Who and What to KNOW in times of trouble.

GOD IS YOUR ANCHOR.  When our second youngest son  was about seven years old, he used to accompany me at times when I would speak. He would sit on the front row and I gave him an assignment to help him  to listen with purpose as I spoke. He was to draw three pictures of something I said and on the way home explain the photos and how it related to what I had been teaching. On one such occasion he had a man sitting in a fishing boat and from the back of the boat went a long diagonal line to the bottom of the page. Seemed odd as I had not mentioned fishing! But he explained it was  the rope and was held by an anchor, and that I had mentioned God was our anchor! He got the point and his illustration of God being our anchor is not only truth from the book of Hebrews but a great reminder for us in times of trouble.

Below are some truths from God’s Word in regards several anchors for you and me in times of trouble which I hope will give you some great Hope in Him. Let’s consider, “ Who and What to know in times of trouble.” Let’s look at several “anchors.”

 1. – GOD IS IN CONTROL– He reigns as King, Sovereign over all the events, circumstances, people in your trouble – all of these events He is working for good in a believer’s life and for His honor.

  • “The LORD sat as King at the flood; Yes, the LORD sits as KING FOREVER.” Psalm 29:10
  • “ The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; He guides it wherever He pleases.”-Prov 21:1
  • “Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.”-{Psalm 135:6}
  • “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”-{Matthew 28:18}.

2. – GOD IS CONSISTENT– While situations, plans, dreams, events, people change around you, God is consistently the same, as He was, He is and will be, He can be counted upon to behave as He is eternally the same.
“ I am GOD and I do not change.”– {Malachi 3:6}

3. – GOD IS PRESENT- Often in trials we tend to fear He has abandoned us or forgot about us or He is not good, as if He was this would not be happening-{See Psalm 13:1-3 David came to some wrong conclusion about God concerning the length of his trial.} He has not, will not leave, forsake, abandon, discard His own. The apparent “silence,” or lack of “feelings” do not nullify or indicate His leaving or abandoning or disowning you. The absence of “feelings” are not to be believed as though He is no longer interested or for you. Such lack of the “feelings” of His “presence” are not to be trusted. They neither prevent His being present with you, or for you, in times of trouble, as His Word reveals He is always with you. He is consistently the same. His promises are true and He is with you. The choice is to walk by “feelings” or faith in the Faithful One, who has SAID…

  • “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” – {Heb 13:5}
  • “…And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”- {Matt 28:20}
  • “Be strong and be courageous, do not be afraid nor discouraged for the LORD your God is with YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.!-{ Josh 1:9}
  • “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”- {Deut 31:6}
  • “…I can never get away from Your presence!”- {Psalm 139:7}

 4. GOD IS WORKING- He is always working, circumstances, events, people, As Sovereign, all of history is heading towards The ultimate destination… HIM, – “…all things were created by Him and for{towards} Him.”- {Col 1:16}

  • “And we know that in all things GOD WORKS for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.”- Romans 8:28
  • “…for it is GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU to will and to act in order to fulfill HIS good purpose.”- {Phil 2:13.}

SILENTLY BUT EVER WORKING; As   of gallons of water work quietly beneath a forest, so God often works quietly nevertheless effectively in the circumstances of His people’s lives. He was working for your good before you were born. He was working on the cross for you. He was working in the resurrection for you. He was working when He convicted you. He was working when He saved you. God has been and is working constantly. for your good, which is ultimately  to conform you to the image of the Lord Jesus. God IS at Work  around you, for you and “in you!” “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.”-{Phil 2:13 nlt}. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”-{Phil 1:6}.

These 4 “ANCHORS of TRUTH” concerning the character of God to hold you in the storms of life and in times of trouble. TRUST HIM. IN LIGHT OF GOD AS YOUR “ANCHOR,” HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND IN YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES?

A. BE CONFIDENT IN HIS PROMISE TO YOU; “Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the LOVE OF GOD in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:35-39

B. – BE AWARE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE AN OPPORTUNITY – TO ADVANCE THE GOSPEL.- Paul was “shut in”…confined by chains, in prison but he was not “shut out” from access to God in prayer nor indeed prevented from sharing the Gospel with those around Him. He in his troubles was God conscious- He prays in Philippians 1:3-11… He was Evangelizing – v 12…. He was encouraging the brothers to such an extent “most of the brothers were ENCOURAGED to speak the Word of God boldly without fear because of my imprisonment.” – v 13.  His presence was an INFLUENCE on “most” not all, but “Most” to speak the Gospel. Your circumstances have …other people in the circumstances you can pray, evangelize, encourage and in doing so the circumstance you are in are working out to further the Gospel…. God is in control, the circumstances…your opportunities, “Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,”- Phil 1:12

C.- BE GLORIFYING HIM- “Call on Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you and you will GLORIFY Me.”– Psalm 50:15. Have you ever seen your troubles as an opportunity to pray, to see God answer prayers and put Himself on Display and you GLORIFYING HIM? They can be if you look at them from His perspective. Remember you were CREATED for His glory- Isaiah 43:7; REDEEMED for His glory- 1 Cor 6:20; and are to LIVE all aspects of life. including times of troubles to His glory- 1 Cor10:31

D. – BE TRUSTING GOD. “Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”- Romans 4:19-21

E. – BE TRUSTING THAT GOD IS FAITHFUL! God had promised Abraham a son and it seemingly was not materializing, Sarah had “tried” to Help God out and yet to no avail, indeed causing multiple trouble, yet this did not nullify God! Abraham calculated the situation now in his old age, and though physically it seemed IMPOSSIBLE, yet he did not waver in the willful refusal to TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD, but BELIEVED God would keep His Word. In doing so God was glorified. He did not allow what he “saw” to dictate what was true about God. Circumstances would dictate one thing but the character and promise of God determined what and Whom he would trust. GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS WORD. He has never failed to keep a promise and He will not begin with you! TRUST GOD. TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD!  TRUST HIM. The evidence of Trusting Him? Resting in Him, His Word, His Love {see John 15}

In your troubles God IS…your anchor and some of those truths to rest in is that HE is…
1. In Control
2. Is Consistent
3. Is Present
4. Is Working

Therefore in your troubles;

  • Be Confident in His Promises
  • Be aware of your Opportunities to advance the Gospel
  • Be CHOOSING TO Glorify Him…in your troubles…that is a choice of loves for you to make and me. Love of self, Or LOVE for HIM.
  • TRUST GOD.

Troubles often reveal who we are truly FOCUSING on.
What you and I need to KNOW is troubles are not the end but can be a means to an end of Eternal significance- Knowing Him, Blessing others and Glorifying Him. 

God IS your Anchor- What to know in times of troubles? Hopefully both you and I will realize it is not so much “what” but “Whom” to know in times of troubles- and that is God Himself. His character. His promises, to stabilize us and encourage us to continue to press on for His sake. Amazing what you can learn from your seven year old child, isn’t it:) “Daddy God IS your Anchor.”

 “God IS our Anchor!”-

  • Troubles don’t triumph over the truth about God, who He is and what He is doing.
  • Troubles don’t dethrone Him, weaken Him, or cause Him to love you less.

The truth about troubles is,  He is still God and troubles can be opportunities for Him to make Himself known to you and through you to His Honor and others comfort and benefit- 2 Cor 1:3-4. God is your anchor, He is in control, He is consistent, He is present, He is working! 

Don’t waste your troubles,

  • SPEAK TO YOURSELF THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF GOD.
  • CHOOSE TO  LIVE BY TRUTH. WALK BY FAITH IN HIS  WORD RATHER THEN EVER- CHANGING”FEELINGS” AS YOUR “ANCHOR.”
  • SHARE THE TRUTH WITH SOMEONE TODAY-

God IS – your Anchor in times of trouble!

HAVE a great day…with Him