Philippians chapter 4 this morning. Philippians chapter 4. We're going to look at verse 7. Philippians chapter 4, verse 7. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. I want to preach this morning a message entitled how to keep your mind in a world that has gone crazy. How to keep your mind in a world that has gone crazy. The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your word to guide us in these troubling times that we live in. There seems to be one problem after another and wickedness so prevalent in our land and around the world today. Turmoil. I just pray that you'll help us to see from your word how we can have this peace of God that passeth all understanding. Speak to us today. Open our eyes to see the truth of the scripture. Keep our focus right. We thank you. We love you. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Of course, we know that we live in a world that He's in turmoil and we see the reports of the earthquake there in Japan and the devastation. Brother Kenny said he heard on the radio coming in that now they've upped the death toll to somewhere around 10,000 and it's getting worse as the results come in. We see these things happening all around us and we see evil just coming to the surface. Even I remember a few years ago and watching the television that they were talking about a shooting in Columbus and that would only happen just occasionally. Well now you watch the news and there's several shootings usually about every day in Columbus. Now we are getting the reports of just like it was a few years ago in Marion we're getting shootings and it's not going to be long before it's going to even get worse here. And we live in troubling times, we live in times the Bible calls dangerous times, perilous times. So how can we have the peace of God? The Bible says in Psalm 48, I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." Psalm 29, verse 11, the Lord will give strength unto his people. The Lord will bless his people with peace. You remember the churches of Macedonia? The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 8, verse 2, that they were in a great trial of affliction. It says how that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty. Sometimes we think because maybe we don't have much and we're going through great problems, the Bible says the abundance of their joy and deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. So here we find the people who in the midst of turmoil, they had this peace that passeth understanding. This word assures us that we can have that peace as believers. There are around 650 Bible verses that deal with peace and joy. We're not going to have time to go through all of those today, but we're going to move through them as quickly as we can, there's a good number of them, and we're going to look at what the Bible says, how we can have peace when there are so many things that are happening to alarm us how we can have peace and we notice in this passage of scripture There are two words that are key to peace in verse 7, and that is Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 9, 6, He is the Prince of Peace. And if you look there back in the passage in verse 5, it says, Let your moderation It means you're moderate, you're under control. Be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. The Lord is at hand. There is the first thing for how to have peace of mind in a world that's gone crazy. There's the first thing right there. To realize that the Lord is at hand. Keep the Lord at hand in your life. Remember he said in Matthew 28 in verse 20, he told us, and lo, I am with you always. Hebrews 13.5 says, quoting the words of the Lord, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. He gave us the Holy Spirit to indwell us. He told us that the Holy Spirit would come when he ascended to heaven and indwell, and every believer would be by the Holy Spirit. In John chapter 1 and verse 1, Jesus is called the Word. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He became flesh and blood among us in verse 14. And in Revelation chapter 19 and verse 13, he is called the Word of God. So How are we going to keep the Lord at hand? Most of you have it right here close to you today. Right here. The Word of God. How are we going to have peace in a troubled world? We're going to become students of the Word of God. We're going to realize that the Lord is at hand. He is at hand. We can go to the word of God for strength, and we can find that strength in troubled times. Hebrews 12 says, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. So how are we going to keep the Lord near us, keep him in hand? We're going to do that by getting into the word, by getting into the word of God. Psalm 119 and verse 14, I'll have to just read you some of these scriptures, we will go and look at some, but time factor, I'm just going to have to read them to you and we won't have time to turn. It says, I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies. Notice that, I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches." Boy, if you got home today and stuck in your door was an envelope and somebody had placed $100,000 in there, I'm sure you'd be jumping around and have a lot of joy. But here the psalmist tells us that he had more joy in the Word of God and in great riches. There's joy there in getting in the Word of God. Psalm 119 verse 111, Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart. The Word of God. Psalm 19 verse 8 says the statutes of the Lord talking about his word, are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Jeremiah chapter 15 and verse 16, thy words were found, and I did eat them, meaning that he read them and took them in, and thy word was unto me, the joy and rejoicing of thine heart. For I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts." Getting into the Word of God, the Lord is at hand. The Word Himself will speak to our heart. We need to keep the focus upon Jesus Christ. In 2 Peter chapter 1 and verse 2, grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God. How is grace and peace going to be multiplied unto us? Through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. If you look in Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12, here is a familiar verse concerning the word of God. Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12, it says, For the word of God is quick, means it's alive, it's up to date, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even and abiding asunder in soul and spirit of the joints and the marrow. That's all the way down. I mean, the marrow is right what's in the center of the bones in our body. cuts all the way through, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Discerner. Are we going to keep our minds in a world that is going crazy? Getting into the word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. look at what it says here in verse chapter 5 verse 11. Of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered seeing you at all of hearing. You ever wonder why we, there are several reasons, one of the reasons why we promote Bible reading, daily Bible reading here at Calvary and we do the Bible reading guides and we try to get you to read through the Bible in a year and do regular Bible reading. Because this pastor knows that if I can get you in regular Bible reading and into the Word of God, you'll be much more receptive to the preaching and the teaching that's done here in Calvary. You'll be much more receptive. They were dull of hearing because they weren't into the Word of God. Look at verse 12. Well, in the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles, the very basic things of the oracles of God. and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat. For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is of age. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use, this is how they got to be able to get this whole meat from the word of God, by reason of use, have their senses exercised. to discern both good and evil. See, the Bible gives us discernment. The Bible exercises our senses and makes us think better. Are you going to keep your mind in a world that's going crazy? You need to be in the Word of God. You need to focus upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 19, if you'll turn back there. In Psalm 19, the psalmist is talking about the Word of God and what a blessing it is to our lives. And in verse 7, he says, the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, and what does it say? Rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. And if you go back to the first psalm, the first psalm tells us very clearly, Psalm chapter 1, and looking at just the first three verses there in Psalm chapter 1, Now I hear the pages in the Bible are not turning so well. Verse 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Not getting off track, if you read that verse 1. He's not off track. He's right on focus where he ought to be. Why? Verse 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law that he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." He's in the Word of God. He's drawing his strength from the Word of God. He's focusing upon Jesus Christ. Look in the book of Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs chapter 3, verses 1 and 2. Book of Proverbs chapter 3 verses 1 and 2. My son, forget not my law, but let thine heart keep my commandments. For a length of days and long life and peace shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Find them about thy neck. Write them upon the table of thine heart. So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and men. Good understanding. Well, the Bible is very clear that if we want to have peace in a world that's gone crazy, then we need to be in the Word of God. We need to be drawing our strength from the Word of God. We need to be in the Bible trying to learn more about it. We know Joshua chapter 1 and verse 8 where it tells us that when we meditate there in day and night, Joshua was told, then thou shalt have good success. Make his way prosperous and he would have good success. Joshua 1 verse 8. Psalm 119 verse 165. Great peace have they which love by law and nothing shall offend them. Get into the word of God. That's where you're going to find the strength. Go back to the book of Isaiah chapter 26. Isaiah chapter 26. Here's a great scripture that tells us, verse 3, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, keeping the focus upon the Lord, giving in to the word of God. Nehemiah chapter 8 verse 10 says, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Mark chapter 4 and verse 39, here's what Jesus, the Prince of Peace says, and he arose and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, peace be still. And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. You see, keeping your focus upon the Lord, getting into the Word of God. Keep the Lord at hand. The Lord is at hand. When troubles come, run to the Lord. Focus upon Him. Look at the Lord. Get into the Word of God. Stay in the Word. John chapter 14 and verse 27, he said, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. And if you look in John chapter 16 and verse 33, John chapter 16 and verse 33, Jesus said, These things have I spoken unto you, that in me You might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. You see, if we can just keep our focus upon the Lord, we can realize that everything is going to work out for the best. He promised us that. Psalm 28, verse 7. The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise him." When you focus upon the Lord in your life, you're going to find joy. And one of the ways that you focus upon the Lord is His Word, the Word Himself. Getting in the Bible and realizing that God's Word will strengthen our hearts and will give us discernment and stay in the Word of God. Trust the Lord no matter what comes. Jesus said in the Lord's Prayer in John 17 and verse 13, And now come I to thee, and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. He's filled these words. The Bible's given to us to bring joy to our hearts, to cause us to see the things that God wants us to see. Paul, the Apostle Paul. focused on Jesus Christ and him crucified. Here's what he said in Acts 20 and verse 24. You look at the life of the Apostle Paul. I mean it was just a life filled with problems. One problem right to the next one. But he had peace and he had joy. You know why? He said in Acts 20 and verse 24, but none of these things moved me. I'm not going to get off course. My focus is on Jesus Christ and him crucified. Our focus is on the Lord. None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy. And the ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. In the book of James chapter 1, if you turn back there and look at it, in James chapter 1, James chapter 1. James chapter 1 verses 2 to 4. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have a perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. You should count it joy. focus on the Lord. No matter what comes in our life, we should focus on the Lord. 1 Peter 1.8, "...in whom, having not seen, ye love, in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." In 1 Peter 4.13 he told us, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. One of the great illustrations of this for us, of focusing on the Lord in the midst of no matter what comes in our life, focusing upon him and staying in the word of God is Job. If you go back to the book of Job, the book of Job, you realize that God tells us over and over again in this book, verse 1 says, there was a man in the land of Oz whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil." Now, the Bible tells us that again and again, the beginning of the book, the ending of the book. But somehow when you go to the commentaries and you look at all the commentaries, The focus goes off of the Lord and on to Job and his three friends and then Elihu, and completely off of what the focus should be. The Bible tells us very clearly that Job was a righteous man. But when we go to the commentaries, they're all trying to make Job somehow, someway has sinned and deserved and he's self-righteous or he's this or he's that. But that's not the focus. The focus is Jesus Christ in this book. And I want you to look over here. His three friends come in chapter 3, and they just sit down and cry with him. They don't say a word, they just cry. You know, that's the best thing they could have done. Just sit there with him and just cry along with him and not say a word. But when they started talking, they got the focus wrong. But you see, what we forget to understand in the book of Job is that there's a lesson being taught here. A lesson being taught. Brother Dick brought out in his auditorium class here about the will of God. God only has a perfect will for our lives. There isn't any permissive will. God has what he desires for us and God's will for each and every one of us is to trust him no matter what. Try to live by this book and trust him no matter what comes. You see, that's the message of the book of Job. No matter what comes in your life, you trust God. You don't get sidetracked. You don't focus off of trusting God and trying to follow his word. And when you read through the book of Job, that's what Job did. I mean, it was tough. And his three friends tried to get him off focus. Now they thought they were right. But if you look in chapter 4 and verse 12, When Eliphaz the Temanite speaks, the first one of the three friends to speak up to Job, he lets us in on a little secret where they got their advice. In verse 12, notice there it says, Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, Fear came upon me, and trembling which made all my bones to shake. Notice this now in verse 15. Then a spirit passed before my face, and the hair of my flesh stood up. It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof. An image was before mine eyes. There was silence, and I heard a voice say, Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his maker? Now if you've read the first three chapters, tell me, who would have said that? Satan! He's trying to get the focus unto Job that he is a sinner and he's trying to all he can to get Job to curse God and to prove to God that Job won't trust him when things go sour and if you read through the whole book you get the message very clearly that we are to trust God no matter what comes Just read on what Eliphaz says, and then when we get over to Elihu, he really condemns Job. Tells him he's the worst of sinners. And the whole point is, is that no matter what comes into our life, our goal, our desire, should be to trust God no matter what. Just trust God, and that's what Job did, and it came out for him alright in the end. And you read the end of the book. So what is the point here? What am I trying to say? I'm trying to say to you that don't let the trials of life get you off focus. Focus upon the Word of God and what God has said, and trust God no matter what. The Bible tells us in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 10, talking about the Antichrist, that he is following in the line of Satan with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. And then in verse 9, the Bible explains the working of Satan. He's coming after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. You see, what the devil wants to do is to get us off focus. To get us to focus upon the problems. To get us to focus off of the Lord Jesus Christ. The book of Job focuses upon the righteousness of God. And we need to focus upon the righteousness of God. We need to focus on the fact that he will never leave us nor forsake us, and no matter what comes and no matter how rough it gets, God will be there for us! He'll never turn it down. And so that's the first thing. I'm not going to be able to get through all of these. I have four of them that I've found out of going through these around 650 verses on peace and joy in the Bible. So I'm just going to take the first two. Lord willing, next Sunday I'll hit the other two. I can see right now I'm not going to have time to get through all of this. The first one is that the Lord is at hand. Keep your focus on the Lord. If you want to keep your mind in a world that's gone crazy, you realize that the Lord is at hand. You get into this Bible and you make it a part of your life, and you keep your focus upon the Lord, and when the trials come, You'll be like Job. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." And when his wife said, curse God and die, he told her to stay in her place, that he would not do that. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. I'm going to keep my focus upon the Lord. And that's the idea, that's the message of the book of Job, is that no matter what comes in our life, stay focused upon the Lord. That's God's will for our life. That's His will for us, is that we trust Him no matter what, we focus upon Him, we stay in the Word of God, we read the Bible daily, and no matter what comes, we're not like some so-called Christians. When a problem comes, they say, I'm not going back to church anymore. The Lord hasn't stood by me. I'm out of here. I don't know why I deserve this. You can look through the book of Job all you want and you'll never find him talking like that. The idea of the Bible is teaching us and God used that man to teach us to focus upon him. To look to the Lord. to trust him every day. Don't get off course. Don't get sidetracked. The Lord is at hand. Focus upon him. And then I want you to go back there to Philippians chapter 4 and we'll look at the second one and that's all the farther we'll get. We'll have to pick up the others next week. In Philippians chapter 4 And looking at these verses, he says, let your moderation, he tells us in verse 4, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. You want God's will for your life? There it is. You rejoice in the Lord. You keep your focus upon him. You trust him no matter what. You try to live by this Bible every day. Don't get off focus. Some people focus around and say, well, maybe that wasn't God's will for me what I did there, or maybe this wasn't, but don't focus on that. Focus upon trusting God each day in your life. That's his will for you, no matter what comes. Staying in the Word, staying with the Lord, trying to live the way that God wants you to live. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men, the Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing but in everything. By prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. There's a second thing to keep your mind in a world that's going crazy. That's by prayer and supplication. To learn to be a prayer, taking your requests to the Lord. If you look in Acts 1, verse 14, we have three times that this appears, this prayer and supplication. In Acts 1, verse 14, it says, These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. They continued with one accord. in prayer and supplication. Supplication is asking. Going to the Lord and asking Him for things. And in Ephesians chapter 6, we all know what happened to the early church there. They really branched out in the gospel. Many were won to Christ. Multitudes came to Christ. And prayer was a major focus of their lives in the book of Ephesians. Chapter 6 and verse 18, under the Christian armor we are taught to praying always with all prayer and supplication. In the spirit and watching there unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. We pray for one another, and he tells us that we are to do this, to pray for one another. Look at 1 Timothy 2, verses 1 and 2. I exhort therefore, maybe we ought to go back and read that again. I exhort therefore. Well, some of you still just haven't got that, so we'll go back and get it again. I exhort therefore. That means, I have an option here. This is an exhortation. This is like a commandment. That first of all, supplications, prayers, intercession, and giving of thanks be made for all men. Sometimes when problems come, instead of getting all bent out of shape and excited, and I've got to call this person, I've got to call that, I've got to do this, we just get on our knees and pray. And talk to God for a while. And pour our hearts out to Him. and see God do exceeding abundantly above all we could ask or think. Look in John chapter 16 and verse 24. John chapter 16 and verse 24. He says, hitherto have you asked nothing in my name. Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be whole. that your joy may be full. Just ask. Pray. You want to have joy? You want to keep your mind in a world that's gone crazy? Then get into the Word of God. Focus upon the Lord. No matter what comes, we're trusting Him. We have a God who is able to do the impossible. But God nothing shall be impossible. Keep the focus upon Him. Stay in the Word of God. Trust Him no matter what comes. And go to the Lord in prayer. Get a prayer journal. Start writing down your prayer requests and keeping track of how God answers your prayers. And when you go back at the end of the year and look at that, you'll be amazed at how God answers prayer. We are so often to forget. So often we forget what God does. and how he's brought us through such difficult times in the past, and he will again in the future. I want to take you back to a psalm, Psalm 126. Here's a psalm that is often missed in the significance of it. Psalm 126, verse 6. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seeds, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Verse 5 is an interesting verse because it brings out a very important point. It says, "...they that sow in tears shall reap in joy." Oh, here we are. Problem comes. Problem in my life. Pastor, why don't you get up and do something? I don't like doing it anyway. Pastor, why don't you get out and just go ahead and go on. God will take care of it. I can't. I just can't do anything. I've never had anything like this before in my life. I don't know what I'm going to do. Pastor, why don't you just get up and go out, go take some tracks and go out and talk to somebody about it. I can't do anything. I don't know. They that sow in tears. You see, they're going through a turmoil, but they're out sowing. They're not sitting down crying and doing nothing. They're crying and going on for the Lord. You want the joy of the Lord? Then you sow in tears. You keep the focus upon the Lord. Don't curse God and die, so to speak. Don't give up. Don't throw everything out. Keep on going. You will find that peace, that passive understanding. And I have two more points to this message that I've found in going through these over 650 passages. 657 times peace and joy appears in the scripture. There's two more, and they're very important. I'm not going to tell you what they are. You're going to have to come back next week to find out those other two. But they're just as important as these first two if we're going to have peace of mind in a world that's out of control. First one, we need to realize the Lord is at hand. We need to keep him at hand. Keepeth a focus upon him. Look to the Lord. Draw our strength from the Word of God. Get into the Word of God. Make it a daily part of our lives and focus upon the Lord and that He will not fail us. Cast Him all your care upon Him for He careth for you. Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee. We're going to keep the focus upon the Lord and then secondly, we're going to pray. We're going to pray. We're not going to get all bent out of shape. When things go wrong, we're going to pray. We're going to talk to the Lord about it. We're going to pray about it. We're not going to sit down and do nothing. We're going to sow in tears. And we know we'll reap in joy. We're going to get out there and do what needs to be done. Not sit around and cry and moan over the problems. Those are the first two. If you want to have peace of mind in a world that's gone crazy, those are the first two. You have to come back next week for the other two. Let's pray.