Things That Cannot Be Shaken — Radio Classic – Dr. Charles Stanley

[Music] with a message from God's Word here's Charles Stanley what would it take to shake your faith you may have been a Christian a long time or a short period of time what would it take to shake your faith in God well for some of you it may take a great deal before your faith could be shaken but for others maybe it wouldn't take quite so much in fact a whole lot of difficulty a whole lot of heartache and maybe you'd begin to say well God where are you and what you thought was an absolutely unshakable faith you may begin to question with a lot of things in this world that are being shaken up and God is behind some of that shaking and some of it he's not behind some of it is of the devil when it comes to shaking your faith and attempting to shake your faith that certain will not be of God but there are other things that are going on around us that certainly are the result of God's shaking up a sense of false security shaking us at the very core of our life at the core of our nation the core of this world because we put so much dependence upon material things and not upon God God is certainly in the process of doing some shaking and what I want to talk about in this message is this when God shakes the heavens and the earth and I want you to turn if you will to Hebrews the book of Hebrews and in this particular book the last part of this particular book in the twelfth chapter God tells us exactly what he's going to shake and I'll give you a little background of what's happening here as you turn to this third twelfth chapter of Hebrews and we're gonna read beginning in verse twenty five but beginning in verse eighteen and through those verses that follow he's comparing Mount Sinai where the Ten Commandments were given two mountains island where we find Jerusalem and we compare the laws of God versus the grace of God so in that discussion he finally ends up by saying in verse 25 see to it that you do not refuse him who is speaking for if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth much less shall we escape alternate escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven and his voice shook the earth then but now he is promising yet once more I will shake not all of the earth but also the heaven and this expression yet once more denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken as of created things in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain therefore since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken let us show gratitude by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe for our God is a consuming fire now when I think about what he says about things that are shaken and things have not shaken I think about the things that God has shaken in the past that is what is it that God was up to in the process of shaking things in the past and I think what you'll discover as you open the word you'll discover that God was interested in primarily his purpose was the shaking that was going on was purposed by a desire on his heart to make himself known and to make his power known among people so if you'll turn back first of all to Exodus chapter 19 in this nineteenth chapter of Exodus you recall that God has called Moses up to the Mount Sinai to give in the law and to give him the Ten Commandments and he sends him back down and says you tell the people don't try to come up this mountain in fact don't even get on the edge of it that is put up something that will keep them because if anybody touches it it's going to cost them their life God was in the process of teaching them the importance of holiness the importance of obedience and what he says happens here beginning in verse eighteen of this nineteenth chapter now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire and it's smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace and the whole mountain quaked violently when the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder and then of course you come to the twentieth chapter and you have the Ten Commandments well if you go to the book of Malachi which is the last book in the Old Testament and go back a couple of books and the reason I say that is because people who have not been a Christian long time wouldn't have any idea where that book is so if you go to Malachi and go back to Zechariah and then if you'll go to the little book of Haggai and if you look at the second chapter only two chapters here and look at this twentieth verse God is speaking through his prophet here and he is speaking to Zerubbabel the governor and you recall that when the captivity took place that then finally they were able to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall the gates and the temple and this nobody says in verse 20 then the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the 24th day of the month saying speak his River bull the governor of Judea saying I am going to shake the heavens and the earth and I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders and the horses and their riders will go down every one by the sword by another hour of another on that day declares the Lord of Hosts I will take you as a riverboat son of shealtiel my servant declares the Lord and I will make you like a signet ring that is I will on a universe special way for I have chosen you declares the Lord of hosts notice what he says he says I'm going to shake the heavens and the earth I'm gonna overthrow all of these kingdoms now this was a long time ago but you look at history here's what you'll discover not only did God shake the whole Empire of Egypt when he delivered the people of Hebrews shall not have Egyptian bondage because the Bible tells us that all the nations there about began to fear because they heard of how God had defeated the Egyptians and freed up the Hebrews well not only that then they moved to the promised land later on and of course they were divided because of their own rebellion against Almighty God then the Babylonians moved into Judah took them into captivity and so what did God do God shook the nation of Israel itself then he shook the nation of Babylon the Persians came in mito Persians came in took the Babylonians then the Assyrians came and then came the Greek Empire then came the Roman Empire and what you see is God moving down through his strain all through those hundreds and hundreds of years God was moving among men and what was he doing moving one Empire after the other God is God and he absolutely will not tolerate being ignored nor will he tolerate men building anything that is supreme enough super enough that man can live without God because all down through those centuries men were searching for God seeking God they had hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of gods bowing down to their gods oftentimes losing faith in their gods looking for something else and what was God doing shaking one civilization one nation after the other and so you and I could go through history and see how God has shaken nations after nation after nation God is the absolute sovereign of this universe he will not tolerate being ignored by nations or by individuals well we're talking about things that God is shaken well let's move if you will to the New Testament and if you'll turn to the 27th chapter of Matthew and in this 27th chapter of Matthew you'll notice something being shaken here on a very important day in the life of this world in a very important day in the history of mankind in the very important day in God's whole plan of redemption notice what is happening in this particular chapter xxvii chapter of Matthew and notice if you will what's going on here Jesus is being crucified and the scripture says in verse 47 and some of those who were standing there when they heard it began saying this man is calling for Elijah and immediately one of them ran and took a sponge II filled it with Sara Juan and put it on a reed and gave him to drink but the rest of them said let us see whether Elijah will come to save him and Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit and behold look what that means the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom and the earth shook and the rocks were split and the tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many God caused an earthquake a shaky on the they the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified not only was he shaking the earth but he was shaking the whole nation of Israel because on that day if you recall the Bible says the veil in the temple was rent from top to bottom God was absolutely destroying the old way and as Jesus had said the night before he was establishing a new covenant it is no longer keeping the law it is now a work of the grace of God because when Jesus Christ was crucified at Calvary all the sin debt of all of mankind was placed upon him and God absolutely shook that whole religious system and shook it apart well wasn't very long after that till God shook something else if you just move on over to the book of Acts and you recall the book of Acts in this fourth chapter God does some more shaking they're having a big prayer meeting the Spirit of God has come upon them as Church has been established the Spirit of God has come upon the church now to indwell each and every individual so that when you and I were saved by the grace of God we too were in trouble the Holy Spirit listen to what happens scripture says in verse 31 and when they had prayed the place where they had gathered together was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the Word of God with boldness God not only shook that group but he shook up the whole city of Jerusalem and when the Holy Spirit had come and now what was going to happen was that God was now going to shake the entire world over a period of time as a result of Jesus Christ coming those twelve disciples then Hunton 20 those 3,000 now as they were going scattering all over that part of the world sharing what had happened what they'd seen what they'd witnessed God was beginning to shake loose and beginning to tear loose the whole religious system of that day because Jesus came at a particular time you recall he says in Galatians chapter 4 verse 4 in the fullness of time what time was that in a specific time when God had readied this earth readied politically religiously transportation was communication was language wise God had gotten the world ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and now what was he doing he was shaking the whole religious system of his day and Jesus Christ and his plan was now beginning its outset to evangelize the whole world remember what he said to them he says as you go make disciples of all nations baptizing them a name of the Father the Son the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all the things that I've commanded you and lo I'm with you all the way God was shaking this world well you can move on a little longer in acts if you go to the sixteenth chapter and you'll see how God shakes something else you'll recall in the sixteenth chapter probably one of the most famous chapters in the book of Acts that something is going on here Paul and Silas have been arrested as a result of preaching the gospel doing exactly what Jesus had told them to do and if you recall that they're in jail well they'd had enough beatings and going on and so the Bible says in verse 25 about midnight that Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God and the prisoners were listening to them and suddenly there came a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken and immediately all the doors were open everyone's chains were unfastened and when the jailer had been roused out of sleep and it seemed the prison doors open he drew his sword he was about to commit suicide because he would have been responsible for those who escaped and you recall that he fell down and said Paul and Silas sirs what must I do to be saved and he said if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you'll be saved so as you now look back we can see how God has certainly shaken this whole earth physically shaking it materially but that's the past and so as we look to see how he's worked in the past and he certainly has shaken up many things we look around us today and say okay well how does this apply to today is God shaking up anything today yes he is he's still in the process of shaking nations as he prophesied in the Old Testament prophets out in the New Testament he is indeed shaking them up that is he's causing nations to tremble when you think for example about the nations of the earth today where is there real peace where is there no revolution where is there real contentment where is there adequacy of anything because in spite of everything that man has done in spite of all of our attempts and all of our abilities and talents to put together all kinds of economies and all the things that anybody would need in a given nation every single nation is trouble and every single nation is trembling to some degree you look at our own country we look at the prosperity we have and we think well surely we have everything we need but she'll meet people who are really happy show me how many people really contented where's our real security how many people have any real sense of safety where is our nation when it comes to the reality of what life is all about every single nation in the face of this earth rumbling trembling over something look at all the problems they have with health look at all the problems they have with the environment look at the economy look at the calamities of famine for example and if you put the nations of the earth together here's what you find if you put this kind of scenario together if you put for example financial crisis if you put revolution if you put famine you put the pestilence of aid together and what you come up with is is Revelation chapter six because in the time of the Tribulation Period there will be wars and rumors of wars there will also be the calamity of plagues there will be the calamity of famine and there will be all kinds of judgment coming upon the earth well the truth is is not God's sending this whole globe a signal and that is he will not put up with being ignored that man is not in control that man could never build enough edifice for himself to satisfy himself God is the sovereign of this universe he will not allow a man to be safe he will not allow us to build anything that builds real genuine security apart from himself so if you look around the shaking has not stopped God is still shaking nations today shaking the leadership of nations and if you think about for example in our own country if you take the last eighty about 83 years about every 17 years we start a new war we've been in wars we've been in certainly been in wars more than 17 years but you go back even to the first world war and you can go back before that we've been shaken and shaken and shaken and shaken look at all the financial crises shakin shakin shakin shakin and today we think we'll we by the time we've got this financial crises taken care of we found another one for example we said well neither Europe will just straighten up open Europe if they'll just get their economy together then we'll be fine now we say well now if Asia will get there straight net will be found the truth is there's not going to be any economic security there's not going to be in the national security there's not going to be any sack kind of security on the face of this earth for the simple reason nowhere in the bible does it tell us that one of these days things are going to get better and better the people who are post millennialist in their theology the Resco tells you which means they believe that ultimately things are going to get better and better the church is going to do a better and better job and then more and more people are going to be save until finally things are going to get so good that when things get good enough then jesus is coming pray tell me give me some evidence for such theology as that there isn't any now you tell me things are getting worse I can agree with that show me where things are getting better we may become more scientifically knowledgeable in lots of ways we may have better means of communication and transportation and all the rest but what are we doing look at our whole society the truth is when you look at get rid of all the fluff and get rid of all the puffs and all the advertisement and all the commercials and you look at reality what do you have we have a nation of people who are very discontent we have a nation of people who are plagued with depression a nation of people who spend billions and billions of dollars every year trying to find some kind of peace and contentment over prescription drugs or whatever it might be we found a whole medical field up in an uproar because people beginning to say you know what it's not working what you've been doing to us all of these years not working we got to have something new look at the scientific field more and more men are beginning to say well you know the real truth is somehow we have to admit this creation idea this creation theory has more - than we used to think of that look at the whole educational system today we throw billions and billions of dollars to it and what happens we have less education we are poor in many many ways education wise health wise for example we number 17 in the nations of the world when it comes to health and we throw more money toward that direction than any other nation on earth what in the world is going on if these are the things that create security what has happened I'll tell you what's happened in our pride in our arrogance that we're adequate somehow we'll make it somehow we're sufficient somehow we can manage God is going to demonstrate to us no we're not he will not allow us listen to build anything that is has any stability to it whatsoever apart from Almighty God there'll always be that shaking process going on well let you look at the church for example it's not God shaking the church I believe he is every once in a while we see revival popping out here and there but you think overall God must shake the church in this nation because we have had more opportunities we've had more resources we've had more translations we've had more missionaries we've had more schools we've had more people in the mission field and yet what are we doing somehow where is the fire in the Church of Almighty God where is the enthusiasm where is the commitment where is the sense of evangelism where is the real sense of missions what is our heart burning for is it burning to see people say that we really convinced that people are gonna die without Christ and go to hell we think somehow they're gonna make it I'm surprised that people who've been in church for years and years and years tell you that they're born again they can be Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians a think and then what do they say they said well you know somehow believe that somehow in some way in this good loving God that we have we're gonna all make it some way no we're not that is not what the Bible teaches and so God need listen he's in the process I believe somehow if God's people begin to study the Word of God and begin to see that in reality not just playing church but in reality what is God looking for in a church he's looking for people who are committed committed to the Word of God looking for people who are committed to evangelizing the world looking for people who committed to missions who committed listen to making an impact to the glory of God do you think God is gonna sit by and let his church go to sleep be lulled into sleep and not shake it up no he's not he's going to shake everything on the face of this earth whether it is government's whether it is homes were that is society whether it is a church God is in the process and he will shake it why because he has a purpose and a plan and God is not going to lay aside his plan does not anything in this world that can disrupt God's ultimate plan for Humanity and for his purpose his redemptive purposes here on earth so when I look around and think about the things that are being shaken what is it every single thing on the face of this earth and so many people and many many Christians will not ask you this question what is it that you're building your security in and I hear people say all the time about one of these days I'm gonna retire before long and I've got my this and got my that and I think I'm gonna be pretty well secure I want to tell you something there's no such thing as security apart from God and before this messages so I want to show you the only things that you do have the only things that will last in this life and when people are accumulating material possessions and they look at that and say this is part of my security you know how fast you can lose that just that fast and today the stock market is one thing tomorrow next week and something entirely different people can be happy today over the material possessions and sad tomorrow let me ask a question what is it that you own what is it that you possess what is it that you have what is it that you dreamed about what are your plans what are your goals what is it that you have that's solid immovable unchangeable absolutely rock solid you can't lose not a living thing materially on the face of this earth not a thing you know why because God's in the process of shaking it up and there's no way and so when you look at society and you look at life and you think about people who work work work strive stops try save investing there's nothing wrong with those things except the fact that that's where the security is they're in for a tremendously horrible disappointment because I want to tell you anything you place between you and Almighty God God is going to remove no matter what it is he's gonna remove it because God does not tolerate idolatry without punishment and without discipline in the lives of his people and you see we're not just talking about people who are unsaved and people who know nothing about God so many of God's people get swept up in the same idea it is materialism and prosperity and we're gonna build our security in these things there is no security in any material thing on the face of this earth listen to what this scripture says go back if you will to the 26th verse and his voice shook the earth then but now he has promised saying yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens and this expression yet once more denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken now let me ask you a question what is it that is in existence today that's all about spiritual things what is it that is in existence today that cannot be shaken there is nothing materially there's no philosophy there's no idea that God cannot be shaken apart from the whole Christian faith everything else can be shaken this listen why do we have this rise of the cults why do we have this this whole religious system being shaken up and the rise of witchcraft and all of these things that we see going on I'll tell you what the church is - asleep we are listen we have become weak we're not making the impact upon our nation upon the world that God has called us to make so what happens when we fail and we fall - God has to rustle us he's gonna have to do some shaking he has to get our attention and one of the reasons that God shakes anything it's to get the attention of those whom he's shaking and so when you look back in history you look at around you it doesn't take an intelligent person to see that everything is in a state of flux everything is instead of changing there's not one single thing on the face of this globe that is unshakeable including this globe in the atmosphere around it not one single thing well you say man I mean this is a pretty dismal comment atmosphere right well let's make it a little worse let's talk about something else not only he says is he going to shake the things in this earth he says he's going to shake the things in heaven I want you look at two or three passages here look if you will first of all in Matthew chapter 24 Matthew chapter 24 part of God's Word one of his prophecies listen to what he says is going to happen the 24th chapter this isn't something that may happen this is something as absolutely already a settled issue because this is Jesus talking about future things and listen if you don't believe this then why believe John 3:16 anything else he said here's what he says is going to happen at the end of the Tribulation Period that is when Jesus Christ comes again he takes away his body that is that which leaves the unbeliever here and he will seal 144,000 who'll be preaching the gospel in those days the gospel of the kingdom is what he says in verse 29 but immediately after the tribulation of those days the Sun will be darkened the moon will not give its light and the stars will fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens will be shaken and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds in the sky of the sky with power and great glory and he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet they will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of the sky to the other now I want you to turn a few of the second Peter chapter 3 because I wanna remind you of something that happened a number of years ago 2nd Peter chapter 3 when we thought surely there must have been some sense of security out there somewhere look in 2nd Peter chapter 3 and if you will in verse 10 here is the most accurate description you'll find anywhere of an atomic bomb blast look at this verse 10 of chapter 3 but the day of the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up do you realize that the whole globe was shaken the day an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima because all of a sudden man can do war would never be like it has been before something happened the whole earth was could be threatened the entire civilization could be destroyed listen what he says since all these things that would be destroyed in this way what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning the elements will melt with intense heat but according to his promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells he says he's going to shake the heavens and the earth that is there's not going to be a single thing left everything that is in existence God says he's going to destroy it he's going to make the earth a place to live wonderful place to live because it is going to be God's cleansed new earth so when somebody says where is heaven heaven is going to be not only in the holy city that he's provided but this earth is also going to be a part of heaven and we're going to be able to move from one to the other without a neighborhood in the reservation and a hesitation whatsoever and so God is going to shake the heavens in there there's not anything he's going to allow now if things were going to get better and better why would he tear it up why would he destroy it why would not God just let it be and let it go because he must absolutely be God and he's going to destroy everything on the face of this earth he's going to absolutely totally cleanse it saintil have been destroyed cast in the ultimate lake of fire and God's great glory will be demonstrated in all of his power God will cleanse this Old Earth everything he says the heavens and earth will pass away and a new heaven and a new earth will be ours now so we can see that in the past how he has shaken everything that there has been in existence he's in the process of shaking it today and he's going to shake it ultimately till he shakes it all loose destroys it by his wrath and ultimately cleanse it's cleanses it and makes it a new place now even that leaves me a little bit dismal I think my lord I mean you're gonna everything around us is shaking loose and coming loose and falling loose and and if you'll think about it what is it that causes us this greatest sense of despair that is what is it that shakes us the most if you think about in your own life what is it that shakes you up above everything else is it not loss loss of a loved one loss of someone you love loss of a friend lost financially sudden loss health loss loss loss loss loss loss these are the things that shake us listen God knows how to shake us God knows how to get our attention God knows how to work in our life and God knows how to shake an entire nation and my friend the reason God must shake this nation is because of what we have tolerated and what we do tolerate what is it what is the most unsafe group of people in America children little children subject of abuse subject of abortion and what do we do we pass laws we say it's all right we give them new names we call them feta fetuses instead of little children little babies and so what do we do we legalize everything that causes man to satisfy so to speak his indulgent gratification that is anything that satisfies the flesh in some fashion somehow we want to make it legal and I'm telling you my friend gods must shake loose and he will shake loose this nation he will shake this whole earth this whole globe is going to shake we tolerate forms of immorality which God for which God destroyed nations in the past and if we think somehow because we legalized something and it becomes acceptable in the eyes of many people most people or even if it's all the people if God hates it God will shake the nation that absolutely ignores him turns up its nose to him and says you know what we're gonna do it our way we think we got a smarter way to do it and you have he's gonna shake it loose well you say my goodness if my finances aren't secure relationships aren't secure and all my material possessions are up for grabs and I could lose it all then what have I got well that's what I've been getting ready to talk about because I want you to see friends you don't have one single solitary thing on the face of this earth you put your trust in except and I want to name poor things what is it that cannot be shaken look at look to see what this verse says notice what he says he says now in verse 27 and this expression yet once more denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken as have created things and all of that those things which cannot be shaken may remain so let's think about something for a moment let me tell you what every single one of us believers has that absolutely cannot be shaken all mighty God God our Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit the three persons of the Trinity absolutely cannot be shaken you said what you mean can't be shaken well first of all God is sovereign he is omnipotent he has all power he is an absolute control of every single solitary thing how does anything less powerful than God move God it cannot you can't vote to move him you can't cry to move him you can't fast and make you move somebody says well now I can't we move God by prayer we talk about moving God by pray you don't move God he is listen that means if you move God that means that he was here and happy here and you gonna get him over here no you know what prayer does ultimately prayer does not move God prayer gets me in a position whereby God who has already willed and chosen to do something in my life of your life we get ourselves in a position in prayer whereby he can do what he chose to do what he wants to do what he predetermined to do and we simply get ourselves in a position whereby he can do it and there's certain laws that God goes by certain principles he goes by and so when we when we are following his principles we get in the position whereby then we make requests of God God acts in response to our desires which first of all were his desires to begin with we're not changing God moving guns somebody says well you know I prayed and prayed and prayed so I just thought I was gonna fast I was gonna get God's attention you've already got God's attention you can fast and you die starve yourself to death you can't make God do one thing he does not want to do you can't move God there's no power on earth no force on earth that can move Almighty God the supreme does prayer make a difference yes it does but it is God in His sovereignty in his omniscience knowing all things God doesn't change his mind God's not affected by what we do God is going to move he is going to sovereignly have his will no matter what we may stumble over someone who says once people break the laws of God no we stumble over the laws of God we break ourselves we lose our joy our happiness our peace our blessings but you know what you can't break the law of God we can violate the law but you can't break it you can't change the law that says in God's eyes thou shalt not steal you cannot break the law of God that says we listen we should worship the Lord thy God and him only shall we serve you can't change any of those things listen they can write it off they can rationalize that they can do anything else but that doesn't change the law of God our God is the sovereign our God is the creator that's not anything in existence that does not exist as a result of the will listen of the will of he allows things to happen you now don't understand he allows sin that is seeming led to run rampant why why would God allow sin to run rampant listen I'll tell you why number one is because God listen he will allow sin to take its course in life in order to show us how absolutely wicked and vile sin is he also will use it in order to show us what it cost listen the value of the death of Jesus Christ in order to destroy sin in its power it costs God the Father the death of his only begotten son whatever God allows he allows with purpose in this life and so one thing that you and I can be sure of we listen we have something which is someone listen nobody can shake us loose from it nobody can do anything in this world to shake to move to impress to intimidate anything that has to do with our God the one thing you and I have in this life they listen money can't buy and death Kate take it away is a loving father who loves us unconditionally that is our possession and he says he's made you and me his children that means I have a personal heavenly father who cannot be shaken cannot be moved cannot be changed he's absolutely immutable and listen when you think about the fact that he's a sovereign God and he's all-powerful you take every single attribute of God he's a God of love a God of justice and God of kindness God of mercy he's a God who is faithful you can take all of his attributes listen every single attribute of God is infinitely and absolutely all that it possibly can be he cannot be any more loving he can't be any more omnipotent he can't be any more merciful he can't be any more just and his wrath cannot be any more worse than it is God is the ultimate infinite absolute in every single aspect of his life he is a personal God who is the ultimate the zenith the pinnacle of everything is therefore you can't get on the other side of God you can't get higher than you can't get better than and you can't improve on anything that is absolutely infinitely and eternally perfect and that's the kind of heavenly father we have thank God there's something I have you have money can't buy death can't take it away and that's our God cannot be shaken a second thing that you're not have and I want you to look at two or three scriptures and we give you lots of scriptures on God would you look into the description about this another thing that you and I have that's unshakeable it's what you've got in your hand and that's the Word of God absolutely unshakable turn if you will to Isaiah chapter 40 and look if you will in at verse 8 Asya chapter 40 verse 8 and this is a scripture you might need to mark in your Bible at some point he says verse 8 the grass withers flowers fade that means time comes and goes things change the grass withers the flower fades but listen to what he says but the word of our God stands forever there is nothing in this world that's going to destroy it the Word of God now once you turn to Matthew chapter 24 for a moment Matthew chapter 24 I believe and let's look at verse 35 notice what he says in this passage 24th chapter we just read a few moments ago about the Tribulation Period then he says in this particular verse verse 35 Jesus speaking heaven and earth will pass away but my words shall not pass away there's not anything that's going to shape the Word of God because what is it the Word of God is the revelation of God this is that the Bible is God's revelation of himself that simply means that God has allowed us to take a glimpse of who he is he's pulled back the veil to show us what he's like you think about all the other gods and all the other religions in the world and how they operate you think about what kind of God did they have now think about this for a moment their gods are gods that are man-made their gods that are gods that are the result of somebody's imagination somebody had to imagine what their God what God would be like and so they have their books and they have their so-called Bibles and what are they they are the result of man's imagination man's fascination man's indulgent desires and that's why I so oftentimes they now things that our God would never allow why because it's men's imagination they had to come up with it and so that wasn't sufficient so then they had to make some idle bow down to it now which one of those idols rose from the dead neither one which one of those Isles that's ever spoken ever heard ever answered prayer ever helped anybody not a single one and when Jesus came upon the scene back in his day the religions of the world of that day they were into such a state of flux and change and God was shaking why because people were finally fed up they trusted they believed all these things and somehow it was not working out and I want to tell you my friend no matter what you believing in no matter what God you may profess to believe in there is only one true God that is the God of the Bible he says the grass has gone to whither the flower fades but the word of our God will stand forever now think about it this Bible has been around a long time in fact when you think about how long it's been around the truth is what's in these pages now this book right here and the leather and the paper and the print had been run all that long but you see that's not the but it's what's in this this is the word of the Living God so that what's in these pages and what's between this leather here is the revelation of God now we talk about revelation that means this is God's unfolding revealing of himself so we see how he's revealed himself in history we see how he's revealed himself in poetry we see has revealed himself in prophecy in narration and all of these things we see how God's reveal himself so what do we have we have the Living Word of God this is God's Holy Word this is the word that God has given us as an instruction book this is how we're to live he gives it to us so that we'll understand what he's like what he's about he gives it to us so we'll understand how we're to live now it's interesting that all back down through the centuries haven't always had all this at the same time and now we have it from Genesis to Revelation we have God's full revelation of all that he wants us to know that all that we need to know and you know what it's been criticized for centuries people have rationalized it away and said it can't be it can't be some revelation of some God because it's got all these Arizona so that's one way they've said they've criticized it and said well you know it's full of myths and besides that man wrote and if man wrote it man makes mistakes and therefore because men makes mistakes you can't put your faith in it and therefore the liberal has said well you know doesn't really mean this the first 11 chapters of Genesis are all myth the book of Revelation is a mythology of John so therefore you can't put your faith in that and it's interesting to me that the people who don't believe it and can't live by it are not happy they don't have any contentment and no security that certain don't have any eternal security and what do they have they don't have anything one thing about this book you can't shake it listen they burned it they've criticized it they've rationalized it they've tried to mythologize it you name it you know what here it is still doing what still saving people's lives still bringing us into a right relationship with God it's still the Living Word of God it's going to be here when every atheist and every agnostic and every unbeliever and every so-called asteroid when they're dead and gone it's still the Living Word of God when you and I get to heaven it'll still be the unshakable Living Word of the Living God so there's something else that I have in this life and if you'll just think about this at your house you may live in a beautiful home with the finest the furniture I mean you may have a house that's absolutely on it just knock your eyeballs out you know what let me ask you a question let's look at your house I'll put all the furniture in your house together how beautiful it is let me ask you this when you get ready to die what difference is that gonna make not one bit how many chairs you're taking with you not in it how many beds you're taking with you how many dresses you take you with you're not one what about all that silver that you've saved up me you don't let your kids use because that you want to keep it you want to keep it shined and polished and don't touch this and let's say what were you saving it for I never have figured that out a lot of people save and save and save as if they're gonna take you with them listen when they put your body in the casket to my knowledge I'll never have seen in this silver hair any money or anything in that you know what we'll do a bit of good the only thing you and I own physically on the face of this earth that will never change cannot change is the Living Word of God so we can say thank God there's something not gonna be shaken what is it my God's not gonna be shaken the second thing is not gonna be shaken as a word of God because this is his revelation well there's a third thing is not going to be shaken listen to this carefully and that is to all of us who believers one thing that's not going to be shaking is our personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ absolutely will not be shaken cannot be shaken money can't take it away from us deaf can't take it away from us listen to what Jesus said John chapter 10 verse 27 he said my sheep hear my voice I know them and they follow me I give unto them eternal life listen and they shall never perish neither shall any one be able to shake them out of my hand my father which gave them to me is greater than all I and my father are one listen if you have a personal relationship with God there's not anything in this world that can shake you loose t-seven oh wait a minute now hold it but what about my fate I'm coming to that there's no one that can shake your relationship with Jesus Christ but first of all let's see how you came to that relationship well you heard the word of God in some fashion you believe the testimony of the book and so what did you do you placed your faith in the testimony of God's Word his revelation which said that when Jesus Christ went to the cross he died on the cross for your sin in mind and you accepted that is true and you said I do receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior the Bible says chapter one of Ephesians chapter four be patience that the Spirit of the Living God triune God the Holy Spirit sealed you the Bible says under the day of redemption which means he sealed you as his son as his daughter until the moment he takes you out of this life and so that you are sealed forever as a child of God now how did you get sealed was it good works no did you listen did you get sealed then did you get sealed by your faith no you weren't silver your faith you were seal listen about the Holy Spirit who is responding listen to what to your faith in the death of Jesus it is the death of Christ it is his atoning death at Calvary that took care of my sin the moment I place my faith in his death in him as a person then I was still as a child of God now wasn't by works and so what can shake us loose from that well go if you will to Romans chapter 8 for a moment Romans chapter 8 everybody ought to have this passage marked in the Bible Romans chapter 8 look if you will beginning in verse 35 listen to what he says who shall separate us who shall shake us loose from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword and look at those things I mean this is this is enough to because anybody to wonder look at that what shall shake us loose from the love of Christ tribulation and distress and persecution famine nakedness and perilous sword he says for thy sake we are being put to death all day long we would consider this sheep to be slaughtered but in all of these things what all these difficulties hardships trials persecution de-stresses feminists neck and his perils sword all of these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Christ who loved us rom convinced that neither death look at that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities of any client including Satan nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor death nor any other created thing every single things being created other than God shall be able to separate us shake us loose from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord let me ask you something what is it that can shake your relationship with Christ what can shake it loose what can take you away from God what can snatch you out of the hand of God not one single thing so this I know number one I know I have something that absolutely cannot be shaken my god secondly God's Word and thirdly my relationship with him so my friend listen if you one of those persons who feels like and who believes that somehow that you can lose your salvation then let me ask you a question where is your security if you can be saved by the grace of God and then you can lose it where is your security and you see some people say well well Satan can snatch me out of God's hand that's not what Jesus said well I can just choose to walk away you can choose to walk away but you know what you walk into you walk into this wall of divine discipline that's what you walk into does that mean that God's going to cast you ain't no so let's talk about this for a moment somebody says well wait a minute now but suppose my suppose in my faith I just go through a difficult time I just say God I don't know that I believe you are not in the ball well what about that well let's look at it let's give an example like this suppose for example that you are a young believer you've just trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior having been a Christian very long and you happen to have joined the church and you were baptized and sprinkled on whatever that church did and so you come to church every Sunday and this particular pastor if it may be not being critical I'm just saying this is the fact he gets up on Sunday morning he reads the scripture closes the Bible and walks around if about 20 minutes gives you a nice little sermon that so you can get to the cafeteria on time and so in 20 minutes and you just love that because you know you'll never be late and besides that you don't get on the conviction and besides that you don't learn the Word of God you don't learn the principles of God the ways of God the will of God the walk of God the Word of God and learn any of that but you know what 20 minutes you're gone well let's give him 30 minutes but here's what I want you to see but nobody teach you the principal's nobody teaches you the ways of God nobody says here's what God is like here's what God says here's the proof of what God's like because here's what God said here the ways of God his had God's worked in the past his how he works day his what he says he'll do tomorrow and you begin to put those things together so nobody teaches you any of that six months goes by and there's a real tragedy in your family your favorite son kill automatically an accident a month later you find out that your daughter's pregnant the next year your husband or your wife dies you say well praise God I just love Jesus no you want you know what would happen same thing it happened to most anybody god what are you up to Lord why did you allow this and then let's suppose that this top that often say your business failed went bankrupt you put those together let's be honest would that cause you to ask some questions yes it would are those questions legitimate yes they are does God get upset because you say God where are you no he doesn't does God get angry when you say God I forget it forget this whole religious bit God I'm if this is what you're gonna do forget it God get angry no he doesn't you know why because he understands it you're not dust just a glob of it filled with a spirit with his spirit and he understands when you're not hurt he understands when you and I go through difficulties we can't change we can't fix he understands no we can't understand and he understands when you and I asked him and wonder God why would you do such a thing if you're a god of love where's love in all of this and that person for example in a better Christian six months maybe a year now they'd only thing about Romans 8:28 that God's working all things together you see they don't understand the ways of God so what do they do they get into depression and they thank God if you were really there maybe I just thought you loved me maybe I just thought you saved me I don't want anything to do with this kind of God let me ask you a question does God cast them away because their faith falters amidst tribulation and trial and heartache and trouble absolutely not absolutely not let me ask you a question if your son your daughter went through some difficult and hardship and they said you know what I don't want you to be my parents I'm oh I'm sorry you're my parents I wish I'd have never been born to you and walked away would you say well good riddance for you know you would you know what would happen your heart would go after them your heart would seek them you would love them you'd be praying for them weeping over them and crying for them to come back why because your love doesn't change I want to tell you something it doesn't make a difference what happens to you God's unconditional love is like all of his other attributes it does not change he said well you mean to tell me people can get away with that kind of stuff let me ask you a question how many of you ever gotten away with anything if you think you have think twice we can be forgiven and God doesn't judge us when we are but you know what there are people there many people who go through hardship and difficulties you know what they'll tell you I'm not going to church I they'll say well I I gave my life to Christ years ago and let me tell you what happened in my life and I don't understand that and you know what they're angry with God this being angry with God caused him to say you get angry with me you've had it no this is why listen his love is unconditional what does that mean his love for me and for you is not conditioned upon who I'm angry or not it is in conditioned upon whether having trust in him as my personal Savior I get upset and don't believe what I used to believe anymore because I think I just emotionally can't handle this hardship in this difficult and so I can't handle this kind of emotional pain so God if you were there surely you would have done something you must not be there thank God can't handle that yes he can you know what can't be shaken your personal relationship with Jesus Christ ABB's cannot be shaken he says what shall separate us from the love of God he names everything imaginable death life principalís power things to come things past I mean you name it what can shake us loose not anything now Paul had to deal with this look in second Thessalonians chapter 2 for a moment he had to deal this very problem because the second Thessalonians chapter ii chapter what had happened was some people teaching error had gotten to the thessalonians and teaching them that jesus had already come and therefore not to believe what the apostle paul was telling him and listen to what paul warns them listen how he warns him 2nd thessalonians chapter 2 now we request you brethren with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come I mean they were going through a real difficult time their faith was being shaken they were being taught that Jesus had already come and they put their faith in the Apostle Paul and he said Jesus Jesus had not come yet and so they're saying well you know which of these shall we believe and so Paul says listen I don't want you to be shaken from your steadfast faith from your composure from the truth that you know by believing this kind of erroneous teaching that you've heard now go back if you will to some a couple of Psalms Psalm 16 first of all look in Psalm 16 you might want to just mark this one down Psalm 16 listen what David says then I'm gonna turn to one of the Psalms look at this he says and surely he certainly had to go through some difficult times in his life as you read the Psalms verse 7 I will bless the Lord who has counseled me indeed my mind instructs me in the night look at this I have set the Lord continually before me because he is at my right hand will not what I will not be shaken now listen carefully watch that he says watch this because he is my right hand I'll not be shaken what does that mean it's what it means because I've made him the priority in my life because I place my trust in him because I see him as the source of everything in my life because I see him as my protector and my provider it doesn't make me a mess what I face in life David says I will not be shaken Psalm 62 go to Psalm 62 here again said a little different way but almost the same I want you to just jot both of these down because I think they're that important Psalm 62 look if you will my soul waits in silence for God only from him is my salvation he only is my rock and my salvation my stronghold I shall not be greatly shaken you know what when you not have the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and we understand who he is listen careful now because I'm going to say something that you may question number one but I want you to think about it if you place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior listen carefully and you're walking in his spirit there's a menu sinless but you that your heart's desire is to be absolutely obedient to God and you want to walk in his way in his will for your life this unconditional loving father will be to you every single thing that you need in every instance in every circumstance of life no matter how to Malta no matter how trying no matter how difficult no matter how painful no matter how sorrowing no matter how upsetting no matter how disturbing he will be to you every single thing you need every single time with no exception so that your faith will not be shaken if you we'll commit yourself to walk in obedience to him my friend he'll be there you see what he wants us to see is that he's there remember what you have you have God this unconditional loving father nobody can shake him you've got the revelation of God what is it about these verses that comfort us that give us assurance that build us up that strengthen us how many times if you and I had to get on the get is the Word of God on our knees and cry out to God Lord here's what I'm facing and here's what you said I have to do one of two things God either have to believe what I hear and believe what a sea or God I must believe what you said and you know what happens when you're able to turn a deaf ear to what you hear and you close your eyes to what you see and you set your focus on the Living God here's what he says he's my rock he's my fortress he's my refuge he's my horn he's my salvation he's my everything I shall not be greatly shaken those people I was speaking of a few moments ago who going through great difficulty they're people who've been through things much worse than I described steadfast immovable enduring persevering believing moving on in life no matter what happened to you know why because they'd said Almighty God at their right hand and they were not going to budge you know what that really means in essence I've set and fixed my focus on the Living God that no matter what happens I'm not gonna look at I'm not gonna focus upon my focus is God you know what you set your focus upon God and friend you'll be amazed what you can walk through triumphantly victoriously joyously no matter what but listen carefully but if you fall into the trap of listening to the voices of many if you fall into the trap of looking engaging things by what you see if you check the wind of public opinion you we'll be shaken in times of great difficulty times of great heartache our focus is to be fixed we have a God who is unshakeable a revelation that is unshakable a relationship that is unshakable and one last wonderful thing we have an eternal home that is absolutely unshakable listen to what Jesus said he said let not your heart be troubled don't let these things shake you up you believe in God believe also in me in my father's house are many mansions if it were not Saul what I've told you I'm going to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you you can bet this is true I'm coming again to receive you to myself that where I am there you may be also let me ask you this what is it that can tamper with heaven not a thing what is it that can tamper with touch the home that God has prepared for you and me not one thing one thing for certain I know that you and I all of us who believe is we have a God who cannot be shaken a Bible that cannot be shaken a personal relationship that cannot be shaken and a heavenly home waiting for us that absolutely can not be shaken under any condition so let's think about this every single thing that you and I possess not only material things but position prominence prestige all the popularity power all that stuff that the world thinks is important all go up in a smoke just like that what is it you and I have did you see this is why we have no right and no real no real right to look down on anybody because listen the poor is listen somebody could come in here in rags I mean genuine rags just just making it from day to day just enough to eat and get by that's all they have there's no car no automobile they're homeless let's call them homeless let's take a homeless person and sometime we think or sometime we think I'm gonna slip over I don't want to sit right there and we think about how will we do did you know that his reality that's all buff just puff you know what reality is at that homeless person walks in here and they've been saved with the grace of God when it comes to reality they are just as rich it's every single one of us you know what they've got they've got God as their father the Word of God they have a personal relationship with him and a home in heaven and what have you and I got they don't have that has in it listen that has lasting eternal value not a thing not a thing you know what that says every single one of us on the same level none of us have anything that hasn't last and valued the other thing doesn't have because all this stuff we have is going to go up in smoke it's what he said it's all going up in smoke what we have can't be burned can't die can't be stolen what you not have is fraternal now what kind of response does Eddie vote from you mean listen to what he says he tells us exactly how we all feel the bad look at this last thing here leave this last verse he says therefore all this being true verse 28 since we receive a kingdom and that's what happened when you now trust Jesus Christ our Savior we become a part of his kingdom and we are in it we are part of it therefore since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken let us show gratitude by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe for our God is a consuming fire now watch this he says you know what the proper response for all of us is not looking down somebody else or thinking we have better than somebody else here's the proper response he says the proper response is what the proper response and gratitude thank God I have an unconditional father who loves men who's forgiving thank God I have His divine revelation that I can look to and examine and discover what God is all about and be comforted by and strengthened by thank God I have a relationship that can't be tampered with god I've got a home in heaven's got my name on it he says gratitude second that he says service because of what he's done president because of who we are in him and because all of us have Christ living on the inside of us than listen the good the right response is God what can I do Lord here's what you've done for me you you've done the absolutely impossible for me nobody can do for me God what you've done look what you've done look at all the blessings you're my god this is your word I have a relationship with you and you you have prepared a home for me in heaven that's use you talk about gold streets and all the rest of that this this place it's indescribable in Revelation chapter 21 and 22 indescribable God what do you want me to do here's my life Lord how do you want me to serve you I can't imagine anybody who possesses all of that and knows that that is yours ever say don't call omigod you mean to tell me that you wouldn't ID your income when God has prepared eternal life for you and giving you a home in heaven addition listen you don't even have to pay the mortgage think about that God has a place for you in heaven you know what you and I will never be able to fathom on this earth with earthly language what it's going to look like what it's going to be like you know what it's free that means every homeless person who is a child of God he's gonna have a place in glory place to live let me ask you something how in the world how in the world could you and I possess all of that and ever tell God you don't call him me don't ask for time no no sorry God don't have time you know what that is that's fluff that's deception that's the devil's lie that's the camouflage jump that Satan throws upon the church that anybody who has God the eternal God as their father who has the Word of God that in their heart in their mind it's theirs and has this intimate relationship a relationship with him that can never be tampered with and a home in heaven and then me tell him no no way so let me ask you a question let's say for example that you're not a Christian you never trusted Jesus as you save you don't believe any of this stuff well let me ask you this what is your security what does it made it up you may have everything the world has to offer but let me ask you one question when you in the last five minutes of your life are dying how much good with your automobiles and your houses your bank account stocks and bonds even your friends how much is anything in all this life gonna matter when you've got five minutes and you have everything but God my friend don't wait till it's too late and you realize that life is over and what you sunk your whole life into is meaningless purposeless transient passing and you are about to leave it all behind you so what can I do about that it's real simple listen you can ask God to forgive you of your sins and you can tell him that you're trusting his son Jesus as your personal Savior that you do believe that when he died at Calvary he paid your sin debt in full and that you're accepting his death at Calvary as payment for your sins and you're accepting him as your personal Savior you know what happens he becomes your father this becomes your instruction book you have a new relationship and you've got your name on a spot in heaven and you know what you'll never lose it no matter what

Channel: In Touch Ministries

Views: 630,044

Rating: 4.8107138 out of 5

Keywords: Charles F. Stanley, Charles Stanley, In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley, In Touch Ministries, Preaching, Bible teaching, Dr. Stanley, Intouch ministries, intouch

Id: eA_FyQtNZoc

Length: 67min 24sec (4044 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 09 2020