Let Not Your Heart
Be Troubled

Let Not Your Heart be Troubled

by Wayne Dailey
Senior Pastor, Bethel Revival Center
43 Norwood St.
Everett, MA 02149

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Let Not . . .

John 14:1
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.

It's so easy to allow the events of these days to cause one to worry and be frustrated. So many are fearful and fret over the things that are taking place in the world. But we've got to come to grips with the fact that Jesus told us not to let our hearts be troubled.

This means we can either let things get to us or not let them get to us. It is up to us. We can let our heart be troubled, or we can prevent our heart from being troubled.

Matthew 24:6
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

When we see these things taking place, we need to remember that the Lord told us about them in advance. And He told us to stand still and not be troubled about those things that would happen.

Here we are told we would hear of wars and rumours of wars. Certainly, that is common these days. It's part of our every day life: wars and rumours of wars. So many vexing and fearful things take place when there is war, yet we are exhorted here to see that we are not troubled by them.

Matthew 24:7
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

The Bible clearly prepares us for the days ahead.

Look back, and then look at today.

We can see that what Jesus said way back there has gone on before our very eyes. Many nations have risen against other nations and kingdom against kingdom.

When the two world wars were fought, it wasn't just one nation against another. The world separated into two major kingdoms — kingdom against kingdom.

Matthew 24:8
All these are the beginning of sorrows.

What we've seen in our day has been terrible, but I don't really believe we've seen the half of it yet. Much more will occur in these last days as time draws to a close and the Lord comes to take us home.

These things that have taken place are just the beginning of sorrows. These wars and troubles are bad in themselves, but worse things, yet, are going to come to pass.

Jesus, the Way of Salvation

Ye believe in God, believe also in Me: the way to salvation. Jesus was bringing people face to face with the truth of salvation: the truth of believing in Him to gain eternal life.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The Scriptures bring great strength to those who have believed in Jesus Christ to the saving of their soul, those who have become part of the family of God. We who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour don't have to be troubled by the things which go on in this world, for we have the hope of everlasting life.

I John 5:12
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Do you know what this really means?

Only those who have received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour shall be saved. Everybody else will be lost.

There are many religions in this world and many people follow them. But they won't make eternal life unless they turn to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. Many believe in God but reject Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.

John 14:5,6
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.

Jesus plainly tells us that no man can approach the Father except they come through Him. He said He was the way, the truth, and the life.

Yes, Jesus Christ provides the only way for us to gain eternal life. He emphasizes that unless we accept Him, we cannot come unto the Father and have eternal life.

In My Father's House

John 14:2
In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Here Jesus assures us that there is a place where there are no wars, no troubles. And there's room there for each of us if we believe in Him.

John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

We've really got something to look forward to. We can look beyond these troubled times and look ahead to the time when Jesus comes for us. Then He will take us home, to be with Him for ever and ever.

He said He went away with this purpose. He had it in mind to go prepare a place for us in His Father's house. Even though two thousand years have passed, when He is ready, He will come one day to receive us unto Himself.

We are told that Jesus is our intercessor, sitting at the right hand of the Father to ever make intercession for us.

Romans 8:34
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Now, Jesus is not only making intercession for us, but He is also busy preparing a place for us in His Father's house. Soon that place will be finished, and we will go home as a bride adorned for her wedding.

Don't let your eyes get on the troubles that are in the world. If you do, you'll be vexed in your heart with fears. You will worry and be distressed. You'll be vexed with a lot of carnal feelings, caused by the many things you can't seem to understand. You have to look past all the trouble and look unto Jesus: the author and finisher of our faith.

You have to accept the Word of God. Take things on the basis of what God has said in His Word. He said these troubles and sorrows would come, but He also said to get our mind on heaven and heavenly things.

Look Up

Colossians 3:1-4
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.

We must prepare to stand, rather than to fret and worry. We must get ourselves fitted for the coming of the Lord. We want to be found ready and watching on that day.

Look past all the things that are happening. Look past all of the headlines. Look right on beyond these things. Don't allow your heart to be troubled by them. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and, one of these days, He will take you home.

Praise God! As children of God we can look forward to such a time: a time when there will be no wars, no tears, no death. We've got one life to live upon this earth, and, should we die before Jesus comes, death is only gain for us.

Paul said that to be absent from the body was to be present with the Lord. If that is so, then what do we have to be troubled about?

I've been amazed at the things which have happened in recent years. I watch very closely and study the prophecies of God's Word. As I do, I try to put events in line with those prophecies. I take note of the news the same way I would look at my calendar, to see what day it is.

You know, as you look at the events of the world today, it tells you what day it is. And it also tells you what time it is. Hey, it's getting late! Time is fleeing by. The events which have taken place certainly show us the distressing time we are living in. We don't have to look elsewhere to see distress and trouble. We just have to look at our own nation to find trouble. Our nation is filled with troubles.

How Should We React
To These Things?

But we're not to allow ourselves to get upset over those things that are taking place.

Do the events of recent years say anything to you? Do they bring any kind of message to you? Certainly, they tell us that times are very distressing in this world, just as Jesus warned us they would be.

How should we react? We should be concerned. Yes, we should be concerned deeply enough to be moved to pray for our leaders.

I Timothy 2:1,2
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

The shocking things that have taken place in recent days have really shocked the world. And it says something to us: The troublesome times which Jesus spake of are upon us.

But let's not wring our hands in despair. Let's not look at the times in wonderment and fear. These are shaking events and they certainly say something to us. I am very concerned about what these troubled times say to us. The Bible said there would be perplexities of troubles amongst the nations as well as within the nations.

It seems like there are struggles going on within all the nations of this world. We see conflicts on every hand. But these conflicts are only shaping and molding the nations into the place of eventually being ruled by the Antichrist.

Let's get ourselves in line with the coming of the Lord, to where we will take the Word of God to heart. Then we won't be troubled by any of the things that happen.

We're in a position where we could get into despair so easily, if we allowed ourselves to. As a minister of the Gospel, I have talked with many who let these events trouble them. Some have a new worry each day. As soon as the morning comes, they find something new to worry about.

Listen, there's one thing we ought to take to heart: Jesus said we can't add one cubit to our stature, no matter how hard we try. And neither can we change the events which are happening in the world today.

Cast All Your Care upon Jesus

But there is one thing we can do: We can rest in Jesus. We can look for His soon coming, without worrying or fretting about what will happen next.

I Peter 5:7
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.

Remember, nothing is going to happen without God allowing it to happen. The devil doesn't have free reign in this world.

I believe the devil is just as limited today as he ever was. He can't take one step beyond the bounds which God set for him to take.

In God's province and plan, He has a purpose in everything that happens. Thus, through the shaking events which are taking place in the world today, many are waking up to the realization that they need Jesus Christ.

When everything is going smoothly, they turn away from God: They turn back to materialism and the things of this world. But just let troubles come, and these same people will quickly turn to the Lord.

When troubles come, you find people flock to church. They are more prone to pray, more willing to stand with God.

Let's bring this down to smaller things, because it's the same there.

You can worry just as much about a bill you need to pay as you do about wars and rumours of wars. Most of the trivial things people worry about never happen, yet they go through hours of agony and stress over them.

Let's do what the Bible says to do: Let's not be troubled, but let's pray.

Philippians 4:6,7
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.