Encouragement for Every Season of Life - Part 2

Dr. Charles Stanley: You know what, if he's a faithful God, and he is, I don't have to worry and fret. I can say thank you, Father, that you're in control. This is painful, I don't like it. If you ask me, God, I'd like to get out now.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Instantly, I'd like to be catapulted out of this, but Lord, you know better than I do. And so I'm going to trust you to keep me here until you've accomplished your purpose.
Dr. Charles Stanley: I'm not going to worry about my circumstances, or people's attitudes, I'm going to worry about nothing. I'm going to trust you for everything.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Welcome to In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Ecclesiastes chapter 3 tells us, there's a time to be born, and a time to die.
Dr. Charles Stanley: A time to laugh and a time to cry. A time to gain and a time to lose.
Dr. Charles Stanley: But no matter how far the pendulum of our life swings, God never changes.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Here's part two of encouragement for every season of life.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Just as we have changing seasons in nature, we have changing seasons in our own life.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And if you'll think about it, we have spring, and summer, and fall, and winter, and all of them have different characteristics.
Dr. Charles Stanley: We don't have one long continuous spring, a one continuous summer, but changing seasons in our life, and changing seasons in nature, and often times we forget the fact that we have those seasons in our own life.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And the question for us is this: Is there some principle or is there some truth in the Word of God,
Dr. Charles Stanley: that will encourage you and me in those difficult trying times when the seasons of our life seem to be in the negative case?
Dr. Charles Stanley: Is there some scripture, some principle in the Word of God that works through every single season of life?
Dr. Charles Stanley: Or do we have to fumble through the Bible and find one truth for this season, one truth for that season, another principle this season, another principle that season?
Dr. Charles Stanley: Or is there one single principle? Somebody says, no, because when I think about all the different seasons of life that I go through, or have been through in life, surely there isn't one single principle in the Bible that'll take care of all of those.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And I am here to tell you today, yes, there is.
Dr. Charles Stanley: There is one single principle that will see you through, sustain you, and encourage you in every single changing season of life, no matter what.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And that's what I want to talk about in this message, the encouragement for every season of life.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Whether it is seasons of time, or whether it is seasons of circumstances, we're all going through them.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And the question is, is there a principle? Yes, there is.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And I want you to turn if you will to the book of Lamentations, that's Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And I want you to turn if you will to the third chapter, and I want to read one single verse, or two verses here really, two verses of scripture here.
Dr. Charles Stanley: One of these verses you're very familiar with. Listen to what he says, beginning in verse 22 of Lamentations chapter 3. The Lord's loving kindnesses, indeed, never cease, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
Dr. Charles Stanley: What is the one single principle in scripture that God will use to absolutely sustain us through every changing, moving season in our life?
Dr. Charles Stanley: And that principle is the faithfulness of God.
Dr. Charles Stanley: The faithfulness of God is the one single principle that'll see you through every changing season, no matter how deep, no matter how dark, no matter how despairing, no matter how depressing, no matter how hopeless, no matter how helpless, no matter how good things are.
Dr. Charles Stanley: There is a single principle that will encourage you through every single one of them.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Well, I believe the Bible's very clear about that.
Dr. Charles Stanley: So, I want us to look at our particular verse in Lamentations first of all, and listen to what he says in verse 22.
Dr. Charles Stanley: He says, the Lord's loving kindnesses, indeed, never cease.
Dr. Charles Stanley: For his compassions never fail. They're not there sometimes, but never cease, never fail, means that it's constant, reliable, unwavering, unfaltering, and unchanging.
Dr. Charles Stanley: That is God's care for us, his love for us, his provision for us, his protection of us, his interest in us, never ceases, never changes.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And he says, they are new every morning.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Now, you can spend some days of your life and when the day is ended, you feel completely depleted and worn out and frazzled on your nerves or whatever it might be.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And yet you wake up the next morning, what happens? You feel refreshed, you have a brand new day.
Dr. Charles Stanley: God intends for his children to wake up every morning with this truth: God is going to be faithful to me today. It is his nature to be faithful. He's not going to fail me today.
Dr. Charles Stanley: He's not going to waver on me today. He's not going to change on me today. He's not going to be forgetful. God is going to be faithful to me today. Great is thy faithfulness.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Now, in light of all of that, let's think about some of these seasons that you and I go through, and what I want to do is to take you through some of them.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And I want you to remember, it won't take you through all of them, take us a long time, but I want you to see how in each of these changing seasons of our life, he gives us a word to remind us of his faithfulness.
Dr. Charles Stanley: So, just get ready now, and let's go through some of these, and let's begin if you will with our text, when he says in Lamentations chapter 3, that his loving kindnesses never cease.
Dr. Charles Stanley: He says, they never fail. He says his compassions never fail, and they're new every single morning. Great is your faithfulness.
Dr. Charles Stanley: He is faithful when you're asleep, faithful when you're awake.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Faithful when you love him, faithful when you don't love him.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Faithful when you're good, faithful when you're bad.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Faithful when you're needy, faithful when you have plenty.
Dr. Charles Stanley: He is a faithful, loving God, ready, willing, present in every season of our life.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Well, let's think about some of these other seasons, and so whether it's what we need or whatever it might be.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Let's for example think about those seasons of our life when we go through temptation and trial. Look if you will in First Corinthians chapter 10 for a moment.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Those times of trial, difficulty, hardship, temptation, whatever it might be. Listen to what he says. In this season of our life, and there are seasons of life that often times are prolonged, they're trials that go on and on and on, temptations that a person may face over a period of time.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Listen to what he says in verse 13.
Dr. Charles Stanley: No temptation or trial has overtaken you but such as is common to man, and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you're able, but will with the temptation, he'll provide the way of escape also that you may be able to endure it.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Now, what is he saying? Watch this.
Dr. Charles Stanley: God is so faithful to you and to me that he, listen, in his omniscience, he is overseeing, in his omnipotence, he is in his power, putting a limitation on, controlling every temptation and every trial you and I face so that he does not allow it to be so strong, so powerful that it will overwhelm us if we're willing to place our trust in him.
Dr. Charles Stanley: So that when we come to difficulties and trials and temptations in life, we are to look to the faithfulness of God to see us through it.
Dr. Charles Stanley: He's there in those times of trial.
Dr. Charles Stanley: For example, what about the times you and I under satanic attack? Look if you will in Second Thessalonians for a moment.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Second Thessalonians chapter 3. He says, verse one. Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified just as it did also with you.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men, for not for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. The Lord is faithful, he'll strengthen you, protect you from the evil one.
Dr. Charles Stanley: What about those seasons of life that we go through of fear and uncertainty? Look if you will in Psalm 91 for a moment.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Psalm 91. Listen to what he says. When we go through those times of uncertainty, and certainly we live our very the life that we live, where we live, in this society and life, this time in history, so many things are uncertain.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Well, listen to this 91st Psalm, a wonderful Psalm. Let's just begin with verse one.
Dr. Charles Stanley: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.
Dr. Charles Stanley: For it is he who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, under his wings, you may seek refuge. His faithfulness is a shield and a bullwark. And a bullwark is like a solid wall like structure to protect us. Listen to that.
Dr. Charles Stanley: When we come to those times that we wonder what in the world's going on and we have fear, he says we are to run to the refuge. He says, he's a refuge, and he's a fortress, he's a bullwark.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Will you say, what about those seasons of life when I just can't trust him? Look if you will in Second Timothy for a moment.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And I want you to notice because here is a passage that says, there are times in our life when it's just difficult to concentrate and sometimes we'll we may hit some season of life where you think, God, I know it's what you said, but I'm having a horrible struggle believing you, God.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Listen to what he says. He says, in verse 13, if we are faithless, just just can't trust him somehow. He remains faithful, he cannot deny himself.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Thank God, he he's not a reactor to you and me. Thank God that his character doesn't change on the basis of how we change. His character doesn't change on the basis of who we are and what we are and what's going on in our life. He never changes.
Dr. Charles Stanley: He is an absolute loving God who is faithful in every single circumstance of life, willing and ready to bring us through those uncertain times, those times when our faith may falter at times.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Turn if you will to First Peter chapter 4, because there are seasons in our life when we go through difficulty and hardship and pain that's brought upon us by other people.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Criticism, accusations, and just listen to somebody who lost their job because of some false accusation that somebody made, but they persuaded their boss that it was true. People go through all types of suffering. Is God faithful? Yes, he is.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Listen to what he says in First Peter chapter 4, verse 19. Therefore, those who suffer according to the will of God, shall entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right.
Dr. Charles Stanley: It may not be the popular thing, but it's the right thing. If you live godly in Christ Jesus, you won't do the popular thing. You live godly in Christ Jesus, you'll do things people don't understand, but you know what? God understands.
Dr. Charles Stanley: The important thing is that you and I trust in the faithfulness of God to see us through those seasons of life that are testy and trying and appear to be negative to us, but what may appear to be negative to us, God may be working out the most powerful, listen, the most powerful, positive results in our life.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Well, what about those seasons of life when we know that God's discipline hand is in our life? What about those seasons? Turn if you will back to Psalm 119 for a moment.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Verse 75 in this 119th Psalm. Listen to what David says. He says, I know, oh Lord, that your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
Dr. Charles Stanley: So, now wait a minute, I don't, you mean to tell me that the seasons of life of God's discipline? Yes.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And you mean to tell me that God is being faithful when he disciplines us? Yes, he is.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Because you know what he says? He says, those whom he loves, he disciplines. He is a gracious, loving, great God, a God who is so great, that every single facet of our life is before his eyes, in his presence, in his keeping, under his power, under his authority, and always working those things out for our good.
Dr. Charles Stanley: There are many other attributes of God, but faithful means that in whatever circumstance you and I face, he's there with all of his power, in all of his wisdom, to see us through it, no matter what it may be.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Now, I want to say one last thing about all this. What can you expect?
Dr. Charles Stanley: Well, listen to this, very carefully. It's brief, but it's very important. Number one, it'll shield you from worry.
Dr. Charles Stanley: When you have chosen to trust the trustworthiness of God. He's faithful, and you come to the conclusion and you're committing yourself to the faithfulness of God, he will shield you from worry.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Does not Paul say, don't be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God? He'll put a garrison of troops around you, angelic troops around you to protect you.
Dr. Charles Stanley: You see, if I'm not trusting in his trustworthiness, I'm going to fret. And I'm going to worry, and I'm going to be anxious, and I'm going to be concerned, I'm going to try to manipulate, and I'm going to try to change my circumstances.
Dr. Charles Stanley: But you know what, if he's a faithful God, and he is, I don't have to worry and fret. I can say thank you, Father, that you're in control. This is painful, I don't like it. If you ask me, God, I'd like to get out now.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Instantly, I'd like to be catapulted out of this, but Lord, you know better than I do. And so I'm going to trust you to keep me here until you've accomplished your purpose. I'm not going to worry about my circumstances, or people's attitudes, I'm going to worry about nothing. I'm going to trust you for everything.
Dr. Charles Stanley: So the first thing it's going to do is to shield me from worry. There's a second very important thing here that I want us to look at, and that's this. It'll safeguard us from murmuring. Now listen carefully.
Dr. Charles Stanley: When I say safeguards against murmuring, here's what I've noticed, that often times when people live their lives and they come and they finally retire, and so life changes, and they don't have all those responsibilities they used to have. What happens is often times, they lose their sense of purpose, they lose their sense of meaning, and they begin to murmur. And the truth is, it all begins with their negative attitude.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And what happens? Murmurs have several results in their life. First of all, when I think about what they are, I think about the fact that a murmurer is a person who causes great great discontent with themselves, and with people around them, and they're often times very divisive, and they can be become very destructive, not even realize what they're doing.
Dr. Charles Stanley: When upon coming to that season of their life, they're willing to say, God, whatever you want, that's what I want. I'm willing because you are my creator, and because you have saved me and kept me through all these years, and have prospered me and blessed me, and given me health, Lord, the rest of my life, here am I. What do you want to do with me? Where do you want to send me? What do you want to do, how do you want to use me?
Dr. Charles Stanley: But first thing he does is he shields us from worry when we put our trust in him. Safeguards us against murmuring. And what does he do? He supports us with awesome, sustaining strength. Listen to this verse. Fear not, I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Listen to this. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. That's the kind of God you and I have. I don't know what season of life you may be in. But this much I know, there is one single principle. If you will trust God, and trust him for his faithfulness, he will see you through every single season.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And you'll be confident and assured of who's in control. You'll be able to rest in his awesome purpose, in his strength, and in his power, and in his healing. And you'll be able to be used of God till the last day of your life.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Now somebody may say, but let me just tell you something now. I've been in this season a long time. Now, this is when you and I can know that we are fully committed to him. When we can say to him, Father, keep me in this season until you have accomplished your purpose and your plan, because I know that your purpose and your plan is the best.
Dr. Charles Stanley: In my mind, God, I want to get on to the next season. But Lord, I know that in your wisdom, your plan's the best. God knows exactly what he's doing. And here's what happens. You begin to relax. And you begin to experience a peace in your heart that that very same season brought you trouble and anxiety and fretting and fuming and all the rest. And all of a sudden, your season hasn't changed, but your attitude's changed. Your feelings have changed. Your trust in Almighty God has taken a skyrocket view.
Dr. Charles Stanley: All of a sudden, you're seeing that God's up to something good in your life, no matter what. Now, you may not be a Christian, and you wonder what all this is about. I want to tell you. You will never go through the seasons of life the way God intended, until you first of all recognize that you need God, asking him to forgive you of your sins, and placing your faith in him through his son Jesus Christ, who went to the cross, paid your sin debt in full, and made it possible for you to be a forgiven child of God and eternally secure from the moment you trust him as your savior, till the moment and through the moment you die.
Dr. Charles Stanley: And then let him have your life. Just stand back and watch what God will do in your life if you will place your trust in a faithful God for every changing season of life.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Father, how grateful we are, for how great you are. Your precious word, a simple guide book. An awesome guide book, full of truth, all truth. Guiding us through the changing seasons of life, to bring us to a place that no matter what we're facing, we can do so with absolute confidence in your presence, your power, your love, your compassion, your loving kindness toward us. And we pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Thanks for listening to In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Pain and suffering may cause us great distress. But remember, true peace comes when we submit to God and trust that he's working all things out for good. Even when his ways are not obvious to us. You can hear this message again by clicking on the link to today on radio at intouch.org. Look around to find resources that can bring comfort and peace in the promises of God. And stop by our online bookstore if you'd like to order a copy of Dr. Stanley's complete message, encouragement for every season of life. Again, that's intouch.org. You can also call or text 1-800-in touch. If you prefer to write, our address is in touch. Post Office Box 7900, Atlanta, Georgia, 30357.
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