"OUR ANCHOR IN TIMES OF STORMS"

                                                PART TWO

                                               HEBREWS 6:17-20

INTRODUCTION:

          GOD'S WORD IS AN IMMOVABLE ANCHOR IN TIMES OF STORM!

          IN THE MIDST OF STORMS, TRIALS, TRIBULATION, HARDSHIPS, AND PAIN, WE CAN RELY ON THE BIBLE (KJV) FOR THE STABILITY, GUIDANCE, AND SECURITY WE NEED.

IN PART ONE WE LOOKED AT:

     1. WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF STORMS?

          A. WE CAN BRING ADVERSITY ON OURSELVES;

           B. SOME DIFFICULTY IS CAUSED BY THE WRONGDOING OF OTHER PEOPLE;

           C. SATAN BRINGS HARDSHIP IN AN ATTEMPT TO DRAW US AWAY FROM THE LORD;

           D. THE LORD CAUSES SOME ADVERSITY.

      2. WHAT ARE GOD'S PURPOSES IN STORMS?

           A. GET OUR ATTENTION

            B. PURIFY US FROM SIN

            C. CAUSE US TO SURRENDER TO HIM

            D. CONFORM US TO HIS IMAGE

            E. EQUIP US TO SERVE HIM

       3. WHAT MAKES THE BIBLE AN ANCHOR FOR OUR LIVES?

           A. IT IS THE RECORD OF GOD'S UNFOLDING REVELATION OF HIMSELF,

            B. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE KNOW WHO GOD IS BECAUSE WE SEE HOW JESUS LIVED,

            C. THE BIBLE IS INFALLIBLE AND INERRANT.

IN THIS STUDY WE PICK UP STUDYING WITH:

          IV.    HOW DOES THE WORD OF GOD ANCHOR US IN TIMES OF STORMS?

          A. IT COMFORTS US:

          IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORMS, HEARTACHES, AND STRUGGLES, TRY READING THE BOOK OF PSALMS.     (EXAMPLE PSALM 57:1-3)

          B. IT REMINDS US OF GOD'S PROMISES:

          SCRIPTURE ASSURES US OF THE LORD'S PRESENCE, POWER, AND PROVISION IN OUR LIVES.     (SEE MATTHEW 11:28-30 AND JOSHUA 1:8-9)

 NOTE: THIS IS AN OPEN INVITATION TO ALL WHO HEAR, BUT PHRASED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE ONLY ONES WHO WILL RESPOND TO THE INVITATION ARE THOSE WHO ARE BURDENED BY THEIR OWN SPIRITUAL BANKRUPTCY.

          HEAD KNOWLEDGE WILL NEVER DO!     IT HAS TO BE IN OUR HEARTS AND BE A PART OF US TO UNDERSTAND AND ONLY GOD THROUGH THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN GIVE US THAT.

          THIS SPEAKS OF A PERMANENT RESPITE IN THE GRACE OF GOD WHICH IS NOT PART OF WORKS, VERSE 30.

          JESUS' CALL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO THOSE IN NEED.

          THE SOONER WE LEARN TO LAY OUR CARES ON JESUS, THE BETTER OFF WE ARE.

          JESUS CAN TAKE CARE OF ALL OUR PROBLEMS, IF WE JUST DEPEND TOTALLY UPON HIM.

          C.  IT IS A COMPASS FOR OUR LIVES:

PROVERBS 3:5-6, (5)"TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL THINE HEART: AND LEAN NOT UNTO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING."

          THIS APPLIES TO ALL BELIEVERS, BUT EVEN MORE TO THOSE WHO ARE IN THE SERVICE TO GOD.

          GOD NEVER CHOSE ANY MAN OR WOMAN TO WORK FOR HIM BECAUSE OF THEIR TRAINING AND ABILITY WITHIN THEMSELVES.

VERSE 6, "IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS."

          THREE COMMANDS ARE GIVEN IN THESE TWO VERSES:

"TRUST": MEANING "RELY ON, DEPEND ON"; "LEAN NOT": MEANING, DO NOT DEPEND ON YOUR OWN NATIVE INSTINCTS; "ACKNOWLEDGE HIM": MEANING, HAVE FELLOWSHIP AND INTIMACY WITH GOD IN ALL OF LIFE.

          THE RESULTS OF SUCH DEVOTION IS THAT GOD WILL MAKE THE PATHS STRAIGHT BEFORE YOU.

          D.  IT TEACHES US HOW THE FATHER WORKS:

          READING ABOUT THE SAINTS TEACHES US HOW TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS.     THE STORIES OF ISRAEL'S REBELLION HELP US AVOID SIMILAR MISTAKES.

READ: 1st CORINTHIANS 10:1-13.

NOTE: WE CAN LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OF OTHERS, IF WE WILL.

ISRAEL MURMURED AGAINST GOD OVER AND OVER.     IT SEEMED THEY WERE NEVER SATISFIED.

THEY DIED IN THE WILDERNESS BECAUSE OF THEIR FAILURE TO OBEY / FOLLOW GOD.

THE ISRAELITES WERE BARELY OUT OF EGYPT WHEN THEY FELL INTO IDOL WORSHIP AND OTHER SINFUL CONDUCT.

          (1) IDOLATRY - VERSE 7

          (2) SEXUAL IMMORALITY - VERSE 8

          (3) TESTING GOD - VERSE 9

          (4) COMPLAINING - VERSE 10

          THE PROBLEM WITH THESE PEOPLE, AND THOSE CAUGHT UP IN FALSE WORSHIP TODAY, IS THEY WANTED A GOD THEY COULD SEE WITH THEIR PHYSICAL EYES TO WORSHIP.

          GOD IS SPIRIT!     IF YOU CAN SEE SOMETHING WITH YOUR PHYSICAL EYE, IT IS PART OF GOD'S CREATION.     IT IS NOT GOD!

          VERSE 11: WE LEARN THAT BELIEVER'S SHOULD STUDY THE WORD OF GOD AND LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OF OTHERS.

           DON'T BE STIFF-NECKED AND DO NOT LEARN THE HARD WAY.

          VERSE 12: THIS IS SAYING; DON'T BE SO PROUD THAT YOU CANNOT LEARN.

          LEARN FROM OTHERS, SO YOU WILL NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE;  BE EVER CONSCIOUS OF YOURSELF;  EXAMINE YOURSELF, SO THE LORD WILL NOT HAVE TO!

          E.  IT GIVES US GOD'S VIEWPOINT:

          BY STUDYING HOW HE USED ADVERSITY IN THE LIVES OF BIBLICAL CHARACTERS, WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE LESSON'S WE LEARN IN OUR PRESENT STORM.

          V.    HOW DOES THE BIBLE WORK AS AN ANCHOR?

          A.  YOU MUST READ IT:

          JUST AS A SHIP'S ANCHOR DOES NO GOOD UNLESS IT IS LOWERED, THE WORD OF GOD CAN'T ENCOURAGE YOU UNLESS YOU TAKE TIME TO STUDY IT, COLOSSIANS 3:16;

1st TIMOTHY 4:13; 2nd TIMOTHY 2:15.

VERSE 16 "LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM; TEACHING AND ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER IN PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING WITH GRACE IN YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD."

         "WORD OF CHRIST": THIS IS SCRIPTURE, THE HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRED SCRIPTURE, THE WORD OF REVELATION THAT HE BROUGHT INTO THE WORLD.

          "RICHLY": HERE MEANING "DWELL" OR "TO LIVE IN" OR "TO BE AT HOME".  SCRIPTURE SHOULD PERMEATE EVERY ASPECTS OF THE BELIEVER'S LIFE AND CONTROL EVERY THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED, MATTHEW 13:9; PHILIPPIANS 2:16; 2nd TIMOTHY 2:15.

          THESE TWO REALITIES ARE REALLY ONE: THE HOLY SPIRIT FILLS THE LIFE CONTROLLED BY HIS WORD.

          B.  YOU MUST MEDITATE ON IT.

          THINK ABOUT THE LORD'S PROMISES AND HOW HE PROVED FAITHFULNESS TO BELIEVERS IN THE PAST AND THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE.

2nd TIMOTHY 2:7 "CONSIDER WHAT I SAY; AND THE LORD GIVE THEE UNDERSTANDING IN ALL THINGS."

          PAUL IS SAYING THAT BELIEVERS SHOULD READ THE SCRIPTURES AND LET THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN THEM OPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING TO WHAT IS BEING SAID.

1st JOHN 2:24-25, (24) "LET THAT THEREFORE ABIDE IN YOU, WHICH YE HAVE HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING.  IF THAT WHICH YE HAVE HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING SHALL REMAIN IN YOU, YE ALSO SHALL CONTINUE IN THE SON, AND IN THE FATHER."

(25) "AND THIS IS THE PROMISE THAT HE HATH PROMISED US, EVEN ETERNAL LIFE."

          "HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING": THE GOSPEL THAT CANNOT CHANGE.     LET IT REMAIN; DO NOT FOLLOW FALSE TEACHERS.     CHRISTIAN TRUTH IS FIXED AND UNALTERABLE, JUDE 3.

          IF WE STAY FAITHFUL TO THE TRUTH, WE CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE INTIMATE COMMUNION WITH GOD AND CHRIST AND PERSEVERE TO THE FULL ETERNAL LIFE.

          LET THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST LIVE CONTINUALLY (ABIDE) IN YOU.     REJECT THE FALSE TEACHERS AND THEIR MESSAGE!

          THE PURE GOSPEL MESSAGE BROUGHT TO US MUST BE KEPT AT ALL COST.

          VERSE 25: LOOK WITH ME AT THE PROMISE IN THESE WORDS OF JESUS (ETERNAL LIFE).

          C.  BELIEVE WHAT IT SAYS.

          IF YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO DOUBT GOD'S PROMISES, YOU WILL NEVER RECEIVE ALL HE HAS FOR YOU.

2nd TIMOTHY 1:12 "FOR THE WHICH CAUSE I ALSO SUFFER THESE THINGS: NEVERTHELESS I AM NOT ASHAMED: FOR I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, AND AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE TO KEEP THAT WHICH I HAVE COMMITTED UNTO HIM AGAINST THAT DAY."

          HERE WE LEARN THAT PAUL HAD NOT FEAR OF PERSECUTION AND DEATH FROM PREACHING / TEACHING THE GOSPEL IN A HOSTEL SETTING, BECAUSE HE WAS SO CONFIDENT GOD HAD SEALED HIS FUTURE GLORY AND BLESSING.

          ALL TRULY BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS HAVE THIS SAME ASSURANCE BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

          "KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED": "KNOW" DESCRIBES THE CERTAINTY AND INTIMATE SAVING KNOWLEDGE, THE OBJECT OF WHICH WAS GOD HIMSELF.

          THE GREEK VERB TRANSLATED, REFERS TO SOMETHING THAT BEGAN IN THE PAST AND HAS CONTINUING RESULTS.

          THIS KNOWING IS EQUAL TO "THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH", 2nd TIMOTHY 3:7.

          JUST AS PAUL DID, THE BELIEVER IS TO LIVE WITH UNWAVERING CONFIDENCE AND BOLDNESS BECAUSE OF THE REVEALED TRUTH ABOUT GOD'S POWER AND FAITHFULNESS, AND THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE OF AN UNBREAKABLE RELATIONSHIP TO THE LORD, ROMANS 8:31-39.

2nd TIMOTHY 1:13 "HOLD FAST THE FORM OF SOUND WORDS, WHICH THOU HAST HEARD OF ME, IN FAITH AND LOVE WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS."

          "SOUND WORDS": THE SCRIPTURE AND THE DOCTRINE IT TEACHES.

           "FAITH AND LOVE....IN CHRIST JESUS": "FAITH" IS CONFIDENCE THAT GOD'S WORD IS TRUE, AND "LOVE" IS KINDNESS AND COMPASSION IN LIVING AND TEACHING THAT TRUTH.     KEEP THE FAITH AND CONTINUE TO LOVE GOD.     DO NOT BE SHAKEN BY WHAT HAPPENS IN LIFE, STAY IN THE WORD OF GOD.

          ALWAYS EXPRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORD OF GOD.     PLACE YOUR FAITH AND YOUR LOVE IN JESUS CHRIST.

ROMANS 4:20-21, (20) "HE STAGGERED NOT AT THE PROMISE OF GOD THROUGH UNBELIEF; BUT WAS STRONG IN FAITH, GIVING GLORY TO GOD."

(21) "AND BEING FULLY PERSUADED THAT, WHAT HE HAD PROMISED, HE WAS ABLE ALSO TO PERFORM."

          ABRAHAM KNEW WHATEVER GOD SAID HE WOULD DO, HE WAS PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF DOING.     HIS FAITH WAS NOT OF THIS WORLD, BUT IN GOD.     ABRAHAM KNEW IN HIS HEART THAT NOTHING WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GOD.

          BELIEVING GOD AFFIRMS HIS EXISTENCE AND CHARACTER AND THUS GIVES HIM GLORY.

          D.  APPLY IT TO YOUR OWN LIFE FIRST.

          NOT THE LIFE OF SOMEONE ELSE.

EPHESIANS 3:16-17, 19, (16) "THAT HE WOULD GRANT YOU, ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY, TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT BY HIS SPIRIT IN THE INNER MAN;"

(17) "THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS BY FAITH; THAT YE, BEING ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE:"

(19) "AND TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST, WHICH PASSETH KNOWLEDGE, THAT YE MIGHT BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD."

          EVEN PAUL WAS BEING PERSECUTED, IMPRISONED, AND IN NEED OF MANY THINGS FOR HIS OWN WELFARE, HE PRAYED PRIMARILY FOR FELLOW BELIEVERS THAT THEY MIGHT BE SPIRITUALLY PROTECTED AND STRENGTHENED.

          OUR WEAKNESS IS IN OURSELVES, AND OUR STRENGTH IS IN HIM.     THE WEAK ARE MADE STRONG BY THE SPIRIT WITHIN THEM, 2nd CORINTHIANS 12:9; GALATIANS 2:20.

          CHRIST MUST BE FIRST PLACE IN OUR OWN LIFE.     IT IS GOD'S PURPOSE THAT HE DWELL IN OUR HEARTS PERSONALLY, PERMANENTLY, AND POWERFULLY,     THE LOVE OF GOD IS IMMEASURABLE AND BY EXPERIENCE WE CAN COME TO KNOW HIM AND ALL THAT HE DESIRES FOR US.

          E.  YOU MUST BE WILLING TO OBEY IT!

1st JOHN 2:6 "HE THAT SAITH HE ABIDETH IN HIM OUGHT HIMSELF ALSO SO TO WALK, EVEN AS HE WALKED."

          JESUS' LIFE OF OBEDIENCE IS THE CHRISTIAN'S PATTERN.     THOSE WHO CLAIMS TO BE CHRISTIANS OUGHT TO LIVE AS HE DID, JOHN 6:38, SINCE THEY POSSESS HIS SPIRIT'S PRESENCE AND POWER.

          WHILE NO ONE CAN OR NEED TO DUPLICATE JESUS' ATONING MINISTRY, HIS DISCIPLES ARE CALLED ON TO IMITATE HIS DEVOTION TO GOD AND COMPASSION FOR OTHERS 1st PETER 2:21.

          EVERY PERSON THAT IS A TRULY BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER WILL REALLY LOVE GOD HAVE A STRONG LIFE CONTROLLING DESIRE TO SERVE AND OBEY HIS WORD.

          THE TRUE BELIEVER IS ALWAYS VICTORIOUS OVER THE STORMS OF LIFE.     VICTORY IS NORMAL AND NATURAL FOR THE BELIEVER WALKING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

          OUR FAITH IS THE KEY TO VICTORY OVER THE STORMS.     THIS FAITH, SAVING FAITH, IS WHAT MAKES US TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD, WHICH IN TURN ASSURES US OF VICTORY OVER THE STORMS.

     CONCLUSION:

          YOU AND I LIVE IN A WICKED, GODLESS AGE, OUR FAITH IS ATTACKED EVERY DAY!

          UNLESS WE ARE WELL GROUNDED IN OUR FAITH AND GOD'S WORD, WE WILL DRIFT LIKE A SHIP WITHOUT A SAIL AND FAIL IN OUR DEVOTION TO THE LORD.

          SO ANCHOR YOURSELF IN THE WORD, PRAYER, AND DEVOTIONS.     IT WILL COMFORT YOU, STRENGTHEN YOU, REMIND YOU OF HIS PROMISES, AND REVEAL HIS WAYS, AND ACT AS A MORAL COMPASS.     MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS WILL RENEW YOUR MIND WITH HIS ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE.

          REGARDLESS OF WHAT KIND OF STORMS THAT COME, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO WEATHER THEM WITH CONFIDENCE, ANCHORED TO THE SOLID ROCK OF JESUS CHRIST.

          WALK WITH GOD, HIS WORD, HIS SON, AND IN THE STRENGTH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND DEFEAT SATAN, THE WORLD, AND ALL OF THEIR STORMS.

     AMEN!