When You Are Where You Don't Want To Be

Line of fire for God has placed him where he has been challenge much people and where you wish title are pastor of non-shop of Clearview church Anderson with a clear view. Our focus is on making Christ visible. We worship the way we serve the way we love one another. Come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd., Henderson, or visit us online@clearviewb.org join us for the rest of this week's message. Have you ever driven past the heart of cows grazing in the field and seen that one Cal sticking its head through the fence, nibbling on the adjustment pastor. Anybody else is saying that I saw growing up overseas and still see you. To this day.

The question is why is the cow doing that. Why does it thing that I have to eat the grass in the other pasture. Is it because the grass is any better. Of course not, as the grass.

Any greener.

That's where we get the expression the greener grass syndrome is the grass in the greener on the other side. No, but for some reason the cow things that man is gotta be better over there now. This morning were the lessee in this message. What to do when you are ready, you don't want to be because human beings suffer from the greener grass syndrome.

We say things like, I can wait to get out of here is the greener grass.

Sometimes we don't say it little realize that where we are is not by accident. God has providentially placed. Is there some time because of sin. Other times, because he's doing something in our lives. And it's not because of sin this morning.

If you have your Bibles with you, turn to Psalm 137 because we can listen to a message about the people of God who were in exile in the felt like if only we could get over there only we could go back.

Life would be so much better. And that's not the case. Psalm 137 starting in verse one by the rivers of Babylon.

There we sat down yet. We wept when we remembered Zion. When we remembered back home we hung our harps upon the Willows in the midst of it. The harp was the instrument of worship while their exiles are playing the harp even louder.

Even more, the hung it up. Didn't want to worship God anymore and listen to what happens were there. Those who care to us away captive the Babylonians asked us of us a song and those who plundered us requested mirth saying Singh is one of those songs of Zion and listen to the reply.

How shall we say the Lord's song in a foreign land to see what that truly means, and what they truly meant by that statement. In a few moments, but here's a question for you. Do you feel like you are in a foreign land before Lano mean that you have left the United States by foreign land. I mean you are in a place where you don't want to be. You feel like if only you could leave if only you could go from here somewhere else.

Life would be so much better.

Have you hung up your heart. Have you stop worshiping God. You feel like God has forgotten you. Do you know God is Jesus Christ your Savior. If not today, making your Savior. The Psalm we just read Psalm 137 comes from a very low point in the history of God's people. The year was 587 BC when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had come against the southern kingdom. The kingdom of Judah. This is a part time he came against Judah and he destroyed everything this time he destroyed Judah. He destroyed Jerusalem the capital he destroyed Solomon's Temple. He destroyed every major building in the city of Jerusalem.

And worst of all, if you remember from last weekend's message. He also destroyed the walls around the city of Jerusalem. Everything was raised to the ground, but he did something else he does something which was unthinkable thinkable. He told the people. The Jewish people. The people of Judah as captives with him back to Babylon, which was 700 miles to the east and now they are in a foreign land land that was very different. Not just the culture, not just the terrain, but even the people were different. They were broken. The Jewish people were broken they were discouraged they were hopeless they were apathetic in the midst of this exiled the began to cry out to God. Listen to their song by the rivers of Babylon. There we sat yeah. We wept when we remembered Zion is a song of hopelessness and then it says in verse two we hung our harps upon the Willows in the midst of it means we had no desire to worship God, we had no desire to glorify God.

What you do when you are in a place where you don't want to be and this may be because of sin, but sometimes it has nothing to do with sin but you are in a foreign land. Would you do, there are three things I want to point out to you from this passage. The first is stop blaming God. When you are in exile. The temptation is to blame God. The temptation is to blame God for your predicament. The Jewish people are blaming God and there were being bitter towards him. I want you to hear again.

Verse three for their those who carried us away captive the Babylonians. The soldiers, the people who had brought them in chains to Babylon.

The began to ask the Jewish people. After a week or two maybe a month later this it hey guys I know we brought you here and maybe it's right or wrong that we don't know we did what we were told to do, but can you do us a favor, then you sing us one of the songs of Zion, the Jewish people were known for their worship. I mean, there's a whole book in the Old Testament the book of Psalms there were known for a passionate worship. There were known for worshiping the living true God with their hearts with their minds.

Unlike the worship of the Egyptians were the Babylonians or the Chaldeans or the Akkadians. The Jewish people knew how to worship God and and they were known for their worship and their praises. Can you sing us one of those songs. What is the response to that. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land. There were not saying you know I would love to but you were in the land of sin. I can we can sing God's song in the land of sin. They were not vetoed.

Standing up for the honor of God.

And so you you destroyed our temple and its data. We need to be where the temple is in, and this is not the place. These people were actually being sarcastic.

They were being passive aggressive. How shall we, saying, the Lord, you know the Lord who supposed to be in control. You know the Lord who supposed to take care of Jerusalem. How can we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land. What they're really saying is if God was really Lord if he was really in control, we wouldn't be in the mess we are these people were being bitter towards God, never refusing to sing praises to God because they were mad at him. You know when people go to an exile is very easy for them to lose their song. I have met people like that they going to a tough time in life.

Maybe it's a financial struggle.

Maybe it's health issues maybes relationships that have broken down. Maybe his jobs not working out, and in those moments there one or two responses either to stop coming to church or they come to church but it does nothing for them the one.

Coming to church but I invited them to come back. Guess what you hear things that all well you know right now man lots going on.

I'm just just not interested. But the really saying is I am disappointed with God. I don't have time for God. If God was God.

He would not have allowed what happened to me he would not have taken this a loved one from me. This person would not have died. This marriage would not have crumbled this financial problem would not have happened if God was God. This would not have happened. So right now yeah believe in God and everything, but I have no desire to be there. All I want something on TV time. Time I listen to my podcast, but I do want to be there. Then there are those who do come to church but you can might as well stay home because you can see in their eyes.

There is an emptiness.

There is no passion. There is no love towards God. There is no fate because somewhere along the line, their faith, God crushed.

There were hoping against hope, and God did not answer their prayers and now it's more of a guy go to church with a wife and the kids I go to church with the children but and then somebody over here there raises their hand in worship and to look at them like yeah way to life hits you, you put that hand down you say exile has a way of making you better and hateful towards God. These people are blaming God for their predicament. Now there was a time when people would say things like it when you're angry with God's let them have it because God is big enough you can take your punches my my suggestion to you is don't do that. My suggestion to you is yes, God can take your punches when he took the biggest punch on the cross have fear the Lord is in his holy temple. Let the whole world. Be silent before him have some reverence. You can complain to God is a God, why is this happening but be very careful about shaking the fist one too many times these folks were angry with God. They were resentful towards God, but they had forgotten that it was their sins and their choices that had caused them to lose the land of the land was given the condition they were supposed to obey God's commandments. They were told don't go into idolatry.

They were told not to rebel against God, but they did everything opposite. Just like their brothers and sisters to the north in Israel, the people of Judah were also rebellious against God. Something else their kings led them in rebellion.

One of their kings or several of them would give their own children as sacrifices before and God skinny picture that taking a little baby and putting it in the arms of this idle wrong side.

All the arms had been heated up its housing times and putting the baby on top of the dog. That's what these people were doing one of the kings had even cut up the word of God as Jeremiah was speaking to him in reading the word of God. He was okay with the Jeremiah was a finally, we will begin really. He is not like listening to the word.

He is actually hearing the word down. He is shaking his fist towards God, and God said, repenting of the did the turn towards Egypt. God said to send Nebuchadnezzar to discipline you. That response was Egypt will help us God said don't do that. Don't do that you're going to lose the land and the lost. So the point I'm making here is this.

If you are in exile because of sin because of your choices don't blame God the place to be is in repentance. It would repentance us sing God, I have sinned.

I have sent is my failure to obey is my failure to follow your commandments, it's me. Don't blame God but repent. What else do you do when you are in exile other than repenting you start blooming where you're planted as these people are refusing to worship God as they are sitting around doing nothing. There bags are still packed right. Two men come from Jerusalem from Jeremiah the prophet Jeremiah wrote them a letter word of God to the Jewish people in exile. What did Jeremiah tell them I want to pay attention to this, he said. Jeremiah 29 verse four. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the Lord of the armies which means this you may think God is not there, but he is still alive and present the God of Israel to all who were carried away captive whom I have caused you to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon, which means this even though you send in God's sovereignty in God's providence.

God is the one who made the decision God is still large and in charge. I have caused to be caraway from Jerusalem to Babylon. What you do well, God is telling you build houses and dwell in them means it's time to unpack it when people are in exile. We just want to get out of there when the leave want to go to a better place if I can only get over there if I can only go here so and so I saw on Facebook man to have such a good move over them to be all together have this what God is saying to you is right where you are starting packing.

Could you not leaving this place for a while. I've met people.

Some are even hearing the sound of my voice was still living out of boxes. They will not commit to their job, they will not commit to their house. They will not come into their neighborhood.

It says superficial commitment that a moments notice.

You can, you know, flouting here they will not come into the church there always looking over the horizon to a better place, where if they ever get there. Not that's where they're going to serve God take the time is passing away that you're not doing it here. You gonna do with their what else did God tell them listen to verse five, plant gardens and eat their fruit you know, these are people who would say things like the grapes back in Jerusalem that they were sweet. These olives and Babylon man didn't even look like Ali, what is this raisins. They look down on everything around them. Sounds familiar.

I've been in Henderson Vance County long enough to know when people talk down about this place. All this place is this about a dollar for every time people made fun of Henderson or Vance County of Warren County of Granville County. I would be taking a world tour.

That mindset says is gonna be better somewhere else God lived on the other side of the world and I've been to all the prominent big cities and swanky places this what I found.

At least here you know who the troublemakers are at least here you know where the problem makers are coming from who they are, what's happening, so the other places you don't know, but it happens in the covert real still with me, and yet people have the mindset is gotta be better over there. You move there and try to find out very quickly is not what is it God say take lives and beget sons and daughters and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands so that they may bear sons and daughters that you may be increased there and not diminish, which means there is not only don't look down upon the land, but don't be condescending to the people around you build relationships with them. Don't be superficial. Don't be negative about your job in your community and your church. Don't be keeping people at arms length. You're in exile. God is telling you get comfortable.

What else listen to verse seven and see the peace of the city were I have caused you to be caraway, captive, and prayed to the Lord for it for in its fees. You will have peace. Oh Jesus is my piece waving my baby yeah Jesus may be your piece, but if you want daily peace where you live, where you work where you serve.

You have to see the piece of this place. It would peace really means. It means spiritual health. It means the spiritual help that comes from the spirit of God. It means there's not only did you need to join the rack or the why war or to to to get to know the people and show up at at at those your downtown gatherings. It means you tried to spread the good news of Jesus Christ right where you are start finding ways to do things that were start finding ways to do things in your neighborhood get involved with what's happening here at church because in its piece you will have peace you don't have peace is because you're not sowing peace.

You reap what you sow.

All you are sowing is anger and bitterness and resentment and disenchantment. I saw you going to get back my family and are blessed with what God is doing in a powerful way in its piece. I have peace you don't have peace because you looking somewhere else and you can do that sometimes people waste their entire lifetimes doing that and even move that other place even go to that place in the realize you have a common element you are still you even if you moved to the other side of the moon. The problems don't go away just because you change location. So the problem here with these people is there refusing to get involved. Listen to what else God told him here's a warning in Jeremiah 29 verse eight for this is a little hose the God of Israel. Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed in those moments when you're in exile you to get a phone call come here. Join us in the worst thing people do is when they make up their minds. Are you with me when they make up their minds, they would go to the certain place than the start looking for the signs. Don't listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed it. Honey townspeople have said this way to me and I will talk about moving the jobs and things like that is a different situation is moving because you feel like I'm in exile, I gotta go do something. I had people come to me and say things like Pesce, all the signs are there. I really all the signs are there. I came home from work the other day and the dog usually sits on the right side. He was sitting on the left side of my really how you open the door, walked in the fridge was left open. Can you believe that like what you think is the case maybe some I forgot to shut the door know is because God is telling me. The door is open okay and guess what happened. I walked in the living room, turn the TV on and there's Billy Graham and he sneezes like Billy Graham never sneezes on to know he didn't. That's the point. He didn't sneeze, but hit his nose was twitching and I knew right there. All the signs are there. We got to go okay in the early days.

I used to say what a moronic thing to say but nowadays I just got a goal like yeah that sounds good to me challenge you again. If you are in exile.

If you're in the situation weathers because of Santa because of choices don't run weight and do the work that God is calling you to do light a fire were God has placed you seek him where he has placed you reach out and touch people and and share the love of Christ, right where you are.

If you're not gonna do it here you go do some rails. Stop blaming God start blooming where you're planted I listen to this. Stay focused on God's promise.

What is God's promise. Listen to Jeremiah 29 verse 10 for thus says the Lord, after 70 years are completed at Babylon and here's the word to use if you are in exile you to be there until God is ready for you to move and I'm not talking about physical locations. I'm talking about.

You are in that state of funk where God is dealing with you. He's dealing with your obedience. He's dealing with your disobedience. You are not coming out of there until God is ready for after 70 years. God sets I will visit you and perform a good word to word you and cause you to return to this place returned back to Jerusalem and it's a promise because every trial has a lifespan. What you're going through right now. It may feel horrible. It may feel terrible. It may feel like God get me out of it.

Now wait on God's timing.

It will and you may go to and another one another exile may be waiting in my life I've been here 20 years and plan on being here the rest of my life. I've been through many exiles. My exhaust came our exiles came as financial struggles, our exiles came as physical problems. Our exiles came in breakdown of relationships are exiles came in family problems unfolds. These exiles come and go but they have a lifespan don't run out.

Don't make foolish decisions. People walk away from marriages.

People walk away from the children.

People make drastic decisions in the midst of exile don't do that way it will end. God is not through and now comes verse 11. This a powerful verse from no the parts that I think two words you says the Lord. Parts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope that people use this as a life verse I've seen a lot of young people graduation time. Jeremiah 2911 obscene people writing Jeremiah 2911 in their Bibles and the kids books. What they fail to realize is that John Jeremiah 2911 is contingent on Jeremiah 29 13 if you stop blaming God and start repenting and letting God do his work. Stay put bloom where you're planted let God be God in your life to sanctify you to purify you, then you can say this is my life verse because if you're refusing to let God work in your life and claim this.

It doesn't work folks you're ripping it out of context and making it fit and it does not work so what happens now if you let God do his work, then there is peace and not evil future and a hope and then listen to what God says in verse 12, then you will call upon me and go and pray to me and I will listen to you and you will seek me and find me when you start from me with all your heart, I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity and this is not just physical captivity. It is spiritual captivity in a many of us think right now when I'm good I'm good I'm I'm saved I'm going to heaven. God wants to do a deeper work in your life. If you'd only submit to him when you are in exile the place to be is in submission. God here I am, whatever you want to do in my life. I am yours got a little big, you, I'm gonna follow you on the trust you, I want to let you do whatever you need to do in my life to purify me and to make me more like Jesus Christ. But if you say God I will let you but but you know what I am not going to plant gardens… I will, but I'm not going to seek the peace of the city. God, I will but but I'm not going to build houses. God, I will but I will not build relationship.

If you see any of those and you don't have these promises but if you say God, whatever you want to do in my life. I surrender all, thank you so much for joining us for this message just like God's people living in exile. Sometimes we find ourselves stuck in a situation where we don't want to be easy to lose sight of God discourage that a remember that God is still in control and he can still work all things together for our good, for his glory. Trust God in your situation and move forward in faith and repentance.

For more information visit us online@clearviewb.org and for the sermon notes check out Pastor Shah's blog but not shot down