Now, I am no where near the age to remember the Great Depression of 1929, but I do know what a run on the banks would have done to our economy and nation. There would have been precedence for Marshal Law to have been enacted, and greater government control over everyday activities. Food and fuel rationing would have gone into effect, and the nation that we had known, along with our liberties would have disappeared. Widespread fear would have been beyond description.
Even though this scenario had not played out, many people today are still in the grip of fear. The video we listened to, opened with a caller almost screaming at this politician over all the bills she had to pay, and yet not qualified to receive food stamps. Like her, many citizens all over the world are crying out in fear over their future.
As a Christian, one who has placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I am also not immune to the rampages in the economy. Like so many others, I can lose my income, my home, and ways to make ends meet. Yet through it all I can rest in God's Word and know that I will still be provided for.
1. God is Not the Source of Fear.
2 Timothy 1:7Over the past, I have learned that whenever I start to feel the panic of fear, this emotion is not coming from God, because 2 Timothy 1:7 clearly shows that God doesn't give us a spirit of fear or dread. Since this emotion is not coming from God, it can only come from another source,
(7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
1 John 2:16So many times, our own lusts and desires overwhelm our lives to the point where our "wants" become more important than what God wants for us. When the flesh looses something important, it will react out of fear.
(16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
2. God Has Promised to Provide for His Own
Philippians 4:19Though the Lord has never promised that He would keep us from suffering, He has promised to provide for our needs.
(19) But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Matthew 6:25-33Here are some very clear promises from Scripture. If we truly are trusting Christ, and following His Word, He has promised to provide for us. Granted, you might lose some conveniences of life; you might be forced to tighten your lifestyle, but God promises that we will not be destroyed if we place our felowship with Christ as our highest priority.
(25) Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
(26) Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
(27) Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
(28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
(29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
(30) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
(31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
(33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
3. God Promises Never to Leave Us
Romans 8:35-39The greatest comfort I have as a Christian is the fact that God promises never to leave me, and never to forsake me. My boss could fire me from my job, my landlord could evict me from my home, my government could come and remove me from my freedoms, but God will not leave me. God will not abandon me.
(35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
(36) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
(37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
(38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
(39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Hebrews 13:5
(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.
Friend, are you fearful? Do you find yourself awake at night worrying about tomorrow? If so, please, allow me to ask you, do you know Jesus Christ as your personal savior?
It's not hard my friend.
1. Realize that you are just like every other human being: a lost and wicked sinner who deserves an eternity in hell.
Ecclesiastes 7:20God is Holy, and God is Just. He cannot allow one single sin to enter into Heaven, because of His holiness. Because of our sin and disobedience to God, we deserve Hell.
(20) For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Romans 3:10
(10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Romans 3:23
(23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 6:23
(23) For the wages of sin is death; ...
But there is hope!
2. Jesus Christ came to provide hope of Salvation!
John 3:16-173. If you bow your heart before God, and confess your sins to Him, He WILL SAVE YOU!
(16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
1 Timothy 1:15
(15) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Romans 10:9-10My friend, are you tired of being afraid? Are you weary of living a life of panic? Then please, turn to Jesus Christ, and trust Him!
(9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
(10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
