Sermon: "Survival Guide for the End Times Part 1" by Rick Shabi, June 20 2020

okay well over the last several weeks really several months now we've been talking about the things that have been going on in this world and as we've seen you know things progress from coronavirus to protests to you know to an introspection on how we handle I'm sorry excuse me how we handle maybe our relations and have to look into ourselves a little bit about the how we may feel about things and then in here in Florida watching the coronavirus cases begin to escalate again if that is really factual or not it seems to be a matter of discussion on the news but as we see these things progress you know we've talked a lot about what God is doing and how the how our society if you will really around the world is being prepared for the time of the end you know some of the things and what the Bible prophesized by the time of the end we couldn't see until as these things happen you know I hope as we have gone through these things and as we look at ourselves and as we experience these things we're taking a good look at ourselves as well right it's one thing to look at it and say oh this is happening and all I can see this end this prophesied now I can see how we can get there and how the world can progress there but we have to really be watching ourselves as well because God has given this you know as a wake-up call to all of us we've talked about and as we you know as we look at at the end time we have no idea how long it'll be before Jesus Christ returns we need to be really serious about our calling and that allow ourselves to slip back into the world or if things were to get better and everyone's saying oh oh everything is back to normal again we've all passed all this so we don't find ourselves lulled to sleep because the world would very much like to lull us to sleep so today I want to talk about a Survival Guide for the end times what do we do as we prepare for the end times and as as we go into these times no matter what they you know proposed or what they may give to us whether it's very good times and we look at it and as it says in 1st Thessalonians 5 Oh peace and safety what do we do or if they're very trying times and another disaster comes upon the disaster and disaster we've already had what do we do to survive as Christians because we know as we've talked about in the Bible studies and as we watch Christ's word he says he who endures to the end so we have to have a plan and we have to be ready for Christ's return but how do we do that how do we survive the things that are coming in front of us that are coming upon us between now at the time of Jesus Christ so let's let's look at a few of those things and I have actually three that I have put together and looking at over this morning I doubt if I'm going to get through all three so me we made to take this up again next week but I've got three statements I think that will help us focus on what we need to be doing and to keep ourselves focused on the coming of Jesus Christ and to keep the focus on what we have to be doing not just watching prophecy that's an important thing but what we need to be doing so let's turn first of all the second Timothy and look at the first the first point here 2nd Timothy 1 and verse 6 very familiar set of verses but a very clear statement from God and as he inspired Paul to write this in 2nd Timothy 1 and verse 6 is writing to Timothy a young minister no reason to think that Timothy was falling asleep at the switch no reason to think that Paul Timothy was having any spiritual problems at all that Paul would write this but he writes something to him that he would also write to wall any of us you know it says therefore in verse 6 therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands Timothy you're doing you're doing well but let me remind you you gotta keep the fan flamed right God gives us His Holy Spirit when we repent and we're baptized and you know sometimes we can read Oh stir up the spirit right and those are kind of words we've heard for however long we've been in the church it's looking to some of the newer translations and looking at the Greek words there and they talk about you've got to fan the flame so you're telling to fan the flame of your spirit keep it alive keep it vibrant keep it burning bright and it's something we all have to do no matter how long we've been to the church and no matter how religious you know we may think we are you know as I say that I think of James 1:26 when he cautions us as we've talked in our Bible studies if anyone the one you think sees religious kind of look at this and all of us need to be stirring up or Fanning the flame of the holy spirit verse seven for God hasn't given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind and then he says in verse eight therefore don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but share with me and the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God so he kind of reminds Timothy something that might you know that we might even find ourselves sometimes right we might find ourselves kind of a little ashamed of the gospel maybe we you know we were confronted with something I think man I just don't even really want to get into it now I don't want to talk about it now and maybe Timothy was beginning to feel that way a little bit or Paul saw some occasions in him or perhaps he Paul saw it in the church you know could are we ever ashamed of the gospel do we ever get ourselves to point like I just don't want to deal with that I'll just let that one go or whatever so he says you know what you got to keep the flames burning you've got to keep it bright don't be ashamed of what you believe don't wish you could just hide it be you know I'm not talking about we should get to the point where we're confronting people about what we believe or what they do but when something comes up don't be ashamed to say you know I keep the Sabbath tape I believe in the Bible I don't care what society says I believe what the Bible says even though it may be politically incorrect in the day and age that we live we ever find ourselves maybe a little bit ashamed and of the gospel and he says don't be ashamed of me as prisoner you know we don't we don't know anyone that has been in in well I mean we know people who have been in prison but we don't know anyone who's in prison like Paul was and Paul is saying you know what you could think you really you follow the preaching of a man who's in prison I mean so the world could look at that and say what on earth would you be listening to him for he's he's he's his a convict is he's in prison so he says don't be ashamed of me there's a reason the Paul was there the world may look at it one way but don't you be ashamed of it don't you be ashamed of it Timothy but share with me and the sufferings for the gospel knowing that there were going to be tough times things that we're going to try us and test us and you know what don't look at those as ways to you know discount what God has called us to but look at those as things as James says in the first chapter they're counted all joy when you're going through those things because you know you are doing God's will you're doing what God has called you to do and there was a time in all of our lives you know those of us who have been baptized or preparing for baptism but we said told God we are willing to do whatever you say whatever road we have to follow we will follow whatever whatever obstacle you put in our way we will follow you and maybe after 10 20 30 40 years you know maybe that vision and what that what we said back to God at the time we were baptized you know isn't isn't quite as clear or as in our minds as it was back then well let's go back to revelation 2 you know as we and our local Bible studies begin to talk about revelation you know I'll be coming up on the seven churches here and the messages that God has to them messages that were for those churches back in the day but certainly messages for all of us you know this time the very first letter that's sent the very first letter that Jesus Christ you know well the first words that Jesus Christ said to the church he has a very telling message and sometimes with some things first it's a very basic thing that affects everyone because as we read these these letters to the churches we realize wow this applies to us and this applies to us and the very first one probably applies to everyone at some time in our lives let's let's just read through the first five verses here so the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write these things says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands I know your works your labor your patience and that you can't bear those who are evil and you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and it found them liars and you've persevered and you have patience and you've labored for my name's sake and have not become weary you've done a good job I've watched what you've done nevertheless I have this against you you've left your first love you're no longer as excited about your calling as you were back however many years ago I've watched you while you keep doing the things it's more out of rote as opposed to out of a passion out of that flame that's burning in front of you that's burning inside of you that you want to do those things you do it because you know you should but you know it's too easy to maybe not do it sometimes and you have excuses you've left your first love remember back when we were first being called whether we grew up in the church or whether we were called and we came I mean we couldn't read enough could we everything and we wanted to read every book look we wanted to read the Bible it's all new is all fresh it was all exciting and we couldn't wait to do that the way we prayed was different than the way we do now we just we wanted to talk we wanted to learn we wanted to be with each other the church was an exciting thing what God was doing was calling us into a thing that was exciting to us as our minds just burst with new truth and the Holy Spirit opened our minds to these things and as God looks down on this church the very first thing he said remember remember verse 5 from where you have fallen repent and do the first works or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent what he's saying there is stir up the spirit fan the flames of the Holy Spirit get zealous again get real again understand your calling again take the steps whatever it's necessary to be excited about your calling again and don't just coast through life thinking all is okay that I'm I'm religious I do the things that God said and there isn't the flame there isn't the passion there isn't the fire anymore that was there in the beginning how do we recreate all our first love you know he packed a few books in Hebrews in Hebrews 12 this book the author kind of says the same things in Hebrews 12 let's read the first four few verses here you notice he's talking to a church that's established and a church that has you know who knows how long they've been together at the time this book of Hebrews was sent to them or this letter Hebrews 12 verse 1 he's he's just gone through talking about faith in the people who were faithful and kind of encouraging you know look what these people did look what they did and that should be an encouragement thing to us you in church anything to us to see what they did and you know how they sacrificed their lives for God in chapter 12 verse 1 it says therefore we also since we're surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that set before us what's the Survival Guide how do we survive the end time how do we endure patiently endure until the end looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and two sat down at the right hand of the throne of God he did right he endured he kept the fan the flames fanned at the entire time he was there every time he would would come to a crossroads in his life and something that he needed to do what did he do to keep it alive to keep it burning to keep him focused on where God and what God had called him to you know if we drop down into verse 12 the author here is telling us stir the spirit up part of the Survival Guide is you gotta have the spirit stirred up and you got to constantly do that chapter 4 verse 12 therefore strengthen the hands which hang down feeling a little tired feeling coasting a little bit strengthen the hands which hang down and the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be dislocated but rather be healed the God can bring you wholly make you whole again spiritually and we could all use that and we could all you know as we look at how do we and what do we you know as we look at the world around us how do we prepare because so much in life as we prepare for what's ahead how do we prepare to survive I've got several points here under under stir up the spirit as I kept adding to them there are so many of them and I want to go through them in detail just as a reminder to us you know just as the spirit of revelation 2 says remember remember the first works remember what you did how you were like back then and maybe we need to look at ourselves pretty closely and say how do I handle this am I just going through the motions and this is I often say that I'm just checking off the list but is it really real to me am I really paying attention to my calling do I understand that God hasn't called me just to know but to change and to no longer be the person I was but to be molded into who he wants me to be very first one I've got here is you know read read the Bible you know there's our difference between read and study and I'll get to study here in a minute but read the Bible you know read it and sometimes you just read things you know for just the reading of them if you feel a little down if you feel a little depressed if you feel like God things aren't going right in your life and God just isn't as close that you're not as close to God sometimes we feel God isn't close to us was really us not close to God read pick up and just start reading the Psalms I guarantee if you just start reading the Psalms and don't read a verse and then pick up a phone and then go out and do something and come back later just dedicate make yourself schedule it in is if you have an appointment with your boss an appointment with your employer just sit down and read and I guarantee if you start reading through the Psalms and you see David's heart poured out and you see the good times where he's praising God and the other times where he's going through some difficulties you can't possibly not feel the spirit being flamed in you unless the Holy Spirit is dead and you've grieved it so much that you need to do a much deeper which we'll talk about you simply can't not read the write read the Bible right I know people read booklets I'm not discouraging reading the booklets but sometimes we have to read the Word of God and I would suggest let's read it on an Internet and not on a iPad pick up the book there's a reason that through the ages things were written that we can feel that we can touch and we look at something and we know this is the Word of God read it make yourself read it and just let God let God bring your energy back let him stir up the spirit it will happen read through the Proverbs read through Ecclesiastes read through some of those wisdom books go through Genesis read the creation account when you see what God has done you can't possibly if the Spirit of God is in you not feel motivated not feel the gratitude toward him not feel that you you are reminding who you are you know as you know Jesus Christ says in Luke 21 the last verse there 21:34 someone are there he says don't don't become so enamored with the world don't let the carousing and don't let all the things of the world drown out God you've got to take the time and sometimes we can get covered up with work covered up with doing things for everyone else we have to take the time to read you've got to stir the spirit up you have to stay in contact with God and let him let him motivate you let him through the Holy Spirit in you as you read these words you know motivate you and fire you up and help you to see man I was missing it you will feel the energy come back but it's not going to happen if you don't do it and you don't make the time to do it and you don't dedicate the time to it and not just say well I got five minutes I'm gonna read a few verses here No dedicate the time okay the next one I've got is study you know we've talked about and many times in recent Bibles or Bible studies here we go there's a difference between studying the Word of God and reading the Word of God there is a place for reading the Word of God there is a place for hearing the Word of God and we know that faith it says in Romans 10:17 faith comes by hearing you know you got to read you got to study you got to hear it doesn't come any other way those are the words of God but let's talk about study for a moment we have to feed the spirit we have to dig deep into the word sometimes and so we have our weekly Bible studies now that I think are are good for all of us to be able to sit down there and look at the words more closely than we would be able to do in a Sabbath service or maybe more closely than we would on our own because sometimes well we learn from the Bible comes from each other in a group setting as we discuss and as we dig into it and as we see things and we're focused on those things and the words we learn should motivate us you know I don't know about you but I as I prepare those Bible studies I find myself motivated well I didn't see that you know or I that's that's me that's me what I read in the Bible I need to focus in on that and I find the energy I've got to do it better I've got to do it more the way God wants I have to take care of what I've allowed to crowd out I'd say now I need to do this or that or whatever it might be I hope the same thing is happening for you right so study let's look at John 6 John 6 here's one scripture here we could talk about you know the Word of God is profitable for instruction correction reproof in righteousness and that the man of God it prepares the man of God for to be complete for every good work but here in John 6 and verse 63 you know says this is Christ speaking it says it is the spirit which gives life the flesh profits nothing the words that I speak to you their spirit and they are life their spirit and they are life you want to feel life you want to feel the energy again get into the Bible don't think you're doing everything right if you look read every book lit in every magazine or just listen to sermons online you have to look at the Bible you have to study the Bible to do those other things but don't neglect studying the Bible get back into the Word of God that's the way to stir the spirit these words are the words of life the explanations are great we need the help and sometimes the ciphering and understanding and putting it all together and bringing it into the 21st century but we have to be in the Bible reading it sometimes just reading for inspiration but studying it at other times so that we are really getting and getting a little deeper and growing we can't grow in grace and knowledge we can't grow in the way God wants us to if we're studying that's an impossibility right that's kind of what he that's kind of the path he's laid out for us and we have to we have to do it okay third pour now after this another you know point that we you can all think about is pray pray again our prayers can become very vanilla you know I say they can be very you know we might find ourselves praying every day but you know where is the intensity are they fervent and not every prayer has to be fervent right some prayers are fervent some prayers are seeking God's will some prayers are seeking God's understanding some prayers are for the sick some prayers are just praising God and thanking him for everything he's done for us some prayers are just communicative and sometimes you're just praying and you pause and you can actually feel God communicating with you without any words going on that's what we need to feel and when we feel those things when we feel God communicating with us through prayer or time that we have dedicated to him we begin well it will rekindle our spirit it will stir up the spirit without prayer and if you're feeling the spirit is a little dead if you're not seeing the progress or feeling the progress or if you're just feeling like my hands are kind of hanging limp my weeks and these are getting weak I'm just getting tired of the whole thing I just wish Christ would come boy it's time to shore ourselves up and start doing these things and doing the survival techniques that we need to get ourselves back because if we don't do these things now we won't survive through the end time we simply won't so let's look at a few verses on praying because I we talked about it not too long ago but let's look again there's this first back in Romans 8 and verse 26 the talks about at a level that I think only only people with God's Holy Spirit can understand what Paul writes here in Romans 8 verse 26 and 27 he says likewise likewise the spirit likewise the spirit also helps in our weaknesses for we don't know what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered you ever feel that when you pray it's like I don't even really know what to say I don't know how to put it into words and all of a sudden it's clear then all of a sudden you can feel the answer is coming and that's the Spirit of God working with you you don't have to come up with the answers God will give us the answers and when he sees what our heart is right and the Spirit is right there's that intercession that goes on that it's like this is what he wants this is what's in his heart and you can kind of feel the answer come you can find out the energy again I see the direction I see the way out of this I see what I need to do I feel the energy back I can only know that if you have God's Holy Spirit verse 27 he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is you know he looks at our heart what's in your heart what do you want and when he sees the motivations of our heart when he sees what's truly in us when we pray he'll he'll give it to us but if we're saying words but our heart isn't another thing because we haven't taken the time to change our hearts to yield to God to sacrifice self and put the old self away and think can't be that way anymore I told God I'm burying that person not to be resurrected again as his spirit gives us he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because it makes intercession for the Saints according to the will of God the Holy Spirit in us gives us the mind of Christ it leads us to have the same will that God has it only comes with the same spirit and when you see your will begin to your own will begin to reflect what God's will is and your mind changes and thinks that's not right anymore I don't even want that anymore and I get it now it is energizing to feel God's Spirit in you that's Fanning the flames it comes through prayer and sometimes just quiet prayer not sitting there and being so swift to talk as we talked about recently in a Bible study swift to hear and allow God to work in your mind that you don't have to have 60 minute prayer where all you're doing is talking and you just got all your things lined up and you just rattle it all up and there's no time for God to talk back at all no time for the spirit to even put anything in your mind just take it slow and let God respond prayer is accumulation you know if I talk to you or you talk to me and all I do is for 30 minutes just talk at you and say oh that's done is that a beneficial process at all no it's got to be give and take you've got to let the spirit you got to let God work in your mind you've got to take the time and set aside the time and you got to be in a place where it can happen not with phones ringing in the background and not with you know whoops another now this is happening and I know we all have those distractions but finding a place that we have the time and sometimes that means going out and walking outside where you don't have to hear the phone and you don't have to hear what's going on inside the house and that you're alone with God in a place where people can't reach you and you've left your phone at home and you don't hear the little dings going off as emails come in and messages come in you don't hear the little dings when someone's left a voicemail message that will all wait there's nothing that can't wait for a while so we can pray it can parry in that way it ignites it fires up the spirit you know Paul Paul talks about praying too in an aspect that maybe we've forgotten a little bit you know back in Colossians 4 as he instructed the churches back then about things to pray for maybe we've been remiss in talking about this a little bit in Colossians 4 in verse 2 he says the same words you know that that we say says continue earnestly in prayer being vigilant in it with Thanksgiving meanwhile praying also for us that God would open to us a door for the war to speak the mystery of Christ for which I am also in Chains that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak pray for the work pray for what God is doing not just what our needs are not just for people that are sick not just for things that pertain to us in Orlando or Jacksonville or whatever you are pray for the work that God's Will would be done you know there was a time when we would know you know I remember I would know where every regional office in the world was exactly who the regional director was and I would remember by prayers directed but do we know that today do we have any idea what's going on in the work around the world away do we even feel part of the work or do we just feel part of Orlando or Jacksonville do we seek

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Length: 27min 24sec (1644 seconds)

Published: Sat Jun 20 2020