Trouble Comes to All People!

God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

Along with these promises, God has given us peace with Himself through Jesus Christ, peace with others through His instructions, and peace of mind through confidence in Him. When we have no peace, we have no joy. But when we know peace, we know joy.    -Annie Johnson Flint 

Trouble comes to all people! The fact that we are saved  members of the family of God does not mean that trouble will never come our way. Allow me to present a case in point. for two years, Paul was held in custody in Caesarea, a large city on the shores of the Mediterranean in Israel. If you recall,  when he was arrested in the Temple in Jerusalem, he appealed to Caesar which was his right as a Roman citizen by birth.

After learning the charges against him brought by the Jewish religious leaders, King Agrippa stated to the Roman Governor Festus: "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar" (Acts 26:32). Soon after arrangements were made to transport Paul, the prisoner, to Rome. He was handed over to a Roman centurion, Julius, to guard him and get him to Rome. The centurion was kind to Paul and allowed him to visit friends in Sidon so they might provide for his needs before they set out on their journey by sea (Acts 27:3).

The year was 59 A.D. The month was October, a very marginal time to travel. Actually, sailing was doubtful even in September due to overcast weather which prevented them from following the stars in their navigation.  By November it was impossible to travel.

When Paul realized the plans to leave the safe harbor at Fair Havens, he warned them it was a questionable decision. However, the captain and the ship owner did not want to winter there. The decision was made to set out on the trip. At first the winds and the weather were favorable--a south wind blew softly and sailing was fine.

Then a contrary wind came.  It was a northeastern called Euroclydon or Euroquillo.  Typhonic force winds swept down from Crete's great mountain range (more than 7,000 feet high) to drive ships into the open sea toward North Africa. Luke's accuracy in describing the details of the voyage is one of the best descriptions of ancient seafaring we have.

The storm came in gigantic proportion and continued fourteen days during which they saw neither sun nor stars. The violent battering from the storm culminated in their losing control of their boat as they were driven along. The ship was caught up into the storm. Measures were taken to strengthen the ship including passing ropes under the ship to hold it together. Finally, Luke said, "we gave up all hope of being saved" (Acts 27:20). Trouble had come!

There is no way to know when or where trouble may come. It may come in the church or in the home, or in your own life as an individual before the day is over. It may come in the form of death to someone dearly loved, or it may come when health is lost, a telephone call/a visit, or dreams do not come true.

The Scriptures plainly teach that every child of God will be called upon to suffer for the cause of Christ. "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29). Paul expressed a deep longing to "know Him in the fellowship of His suffering"  (Philippians 3:10).

Remember, trouble will come and you can be prepared for it! Now, what shall we do when trouble comes?  Shall we be defeated by it, or shall we overcome it by the power and grace of Christ and make it a stepping stone to loftier spiritual heights? How often in His word, the Lord tells us that He will always be with us!

Whatever we do, when trouble comes we must wait upon the Lord, or we shall faint and fall. We shall fail. When the storm arose and the tempestuous winds blew--When trouble came--Paul got alone and sought the face of God and came out with an answer from Heaven.Where can I go, but to the Lord? It is then that we come with no mask or hidden motive.

How much it must have meant to Paul during this great storm, when the angel of the Lord appeared to Him in the night, and told him not to be afraid. When trouble comes, if the child of God will only remember that the Lord will be with him and that he can reckon on His presence, he will be sustained.

There are many Christians today who have surrendered to problems which could be conquered by getting alone with God. Someone has said believers should praise God for anything that brings us to our knees--to keep us depending on the Lord.

God is our source of power, and we receive His help by keeping in touch with Him.With this attitude of dependence, problems will drive us to God rather than away from Him. Let's learn to rely on God daily. Unload all excess baggage which is against the will of God.

I'd like to close today's message by leaving you with a few good reminders. Believers have the resources to face trouble with grace. When all hope is gone (Acts 27:20), have faith in God (Acts 27:22-25). Don't give up the ship (Acts 27:30-31), and take care of yourself (Acts 27:33-36).

Scripture: John 16:33; 2 Timothy 3:1-17; 1 John 2:16; Romans 8:28; Psalm 40:17; Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 5:8; Genesis 3:5;

Prayer: Almighty God, the Refuge of all that are distressed, grant unto us that, in all trouble of this our mortal life, we may flee to the knowledge of Thy loving-kindness and tender mercy; that so, sheltering ourselves therein, the storms of life may pass over us, and not shake the peace of God that is within us. Whatsoever this life may bring us, grant that it may never take from us the full faith that Thou art our Father. Grant us Thy light, that we may have life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

May God bless you always,

Joanne