WISDOM AMD UNDERSTANDING FOR THE TIMES THAT WE LIVE IN
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OUTLINE
1.SHAKING
2.STORMS
3.SCHEMES
4.SOUL
5.SAFETY
6.SIGNS
7.SUDDEN
THE MESSAGE
WISDOM AMD UNDERSTANDING FOR THE TIMES THAT WE LIVE IN
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1) SHAKING
We are living in times when God is shaking the earth and the heavens.This shaking will cause false foundations to crumble and only the unshakable elements will remain.Too often God’s children build their lives on foundations which can crumble and are devastated when their expectations are crushed.But God wants His children to put their faith on Him alone and build their lives on the solid rock Jesus Christ.He is the good part which cannot be taken away from us.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Hebrews 12: 26-29
At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."
The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
for our "God is a consuming fire."
2.STORMS
We are living in times when storms are attacking the lives of both beleivers and unbeleivers.Jesus told the parable of the wise man who built his house on the rock and the foolish man who built his house on the sand.Those who listen to Christ and obey his words are compared to the wise man and those who listen to Christ but do not obey his words are compared to the foolish man.The storms attack both the houses.Those who obey Christ as well as those who disobey Christ experience the fierce attack of the floods and the wind.But the difference lies in the effect of the storms.The house built on rock remains undisturbed but the house on the sand crumbles completely.This is the promise for the beleiver that when his life is built on the word of God no storm can destroy him.
The Lord wants to wash us and purify us with His word and prepare us for the second coming of the Lord.We must be doers of the word and not just be hearers. The Lord wants the church which is His bride to be pure and blameless when He returns.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Matthew 7:24-27
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
Ephesians 5:25-27
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
James 1:21-25
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror
and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
Revelation 22:11-12
Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy."
"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
3.SCHEMES
We are living in times when our best laid schemes and plans are blown away.We must continually seek God’s guidance when we take decisions in order to make our way prosperous. God wants us lay aside our pride and boasting and humbly rely upon Him to prosper the work of our hands.We ought to say that if it is God ’s will and if we are alive we would do these things and work out our plans and schemes. We should not boast about our plans for tommorow and be self confident.The word of God warns us that we have no guarantee for tommorow.Our life is like a vapour which vanishes in the air.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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James 4:13-15
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that."
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
4.SOUL
We are living in times when people are evil and selfish and cruel . Therefore we must be on our guard and not trust in any man unless we have a clear guidance from the Lord. Otherwise we would be deceived and face much suffering in our life.
In these days of stress and pressures we must not be
ignorant and indifferent to the condition of our soul.Jesus told the parable of the rich man who had laid up treasures to last him for many years and was congratulating himself.But God warned him that his soul would be taken away that night and asked who would inherit all his wealth.
We should not be in a mad pursuit of wealth without pausing to consider the condition of our eternal soul which is facing eternal damnation in hell without the salvation provided by Christ.We have a solemn responsibility in these last days to rise up and be witness for Jesus Christ and launch an all out effort for the preaching of the gospel to all nations before Christ returns.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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2 Timothy 3:1-5
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Psalm 118:8-9
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.
Acts 10:19-20
While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you.
So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."
John 2:23-25
Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.
But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.
He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.
Luke 12:16-21
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.
He thought to himself, ’What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
"Then he said, ’This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
And I’ll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ’
"But God said to him, ’You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
5.SAFETY
We are living in times when there is no safety for our wealth and treasures.
People are discovering that their wealth can be lost overnight.Their security and hope for the future is destroyed when all their confidence is in their wealth.The worldly system of finance is very unstable and unpredictable.Both crime and instability in the world can cause loss of wealth .We must trust in the Lord to meet our needs. The Lord is our solid foundation who is our provider.
God wants us to invest in the kingdom of God and receive a sure harvest both in this world and in eternity.Jesus told us to lay our treasures in heaven where there is complete protection for them.When we help the poor we lend to the Lord and He is the best and the safest person to lend our wealth because He will surely return it in manifold abundance.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Psalm 33:18-19
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
Psalm 37:18-19
The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.
In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
6.SIGNS
We are living in times when the signs of the Last days are clearly manifested.We are hearing of wars and rumours of wars. Nation is rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom.Fearful signs are visible in the heavens.Natural calamities such as earthquakes , famines and diseases are increasing. Clearly we can see that we are living in the last days.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Luke 21:9-17 , 25-26
When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away."
Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
This will result in your being witnesses to them.
But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.
For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
All men will hate you because of me.
"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.
Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
7.SUDDEN
We are living in times when sudden destruction comes upon us.When we talk of peace and safety unexpected dangers suddenly come upon us.These sudden dangers give no warning nor time to escape.There is no time even to prepare ourselves to face them. We must be deeply rooted in God and have an unshakable faith in Him to survive these sudden and unexpected attacks. We must be fervently praying for the leaders and rulers and people in authority that they may take right decisions in these perplexing times . Otherwise we may not be able to live a peaceful and godly lives and serve the Lord with freedom.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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I Thesselonians 5:1-3
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
2 Timothy 2:1-5
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—
for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
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