Consider one of the most powerful promises in all of God’s Word:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof….
In Mark 7, we find Jesus performing a great miracle. The whole dramatic scene takes place in just five verses:
"He said unto them...with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath" (Mark 4:24-25).
Jesus knew these words might sound strange to non-spiritual ears. So he preceded his message by saying, "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear" (4:23). He was telling us, in essence, "If your heart is open to God's Spirit, you'll understand what I have to say to you."
A sincere Christian man asked me the following question in a letter recently: "Whom do we believe? Over the years I've read the works of many ministers who were convinced the end was near. Yet over and over they've missed it. I realize now that some were just trying to sell a book. But others truly thought God was telling them the end was upon us.
A crack-addicted mother killed her own six-year-old daughter, Elisa, suffocating her with a pillow.
Four-year-old Nadine starved to death in her mother's house in the Bronx. Police found the girl locked in a bedroom — shriveled, emaciated, curled up in the fetal position. All her cries for help had gone unheeded by her crack-addicted mother.
"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
"They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end" (Psalm 107:23-27).
The devil does everything in his power to make his voice heard in this world. At one point he even had the audacity to interrupt Jesus while the Lord was speaking in the synagogue:
“The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep... The sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:2-3, NLT).
We all need guidance for decisions in life. Yet in a world as chaotic as ours, getting good guidance isn’t always simple or easy. Jesus says it’s different for Christians. He makes it clear in the above passage that his followers— “his own sheep”—know his voice and “come to him.” The picture is of a Good Shepherd providing his sheep with all the oversight and care they need.
Let me tell you about two men I knew. Both are converted drug addicts and alcoholics, and at one time they led horrible lives. Both are married with children – and while they were addicted, they had problems with lust, pornography and adultery. They were con artists, trying to fool their wives and families about everything, hustling and conning their way through life.
Something is missing in our midst. It is gone, and we need to bring it back. A single church can’t make this happen; the whole body of Christ has to unite together in one spirit and seek God to bring it about. I’m talking about the power of Christ to change and transform people who are in tremendous need. We all have friends and neighbors and people we don’t yet know who are hurting
