Things Can Be Better Today - Part 2 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. This is LeSaire Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. I want to remind you that our new website is now available for your viewing.

We've been anticipating you having it online and glad that it's now there. We have messages, sermons being preached, articles for you to read. A number of things that we feel will be of benefit to you, so be sure to go to BaptistBibleHour.org. On today's program, we're bringing you the second part of a message entitled, Things Can Be Better Today.

We have that in booklet form. If you would like a copy, request it when you write us at Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. He plants his first steps in the sea. He rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable minds, a never failing skin, He treasures up his bright desires and works his sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh, nourished, hey, The proud Jesus of our strength, Are bid with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head.

Line up, believe, be sure to e'er, And stand his work in vain. God is his own Interpreter, And he will make it plain. The text for this message is Psalm 39, verses 7 through 10. Thus far in the message, we've considered that though the trials are difficult, the dark clouds may hang overhead. You may at times feel to be hopeless. Things can be better today when you remember that God is your hope. When you deal with sin, whatever the sin may be, if there's been bitterness or resentment or complaint or failure to forgive or any other sin, dealing with it, coming to the Lord in confession because he has promised that if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, things can be better today. And then to recognize God's hand in your trouble.

To see that whatever the trial, ultimately it is for your good. As Job said, there is ultimate good for when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. In James chapter 5, references made to Job's experience, verse 10. Take my brethren the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience.

The whole we count them happy which endure. You have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy. You've heard about Job's sufferings and trials.

You've heard about his patience or his endurance, how he got through it all. And then you read that the Lord was full of pity. Full of pity for his suffering servant and of tender mercy. And so that gives us hope and courage in the midst of our affliction to know the Lord pities us. In fact, it tells us that when we pass through the waters, he's going to be with us. He's going to be by our side.

He's going to bring us safely to the other side. And then the fourth thing, for things to be better today, is to give up worry. Now some people have devoted themselves to worry for so long. That would be a whole change of attitude from the time they get up in the morning till they go to bed at night.

That would be a whole change of outlook for today, tomorrow, and the future. But this is necessary. Because worry is a sin. And so if things are going to be better today, you must give up worry. Worry displays a lack of trust in God. Psalm 37 verse 3 says, Trust in the Lord and do good. So shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed. Trust in the Lord.

Verse 7, Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him. Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Fret not yourself.

You look around and see other people going in the wrong direction. You see, many of your political leaders taking stands that distress you and you can spend all of your time researching that, thinking about that. That becomes the course of your conversation and you're fretting about it. You're worried about it, which is the opposite of trusting God. I'm not saying that we ought to be indifferent.

Certainly we ought to always stand for truth and for righteousness. But if you allow yourself to become full of worry, you're not giving honor to God in whom your hope rests. Some people are constantly thinking ahead. Well, if this happens, I have no idea what I would do. What happens if I lose my job?

What happens if I live long enough to see Social Security go bankrupt? What happens if this happens, that happens? On you can go about the things that may happen to you personally, the things that may happen in our own country, the things that may happen around the world.

And you can work yourself up into a real frenzy if what you're constantly doing is looking ahead and worrying about what might happen. Jesus dealt with this subject in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapter 6. In the 30th verse, it says, Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, then talking about how He takes care of the birds and how the fields grow and prosper and the lilies bloom. So if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith. So you're worried about how you're going to make it in the future?

How are you going to have food and raiment in time to come? He said, if God takes care of these things, is He not going to take care of you? O ye of little faith.

That's what it amounts to when you worry. You're demonstrating that you have little faith. You're not trusting God. Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed?

For after these things do the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Settle down a little bit and remember, your heavenly Father knows what you need. He knows all about you. He knows your circumstances. He knows your present.

He knows your past. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Sufficient to the day. Keep that text in your mind if you have a tendency to worry. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. Whatever the trouble, whatever the evil, whatever the difficulty that you're facing today, what you've got today is enough for today. You don't have to add what might happen tomorrow, next week, next year, down the road somewhere. Deal with the situation of the day.

Face the trials and the temptations and the opportunities that you have for this day without worrying about the future. Now, trusting God does not eliminate planning nor excuse slothfulness. I've seen some people that because they thought it was very important to always demonstrate that they were trusting God, that they seem to think that any kind of organization or planning was in opposition to faith.

That's not the case. We see a vivid example of that in the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a man of faith. He heard about the difficulties in Jerusalem. He wanted to go there and did go and rebuilt the wall, but there was some planning that took place in advance. Before he left, he got the king to sign a document having the permission of the king to make the trip and to undertake the project. Secondly, he got the king to sign a document that it was alright to cut the timbers out of his forest. He planned ahead.

There's a place for planning, but planning ahead does not justify sitting around and worrying about the future. Nor does it mean that I can become indifferent. I'm just going to trust God. And so it doesn't matter whether I work or don't work. It doesn't matter whether I apply myself or not.

No. Slothfulness is clearly condemned in Scriptures. It's had a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands and so shall thy poverty come. So we're to continue on course doing the things that the Lord requires of us on a day to day basis, but trusting Him for today and for the future. Worry can be overcome. I've actually had conversations with people who have said, Well, preacher, I tell you, I've been a worrier all my life and I just don't think I can change at this point.

I want to tell you, with the grace of God, no matter how much practice you've had, how long you have worried and how outspoken you've been to tell everybody around you about your worries and your apprehension, by the grace of God, worry can be overcome. And there is a biblical formula for that in the fourth chapter of the book of Philippians. Chapter four, verse four, Rejoice in the Lord always.

And again, I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing. That's another way of saying do not worry. Do not be full of care.

How are you going to overcome that? But in everything by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. You come before the Lord giving thanks for what you have, for what He's done for you in the past.

You're making your request known. You're taking your burdens to Him, but you're doing it in the spirit of thanksgiving. And you'll find that you can rejoice in the Lord. Though circumstances may still be adverse, the Lord is the friend that sticketh closer than a brother and you're trusting in Him.

Number five, for things to be better today, you need to learn to be content. Submitting to God's sovereignty, recognizing that He is the source of your hope. Bowing humbly before Him, you want to be where He wants you to be and you want to have what He wants you to have.

Now that changes your perspective. Because by nature, we want to be where we want to be. And we want to have what we want to have. But if you're surrendered to the sovereignty of God, you're praying, Lord, I give up my self-will. I want to be submissive to Thee. So wherever you would have me to be, whatever job you want me to have, whatever you want me to possess, I'm trusting in you. The Apostle Paul said he had learned to be content.

It wasn't something that was in his human nature anymore than it's in our human nature. We are prone as human beings to be discontent with a lot of things. So Paul says in Philippians chapter 4 verse 11, Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased and how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

I've learned. I've learned when I'm prospering, when I have a lot, I can get along. Some people can't get along with prosperity. They can seem to be very devoted to following the Lord in challenging times and then when prosperity comes, they've gone somewhere else. And then other people have difficulty with the times of being abased.

I don't understand why I'm having to go through such difficulties, such dark times and they are struggling. Paul learned contentment. He learned it even as a prisoner.

Back in the first chapter of this same epistle, verse 12, But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel, so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places. Obviously, Paul would have preferred to be out circulating, traveling, preaching the gospel as he was called and burdened to do. But at this point he's a prisoner. He doesn't sit there bemoaning the fact that he is in prison. He's not there complaining. He's not questioning God.

Why has God allowed this to transpire? He's rejoicing because he sees the hand of God as he's been able to speak to that guard to whom he was chained for a period of time. And then the changing of the guard came and he spoke to another man and another man. And he said, by this time the gospel is circulated throughout the palace.

All of these in the Praetorian Guard have heard the message of Jesus Christ. He learned to be content even in prison. Have you learned the lesson of being content? Do you complain?

Do you murmur? Do you get swallowed up with self-pity? Contentment involves developing a thankful heart. That means that you acknowledge your own unworthiness. If you feel like you're entitled to something better than what you have, feel like you've been mistreated in life, you just haven't gotten your fair share, that indicates that you don't have a thankful heart. You acknowledge your unworthiness. I'm, as Jacob said, not worthy of the least of his mercies. And then acknowledging your unworthiness, you review the daily mercies that you receive.

It's so easy to overlook them. It would be good for all of us sometimes just to sit down with pen and paper and write out a list. Here are the mercies that I've enjoyed this very day and for which I'm thankful. And then give thanks to God. This passage in Philippians 4, which we read, indicate that we are to make our requests known with thanksgiving. And not only should we give thanks to God for the mercies that we recognize have come from His hand, but then express that thankfulness to others. Would others around you know that you are a thankful person?

Do you give expression to it? Psalm 105 verse 1 says, O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people. Not only are you to give thanks to the Lord, but you're to speak about His deeds, telling others about them. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him, talk ye of all His wondrous works.

Glory ye in His holy name, let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Number six, for things to be better today, set your affection on things above. When your affection is set on the things of this earth, there's going to always be frustration and disappointment. If you seek the approval of men, you'll never get enough. No matter how many times somebody may compliment you and brag on you, all that does is just create a desire for more. So you'll never find contentment.

There will always be a measure of frustration. You get the idea that if I could just have more money, more material things, if I could just go to the store and buy everything I wanted, how happy I would be. Read in the book of 1 Timothy chapter 6 that riches can indeed be a problem. Verse 6, But godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us therewith be content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Those that sought money as the solution to their problems, the source of their happiness, have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. So rather than setting your affection on the things on this earth, where there is disappointment and frustration and destruction, you follow after the lust of the flesh. Read those passages in the early part of the book of Proverbs when it talks about the young man that is being deceived by the enticing woman. And what is the ultimate outcome of following the flesh?

Destruction. Loving things that are above brings joy and peace. You think of Christ, who was seated at the right hand of God, where He ever lives to make intercession for us. He is there on your behalf, making intercession, pleading your case. What a difference it makes when you set your affection on things above. You think of the chorus of praise that is continually being rendered to Him, the multitudes that lift up the song, the angelic chorus that sings praises to the Redeemer.

Day in and day out. When your affection is set on things above, you're considering the fact that heaven is your ultimate home. You're looking to that happy day when you will be there with the Lord.

That's where your inheritance is found. Someday you will be there, sorrow gone, no more disappointments, tears wiped away. So as you remember heaven, you set your affection on things above.

You remember that heaven is a place of love, a place of peace, a place of joy, a place of contentment. Your circumstances may not change, but things can be better today by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when you begin to think and act biblically. In 2 Corinthians 12 verses 8 and 9, the Apostle Paul prayed that the Lord would remove the thorn in the flesh. And there's nothing wrong with that prayer. If you've got certain situations in life that you would love to see improved, there's nothing wrong with praying that God might change those circumstances, but at the same time not allowing yourself to become a complainer. Pour out your heart before the Lord and make your request known to Him. But don't allow yourself to become depressed and discouraged and fail to give the proper testimony as a Christian. God's answer was, I'm not going to remove the thorn, but I give you grace to bear it.

And that may be His answer to you. You pray, Lord, change this situation. I pray to your glory, would you change these circumstances? That may not happen, but I can assure you, He will give you grace to bear whatever the burden is.

And then, in conclusion, there is a verse that forever removes the option of blaming others, or blaming situations and circumstances in life for your discouraged state of mind. Revelation chapter 3 verse 20, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me.

Jesus described this church as being with an attitude of self-sufficiency. I am rich, increased with goods, have need of nothing, but you know not that you are poor and blind and naked. Now He says, I stand at the door and knock. And if you will open the door, He said, if just one person, this whole church was off track, but Jesus said, if you will open the door, I knock.

I knock through the trials that you encounter in life. I knock at the door through the preaching of the Word, through the singing of hymns. I'm knocking at the door and if you will open it, I'll come in and sup with you.

So even if everybody else in the church might be in a cold state, everybody else there might be in the wrong frame of mind. He said, if you will open the door, I'll come and sup with you. That says the solution to your discouragement and your depression and your struggles is supping with Jesus, communing with Him.

You don't find the solution in yourself, you don't find it in the world, you don't find it in men's philosophies, you find it in communion with Jesus. Things can be better today if you will open the door. Is Jesus knocking? Has He sent this message to you to stir your mind and awaken you to your need to think and act biblically? Is He knocking through the difficult circumstances that you're encountering in life?

Open the door and I will come in, says Jesus. Your wife may not be what she ought to be, your husband may not be what he ought to be, your children may be difficult, other people may have disappointed you, but Jesus says, I will come in and sup with you. If you have communion and fellowship with Jesus, everything is going to be better.

When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows flow... In the most difficult times of life, to hear that things can be better today seems to be unrealistic. But we have looked at God's Word and have seen that things can be better today when we remember that our hope is in the Lord, when we are recognizing God's hand in our trouble, when we set our affection on things above rather than things on this earth. I hope that the message has been a blessing to you and if you would like to get the booklet by this title, things can be better today.

Just write and request it this week and we'll be happy to send it your way. Till next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. It is well, it is well, with my soul, with my soul.