In Seas of Trouble, the Soul at Rest!
‘being placed in, finding help for, and seeing the LORD deliver you during trouble’
by the Watchman Dana G Smith
keywords: seas, waters, rest, pastures, LORD, God, Jesus, nations, America,
words:1707
As 2009 gets closer, the daily account of bank foreclosures rise, businesses lay off workers, and the bailout seems to get higher. No matter what the nation of political ambitions seem to do, the trouble does not end. American life that has seen ease and prosperity which has been unequalled in the world as we know it, is coming to a bump in the road of hedonism.
Yes, the pleasure society that we all have seen and watched over the years as it seemed to enjoy it’s limitless time and money is now facing trouble. The whole irony of just how rich Americans are and how they seem to go through money like its nothing can be seen in the Madoff scandal. You know the Wall street power broker that is in the news for bilking 50 billion dollars from clients. It is said he still has 300 million left. Really? But even that amount is not enough to cover the massive losses he has occurred. Just think he was investigated some 7 years ago and was cleared. What happened? How can one person lose 50 billion? How can one person even need that much? As for my family and I, just a measly one million could set all my family including relatives up for life. Of course that would not be living as many do. But then, how can society look at this example of pure greed and get mad. After all he was just doing what many do legally on Wall street. Buy and sell. Did not the bankers lose it all as well? Did not the major banks in the World need bailout? Where did all their funds go? Yet in all this, the poor are still poor. The cold, the hungry, the oppressed in our society just look on and go without.
Well this will change. The change has been coming for some time. In fact many today have been facing extreme pressures and troubles of their own. Next, you will see entire empires of Evangelism go down. You know the ones, those who have gotten rich on the ‘gain is godliness’ craze. In all, every American will face the coming pressures. The high roller society of America is going down, much to the cheers of our enemies who hate our lifestyle anyway. I can say that our own greed has definitely led us to this, with alot of Pride.
I know from the emails we get and those who regularly join in our broadcasts on Warn Radio that many today are facing these same pressures. Many good Christian believers who in their own world are facing financial problems, job losses, sickness, and other troubles. The shaking is here and will get worse as it is coming at us like a midnight passenger train loaded, heading down a hill at night with no lights, no brakes, and the bridge is out.
As I write this I know for many the scare and fear factor is there already. If it is, you need to stop and look to the LORD. I know, you are telling me that you have done that already. But I ask again, have you really? I could write on and on with more on what is coming. Matter of fact, I am a positive person. I am 100% positive in fact. I am positive that things will get worse as the ‘shaking’ and the ‘smelter of the LORD’ in these end times come upon the nations in full force. But I stand upon scripture for deliverance and comfort. As I look forward the only hope, help, and knowledge that will bring me comfort is that in all the things coming upon a nation and all troubles coming at people, is that the LORD God is in charge. I know this God is full of mercy and grace, but in that, we find he also sends ‘shaking’ to bring the carnal and proud out of their states of delusion. The point being, when trouble comes, many do stop and look at what they have been doing. When they cannot handle it anymore they do something. Some give up, some find solace in idols, spiritism, black magic, and other things. Still there are many who hang on to the LORD and his Word. These are those who know that they know, that they know, He is a God of His Word. He cannot lie. Because of his record of this, and his covenant with those who honor his name, his Word, and follow him in obedience, these people look to only True God for deliverance. Now is the best time to look to him. For the things coming will not stop.
In the shepherds Psalm, we find many promises, but I want to point out to you verse 2 and 3. Here we find the LORD who makes his ‘sheep’ lay down in ‘green pastures or literally pastures of tender grass’. Here we find comfort and feed. All in his presence.
Psalms 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters [literally 'waters of rest'].
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
We also find he leads us besides the still waters or ‘literally waters of rest.’ The word water here is the Hebrew word mayim, which is always plural: “waters.” It pictures us in a sea of humanity, in the storm of a chaos driven world, just one among the nations. But in this word we find the God driven helper and comfort of mercy. For most significantly, mayim speaks of life sustenance, fertility, blessing, and refreshing. All these represent the God providential blessing and covenant driven relationship that brings us provision. It tells us that in the days of the end times, when nations and peoples are tossed in this chaotic prophetic scenario, we don’t have to be. For if we will wait on the LORD, in his presence, a supernatural touch reaching from the presence of God into the physical realty that you know, will occur. It is in that short moment that you will find refreshing for your soul as you find the true ‘waters of rest.’
Waters: mayim, [my-yeem], strong’s 4325; water, waters, floods, seas. Mayim is the Hebrew word for water, but it is always plural: “waters.” It occurs as a metaphor for the raging heathen, the chaotic stormy seas at creation, and vast nations [or seas of people]. Most significantly, mayim speaks of life sustenance, fertility, blessing, and refreshing.
This same word ‘mayim’ is used in Isaiah 43:2, where we find that the LORD will be with those who honor him, follow him, and are ‘his’, through covenant. For in this life, we all will pass through the waters. We are in the world, it will be tossed. We are in America, it will be judged. We are in a carnal society, it will be turned upside down. But in all this, the LORD is our strength and will make us to lie down in ‘pastures of tender grass’ by the ‘waters of rest’, and there, this God will restore your soul, leading you in paths of righteousness for his names sake. He will do this because of his Name, he is mercy, he is grace, he is a covenant God, one who will take care of you. One who will heed the call of the repentant. But also one who will bring down the ways of the proud and wicked.
Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
In all this, let us not forget that to this end we are called. As disciples, we must remember that the early church knew that their own calling and the suffering that sometimes came with it was all part of the race to be won. The Book of Acts says of this that as disciples, ‘we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.’ Even Jesus said, ‘in the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’ Meaning, that He overcame, so can we, because he is in us, leading us by his Spirit. He will not leave us, but will comfort and guide us.
Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
So as you move toward the year of 2009, remember that you are living in the days before the coming of the King. He is coming to rule and reign on this earth. The world is giving birth to a new kingdom, and that kingdom will be our LORDS. This generation will face a time of trouble unlike any other at any time in history. Be sure that your God, the MOST HIGH, even the Father and our LORD Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the Father will be there to help you through this. That is, if you take time to seek Him, Fast, Pray, and be before him. Let Him place you in ‘pastures of tender grass’, leading you beside the ‘waters of rest’, while restoring your soul and leading you in paths of righteousness for his names sake.
And yes, don’t forget, the world is being judged, but you, as his Son or daughter, walking in Godliness, need not fear. For the LORD, says the Apostle Peter, ‘Knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations’ while at the same time ‘reserving the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.’
2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: