Pastor Max Lucado hopes to help 'weary' people find strength in stressful times
Author of ‘Help is Here’ Pastor Max Lucado shares the message behind his new book and discusses finding strength during stressful times.
There is so much chaos in our world right now. And as we face a crisis world-wide, we must remember this:
In spite of the chaos Christ came.
Everything inside you and every voice around you says, "Get out. Get angry. Get drunk. Get high." But don’t listen to the voices. You cannot face a crisis if you don’t face God first.
HOPE IS RUNNING SHORT FOR CHRISTMAS. THIS ADVENT THERE IS ONE PRICELESS LESSON WE CAN STILL LEARN
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6–7 TLB)
Cling to him. In the ER, when your dreams are falling apart, say to him, "Lord, I need you now." Between the headstones of the cemetery, whisper, "Dear Jesus, lift me up." During the deposition, when others are grumbling beneath their breath, may you be overheard repeating this prayer: "God, you are good. I . . . need . . . help. Encourage me, please."
In the prayer journal of King David, we read this question: "When all that is good falls apart, what can good people do?" (Ps. 11:3).
Isn’t David’s question ours? When all that is good falls apart, what can good people do?
When terrorists attack, when diseases rage, when families collapse, when churches divide...when all that is good falls apart, what can good people do? What is the godly response to the unexpected mishaps and calamities of life?
Curiously, David doesn’t answer his question with an answer. He answers it with a declaration. "The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his throne in heaven" (vs. 4).
Is your Christmas a difficult one? Then take heart. God is still in his temple, still on his throne, still in control.
His point is unmistakable: When everything shakes, God remains unshaken. He is in his holy temple. His plan will not be derailed. God is unaffected by our storms. He is undeterred by our problems.
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Remember the story of Jacob’s son Joseph in Egypt? Look at him in the prison. His brothers sold him out, Potiphar’s wife turned him in. If ever a world caved in, Joseph’s did.
A sculpture of a baby Jesus that is part of a nativity scene from Spain is displayed during a "Joy to the World" exhibit December 9, 2004 in Washington, D.C. (2004 Getty Images)
Or consider Moses, watching flocks in the wilderness. Was this what he intended to do with his life? Hardly. His heart beat with Jewish blood. His passion was to lead the slaves, so why did God have him leading sheep?
And Daniel? He was among the brightest and best young men of Israel—the equivalent of a West Point Cadet or Ivy Leaguer. But he and his entire generation were being marched out of Jerusalem into Babylonian captivity. The city was destroyed. The Temple was in ruins.
Joseph in prison. Moses in the desert. Daniel in chains. These were dark moments. Who could have seen any good in them? Who could have known that Joseph the prisoner was just one promotion from becoming Joseph the Prime Minister? Who would have thought that God was giving Moses forty years of wilderness training in the very desert through which he would lead the people? And who could have imagined that Daniel, the captive, would soon be Daniel the king’s counselor?
God has made a business out of turning tragedy into triumph. He did with Joseph, with Moses, with Daniel, and, most of all, he did with Jesus on the cross. The innocent one was slaughtered. Heaven’s gift was murdered. Mothers wept, evil danced and the apostles had to wonder, "When all that is good falls apart, what do good people do?"
God answered their question with a declaration, with the rumble of the earth and the rolling of the rock. He reminded them, "The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his throne in heaven."
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Is your Christmas a difficult one? Then take heart. God is still in his temple, still on his throne, still in control. And he still makes princes out of prisoners, counselors out of captives, Sundays out of Fridays and brings beauty out of Bethlehems.
He did then, for them. He does it still, for you and me.
Author's note. Catch the movie, "Because of Bethlehem" – a live Christmas event featuring star-studded performances from CeCe Winans, Matthew West, Anne Wilson, Matt Maher and Evan Craft this month. Experience the wonder of the Christmas story on the big screen, in theaters nationwide only on December 5, 6, & 7. For more information or to buy tickets, visit fathomevents.com.