Being Prepared message.

Are you prepared for times such as these?

Esther 4:14 NLT

If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Ester Is one of the most entertaining books in the Bible. It has drama, power, and end in an exciting circumstance. It is diffidently one of those books that I have recommenced to new Bible readers. In my opinion it is the greatest rags to riches story ever. Essentially Ester is an orphan that wins a beauty contest, then becomes the Queen and puts herself on the line to save her people from genocide. This would have been the first holocaust. Esther is one of the few books of the bible that do not acknowledge the Lord by name, there are know prophecies that are said. But this book proves that even if the name of the Lord is not spoken we can still recognize that the Lord is working behind the scene. This is like our world today. All the things that are going on in today. It seems that even though we as a people of God are moving further away from God. He is still working behind the scenes making things happen. God is still using us even if we are not putting ourselves in a position to be used.

My Brother in law used the scripture Romans 12:2. I have always loved this scripture because it focuses on the transformation process. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. We have to be changed. I believe that God cannot use us the way He wants to until we have fully transformed. If we do not change those things that we need to let go of will follow us. It is not only that bad things. Going back to the scripture Ester uncle had to explain to her that she is no longer just an orphan anymore she is now a Queen. So she had to lose the insecurity of as an orphan and carry the confidence as a queen. I’m sure some of you have been in hard places that you thought would define you forever. But some how God has relocated you in some amazing place. And so wherever you may be in your life I want to share my title in the form of a question.

Are you prepared for times such as these?

acknowledge god thank Aaron, tiffany, explain sermon

Introduction

February 2020 we were getting ready for our busy season. We have invested a lot of time and money in our business. It was time to pay off. So I was not prepared to have the slowest spring and summer ever. I was not prepared to shut it down for a large chunk of the spring. I was not prepared to be on lock down in my house. I was not prepared for a deadly virus to move around the world. I was not prepared for people to go crazy for sanitizer and tissue. I was not prepared for people to act so crazy out of fear and anger. I did not know it was going to get bad.

But I find so much comfort in knowing that God did. He understood that people would go crazy. He Knew how people would act when they are afraid. He realized along time ago how selfish we can be. Basically we serve a God that was prepared for times such as these.

I attended a conference in January 2020 and the overwhelming theme of the night was that it was our time. It was Gods peoples time to shine. Then the pandemic came in some people, some churches rose to the occasion. But the expectation is still the same today. Our world, country, state, city, community is is bad shape.

So I want to give you 4 scriptures that will help you be prepared for times such as these.

I. Understand that the Lord cares

1 Peter 5:7 AMP

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

A lot of us are familiar with this verse. We know that we serve a God that cares for us. He even wants us to take His burdens. But lets look at verse 6

1 Peter 5:6 NKJV

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

So He is saying Humble yourself so you can trust God with your all burdens. So why is he telling you to humble yourselves when it comes to your burdens. Because we have pride in trying to handles things ourselves. Some may say that it is not pride. But it is pride when you have help but would rather do it yourself.

You know our world is in bad shape. And at times we don’t know who cares for us. Democrats don’t believe that Republicans care for them. Blacks don’t believe that whites care for them. Women don’t believe Men care for them. That is what it is. It can be debated and argued all day long. But I can promise you that you serve a God that create the universe. Why do I always point that out? When you really think about it we are not even the most impressive things that He has created. When you think about the galaxy, gravity, planets etc. We are actually the most flawed thing that he has ever created. Yet He want you to know that He cares for you. During the corona virus He care for you. While you are unemployed, He cares for you. So during this time if you feel like no one cares for you rebuke that feeling. Because it does not come from the Lord.

The next thing that you need to be prepared for times like these

II. We can never bow down

Exodus 20:2–4 NKJV

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;

The context on this is Mosses freed the slaves. They crossed the Red sea. Eventually they felt like even though God saved use we need to serve a God that we can see. So they made a golden calf to worship. This sounds so crazy. But this is what we do all the time. We find other things to worship in Gods place. I talked to one former head football coach who said he had to leave because it became his God. I further explained that he gave everything he had to it. Time, money, mind. He said everyday he had nothing left to give.

So my question is what are you bowing down to everyday. We are not supposed to bow down to any other false god. But can I tell there is one that a lot of people are bowing down to daily. And it is not budda of Muhammad. It is fear. Look at the grocery stores last year. There is a difference from being smart and having faith.

III. We will never be alone

Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV

And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

David tells us

Psalm 23:4 NKJV

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4 NKJV

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

So He does not want us to be afraid because will be with you. In your darkest moment He is with you. During your hardest test He will be with you. Remember during times such as these He is with you. Not only will he never leave you but He will never fail you. He will never fail you means that He will never let you down. The best part is even as he leads us here in this valley of the shadows of death that we are currently leaving in. He wont abandon us here.

IV. Conclusion We will always have Peace

John 14:27 NKJV

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Esther 4:16 AMP

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast for me; and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I also and my maids will fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.

Esther 4:16 NKJV

“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”

So when Esther understood what she had to do, the scripture said she fasted and had others fasted for her. I imagine they also prayed as well. I believe pray and fasting can bring so much clarity and peace in your life. Notice she says if “I perish I perish.” Make no mistake this is not about anything but the will of God. I here people say I'm going to live my life the way I want and if I die I die. That is not the same thing. This is not about living your personal truth. This about living up to your purpose. If this is what I”m suppose to do I will do and accept whatever comes with it. We see our saver in the garden praying to His father Lord if there is any other way to accomplish this goal let it be. But if not then not my will but let your will be done. At the end of the day Jesus showed that He was prepared for that huge moment. He knew that His father cared, we know that He would not bow down to fear, He knew that he would not be alone, and because He knew He was not alone we should have peace in all of our circumstances.

The song writer said it best

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know He holds the future And life is worth the living, just because He lives.

So now we know what to do to be prepared for times such as these. So have peace in knowing that He hung on the cross for you. Have peace in knowing that He was spit on for you. Have piece in knowing that He was mocked for you. Have piece in knowing that He had his hands and feet nailed to the cross for you. That He died for you and then got up with all power for you. And that same powerful man we have unlimited access to. Because of this you know that the Lord was prepared for times such as these. And so should we.

We know the Lord was prepared for times such as these.