What In The World Is Going On?
The last few months of 2019 saw unrest and unhappiness, not just in the UK but across many countries around the world. There was bullying, rancour, name calling, turmoil, wars and rumours of wars. In all, it was not a pleasant time and many may have asked: What in the world is going on?
Rob and Simon took this question as the theme for a short series. They wanted to give a Biblical context to what was going on.
A Prophetic Message about Current Times
The first in the series was A Prophetic Message about Current Times. Rob used Haggai 1: 5-11 as a Biblical base for his talk. He spoke about the need for prayer. He emphasised the need for us to pray especially for our national leaders, even if we don’t like them. He encouraged us to stand up and be counted. He quoted Theodore Roosevelt:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly …”
Rob acknowledged that it can be a struggle to pray but assured us that our prayers are needed and that they can make a difference. God acts when we pray.
The Nations are Being Shaken
Rob continued the miniseries with The Nations are Being Shaken using Haggai 2. Rob talked about the shakings of God – God’s intervention in generation after generation bringing people back to himself. He spoke in particular about leadership and again about how we need to pray. How should we respond to the shakings of the nations?
Where is Your Trust?
Simon concluded the series with Where Is Your Trust? using Psalm 146 as his Biblical text. He spoke about a call on us to focus again on our amazing, loving, powerful God. This strengthens our faith and bolsters our confidence in him. Simon posed 3 questions. Will you praise? Where is your trust? What is God like?
We still live in uncertain times but the important message for us is that God is in charge. We can trust him to help us.
2020 is a year where more than ever we need to see unity and peace. We need to spread the gospel of peace. We know the Prince of Peace.
Let’s spend 2020 introducing our friends to him.
