
PRAYER
And who can best exemplify a life of prayer, none other than Jesus Himsel!
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Check this out, out of all the discples Jesus have, ONLY ONE came to Him and asked if he can be taught how to pray.
Jesus prayed for others.
In Matthew 19:13, we read,
“Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them.”
Despite the fact that “the disciples rebuked those who brought them,” Jesus said the children should not be hindered “for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (v. 14).
In John 17:9 we read, “I [Jesus] pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given Me, for they are Yours.”
This underscores the need for intercessory prayer.
Jesus prayed with others.
Luke 9:28 reads, “[Jesus] took Peter, John and James with Him and went up onto a mountain to pray.” Jesus prayed alone, as we’ll read below, but He also knew the value of praying with others.
Acts 1:14 underscores the importance of Christians praying with one another: “They all joined together constantly in prayer …”
Jesus prayed alone.
Luke 5:16 reads, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” As much as Jesus understood the value of praying with and for others, He also understood the need to pray alone.
Psalm 46:10 reads, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Sometimes it’s important for us to “be still” before God, but the only way to do this, especially in our hectic culture, is to do so alone with God.
Jesus prayed in nature.
Psalm 19:1 reads, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” What better place to commune with our Creator than among the wonders of nature?
Luke 6:12 says, “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray …”
He could have gone to a home, a synagogue or if He were near Jerusalem he could have gone to the temple to pray.
But there were times when Jesus made the decision to pray where He was, which often happened to be in nature.
We are surrounded by so much that is “man made” that sometimes it’s difficult for us to remember that this is not our world, but God’s world (Genesis 1:1, Psalm 24:1) full of wonders for us to enjoy.
Jesus prayed regularly.
This insight is drawn from a passage cited earlier,
Luke 5:16: “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
The word “often” is not hidden, but makes it obvious that Jesus prayed regularly.
Throughout the Gospels whenever we read of Jesus and prayer, it comes up regularly and naturally.
It was simply a part of His worldview, integrated into every aspect of Christ’s life. Can we say the same about prayer in our life?
“What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use—men of prayer, men mighty in prayer.”—E.M. Bounds