More Misery Than We Can Imagine, Part 2

Today on Insight for Living, a timely message from Chuck Swindoll on choosing faith over fear. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but what?

Of power and love and self-discipline. If you are fearful, it doesn't come from the Lord. If you are afraid, that fright is not from heaven. It's from your old nature.

It's from the world around you. Reject every temptation to live in fear. When we read what Jesus said about the end times, it makes us feel unsettled and perhaps afraid. After all, Jesus said we could expect war, desolation, and misery that increases in waves, like the pains that come before a child is born.

In fact, Jesus said unless the time of calamity is shortened, that not a single person will survive. Well, how do we find any measure of hope in these alarming statements from Jesus? Today on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll presents a sobering message to those who are ready for Christ's return and those who are not. We begin with prayer. We stand in silence and all before you, our Father, and before none other. We acknowledge that you are the supreme, sovereign one, and there is no other.

We worship you and we worship no other. Through your Son, Jesus, we have come to realize that he alone helps us make sense of life. And so much of it seems insane, without purpose, without meaning, without reason.

And those days seem to multiply as the weeks pass, and they seem more intense the older we get. Remind us, our Father, that you still do all things well, and that this is still your world. This is our Father's world. And as you remind us of that, at the same time remind us it's not ours. That your will is paramount, not ours.

That your plan is what's important, not ours. Help us as we switch perspectives today to come away realizing we're in good hands, for you, our God, continue to be the one who guides and guards us. We find our protection in you, our joy in you, our hope in you, and really in none other. So as that focus is cleared up, remind us again as we give our gifts and as we sit before you in wonder and love and praise that this is our Father's world. In the name of Christ, we pray. Everyone say, Amen. You're listening to Insight for Living.

To study the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll, be sure to download his Searching the Scriptures studies by going to insightworld.org slash studies. And now the message from Chuck titled, More Misery Than We Can Imagine. He speaks to those who will be in Judea. He says you must flee to the hill. These are people running for their lives.

And there will be those who will be on the deck of a roof. You must not run back into the house to pack anything. You don't have time for such risks. You'll want to get out of there.

A person in the field must not return even to get a coat. Don't go back. Run.

Get out of there. How terrible it will be for the pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days, verse 19 mentions. Pray that your flight will not be in the winter for obvious reasons.

Difficult to travel on foot in the winter. And that it won't be on the Sabbath, for there will be those Orthodox Jews who will persecute you as a Jew for working on the Sabbath as you were running for your life. For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. In fact, verse 22, unless the time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. What's interesting is as they run to hide, the deceiver will have his emissaries among them and they will run with them. And once they have found a place that has temporary shelter, the deceivers will emerge with their voices saying, Why do you realize the Messiah is near? Verse 23. If anyone tells you, look, here's the Messiah, or there he is, don't believe it.

Don't believe it. False messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders. Miracles come through supernatural power. And God is not the only one with supernatural power. Satan has an enormous amount of supernatural power. His supernatural creature and his demonic host are given supernatural powers as well.

People have the idea that if it's miraculous, it could only come from God. But this is an example when signs and wonders are coming from the deceiver. He says there will be great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones.

Your Bible reads even God's elect. He, I have warned you about this ahead of time, Jesus says. And he adds, if someone tells you, look, the Messiah is out there in the desert, don't go out there. He isn't there. Or look, he's hiding here among, don't look for him here.

Don't believe it. For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes, just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby. So these signs dictate or indicate that the end is near. Now let me say to everyone very carefully, you can so focus on these times, which are treacherous, that you will find your peace is invaded. If you take it far enough, you will live a suspicious life. There will be very few you will trust and the older you get, the fewer they will be. You will live your life behind closed binds and triple locked doors.

You'll beef up the alarm system and you'll spend your time running scared of even a person walking the sidewalk in front of your house or the alley behind it. It is easy for us in the midst of these times to begin to live just like these treacherous people want us to live, as miserable as they are. So listen to a verse of scripture and then allow me some closing remarks.

There will be three of them that I want to develop that I think will be helpful for all of us. First, the scripture. I read again 1 Corinthians 15, 58, just last night. Paul writes, Therefore, brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Now, I did not misquote it, written from the pen of a man who lived in, again, a treacherous time where the emperor of the Roman Empire was the supreme authority on Earth.

And if you study the emperors, you know what that lifestyle was like. And the wicked folks around them, all the way through Nero and Domitian and others we could name, who took great delight in persecuting Christians, hating righteousness, following multiple gods in their multiple god world. And Paul writes, Be steadfast, immovable, abounding. So my question to all of us is, does that describe you? Are you steadfast?

Are you immovable? Are you abounding in the work of the Lord? Do you wake up excited, thinking about the possibilities of that day? Do you look forward to the opportunity to meet individuals, to share in life with them, as opportunity provides to tell them of Christ and those who know the Lord, to have a joyful relationship with them without the fear of what's happening outside that building? Are you living your life in abundance?

Or have you begun to run scared, suspicious, paranoid? I have words for you that I think will help. And I would like to give them to you in the next 60 seconds. I would like to.

I won't be able to do that, but I would like to do it that quickly so it'll really make an impact. But it's my way of saying I don't want to linger over this and harass you with these truths. But there are three words I want to leave with you. There's something I want you to reject. There's something I want you to remember. And there's something I want you to rely on. If you will, you will not live in fear. You will not be paranoid. You will discover that the Lord your God is, in fact, your guide, your keeper, your shield, your protection, your Lord.

So what are we to reject? You may even want to write it down if you want to be fanatical about it, but you don't have to. I just want you to be able to remember it. And if you don't write it down, chances are good you won't remember.

So let's go here. Reject. Reject every temptation to live in fear. Reject every temptation to live in fear. I want to give you an Old Testament statement and a New Testament statement with each of these three, and I'm through. From the Old Testament, as it relates to no fear. Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. Isaiah 41, verse 10.

I suggest you not only write down the verse, but you memorize these six verses. I'll be leaving with you. Isaiah 41 10 should be on your lips regularly. Don't be afraid.

I am with you. That's the Lord. Don't be discouraged. I am your God. I will strengthen you.

I will help you. I will lift you up with the right hand of my righteousness. But just verse 10. No reason to be afraid or to be discouraged.

I am with you. Isaiah 41 10. Here's the New Testament statement. Second Timothy, chapter one, verse seven. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but what?

Of power and love and self-discipline. God has given us that spirit, not a spirit of fear. If you are fearful, it doesn't come from the Lord. If you are afraid, that fright is not from heaven. It's from your old nature.

It's from the world around you. So reject every temptation to live in fear and claim that promise. He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-discipline. Those are two verses worth remembering. Isaiah 41 10, Second Timothy one, verse seven. Now, what should we remember?

I put it this way so you'll remember it easier. Remember that God is not almost sovereign. See, if I said that God is sovereign, you'd yawn and go to look for the next statement. But by saying he's not almost sovereign, looks at it another way. There's no situation over which God is not sovereign. That's like saying, I am I am almost the father of my children.

I either am or I am not. God is either sovereign or he is not. He is either in control or he's out of control. The Bible teaches that he is in control. The verse you'll want to remember is Psalm 115, verse three.

Short verse. I love it. Our God is in the heavens. He does what he pleases. Isn't that a great statement?

Isn't that terrific? He does what he pleases. He never wakes you up at night and says, hey, would it be OK if tomorrow I did so-and-so? He doesn't need your permission.

He doesn't need my OK. He does what he pleases. You say, well, I can't make sense.

Well, welcome to the club. There's a lot of mystery about God. If you could figure him out and do all about him, you'd be the fourth member of the Trinity. So you're not and you can't figure him out. But believe me, he says it. I do whatever I please. So that tells you there must be more to the story than what just happened.

Remember the panoramic part I told you about? He's working on all of it together, which brings me to one of those favorite verses, Romans 828. Here's the New Testament verse. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. The best part of the verse is all things, all things. You mean what happened last Sunday? All things.

You mean all the stuff that's happened in my life that's brought pain? All things. He causes all things to work together.

I didn't say all things are good. Paul didn't write that. He wrote all things work together.

For good. I have a friend named Jay Kessler. Jay was for a number of years the president of Taylor University.

You who know Jay are already smiling. He's a terrific guy. He's got a great statement. He says, Chuck, I think when we all... He's the one who said, one of my great goals, and this isn't the quote, but it's worth my telling you this one. He says, one of my great goals in life is to develop eight friends who will hold a handle to my coffin without once checking their watch. I think that's a great statement.

They hold on and they don't go, how long is this going to last? But Jay Kessler is the one who says, when we all step into heaven, the first response will be, oh, now I get it. And not until. You'll die with question marks. You live your life not being able to figure out the puzzle. But little by little, in God's timing, you'll begin to see it more and more as he's preparing you for home with him. And then when you step before him, it'll be, oh, got it. That is so good. Why didn't I see it?

Could have had a BA. God causes all things to work together for good. Don't forget that.

I know you're familiar with it, but it's been a long time since you claimed it. Psalm 115 3, he does what he pleases. Romans 8 28 causes all things to work together.

Remember, he isn't almost sovereign. The third statement, rely on the word of God. Any time you feel uncertain and insecure. Rely on the word of God.

Any time you feel uncertain and insecure. You just cannot rely on how you feel at the moment. You just cannot rely on Fox News.

You know, I know you watch it. You just cannot rely on Channel 8. You cannot rely on the Cowboys. You certainly cannot rely on the Cowboys. You cannot rely on someone else. Not all the time. That book. You can rely on it 24 7, 365.

Some years, 366. It'll never lie to you. So the better you get to know it. The more confidently you will walk. Rely on it.

Whenever you feel uncertain and insecure. Turn to it. Read it aloud. Here's the verse.

Psalm 119 105. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. You light up my way. You show me the way to go. I'm going to rely on you to take me through this. Here's the second.

Wrong ones, 15 4. I love this. Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our learning that we through patience and comfort from the scriptures might have hope. Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our learning.

God wrote it for our learning that we through patience, comfort brought by the scriptures will live in hope. So I can wake up tomorrow morning filled with hope. If I'm not, I need time in God's word. Every day, I need time in God's word. Not because I'm a minister, but because I'm human. And I'm given to fear and hopelessness, discouragement and even times of real, real questioning. God's word never leaves me with that.

It leaves me with hope. I'd like you to bow your heads for the next few moments. Just where you're sitting, just close your eyes. Eyelids are great.

They just block every visual interruption out and you're able to sit there in the darkness and the quiet of your thoughts. You sure you know Christ? Are you absolutely certain that if you died tonight, you would step into eternity? Are you absolutely sure that Jesus is your savior? If you're not, I certainly understand why these verses would bother you and why the events that recently happened would keep you awake.

They're disturbing, but that doesn't mean we've reached the end of our rope. It means we've reached the end of our understanding. So we turn to our God. Trust in Jesus right now. Just leave it with him.

Turn your life over to him. He who has the sun. S O N. He who has the sun has the life. But he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. Don't leave this place without the Son of God in your heart. Our Father, make this time especially meaningful as we come off a week of chaos and confusion.

Bring us back to that place of intimate delight with you as we are lost in wonder, love and praise. It's exciting to realize that men and women all around the world are taking their first steps of faith today by turning their lives over to Jesus, the Son of God. This is Insight for Living featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor Chuck Swindoll.

To learn more about Chuck and this ministry, please visit us online at insightworld.org. Well, you've likely noticed the overarching theme rising out of our study in Matthew's Gospel is consistent with our core mission at Insight for Living. I'm referring to the responsibility that falls on every follower of Jesus to study the Bible.

This discipline helps us grow and it also gives us hope. A moment ago we heard Chuck quote the Apostle Paul who said, Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort from the Scriptures might have hope. Well, to that end, Insight for Living provides a variety of helpful resources to guide your personal study of the Bible. And today I'm pleased to point you to an engaging devotional from Chuck called God's Word for You. The subtitle gives you a taste of what the book is all about, an invitation to find the nourishment your soul needs. You can purchase a copy by going to insight.org slash offer.

Or call us if you're listening in the US, dial 1-800-772-8888. As you're led to give a donation to Insight for Living, you can be confident that your investment truly makes a difference. For instance, I just saw a note that read, After I became a Christian, Chuck Swindoll was the first pastor I listened to on the radio. What a blessing! And I've learned a lot through his books and teaching over the years. Well, your gift to Insight for Living Ministries enables us to touch lives like this one.

So call us if you're listening in the US, dial 1-800-772-8888. Or give a donation online at insight.org In March 2022, Insight for Living Ministries is hosting an unforgettable journey to Israel. Carefully plan to deepen your understanding of the Bible and draw you closer to God.

Chuck Swindoll. For thousands of years, no place has been more meaningful to God's children than the land of Israel. The rugged landscape reminds us to find refuge in God alone. The fertile valleys invite us to follow our shepherd. Jerusalem's position at the very center of the world announces the good news of Christ to every nation. And now you can see Israel with Chuck Swindoll and Insight for Living Ministries, March 6-17, 2022. Every time I visited the Holy Land, I returned home with a refreshed heart for God and a renewed vision for the world.

Really, I mean it every time. And so I want you to have the same life-changing experience. To learn more, go to insight.org slash events or call this number 1-888-447-0444. Insight for Living Ministries Tour to Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend. Chuck Swindoll presents a message on the second coming of Jesus called, Here He Comes, Ready or Not, tomorrow on Insight for Living. .