Good Times are Coming Sermon by Doug Davis
March 27, 2009
I told you all a few weeks ago, that I have decided to opt out of the recession, or depression, or whatever you want to call it.
God has promised to take care of us, and that is a promise we can stand on, and expect.
God is the perfect father, and being a dad myself, I know that I want the best for my son.
We may not agree on what is best, but my motives are right.
God, of course, always knows what is right, and what is best.
However, we often argue with Him, or ignore Him, because we want to do it our way.
Remember that commercial, “Please, I'd rather do it myself!”
We say that to God, and then are surprised when things don't work out right, or blow up in our face.
It isn't easy to trust in the Lord at all times.
Not when everything is falling apart around you.
The Lord knows this, and that's why He cuts us so much slack.
I'm sure glad He does too!
I believe that better times are coming for us all, I really do.
Sometimes my faith fails, and I catch myself thinking that it won't, but God says He will take care of us, so I have to believe that He will.
Let's look into the Old Testament for a nugget of truth, and a word of encouragement.
(read DEU 6:4-15)
DEU 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
10 When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you-a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build,
11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant-then when you eat and are satisfied,
12 be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
13 Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.
14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you;
15 for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.
Now, this passage ends on a rather solemn note, a warning, but before that, there are 2 major ideas brought forth.
In verse 5, we are instructed to Love the LORD our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength.
This is vital, if we are counting on God to provide for us, and care for us.
From verse 5 to verse 9, the Lord tells us just how much we are to love Him, and pay attention to the things He tells us, His commandments.
Talk about them, think about them, put them on our foreheads.
I like to think of that as, keeping the Lord's commandments in the front of my brain.
Pondering on them, turning them over, and over in my mind.
PSA 119:47 I shall delight in Your commandments, Which I love.
PSA 119:48 And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, Which I love; And I will meditate on Your statutes.
PSA 119:127 Therefore I love Your commandments Above gold, yes, above fine gold.
Wow, above gold?
Above money even?
God's commandments to us, aren't to ruin our fun, or make our lives boring, and dull, they are to protect us, so that we can enjoy our lives completely.
Do we love His commandments, or are they a drag?
Do we revel in them, or are we burdened down with them?
If we truly love them, and embrace them, then they should be in our minds, in our thoughts all the time.
Here's an excellent way for us to avoid sin.
PSA 119:11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
If we know the word of the Lord, than it helps to avoid making mistakes.
Now, let's move onto the second idea in our original passage.
DEU 6:10 When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you-a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build,
11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant-then when you eat and are satisfied,
12 be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
God was telling the Israelites that He was going to give them all these great things, and then He puts a warning at the end.
Let's apply this to ourselves.
When the Lord sets us up, and has met our needs, and we have plenty, we aren't to forget Him.
I believe that the good times are ahead of us.
Whether we have all sorts of cool stuff, or not, the best times are ahead.
When things are finally going our way, we have to be very careful, and not forget who has done it.
We certainly haven't, it is our God who provides for us.
I've seen so many people come into the church, with a need, or a desperate situation, and once things turn around for them, they slide on out the door, and forget God.
Who needs Him, if everything is good, right?
That is why the warning at the end of this passage is so important.
We have to make sure we don't forget God!
Look at the last 2 verses.
DEU 6:14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you;
15 for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.
That sounds rather serious.
Are we following other people's gods today?
Are we following the god of poverty, and recession?
Are we following the god of fear, and hopelessness?
These are all false gods.
Nothing more than a statue set up, that people bow before, and worship.
Make the decision tonight, not to follow those gods any longer.
Follow the one true God, the God who is alive, and loves us.
Don't follow after doctrines of demons, for that is exactly what these things are.
I don't want to be destroyed off the face of the earth!
I'd much rather flourish here, and gain a reward in Heaven!
Let's pray.