More Misery Than We Can Imagine, Part 2

Today on Insight for living a timely message from Chuck Swindoll once using faith over fear, God is not given us a spirit of fear but what of power and law, and self-discipline. If you are fearful it doesn't come from the Lord. If you are afraid that frightened is not from heaven is from your old nature is from the world around you. Reject every temptation to live in fear when we read what Jesus said about it makes us feel unsettled, perhaps afraid. After all, Jesus said we could expect war insulation misery that increases in waves like the pains that come before the child is born. Jesus said in less the time of calamity are short but not a single person will survive behind we find any measure of hope in these alarming statements from Jesus today on Insight for living.

Chuck Swindoll presents a sobering message to those who are ready for Christ's return.

And those were not begin with prayer. We stand in silence and all before you are father and before another. We acknowledge that you are the supreme sovereign one, and there is no other. We worship you and we worship no other through your son Jesus. We have come to realize that he alone helps us make sense of life and so much of it seems insane without purpose without meaning without reason.

In those days seem to multiply as the weeks pass and they seem more intense.

The older we get remind us our father that you still do all things well and that this is still your world. This is our father world as you remind us of that. At the same time remind us it's not ours that your will is paramount.

Not ours, that your plan is what's important, not ours.

Help us as we switch perspectives today to come away realizing we're in good hands for you, our God continue to be the one who guides and guards us, we find our protection in you are joy in you are hope in you, and really another so is that focus is cleared up, remind us again as we give our gifts and the receipts we sit before you and wonder and love and praise that this is our father in the name of Christ. We pray everyone's studying the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures by going to Insight world.org/studies another message from Chuck titled more misery than we can imagine he speaks of those who will be in Judea. He says you must flee to the hill. These are people running for their lives. And there will be those who will be on the deck of a roof, you must not run back into the house to pack anything you have time for such risks, you want to get out of there a person in the field must not return even to get a quote don't go back one get out of there terrible it will be for the pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days.

Verse 19 mention pray that your flight will not be in the winter.

For obvious reasons difficult to travel on foot in the winter and that it will be on the Sabbath, for there will be those Orthodox Jews who will persecute you as a Jew for working on the Sabbath as you were running for your life. There will be greater language than it ever did. Any time since the world began in five verse 22, unless the time of calamity is shortened. Not a single person will survive. What's interesting is is a run to hide the deceiver will have his emissaries among them, and they will run with them and once they have found a place that has temporary shelter the deceivers will emerge with their voices singing. Do you realize the Messiah is near verse 23 if anyone tells you look. Here's the Messiah or there he is. Don't believe it.

Don't believe false massages and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders and miracles, through supernatural power and God is not the only one with supernatural power. Satan is an enormous amount of supernatural power.

He's a supernatural creature in this demotic host are given supernatural powers as well.

The idea that it is miraculous. It can only come from God, but this is an example would signs and wonders are coming from the deceiver.

He says there will be great signs and wonders, so as to deceive a possible even God's chosen one. Your Bible reach even God's elect. See, I warned you about this ahead of time. Jesus and he adds, if someone tells you Messiah is out there in the desert don't go out there. He isn't there are no keys hiding your mother don't don't look for him here. I don't believe it more as the lightning flashes in the East and in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby so the signs dictate or indicate that the end is near. Now let me say to everyone very carefully. You can so focus on these times which are treacherous that you will find your your your piece is invaded. If you take it far enough, you will live a suspicious life. There will be very few. You will trust in the older you get, the fewer they will be you will live your life behind closed blinds and triple locked doors will beef up the alarm system and you will spend your time running scared of even a person walking the sidewalk in front of your house or the alley behind it is easy for us in the midst of these times to begin to live just like these treacherous people want us to live as miserable as they are so listen to a verse of Scripture and then allow me some closing remarks there will be three of them that I want to develop that I think will be helpful for all of us. First, the Scripture I read again. First Corinthians 1558. Just last night.

Paul writes, therefore, brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord now. I did not misquoted written from the pan of a man who lived in again a treacherous time for the Emperor of the Roman Empire was the supreme authority on earth and if you study the Emperor's you know what that lifestyle was like and the wicked folks around them all the way through Nero and Domitian and others. We could name who took great delight in persecuting Christians hating righteousness. Following multiple gods in their multiple gods world. And Paul writes be steadfast, immovable, abounding, so my question to all of us is does that describe you or you steadfast or you removable or are you abounding in the work of the Lord, you wake up excited thinking about the possibilities of that day you look forward to the opportunity to meet individuals to share in life with them as opportunity provides to tell them of Christ and those who know the Lord to have a joyful relationship with them without the fear of what's happening outside the building. Were you living your life in abundance or have you become a BB gun to run scared suspicious paranoid. I have words for you that I think will help number like to give them to you the next 60 seconds.

I would like to. I won't be able to do that but I would like to do it that quickly, so it will really make an impact, but I have my small way of saying I don't want to linger over this and and and harass you with these truths but there are three words I want to leave with you. There's something I want you to reject the something I want you to remember. And there's something I want you to rely on if you will.

You will not live in fear. You will not be paranoid, you will discover that the Lord your God is in fact your guide your keeper, your shield of protection your Lord so what are we to reject. You may even want to write it down if you want to be fanatical about it but you don't have to. I just want you to be able to remember it and if you don't write it down.

Chances are good you will remember so let's go here. Reject reject every temptation to live in fear. Reject every temptation to live in fear.

I want to give you on Old Testament statement and a New Testament statement with each of these three and on through from the Old Testament as it relates to no fear. Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. Isaiah 41 verse 10. I suggest you not only write down the verse, but you memorize these six verses on believing with you. Isaiah 4110 should be on your lips regularly.

Don't be afraid I am with you, as the Lord, don't be discouraged. I am your God.

I will strengthen you, I will help you.

I will lift you up. The right hand of my righteousness but just bursting no reason to be afraid to be discouraged I am with you as a 41 team here is a New Testament statement. Second Timothy chapter 1 verse seven God is not given us a spirit of fear but what of power and love and self-discipline. God is given us. That spirit, not a spirit of fear.

If you are fearful it doesn't come from the Lord.

If you are afraid that fright is not from heaven is from your old nature. It's from the world around you so reject every temptation to live in fear and clean that promise. He has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-discipline. Those are two verses worth remembering as it 4110 second Timothy one verse seven. Now what should we remember.

I put it this way so you'll remember it easier. Remember that God is not almost sovereign see if I said that God is sovereign, your yawning go to look for the next statement, but by saying he's not almost sovereign looks at it another way, there's no situation over which God is not so that's like saying I am. I am almost done the father of my children, either Amber or I am not God is either sovereign or he is not. He is either in control lorries out of control. The Bible teaches that he is in control.

The verse you want to remember is Psalm 115 verse three short verse. I love it.

Our God is in the heavens. He does what he pleases.

Is that a great statement is terrific does what he pleases. He never wakes you up at night and says hey would you be okay if tomorrow.

I did so and so he doesn't need your permission, he doesn't need my okay. He does what he pleases is that while I can't make sense. It will welcome to the club.

There's a lot of mystery about God. If you could figure them out, and knew all about them.

You be the fourth member of the Trinity, so you're not and you can't figure them out, but believe me says it. I do whatever I please, so that tells you, there must be more of the story than what just happened. Remember the panoramic part. I told you about he's working on all of it together.

Which brings me to one of those favored verses Romans 828 here's a New Testament verse, God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. The best part of the verse is all things all things you me what happened last Sunday all things you need all the stuff that's happened in my life. This brought paint all things. He causes all things to work together.

I didn't say all things are good. Paul didn't like that he wrote all things work together for good.

I'm a friend named Jake Kessler J was for a number of years, the president of Taylor University.

You who know Jay are already smiling good. He's a terrific guy. He's got a great statement. He says talk, but I think when we all, he's the one who said one of my great goals and this is the quote because worth its work by telling you this what he says what about great goals in life is to develop a friends who will hold my hand over my coffee without once checking their watch. I think that's a great statement that Holland and they don't know how long it is going to land the JHS is one who says when we all step into heaven. The first response will be all. Now I get it, and not until you die with question marks you live your life not being able to figure out the puzzle but little by little in God's timing will begin to see it more and more as he's preparing you for home with him and then when you step before him. It will be all God.

It that is so good why did not see good at a BA God causes all things work together for good. Don't forget that I know you're familiar with it, but it's been a long time since you cleaned it. Psalm 115 three. He does what he pleases.

Romans 828 causes all things to work together. Remember he isn't almost sovereign.

The third statement rely on the word of God. Anytime you feel uncertain and insecure rely on the word of God. Anytime you feel uncertain and insecure.

You just cannot rely on how you feel with the bone.

You just cannot rely on Fox news. You know, I know you watch it. Use cannot rely on family you cannot rely on the Cowboys. You certainly cannot rely on the kill.

You cannot rely on someone else.

Not all the time. That book you can rely on it 20 473-6573 66 it'll never lie to you.

So the better you get to know it, the more confidently you will walk rely on in whenever you feel uncertain and insecure turned to read it aloud. Here's the verse Psalm 119, 105 your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my pay you light up my way. You show me the way to go. I'm going rely on you to take me through this is the second one was 54 love this. Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort from the scriptures might have hope, whatever is good in earlier times was written for our learning, God voted for our learning, that we through patience and comfort brought the Scriptures we live in hope. So I can wake up tomorrow morning filled with hope. If I'm not any time in God's word every day. I need time in God's word. Not because I'm a minister, but because I'm human and I'm given to fear and hopelessness, discouragement and even times of real real question God's word never leaves me with that release me with hope like you to bow your heads for the next few moments just for her, sitting just close your eyes. Eyelids are great.

They just block every visual interruption out and you're able to's sit there in the darkness and the quiet of your thoughts. You sure you know Christ. Are you absolutely certain that if you died tonight you would step into eternity.

Are you absolutely sure that Jesus is your Savior. If you're not, I certainly understand why these verses would bother you, and why the events that recently happened we keep you awake their disturbing but that doesn't mean we reach the end of our rope means we reach the end of our understanding.

So we turned toward God. Trust in Jesus right now. Just leave it with him.

Turn your life over to him. He who has the son SO in. He who has the son has the life, but he who does not have the son of God does not have a life. Don't leave this place without the son of God our father make this time especially meaningful as we come off a week of chaos and confusion bring us back to that place of intimate delight with you as we are lost in wonder, love, and pre-Jesus died and rose for us whom we worship now through his name we pray. Amen is exciting to realize that men and women all around the world are taking their first steps of faith today by turning their lives over to Jesus, the son of God. This is insight for living featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor Chuck Swindoll to learn more about Chuck in this ministry. Please visit us online@insightworld.org well. You likely noticed the overarching theme rising out of our study in Matthew's gospel is consistent with our core mission at Insight for living I'm referring to the responsibility that falls on every follower of Jesus to study the Bible. This discipline helps us grow and it also gives us hope. A moment ago we heard Chuck quote the apostle Paul who said whatever was written in earlier times was written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort from the scriptures might have hope will. To that end insight for living provides a variety of helpful resources to guide your personal study of the Bible. Today I'm pleased to point you to an engaging devotional from Chuck called God's word for you. The subtitle gives you a taste of what the book is all about an invitation to find the nourishment your soul needs you can purchase a copy by going to insight.org/offer or call us if you listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888 as you led to give a donation to insight for living.

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Chuck Swindoll was the first pastor I listen to on the radio. What a blessing and I learned a lot through his books and teaching over the years when your gift to insight for living ministries enables us to touch lives like this will call us if you listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888 or give a donation online@insight.. In March, 20, 22 insight for living ministries is hosting an unforgettable journey to Israel carefully planned to deepen your understanding of the Bible and draw you closer to God Chuck Swindoll for thousands of years no place has been more mean full to God's children in the land of Israel. The rugged landscape reminds us to find refuge in God alone. The fertile valleys invite us to follow our ship Jerusalem's position at the very center of the world announces the good news of Christ's every nation and now you can see Israel with Chuck Swindoll insight for living ministries March 6-17, 2022. Every time I visited the holy land of returned home with the refreshed heart for God and a renewed vision for the world. Really, I mean it every time.

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Chuck Swindoll presents a message on the second coming of Jesus, called here he comes ready or not tomorrow insight for living. The preceding message more misery than we can imagine was copyrighted in 2017 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited