Latest / Women At The Well: REJOICE / Episode 38- Peace in Difficult Times

Transcript

Episode 38- Peace in Difficult Times · Women At The Well: REJOICE

• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: Grand rising sisters, God has given us another morning filled with new mercies, and for that we are grateful.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Rose, your host, and welcome to Women of the World Rejoice.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: This is where we come to be encouraged, renew our joy, and receive strength through the Word of God.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Our September theme has been perfect peace, trusting God in all seasons.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: And today's encouragement is peace in difficult times.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: Sisters, difficult times do come.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: They will come.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: We may face trouble in the world, uncertainty in our homes, challenges in our relationships, or battles within our own hearts.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes life becomes so overwhelming that we will wonder.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we're like, where is God?
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: Lord, how can I possibly have peace while all of this is happening?
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: But see, God's peace is not limited by our circumstances, our circumstances nor our thoughts.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: He can calm our hearts even before he calms the storm.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: He can give us peace while we wait for the answer, strength while we face the challenge, and hope when we cannot see what tomorrow will bring.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: So, sisters, get your Bibles, coffee, tea, juice, lemon water, whatever you may want to drink, and come sit with me at the well for just a few moments.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: Let's discover how to hold on to God's peace during difficult times.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: Father God, come sit with us at the well.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: Bring your peace.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: Help us to understand that in the midst of trials and tribulations and difficult times, you are there.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: Help us to reach out to you.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: Ask you for help.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: Ask you for direction.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: Father God, we thank you that you are always with us.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: We praise your name.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: We give you glory.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: And we thank you for one more day.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: In Jesus' name we pray.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: Sisters, every time we turn on the television here lately, it seems that something tragic or troubling has happened or is happening.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: We're bombarded with reports of mass shootings, violence, tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, floods, deaths, and plane accidents.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: That's just to name a few.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: That's a lot, though.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: But sometimes we do not have to turn on the television to find trouble.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes just walking through our own front door, we can feel overwhelmed.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: The electricity may be turned off, payments may be passed due, and everything that needs to be paid cannot be paid.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: There may be sickness in the family, conflict in the home, or a private burden that no one else knows we are carrying.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: So what are we going to do?
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: For some people, the next thing I'm going to say may sound cliche, but it is real.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: Go to God in prayer.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: God knows your situation.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: He sees what we cannot see.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: And he has wisdom for what we should do next.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: Prayer does not mean that we ignore the problem or refuse to take action.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: Prayer means that before fear controls us, we place the situation into God's hand.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: Then, with his peace guiding us, we can take the next step.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: In Psalms 4 and 8, and I'm reading from the King James Version, it says, I will both lay me down in peace and sleep.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: You see, David could lie down in peace because his confidence was not in his circumstances, not in his job.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: His confidence was not in himself.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: It was in his God.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: See, his situation may not have changed before bedtime, but he knew the Lord was watching over him as he slept.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: He knew the Lord would make everything alright.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: Sisters, there will be times when bills are still due.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: The diagnosis has not changed.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: The family conflict has not been resolved.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: And tomorrow always remains uncertain.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yet, God can give us peace before he changes the situation.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: Peace in difficult times does not mean denying reality, it means refusing to allow our difficulties to become greater in our minds than our God.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: The Lord will bless his people with peace.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: You see that?
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: The Lord will bless his people with peace and give his people strength.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: When you have done everything you thought you knew to do, because a lot of times we go ahead and we start to do.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I'm going to ask you to step back and let the first thing you do be prayer.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: Give it to God.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: Place it in God's hand.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: Ask him for wisdom.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: Follow his direction and trust him with the outcome.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: Even if the outcome is no.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: Trust him anyway.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: The difficulty may be present, but so is God.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: And his presence makes peace possible.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: That's along as 316 reaffirms this.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: It says, now the Lord of peace himself give you peace.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: Always.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: By all means, the Lord be with you all.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: Sisters, that's about it for today.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna wrap it up.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_00: We're not gonna, I'm not gonna take a long time.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: Because I think you understand that if you want peace, it's got to come from God.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: So today we can rejoice in difficult times.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: Because one thing we can count on, God does not change.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: The storm may be raging, the bills may be overdue, the answers may be delayed, and our hearts may feel real heavy.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: But God is faithful.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: God is still present.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: God is still working.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: We can rejoice because God does not require the situation to be peaceful before he gives us peace.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: He can calm our hearts while the storm is still moving around us.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: He can give us rest while we are waiting.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: Courage while we are afraid.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: And straight when we feel as though we cannot take another step.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: Remember Songs for Day?
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: It reminds us that we can lie down and sleep in peace because the Lord keeps us safe.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: Sisters, that means we do not have to stay awake all night trying to solve temporary problems.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: We can pray, do what God has given us the wisdom and ability to do, then place the outcome in his hands.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: So today, sisters rejoice.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: Not because every problem has already been solved, but because we know the one who holds the situation.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: Let us rejoice because the trouble did not destroy us.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: The tears will not drown you.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: The pressure will not separate you from God's love.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_00: You are still here.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: God is still with you.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: And his grace is still here with you.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: And remember, this one is living this one number one to the last.