Whenever I Am Afraid

A few years ago, I heard the late beloved Franklin Camp deliver a moving sermon as one of the speakers on the Faulkner University Lectureship. I believe the theme of the lectureship that year was, “Blessed Assurance”. Brother Camp was referring to various passages of scriptures that had sustained him over the years. He also related that in the month of May, 1981, he learned that he had to have open-heart surgery. He said that he had to wait twelve days before he could have surgery. While lying on a hospital bed for that length of time, he thought of the great seriousness of this type of surgery. He admitted that he was afraid, realizing the seriousness of the kind of surgery. He then thought of Psalms 56 that was written by David during a very trying time in his life. David had to flee from the presence of Saul who sought to kill him and he also had to deal with the Philistines who wanted him dead. In this particular psalm, David is seeking the help of God to deliver him from those who sought his life. In verses 3 and 4, David writes, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?” Again, in verses 10 and 11, “In God (I will praise His word), In the Lord (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Brother Camp noted that David was a strong man, having killed a lion and a bear while protecting his sheep and had killed Goliath the giant (I Samuel 17). Yet, David said that he was afraid. Brother Camp said that if David could be afraid, so could he. But, the encouragement is to be found in the statement, “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid.” Please note that there seemed to have been a progression from verse 3 when David said “I will trust in You” to verse 11 when he declared “In God have put my trust”. As I listened to this great man of God confess his fear along with David’s, I thought to myself, if David and brother Camp could be afraid at times, surely I could also be afraid in certain circumstances.

But, David said that he trusted in God when he was afraid. And, that trust in the Lord will calm the troubled soul. The word trust is mentioned 74 times in the book of Psalm and carries the idea of leaning on and trusting in someone; to have implicit faith and full confidence in another. In Psalm 46:1 we have these beautiful words, “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble…” Again David exclaimed, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by” (Psalm 57:1). Recently, two of our dear Christian lady friends were diagnosed with breast cancer. The ‘C’ word does not need defining. It is one word that brings fear to our very souls. This passage in Psalm is one that I encourage these ladies and others to read and meditate on and do as David did: “In God (I will praise His word), In the Lord (I will praise His word)” (Psalm 56:4, 10). Our Father has promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Go to Him in prayer and leave there your every care and He will uphold you with His everlasting arms.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusted in him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices;
And with my song will I praise Him.”

Psalms 28:7

Earthquakes

The devastating earthquakes that occur in various countries from time to time and destroy cities and kill thousands of people makes us realize more and more the uncertainty of life. The magnitude of destruction wrought by such force is overwhelming. There is a scripture I want to mention presently that deals with a particular earthquake.

In the sixteenth chapter of the book of Acts, the account is given of the conversion of a Philippian jailor and his household. The jailor, a gentile, was a non-believer in the deity of Jesus Christ. The day that Paul and Silas were beaten and cast into prison was perhaps an ordinary one for the jailor. While the day may have started out like any other day for this particular person, it certainly did not end in a common fashion. Something transpired that transformed the life of this Roman citizen and the lives of his loved ones. Something drastically happened. An earthquake occurred in this man’s life. It was a literal tremor, a movement of the earth that the shook the foundation of the building that housed those people in the prison. The jailor was awakened by this event and was about to take his own life because he thought his prisoners had escaped. Paul prevented this tragedy by shouting, “Do thyself no harm; for we are all here!” It was at this time that the jailor sprang forth and asked the most important question: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”After hearing and believing the gospel, this man and his family were baptized into Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins (Acts 16:30-34; Mark 16:15, 16). The jailor began the day unsaved but concluded it by being redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Something wonderful came out of what seemed to be a truly horrible experience in his life.

Into every life, sometime, somewhere, somehow, ‘earthquakes’ occur. Not necessarily literal, physical movements of the earth, but events that can help to change our lives, if we accept them in a positive manner. These ‘earthquakes’ come in various forms. There was the death of a teenage son that caused his parents to turn to Jesus. A man was operated on and it was discovered that he had cancer. He repented of sins and came back to the Lord. Three months later he died. The person who lost all his material wealth realized for the first time that he had been trusting in the wrong values in life. He sought then the true riches in Christ.

Tragedies and trials can become blessings in disguise if we permit God to work in our lives (Romans 8:28 ). David stated “Before I was afflicted I went astray; But now I observe thy word.” He even declared, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I may learn thy statues” (Psalms 119:67, 71).

The gospel of Christ is God’s power to save (Romans 1:16 ). But, ‘earthquakes’ that come into our lives can and often do motivate people to realize their plight in life without God. It is then that we should seek the salvation that is the Savior.

Adversities, Afflictions & Attitudes

We are often overwhelmed with the adversities in life that are very difficult to accept and hard to understand. At the moment, it seems that all is loss, that life is not worth living and that our sorrow is too much to bear. No doubt, Job felt this way when he experienced the tragedies in his life. The problem is with our perception of matters. We deal more with the immediate and not the overall view of life. That which is seemingly against us at the present may, in fact, work out for our good. The Psalmist declared, “Before I was afflicted I went astray; But now I observe thy word.” Again he writes, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; That I may learn thy statutes” (Psalms 119:67, 71). The Psalmist had lived long enough beyond his traumatic experiences to grasp the significance of his sorrows. Not all men are able to perceive the silver lining amidst the clouds of despair. As finite beings, we are so limited in our knowledge and we often fail to grasp the ultimate reasons for our conflicts and sorrows in life. In contrast, the infinite Heavenly Father, who is from everlasting to everlasting, is able to see the panoramic scene; and, in His great providence, He is powerful enough to ultimately work out everything for our eternal welfare (Romans 8:28). It is a real challenge to our faith in God to seek the lessons to be learned from our failures, injuries and our losses in life. It isn’t necessary that we fully comprehend nor is it even possible that we always understand the tragedies that we may experience; but, it is important that we trust in God, knowing that He cares for us and that He can overcome evil with good. In all his grief, Job expressed himself in this manner, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him…” (Job 13:15 KJV).

Let us remember that afflictions, sicknesses, tragedies and death come to all men, saints and sinners. It is important therefore that the children of God understand that it is our acceptance of these experiences and our attitude toward them that distinguishes us from the people of the world who manifest no faith or trust in the providence of God. The unbeliever’s heart is often hardened when calamities come his way. In contrast, the believer’s heart is made more sensitive and responsive to God’s design and purpose in the perplexities of life. We are like small children in our understanding and we should place our trust in our Heavenly Father even as David when he wrote in Psalms 131: “Jehovah, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too wonderful for me. Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in Jehovah from this time forth and for evermore.” We all have no doubt heard the expression, “The same sun that melts ice, hardens clay.” Adversities, sorrows and heartaches in life will have different effects on various people. It depends largely on the recipient. In John 6: 66-69, after some hard sayings of Jesus we read, “Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye also go away? Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy one of God.” Disciples of Jesus who really trust in Him have no one else in whom they can find refuge and strength in the times of trouble in this life. So, whatever sorrows and afflictions may occur in life, it is to Jesus that we must go. He is the great physician and there is healing in His wings.

"I Never Give Up"

“So, because I hold a place in this ministry

and that because I have had

God’s mercy shown me, I never give up”

(2 Corinthians 4:1; Charles B. Williams Translation).

I use various translations in my daily Bible reading and as I was reading this passage from Williams translation, I was moved to write an article to encourage Christians never to give up on the Lord but to remain loyal and faithful while we live on this earth. The expression, “I never give up” is also found in verse 16 of 2 Corinthians 4. Other translations render these two verses that involve the other apostles in this manner: “We do not lose heart” (NASB & NKJV); “We faint not” (ASV); and, “That’s why we never give up” (CEV). The apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (NKJV). Steadfastness and perseverance is woefully lacking among many members of the church today. Seemingly it takes but a small amount of discouragement to cause a brother or sister to leave the Lord and His church. I am reminded of what the wise man wrote in Proverbs 24:10, “If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.” The fact is you never know the strength of a man until you know what it takes to discourage him. When Paul stated that “I never give up” or “We do not lose heart”, he truly meant it because he had been tested and tried and had been proven to be faithful to his Lord.

Please ponder carefully his description of how his faith had been tested. “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you” (2 Corinthians 4:8-12). Later in this epistle he wrote, “Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and day I have been in deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:23-28).

In spite of all the adversities that he had to endure, he remained strong in his convictions, knowing that the time was coming when he would be with the Lord Jesus Christ whom he had served faithfully in this life. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed days by day. For our light affliction, which but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:1). We should imitate this great man of faith and never despair to the extent that we would forsake our Lord (I Corinthians 11:1). If we keep our eyes on Jesus we will never falter along life’s uneasy pathway (Hebrews 12:1-4).

When It Rains, It Pours

Well, many folk have prayed for rain because of the drought condition in the southeastern section of our country and the good Lord sent it. The problem was that some areas were flooded. I am reminded of the story of some brethren in west Texas who became greatly concerned about the extreme drought conditions in their part of the world. They decided to obtain the services of a preacher to come and pray for rain. Finally they found a city preacher to come out and pray for rain. He came and prayed fervently for the Lord to send rain upon the arid land. After a couple of days had passed the rain began to fall. In fact it rained until all the land was flooded and the situation became very serious. The brethren became very concerned again because all their properties were inundated with water. They came together to discuss what they should do. One brother was heard to have said, “That is what we get by having a preacher to pray for rain who knew nothing about agriculture.”

You know life is much like that. There are times of peace, joy, happiness and good health. These are mountain top experiences. But in a moment of time things can radically change. The prophet Elijah was successful on Mount Carmel but in a short time he was to be found in a deep valley of discouragement and he desired to die (1 Kings 18; 19:4). This mighty man of God was human after all and not unlike ourselves (James 5:17). The good times do not test our strength and faith. It is when the tragedies of life occur. It is when death invades our home. It is when a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal disease. It is when the ill winds of discouragement and despair howl strongly across the depths of our inner being. It is when you pray for a friend or a loved one to get well and doesn’t and he dies. It is when you lose your job and you have to look elsewhere for employment. And there are dozens of other reasons why your heart becomes burdened down with anxiety and sadness.

Please excuse the personal experiences but I must mention some of them. My lovely bride has and is presently experiencing some health problems; there was the sudden death of a dear friend that has overwhelmed me; a telephone call this morning informed me that a brother-in-law was critically injured yesterday in an automobile accident. Life is not a bed of roses. Sometimes the valleys in life are deep and long. But it is not a time to give up. Blaming God and leaving the Lord would not be answer. Gold refined by fire rids the dross and makes it purer. I think of this passage in Proverbs 24:10, “If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small” in connection to that which I am now discussing.

There was a time when many of the disciples of the Lord left Him and He asked His own apostles, “Do you also want to go away?” It was then that Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. “Also we have come to believe and know You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:66-69). It is in the valleys of life that I need Him. He has never forsaken me and why should I forsake him. He is my Rock and my salvation. He is my Hightower; my shelter in the time of the storms. He gives me comfort in the night. His strength is greatly manifested in weakness.

I often requested of Him to bestow His grace upon me so that I might see the sun beyond the overcast and the silver lining behind every cloud. And His grace is sufficient for me. A moving verse is found in James 4:6 which is a simple but a very profound statement, “But He gives more grace.” Listen to this precious promise of our Heavenly Father, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me” (Psalm 50:15). The following hymn explains best what I am trying to say.

HE GIVETH MORE GRACE

By Annie J. Flint
(1866-1932)

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;

To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources

Our father’s full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,

Our God ever yearns His resources to share;

Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;

The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men;

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus

He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Makes You Think Of Your Own Mortality, Doesn't It?

These were the very words spoken by my doctor during a visit to his office following my having a stent placed in a main artery leading from my heart on Friday, May 4, 2001. My Cardiologist had been successful in the procedure to insert the stent. I know this personally because seven years later here I am writing this article. There was a ninety-five percent blockage in the artery but I had not suffered any pain which made me completely unaware of the impending danger. What I had was what doctors call ‘a widow maker.’ For extending my life to this moment of time I am very grateful to my Heavenly Father who has added seven years to my life (As in the case of Hezekiah, 15 years, Isaiah 38:4).

But this is not the only time that I have considered my own mortality. Just recently Virginia and I made new wills. Our older ones were out of date and needed revising. These were more complex since we have added ‘stuff’ to our possessions over the intervening years. Not only that, we made out ‘living wills’ which we had not previously done. When you make wills you realize more and more that you are going to leave all of your material blessings behind because you can’t take anything with you. It is important that you “lay up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19, 20). The apostle Paul said it in this manner: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1, 2). The older a person becomes the more he thinks of the hereafter.

In addition to the Word of God, I have read scores of articles and books on what awaits us after this earthly life has ended. Now the authors of the various articles and books have never experienced what it is like in the ‘great beyond’. They will either base their findings on the inspired scriptures and/or the various philosophies of mortal men. The fact is, the individuals raised from the dead as mentioned in the Old and New Testament (including Lazarus who was dead for four days) never mentioned anything about what lies beyond the grave. Even the one (I believe Paul) who was caught up to the third heaven and into Paradise was not permitted to write what he saw and heard (2 Corinthians 12:1-7). The unbeliever would desire that when a man dies he is like the ‘dog Rover and is dead all over’. Others might concede that the wicked will be punished but not for eternity. But what if these teachers are wrong? It will be too late to make changes in my belief and in my manner of life. I will not be able return to this life and prepare to meet my Lord in eternity. There is to be no second chance.

Another thought came to my mind and that is, am I to believe that when I die I cease to exist in both body and spirit. This might be better than being in torment for eternity but does it satisfy my longing to continue to be when this life is over. There is so much I don’t understand about afterlife but I do have an unwavering trust in my Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die, Do you believe this” (John 11:25, 26)? The apostle Paul wrote that “to die is Gain” “and to be with Christ, which is far better” (Philippians 1:21, 23). It was my Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and Death” (Revelation 1:18).

Because He LivesWords and music by William J. Gaither© 1971

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;

He came to love, heal and forgive;

He lived and died to buy my pardon,

An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,

And feel the pride and joy he gives;

But greater still the calm assurance:

This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

And then one day, I'll cross the river,

I'll fight life's final war with pain;

And then, as death gives way to vict'ry,

I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,

Because He lives, all fear is gone;

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living,

Just because He lives!

Jesus Knows Me, This I Love

Most believers in the Lord have sung or have heard the song ‘Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so…’ But the expression ‘Jesus (God) knows me’ is equally as scriptural and we all should love this great truth and the One who knows us. In II Timothy 2:19 we read, “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” The church of our Lord has a sure foundation and the gates of hades cannot successful prevail against it (Matthew 16:16-18; I Corinthians 3:11). In the New Jerusalem the wall “had twelve foundations, and on these were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:14). The house of God (the church) has this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His…” In Nahum 1:7 the prophet wrote these comforting words, “The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.” God is all knowing. The Psalmist declared this in Psalm 139:1-6, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.” Rather than being a frightening thing to me, as His child I should be so thankful that the Almighty God, the creator and sustainer of life, knows my heart’s intentions, my weaknesses, my heartaches, my cares, my trials and tribulations, my desires, my needs and yes, even the number of hairs on my head. He knows my name. He knows more about me than my wife, my children, my friends, my brethren and even the federal government. The mere thought is overwhelming. To know that He cares for me moves me emotionally. And I love it so. Among the teeming millions who live on this earth, He hears me when I pray to Him. How can this be? There is not a place I can go but that He is there(Psalm 139:7-12). And I love it so. He knew me when I was in my mother’s womb and He knows the way I shall go (Psalm 139:13-16). The Psalmist closes the chapter with these words, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23, 24).

THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD
The mighty God, Omniscient One! His ways we cannot trace.
He reckons every good begun And crowns it with His grace.
Lo! I can see Him in His word—I will not doubt or fear;
My steps are ordered of the Lord, His guiding hand is near.
No trial can my spirit break, For God will not forsake;
He will with each temptation make A way for my escape.
The future beckons and I bow –My God removes the care!
Behold, He goes before me now, And will my way prepare.
He’s here, and there, and everywhere in all the ways I’ve trod.
I’ve never passed beyond the sphere of the providence of God.

~L. O. Sanderson