August 23, 2015 - Carter Conlon - Put Confidence In My Fearful Heart

I have a message this morning it's entitled put confidence in my fearful heart put confidence in my fearful heart Revelation chapter 15 the last book of the Bible and then Exodus chapter 15 second book of the Bible put confidence in my fearful heart Oh God Almighty we need to hear from you comfort us Lord in the times in which we find ourselves now living a period in history where the gospel is now out of season where evil is beginning to abound I asked for an anointing deeper richer then words can express that will touch the hearts of every here and give us faith and confidence in you and a song Lord God that can't be taken away in spite of the circumstances we may have to face comfort those Lord who are already in trial some trials too deep for words those that are physically suffering those that are suffering in the workplace those that are suffering in their mind their marriages comfort those that are suffering God give us strength all of us prepare us Lord for this hour in which we live and for the days just ahead and I thank you for it with all my heart in Jesus name put confidence in my fearful heart this is John the Beloved Disciple approximately 80 years of age in prison in prison because he chose to live for Christ's prison because in the midst of a crooked society he made the choice to stand out and shine like a light in prison on an island in Greece called Patmos in prisons then were not like the prisons now there were no television rooms no gymnasiums no heat no kindness more likely very difficult place to be for somebody who's walked with God all of his life and is now paying a terrible price but even in the midst of that prison though we can be bound the Word of God can't be bound that's what the scripture says and thank God for that thank God in the midst of that difficult place it says if he says I was in the lord's day and i was in the spirit just lifted up by god and suddenly this panoramic view of not only the churches of his time but right through into the future to the coming of christ the ultimate triumph over evil the creation of the new heavens and a new earth god comforted him by causing his word to live in his heart in Revelation chapter 15 he says then I saw in verse one another sign in heaven great and marvellous seven angels having the seven last plagues for in them the wrath of God is complete now he's looking at a time when God is going to justly judge this world and the judgments of God in the last days are going to be horrific it will be an anguish a time of trouble such as this world has never seen history has never recorded anything quite like what's about to happen in this world and he says and I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire and those who have the victory over the Beast this is a world ruler who's going to rise because of the fear in people's hearts who promises to bring peace but he's really the devil incarnate over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name standing on the sea of glass having harps of God they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the lamb saying great and marvelous are your works Lord God Almighty just and true are your ways o king of the Saints who shall not fear you O Lord and glorify your name for you alone are holy for all nations shall come and worship before you for your judgments have been manifested it's an amazing thing john has this vision of a people now whether it's an actual physical fact that one day will be seen or it's something God speaks to him in the spirit and just shows him whichever way you care to look at it what he saw was people who had gone through some of the most difficult times imaginable and they're standing at the throne of God and they're singing a song of worship that only those who have suffered and continued to trust in God can sing nobody else can sing this song it's a song I think that is sung and measured by those who suffer silently even in this generation those that are here today there's a worship and some that's deeper than anything you can produce with natural instrumentation or natural giftings or talent there's a there's a song in the heart that is so much deeper it's the song of those who have been kept John said I saw them standing on a sea like glass it's the only way you could describe it it looked like water but somehow they weren't sinking in it somehow they were given the power to rise above the water or to stand upon that which should have drowned them and even on this apparent sea of glass that I saw there it was mingled with fire and it also speaks of those who have gone through times of unspeakable trial times that should have burnt up their hope and their confidence destroyed them but it didn't have the power and they sang a song that's been sung all through the Bible it started with Moses they sang this song and they said great and marvelous are your works God you kept us when nobody could have nobody but you could have kept us nobody but you nobody but you could have given us the power to endure what we had to endure yes today we are enduring things we live in a generator where those who want to live for God are vilified cast out mocked made fun of we're living in times when the news becomes more horrific almost by the day the unthinkable thought that babies are being allowed to be born just to be harvested for their internal organs and suchlike things God's removing the veil now of all of our false righteousness and showing us what we really are and what we've really become as a nation but John saw a people who are standing in the midst of it all and said oh great and marvelous are your works and you will sing that song one day if you don't give up your confidence in God when times get tough don't cast away your confidence don't somehow come to the wrong conclusion that the worship of God means the absence of trial it doesn't that is exclusively a North American doctrine the gain to foothold in the churches in the last 30 years but that's not biblical truth there are people all over the world suffering for the cause of Christ talk to the Christians now in the Middle East and see what these men and women have to say but many of them have this same confidence Oh God even though we perish yet still we will praise you our bodies might be gone tomorrow but we live forever we live forever who shall not fear you O Lord and glorify your name in other words one day every knee will bow every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord this life is only a vapor we're only here folks for a very very short time and then it's gone I talked about meeting pastor Teresa it seems like yesterday but that's 43 years ago 43 years from now I dare say I'm gonna be in heaven a long time by then who shall not fear you and glorify your name feel sorry for the wagging tongues feel sorry for those who stand against God and hate righteousness feel sorry for them because they will stand one day at the throne of God to face a deeper fear than they've ever known in their lifetime for you alone are holy and all nations shall come and worship before you for your judgments have been manifested this vision confirms the words of Paul and Colossians 1 verses 15 to 17 he says he's speaking of Jesus is the image of the invisible God the firstborn over all creation for by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth visible and invisible whether Thrones or dominions or principalities and powers in other words Vladimir Putin was put there by God for God's specific reason everything every Dominion every principality every power all things were created through him and for him he is before all things and in him all things consist in other words God is in complete control of everything nothing has escaped his control yes this world is unraveling in its darkness this world is going on the trajectory the Bible clearly says it was going to go on but it also all of that is in the control of God God has allowed it for the sake of one soul still who will turn to him and find him as Savior for all of eternity this vision of John shows you and I in advance the ultimate victory of those who choose to trust God even though we may have to walk through unspeakably dark times the days ahead are going to be hard my friend they're going to be difficult it can happen overnight madmen are getting access to nuclear weapon right now you know I don't have to convince you already know something is on the horizon but I am not afraid of the days ahead of me and neither should you be there should be faith in your heart and faith in my heart and a song like we sang this morning on this platform I sense that Greg Thomas forgive me Greg if I've got it wrong but I sense that you it's a hard day for you today for whatever reason but you chose to worship God you chose to sound the trumpet you chose to sound the cymbals you chose to declare God faithful and that kind of faith will never be unrewarded that kind of faith will never let you down that kind of song will never be a song that you'll one day say oh I wish I had son something else it serves as an example for all of us especially as the day's grow darker and humankind launches its final assault against the lordship of Jesus Christ and that's where we're going now this world is launching an assault against Christ that's what the battle has always been about and very very soon it's going to be very very dark our opening text tells us that they sang the song of Moses and of the Lamb so here they are at the throne of God standing on what looks to be water but it's holding them up fire burning around it but it's not consuming them and the scripture says they sang the song of Moses theologically they knew something they had walked through the air they experienced in Exodus chapter 15 let's go through it together beginning at verse 1 it says then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord and so here is Moses and the children of Israel after they had come through the Red Sea when God had miraculously delivered them from the power of Pharaoh and his army when he had brought them into a place of promise it didn't mean in that place that they wouldn't have to fight it didn't mean that they wouldn't suffer it didn't mean in the promised land that some weren't going to die in claiming the inheritance of God's people for it but they knew the faithfulness of God and here's the song they saying I will sing to the Lord for he has triumphed gloriously the horse and it's rider he is thrown into the sea this is your song this is my song this is the song that you and I will one day we're going to meet again at the throne of God and this is going to be our song I will sing to the Lord he has triumph all the power of hell that came against me everything that threatened to swallow me every enemy either told me I wasn't gonna make it every stray thought that came into my heart trying to tell me to give up every word that's ever been spoken over my life God threw it into the sea of his word and drowned it there the Lord is my strength verse two in my song and he has become my salvation he is my god and I will praise Him my father's God and I will exalt him the Lord is a man of war the Lord is his name Pharaoh's chariots and his armies cast into the sea his chosen captains are also drowned in the Red Sea the depths have covered them they sank to the bottom like a stone your right hand o God that right hand is where Christ sits has become glorious and power your right hand Oh Lord has dashed the enemy in pieces and then the ex greatness of your excellence you have overthrown those who rose against you you sent forth your wrath it consumed them like stubble and with the blast of your nostrils the waters were gathered together the flood stood upright like a heap the depth congealed in the heart of the sea the enemy said I will pursue I will overtake I will divide this spoil my desire will be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them and this is exactly what the devil is trying to do today to the testimony of Christ you blew with your wind the sea covered them they sank like lead in the mighty waters oh who is like you O Lord among the gods who is like you glorious and holiness fearful and praises doing wonders you stretched out your right hand the earth swallowed them you and your mercy have led forth the people whom you have redeemed and you've guided them with your strength to your holy habitation folks I'm going to tell you something God is not going to fail you you put your trust in Christ and some of the days ahead might be difficult and some of our paths might be hard some of us may lose our freedom even for a season I don't know what the future holds but I know that God holds my future and God holds your future and I know that one day you and I are going to join in this vision we're going to stand on the sea of glass the water didn't drown us the fire didn't burn us and we're going to declare the faithfulness of God why I gave my life to Christ and he promised he would never leave me or forsake me and he has been true to his promise and Here I am to worship Him Here I am to give Him glory Here I am to shout holy holy holy is the Lord God of hosts heaven and earth are filled with his glory the people will hear this song and be afraid sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia the Chiefs of Edom will be dismayed the mighty men of Moab trembling will take hold of them and all the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away fear and dread will fall on them by the greatness of your arm they will be as still as a stone till your people pass over O Lord till your people pass over whom you are purchased you will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance in the place of Lord which you have made for your dwelling the sanctuary O God which your hands have established we are going to sing that song but I want to challenge you to start singing it now start declaring the faithfulness of God no matter how difficult and dark your situation might be because keep in mind it's only for a moment it's only for a moment and then it's gone we're living in a in a world and somehow we can get so consumed with everything around us that we start to think this is the only reality I've heard many people say well I've got to leave church and go back to the real world I beg to differ you're leaving the real world to go back to that which is going to pass away don't forget that this is real this is eternal this does not pass away the worship of God the Fellowship of the Saints the confidence of those who believe in Christ the assured future of those who have trusted in Christ for their salvation this is real this world will pass away the heavens and the earth will be dissolved the scripture says that be recreated there'll be a new heavens and a new earth one day so you're not going back into the real world you're leaving the real world to go back into that which is going to pass away keep that in mind when you go out there keep that in mind when people try to tell you that you have no future keep that in mind when the devil tries to tell you're never going to get through this or your sorrow is so deep you're not going to survive as if everything is just here and of this life this life is a vapor tell me how long will this have seemed 100 million years from now when you and I are still talking about the things of God still singing at the throne of God still walking into the ever-increasing wondrous depths of the revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ light becoming more like becoming more light all through eternity never-ending how deep will these problems seem then these things that want to threaten us these things that try to tell us we'll never get through you can't pass through the waters you'll never escape your past and they also sang the song of the Lamb and I believe this song of the lamb is our final declaration it is a declaration that death has no power over us death has no power to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord that's what the Apostle Paul said death has no power jesus said to his disciples not a hair of your head is going to perish now most of them died well they all died eventually but they died violent deaths in most in many cases but he wasn't talking about their physical body was talking about who they are you will not perish yes your physical body will perish live long enough and it will perish naturally your physical body is going to die but you will not die every promise of God to you will be yay and amen I believe that this song is our final declaration that death has no power the grave has no stay hardship has no finality and that sin and death all that sin and death had to throw with us was swallowed up in Christ and in his final victory over evil in this world though this world tries to think it can exalt itself above the knowledge of God Christ has already triumphed over it he is already Lord of all he is already sitting in a place of absolute authority in absolute power that's got to be deep in your heart now deep in your heart if you're trusting in your retirement plan you might be sorely disappointed by the end of this next week if you're trusting in our military to keep us safe we're living in a world environment now when there's no assurance of anything like that anymore we're living in an era the Bible clearly warned us about but also told us that there are people who will have oil in their land and even though it gets dark they will see the coming of the Messiah what all these things begin to happen jesus said lift up your head for your redemption draws nigh don't let your heart be afraid don't lose your confidence in God don't cast away all the things that you've learned to bring you to this point of worshipping God only a few more days or a few more years and this is all going to be over this theater won't be here New York City will be gone all of these things are going to be gone and you and I are going to be standing at the throne of Almighty God and it might be sooner than we think for I believe with all my heart that we are living in the days that Paul the Apostle encouraged the early church with talking about days of darkness and difficulty coming in the earth but suddenly a trumpet sounds in heaven and the dead in Christ are raised and we who are alive and remain shall be gathered together with them in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord I'm not promoting an escapist theology and escapist theology is one that at all costs chooses to live in a place with its head in the sand saying no no harm no hurt no trouble no trial no difficulty will ever come my way I'm not saying that but I'm saying my eyes are fixed on heaven now as David the psalmist said and I hope it does happen in my time and I hope it happens when we're having searched together I hope it happens when we're singing Samba Samba Samba I do with all my heart that moment that Christ spoke about when he comes for his church on the earth yes there will be people that will have to go through some very dark days after that others will be given opportunity to receive him as Savior most will pay with their lives for doing it Paul says in 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verses 8 and 9 we do not want you to be ignorant brethren of our trouble which came to us in Asia we were burdened beyond measure above strength so that we despaired even of life but we had the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead it's so important that this deep abiding trust in God become the center of your heart and your mind now this deep trust in God because the days ahead are going to be dark and I'm not a gloom and doom us because I'm not thinking about the darkness I'm thinking about the light as dark as the days may be I have a promise that we are going to be a city set upon a hill that cannot be hidden I thank God for that with all my heart Psalm 98 is a prophetic Psalm and it talks about a type of worship that's going to come to this world I believe in the last days Psalm 98 says Oh sing to the Lord a new song for he has done marvelous things his right hand and his holy arm have gained him the victory the Lord has made known his salvation his righteousness is revealed in the sight of the nation's he is remembered his mercy and his faithfulness to the house of Israel all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God and here's what the psalmist says shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth break forth into song rejoice and sing praises sing to the Lord with the harp with the harp and the sound of a psalm with trumpets and the sound of a horn that's what we sang this morning shout joyfully before the Lord the king let the sea roar and all its fullness a day is coming when the powers of heaven itself are going to be shaken The Sun will be tended to darkness the moon will be turned to blood Peter the Apostle talks about the heavens being on fire I happen to believe that's because of some kind of a nuclear device being detonated thats my personal belief Carl Oppenheimer who invented the atom bomb the atomic bomb feared that when it was used and tested and used that it would set the very atmosphere of the earth on fire for he knew it had the capability of doing that it didn't but we have weaponry now that's countless times stronger than what he feared would set the heavens on fire let the sea roar and his fullness the world and those that dwell in it let the rivers clap their hands that the hills be joyful together before the Lord for his coming to judge the earth with righteousness he shall judge the world and the people's with equity in other words Christ is coming Christ died triumphed over sin death hell and the devil and everything that represents that Christ rose from the grave in victory showing you and I that when we put our confidence in him we too are delivered from death and we to live eternally and we too are in victory though that victory may not be seen with the natural eye we know that the victory is ours our victory is eternal it's not temporal is just here on the earth our victory is not manifested because we get a better job or a nicer car or deeper reputation our victory is in heaven our victory is eternal and Christ is coming again Christ is coming again no matter how dark it gets Christ is coming again when the devil tries to tell you you have no tomorrow you look up in the face and say Christ is coming again you have no tomorrow when it looks like your circumstance is so dark you're never going to get out Christ is coming again Christ is coming again Christ is coming again Christ is coming again Christ is coming again Christ is coming again hallelujah to the lamb of God it's coming on the clouds of glory every eye shall behold him the whole world at one time shall see him Christ is coming again Christ is coming again when they tried to tell you you're never gonna be promoted because you believe in him Christ is coming again the devil tries to say you're never going to get out of this marriage and never going to find better in this situation Christ is coming again Christ is coming again Christ is coming again Christ is coming again and so what do I do between now and that time what does the Bible instruct me to do shout joyfully so joyfully to the Lord all the earth so joyfully to the Lord shout joyfully shout the victory to all the darkness sup to God break forth in the song rejoice and sing praises sing with the harp the sound of the psalm trumpets in the sound of a horn shout joyfully before the Lord the King give God glory give God praise give god the confidence in your heart that he is due because he's not going to fail you he's not going to fail you we're going to have a song in these last days our song is not dependent on the stock market our song is not dependent on the strength of the military our song is not dependent on the news we have a song we have a song so deep so powerful so profound so God planted so god-given so God breathed we have a song we can stand on that sea of glass we can stand in the midst of the fire and we can sing the song of Moses in the song of the land thank God for that great privilege he gives us and so hears the cry of my heart for you today oh God put such confidence in my fearful heart that I will sing the same songs as they do with the same gratitude the same faith the same confidence as those who've gone before me and those who will come after me let me not be the sour note in this song put faith in my heart put confidence in my fearful heart and don't let me be overwhelmed for many have gone before there's a cloud of witnesses that have had to endure incredible trial and john saw a cloud of witnesses that have not yet had to endure but they will soon and so from the beginning to the end there have been witnesses that have endured trial hardship difficulty and yet they've not cast away their confidence they haven't lost their song the ability to declare the faithfulness of God hallelujah that's why I believe in these days many will soon be asking you for a reason for the hope that is in you because their hope is gone but your hope is not in the things of this world it's in the promises of God in the faithfulness of God the future that God has given ordained for your life and so if you are afraid today and there's so many reasons to be afraid and if you're afraid is not a shameful thing to admit it but if you are afraid I'm going to invite you today to join me here at this altar or stand between the screens in the annex or in North Jersey and for those that are at home and we're just simply gonna do what the Bible says Greg maybe we can sing that song all over again the Lord is high above the heavens we're gonna sing it we're gonna shout we're gonna declare him to be faithful I'm talking to everybody who's struggling with fear you're struggling with panic attacks you're struggling in the work environment you're afraid you're gonna lose your job you're afraid you're not gonna be able to pay your bills you're afraid for your family you're just if you're afraid for the threatenings that are around you the difficult situations you're facing take a step of faith stand before the throne of God and sing the song of Moses you brought those people through and you will bring me through sing the song of the Lamb Christ died Christ rose Christ is coming back and I am in his hand and he said I'm in the father's hand no one can take me out of the father's hand so I have the future no matter what he'll and my own heart's trying to tell me I have the future declare the faithfulness of God no matter your situation hallelujah sometimes you just got to do it by faith say hell you're not gonna overpower me you're not taking my song God gave me this song God gave me this confidence my future is not in your hands devil my future is in the hands of God you ought to be afraid I'm not afraid of the future I have a home in heaven I'll get a mansion on the street of gold with my name on the door I've gots things to do for all of eternity hallelujah to the lamb of God glory to the lamb of God glory to the lamb of God let's stand and if you want to come down here and shout for a moment I'm gonna invite you to come glory to God we're gonna sing would you stretch out your hands this way please father in Jesus name we take authority over all the sense of hopelessness and despair and even that spirit of suicide that would attack many in the house of God Satan we resist you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we resist you the father I thank you God for the inner knowledge that we have a reason to live and a reason to die god I bless you for this knowledge bless you for the song of faith that cannot be taken from our hearts keep us Lord God let there be a shout of joy unleashed in this house it will be contagious in this city a season of praise that's deeper richer than anything we can produce with natural effort father we thank you for God with all of our hearts we thank you and we praise you we have a reason to live father we thank you for this with all our heart we bless you in Jesus mighty name hallelujah

Channel: Times Square Church

Views: 12,823

Rating: 4.9223299 out of 5

Keywords: Carter Conlon, Sermon, Times Square Church

Id: sOWldC6fwVY

Length: 35min 12sec (2112 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 26 2015