My message today is about stress. Are you stressed? Are you stressed out? Well, as we look at the world, what's going on in this world, we know that even in our beloved country, America, the country that was founded on biblical principles and the word of God that's made, it so great that we see prophecy coming to pass. We know who we are in prophecy, descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, end time Israeli, a part of His people in the end time. And just like the Bible prophecies, that Israel will, once again, in the end time, drift away from God and the Bible and the laws of the Bible and the ways of God, and that we're beginning to go down. And so we see that happening. 

It's hard to watch the news anymore, as you know. Maybe you don't like to watch the news anymore. Some people just - you know, cell phone, look at it. I do like to, at least, catch the headlines, because Jesus Christ did say watch and pray, stay alert, watch what's going on in the world. He said I'm telling you what to watch. Watch Jerusalem. Watch the Middle East. Watch these things that are beginning to happen. Watch and pray. And so we're all to do that, to be alert.

But I sure hate watching some of the news. It's such bad news, and it's so negative, and it's so discouraging. So I'm glad there's a mute button, aren't you? Or I'll hit going back to the next news channel, trying to get some highlights of so much of the negative stuff, but it's stressful to watch what's happening to America. There are many good people still in America. There are a lot of people resisting the liberal movement and kicking God out of everything, so it's not all over yet. But it's just a downward slide, as you know, and it's going to continue, unless there is a national repentance that takes place, beginning with our leaders in this nation. I don't see that happening right now anytime soon.

And so what is my point? That as we watch prophecy being fulfilled every day - and almost every day, you know, I just see - it's just amazing. I'm living the very end of this age. I don't know how many years, but all of these events that Christ talked about, the Bible talks about, are coming to pass in my lifetime. What should we be doing to prepare what lies ahead? You know, I know what's coming, unless there's a national repentance and God cuts short the great tribulation that's prophesied to come, that will bring this nation and many to repentance eventually.

How can we deal with increasing stressful times? It's going to get worse. It's going to be more negative. There's going to be more persecution against people who stand up for biblical values. We know that. So what I'd like to do today is take a look at three important ways that we need to - must be preparing to deal with stress that is going to continue in this world. It's not going to go away.

We're - you know, God is like a loving parent that says, "Look, I'm telling you ahead of time what's going to happen so you can" - I'll read those words in a moment. He said to the disciples, "I'm telling you now what is going to be coming so you can be prepared." That's what it says. We'll read that a little bit later. So we're going to look at three important ways to prepare for the increasing stress that will be coming.

But, first of all, just take a look at the warning. So let's begin in 2 Timothy chapter 3. Let's be reminded. Sabbath services just helps remind us and strengthen us and the things that we really know are important. 2 Timothy chapter 3. We'll read, first of all, verses 1-4. And God inspired Paul to write this epistle to Timothy.

2 Timothy 3:1 But know this that in the last days - and I suppose they thought that they were living in some of those last days, and for them they were the last days. But God's word in many ways is dual. And there's coming a time when it's the last, last days, before the end of the age and the return of Christ. So this would apply today, back then, whenever.

2 Timothy 3:1 - but in the last days perilous times will come.

I'm reading it from the New King James. Perilous times, it means dangerous times. In the margin here they give an alternate rendering rather than perilous.  In the last days times of stress will come. And I looked it up in several translations. I like the Amplified Bible here. It's pretty good. It says,

2 Timothy 3:1 Know this, that in the last days perilous times of great stress will come.

So we'll take a look at that. The Bible tells us all that we know perilous times of great stress will come. Okay. How do we prepare? Who will be ready? And it goes on and explains why they will be that way.

V.2 For men will be lovers of themselves - people will be more and more selfish - lovers of money. They will be lustful and do anything for money. They will be bolsters and proud, blasphemers. The N.I.V. says abusers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, none holy. That pretty much describes a lot of people today, doesn't it? Notice verse 3.

V.3 They will be unloving. NIV says without love, unforgiving, slanderers. NIV says malicious, gossipers, without self-control. And you just see that, don't you, today more and more, the things happening on the news, people with total lack of self-control.  They'll be brutal and despisers of good, haters of good. They will hate people who stand for anything good, biblical values especially.

V.4 They will be traitors, head strong, haughty, lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God. Naturally more and more describing more and more people, isn't it, in our society today? Notice verses 12 and 13 of this chapter.

V.12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Now, most of - probably for most of us, maybe some of you on a job that you've had in society, or maybe some family, friends, or maybe some of you have suffered outside persecution, but I think so far to many of us, a lot of the trials and troubles have been internal within the church, but that day is coming. I think we all are aware of it. When our nation is controlled and ruled by anti-God, anti-law, anti-commandment forces, that anyone who will stand up for Christian values will be persecuted.

And verse 13, he says,
V.13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

So we know these days are here, but coming, and are going to get worse. Paul learned this from Jesus Christ.

Let's go back to John 15. Don't want to overly dwell on this, but just as a reminder that we know what's coming. We don't know exactly when. We don't know exactly how bad or - Satan is sneaky. Sometimes he - you know, he's come even within the church, from the top up, to try to destroy church and the people and the work. He'll just try everything he can to try to destroy God's church, God's work, God's people. And here's what Jesus said in the gospel of John chapter 15. We're going to begin reading in verses 18-21.  Jesus said to his disciples, "The world hates you."

And so right now you may not be hated by too many people in the world, but as I said, as the spirit of Satan and his hostility towards God and the Bible and God's commandments and the holy days and the Sabbath, as that gets worse, this will increase, where people will begin to hate you, at least some will.

John 15:18 You know that it hated Me before it hated you.

V.19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. In other words, we went along with the ways of the world, the politics of the world, the values of the world, again, then we would accept it. Yet, because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world - we all know God had to intervene in our lives and call us out of the world, and the world's ways - therefore, the world hates you.

So this is going to happen. Notice verse 20.

V.20 Remember the word that I said to you. And this is put into the Bible not only for them - they're dead - but for us too. That's why it's recorded. Remember the word I said to you, 'The servant is not greater than its master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept My word, they will keep yours.

With the implication here they didn't keep His word and they won't keep yours. That's what He's implying here. They didn't. Notice verse 21.

V.21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake.

You know, because you are a Christian, and because you literally believe in following Me and being like Me, you know, not traditional Christianity. And there are many sincere people. I'm not condemning the sincerity of other people, but what I grew up with - I didn't grow up in the church. I was called later. I grew up with being taught to believe in Jesus as my savior, and He died for me, but not to obey Him and follow His example. He kept all those old covenant laws and Jewish laws. He did it for me. As long as I accepted Him as my savior, I was saved, and, you know, that was it.

So, you know, we're not going to be popular when we explain to people, regardless of your sincerity maybe in Christ - the thing that really - I will say for me is I always believed in Him, it was revolutionary when God called me to the truth. You're not only to believe in Him and accept Him as your savior, you're to obey Him and follow Him and become like Him, keep the same laws He kept, do what He did. He set the example. He never sinned. And when the light went on, I realized, wow, I need to keep the Sabbath and the holy days and do all the things that Jesus did and taught. But that's not typical of Christianity, so some will begin to hate us, as Jesus said, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

Chapter 16, just going on, before we get to those three things, we're going to look at what we can do to prepare. Chapter 16, verses 1-4.

John 16:1 These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.

So why did Christ speak to him these things? Why is it recorded for us? Said so when these things, the stresses increase and get worse, your mind is set, your heart, your emotion, your spiritual life, it's okay. What Jesus warned me about is now here. I'm ready with God's help. And it won't be, "What do I do? What do I do?" See, we can be ready.

I've spoken these things to you so that you should not be made to stumble. New Living Translation says, You should not fall away, and some people do fall away under persecution. They're not ready. They're weak.

V.2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you - and God can protect us from that happening to us, but it did happen to some of them, and it probably will happen to some of us, that God may decide to use us in some ways as a witness, whatever - but he says, The time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God a service.

Now, these people are heretics. They don't believe in this and that. They're just heretics, they're Judaizers, or whatever they would think.

And verse 3 He says,

V.3 These things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

So there are religious people who do not truly know God and Jesus Christ and the way He really is and what He said and what His teaching is. And notice verse 4,

V.4 But these things I have told you... Why did he tell them? Why are they recorded - that when the time comes - when that time comes for you or for me, these stressful times, all the other stressful times that I've been through in the church, and you think about it in your life, all the other stresses that I've been through in the church and, as you, many trials have all prepared me for the next stress. This, what we went through in the church here six months ago, if it hadn't been all the trials that I went through at Pasadena and my years in the ministry and in the church, I would have not been prepared for this time.

V.4 These things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.

So we're being told by God what's coming ahead of time. He's patient. He's merciful. Probably still years to go, you know. We never know when a major economic collapse may come and set off panic in this country. We don't know. But Jesus said, I'm telling you ahead of time so that you will remember that I told you. "And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you."

You know, when He was with them personally, it was before He was going to be crucified and put to death. Then He was beginning to share some of these things that they would really remember later on and understand later on.

So there are many scriptures like this. But look at verse 33 of this chapter. These are wonderful scriptures. And here's where Jesus said - one of my favorite verses here.

V.33 "These things I have spoken to you - and here they are being spoken to us now directly from Jesus Christ. "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

And obviously because He says, "I will live in you, you will overcome the world, Satan and this world."

So let's take a look now - since we know tough times are coming and all the times that we've been through so far, our training, preparation, so that we become spiritually seasoned and prepared more, let's look at one of the first things - and this would be the most important, I would say, of what we - and I'm sure many of you are doing it, but you can never say don't need to do it anymore. The first one I've got here. What we can be doing, need to be doing, must be doing, is drawing nearer to God and strengthening our relationship with Him.

There will never ever be anything that any minister can mention to you that is more important than your personal relationship with God, your walk with God, and preparing for what is coming, that the oil, the Holy Spirit will be filled up in you. You won't be one of the foolish virgins who let their relationship with God, you know, just - you know, we're all under pressure. We all have a lot of things to do, a lot of stresses in your life, and it can be real easy to begin to neglect or skimp on our relationship with God.

Now, here's how I think about it. I don't know how you analyze it. If you're going to have a closer relationship with anyone, whoever you choose, it's going to take time with that person. There's no other way to draw closer to and have a better relationship with anyone, any human being you can think of. You can like a lot of people, have a lot of friends, you can love a lot of people, but unless you take time, regular time, diligent time and have a goal of, I want to be closer to that person, you have to get to know one another better. Same thing with God. There is no way to have a closer relationship to God, unless you take time away from everybody else, private, quiet, dedicated committed time where, "God, I want to draw nearer to you."

We'll look at scriptures here in a moment where Jesus' brother, one of the apostles, said, "Draw nearer to God, and He will draw nearer to you." God's there with open arms. He loves us. And it helps me to realize that there will never be anything that's number one in my life if I'm going to serve God effectively and remain strong. It's got to be, as we heard today in the sermonette as well, that that help and strength will come from God.

So number one thing that you can do, I can do, we can do individually and as God's people, is - all of us be thinking of it this way. There's no way that I can draw nearer to God without scheduling time to get to know Him better, through the reading of His word, studying and meditating, and talking to Him and hearing Him speak to me through His Holy Spirit, putting thoughts into my heart and mind, encouraging me directly through His Spirit, speaking to me directly through His word and all the different ways that God can talk to us.

Now, go with me to James 4. So as we know, these times of stress that are coming are going to reveal those who have done this and those who have not. Five foolish virgins, five wise virgins. The wise virgins kept that Spirit of God in their lamps through their relationship with Him. And others who know the truth, they're part of the church and they know the truth, but they just don't get close to God. They don't get to know God. You know, it's - you really do have to think of God as a real person. He's a being. He's real. He's alive. He's there.

James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Most of us know that. We've been in the church long enough to know and have experienced this, that when we seek God, when we take time in prayer with Him and - and so I - I like to think of time and prayer with God as He's my best friend, and I want to let Him know how much I love Him and appreciate Him and thank Him for my blessings. I'll talk about - fit that in later in one of the other points that is key to preparing for the future. But you come to the point where you really enjoy your time with God, where it's a pleasure to have that private time with God. You know, you feel His love. You feel the encouragement that He gives. And I'm talking to people that I know understand this. Notice verse 10 here in James 4.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

So let's look at David's life on this first point. Most important thing that anyone could ever do in preparing for the stressful times, now and in the future, will be drawing nearer to God and strengthening our relationship with Him, getting to know Him better. He will reveal Himself to us. He will live in us.

Let's look at David's life as an example of how he dealt with stress. So my emphasis here is this. When you're under a lot of stress, you know the number one stress reliever that exists? Sure you do. It's prayer. Now, a lot of scientists who are religious people and all - I've got books on all of this, and they've absolutely proven that people who believe in prayer - not just us - but anyone who practices prayer to the degree they understand God and the Bible, God's laws work for everybody, anybody.

I'm an old engineer, and I learned that God has put all the laws that exist into existence and they'll work for anybody who will apply them. And so whatever degree of truth people apply in their lives, it will work for them and they'll be blessed for whatever they're doing. And it's God who calls people. And none of us know what we don't know unless God opens our mind to understand more.

And so prayer - and your prayer life should be the number one stress reliever in your life. I walk. I can mention all kinds of physical things that could help: Exercise, good diet, watching a good movie, all kinds of stuff like that can be enjoyable. But it's not the number one stress reliever in my life. I don't know about you. It's when I get off by myself and have that private time with God.

Notice Psalm - beginning Psalm chapter 4, and see how it's expressed here. Psalm chapter 4, verse 1, and then verse 7 and 8. Psalm 4:1. So we all know David's life ended up a great success and God used his life. David was wholehearted, and he obeyed and served God. It was wholeheartedly. And he sinned at times. It was wholehearted. He sinned a lot. But God never forsook him because David would always repent when God would show him his sins. And his life is an encouragement to us. And here he says,

Psalm 4:1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! And notice the rest of that verse. You have relieved me when I was in distress.

I've got that one circled in red and underlined, exclamation mark. It isn't going to be - you know, sometimes we'll need help, as I'm going to get to my - I'll come to a point later that is there. But the Bible reveals that the number one reliever of stress in our life is God, when we learn to give it to Him and let go of our worries and our fears. But you have to spend enough time with God talking it out, at least I do. You probably do too. I really have to empty my heart, so to speak, of my feelings and emotions and struggles until I've just shared it with God and given it to Him. You have relieved me when I was in distress, when I was stressed.

Prayer, even as I say, scientifically and every other way is recognized as a huge difference in the - other people who don't believe in a higher power or believe in God but don't believe in prayer result more in alcohol, drug, other things to cope, and end up - they just don't have that extra help.

Notice Psalm 116, and we'll read here the first few verses.

Psalm 116:1 I love the Lord, because He had heard my voice and my supplication.

V.2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.

Notice verse 3.

V.3 The pains of death encompassed me. Many times David was close to death. It says in the margin, "The distresses of death encompassed me."  And the pangs of Sheol, the grave, lay hold of me. So he was sick in times or just felt close to death at times. I found trouble and sorrow.

V.4 And then I called upon the name of the Lord: "And I implore You, deliver my soul!" And that's exactly what God did.

V.8 You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling, David wrote.

Notice Psalm 118 verses 5 and 6.

Psalm 118:5 I called on the Lord in distress - when we're stressed - the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.

That means a safe place. So we have to learn to pour out our heart and feelings and emotions in a sense where you just - you know, you just pour it out to the great God.

V.6 And the Lord, it says in verse 6, is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

V.8 Better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

V.9 Better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

And then the same chapter, verse 14,

V.14 The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.

So just a couple more places here, and we'll move along. Psalm 119, beginning in verse 145. What we're looking here at is how even the Bible shows through David and his life that David found relief from stress in his life, and he found the answers in his prayer life and a personal relationship with God. Psalm 119, beginning in 145.

Psalm 119:145 I cry out with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord! I will keep Your statutes.

V.146 I cry out to You; save me.

And then verse 147-149.

V.147 I will rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help.

So he'd get up early to seek God. And for some you may stay up late to seek God. That's okay. Notice 148.

V.148 My eyes are awake through the night watches - lying or meditating at night - that I may meditate on Your word.

V.149 Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; O Lord, revive me.

Now, other translations may word it differently. But I like the New King James here where in many places David says, "O Lord, revive me. Renew me. Relieve me of distress," and God did. Notice 154.

V.154 Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.

And over and over David mentions this. Revive me, revive me. Maybe one last place here.

V.159 Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.

And then one more place. Chapter 120:1.

120:1 In my distress - what did David do - I cried to the Lord, and He heard me. In my distress, when he was stressed.

And then in Psalm 121:1.

Psalm 121:1 I will lift my eyes to the hills - you know, then it was to Jerusalem in the hills - from whence comes my help? The holy temple of God.

V.2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

So just always remember when you're really under tremendous stress, you know what to do. Get away. Go to God. Pour it out to Him, and your heart will feel better. You'll just - God will just give you that - He will revive you and renew you. It works. It's real. And Paul knew that.

I won't turn, just for the sake of time, to Philippians chapter 4:6-7, but all of these men of God learned the same thing. Here Paul is in prison under great stress, not knowing whether he's going to live or die, and he's writing one of his greatest letters of encouragement to the brethren. Book of Philippians, you know, and he says, "In everything with prayer go to God with thanksgiving." And if you'll just go to God in prayer with thanksgiving to him and pour it out to him and with supplication, you know, he gives that promise in verse 7 from God.

Philippians 4:7 The peace of God, which passes all understanding, all human understanding, will protect your heart and your mind through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So prayer is powerful. And remember, it is a stress reliever. The ultimate stress reliever when you go to the all-powerful God, our Father, who loves us, who can renew us and strengthen us and remove the worry and the fear and anxiety and all those other things, where you just come to a point if you go with Him long enough, you just know, okay, it's God's timing and not my timing. It's going to be okay.

Now, let's go on. That's way number one. It will always be the most important.

But the second way that is also pretty important in dealing with stress is building and strengthening our relationship with family and friends in and out of the church. I know a lot of us have family and friends. We have family that may not be yet called or in the church. And so I extend this, of course, to both, and not only those whom we love within the Church of God, but others that you may love very dearly and deeply, parents, children, relatives, others who may not be in the church. When tough times come, number one thing will be that relationship with God. But secondly - and we'll see that the Bible supports this and it's very important - is going to be the quality and strength of your personal relationships with family and friends.

People are going to be strong. They're not going to be a loner, and they're not going to be people who said, "Oh, I don't need any friends. I don't have time to make friends. I'm a loner. I'm okay by myself." Those kind of people are going to have a tough time. It's not that others may not care for them. But they've not taken the time to build really truly special friends, like the Bible says we should. Someone who not only loves them like they love everybody, but they might say, "You're my best friend, or one of my best friends."

Husbands and wives, for instance, this is a typical thing. Husbands and wives can be a powerful team to support one another, help one another, pray for one another. I will have to say that. I thank God for LeeAnn. I wouldn't want this job without her, her love, her support, her prayers, her encouragement is invaluable. It would be lonely otherwise and much, much harder.

So, for instance, you know, the quality and strength of people's marriage for those of you who are married. Now, men, you know, what we tend to do, because - what I tend to do - men tend to be a little more goal-oriented, job-oriented, task-oriented in general. And so what I've tended to do is I get focused on my work, my job. And LeeAnn helps me an awful lot, you know, with relationships. "Honey, we haven't had people over in a long time. We need to get together with people. We need to - you know, while we're here in Cincinnati, we need to not just see them in church on the Sabbath, but we need to start getting to know people better." "Yes, Honey. I know. Thank you." And if it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't do it. You know, that's - that's me.

And so I need help, and God gave her as a helper to me. It's very important. But, you know, even if you're a lonely person or a single person, here's this wonderful Psalm 68. Psalm 68 verses 5-6. Because times God calls us, and we may not have other family members in the church. We may not have a mate in the church. But notice what God supplies for us, Psalm 68 verses 5 and 6.

Psalm 68:5 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.

V.6 God sets the solitary - now, the NIV and other - in New Living Translation translate this, God sets the lonely in families.

There are lots of lonely people in this world. You know you could be in a group congregation just like this and be lonely, right? You can know a lot of people and not have any close friends, have no quality relationship. It's possible. Sometimes it depends upon our background and upbringing and personality and temperaments and all kinds of things.

But what God does, that He will call us and He sets us in His family, the church. And we have all this incredible opportunity to make friends, some friends, with people who believe the same thing we believe, you know, important things about God and our purpose and our family and our calling. God brings us into His family, His spiritual family, so we could have mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters and all kinds of wonderful relationships. Nobody has to be lonely in the Church of God. It's a choice.

Or your life gets so busy. Maybe you get your priorities wrong, and you're spending time on things, you know, that aren't - maybe aren't the most important. May have to evaluate it.

And so what I'm bringing out here is that as times get tougher in the future and harder and more stressful, number one: God. But secondly is going to be there is nothing - and, again, these books that I've got - I didn't want to go to those today, but it was just research and all showing that people who value relationships and have good strong friendships are much healthier and happier than people who don't. I mean, that's kind of logical and makes sense, doesn't it? But it works. It's true.

So that the second then great stress reliever in your life, no matter what you're going through, is to be able to get together with a friend or somebody who loves you and that you love and talk about it and share it and discuss it. And there's just a strength, isn't there? We know from experience there's something powerful about sharing your life and going through a trial and sharing it with somebody, and they say, you know, "I'm going to pray about that. Maybe we can even set a date and fast about that together. You know, God can work that out." There's power in that.

It's going to be, in my heart and mind, the second most important thing. God first, and then my relationships with my beloved wife, my family and friends in the church, you know, where we're locking arms and we're strong together. I don't want to be standing alone. Do any of you? I don't think so. I want us to be standing strong with family and friends in the Church of God, and we are called "the household of God."

Save time I won't go there. But Ephesians 2:19 says that Jew and Gentile alike, that we're called to be members of the household of God, the Church of God, the family of God. And what a blessing that is, what a blessing it is.

Save a little time, I will just refer to this one that you all know. Proverbs 17:17, what it says there is this,

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and born for what? Adversity.

God says a true friend loves you all the time. I mean, somebody who really is your best friend, they know you're not perfect. They know you have faults and mistakes and all that, and they love you anyway. Back and forth, it's that mutual love for one another. You develop that deep friendship. And it says a friend is born for adversity, times of stress. So remember that.

And then a biblical example of this, without going there, as I have my third point to wrap up with, a biblical example of this kind of friendship is David and Jonathan. That's in 1 Samuel 18:3. Story of David and Jonathan. Jonathan being Saul's son. Saul trying to kill David. But here's Saul's son, Jonathan, who he and David just became the incredible friends and they made kind of this blood covenant of friendship. And 1 Samuel 18:3, it says they made a covenant together, David and Jonathan, a friendship covenant. They vowed to be true friends. They loved one another so much. It was an incredible relationship that developed there that Jonathan risked his life for David against his own father. So that's powerful. A powerful story.

We all need to say, "God, please help me to have some friendships like that, you know, so powerful like David and Jonathan, because there are going to be times coming, folks, when you're going to wish you had those kind of relationships. So, now, there's time. There's still time for us all to do what the Bible says.

The third point that I wanted to bring out here that we can be doing and learning to do and improving in doing it and preparing for stressful times is growing in our love for one another, our support for one another and encouraging one another, more so as times of stress increase.

John McClain spoke last Sabbath in the p.m. service. His message was on the power of encounter. You know, we heard about being strong and of good courage. Well, you know, I think you all know this. But you - the power of words - the Proverbs say life and death is in the power of the tongue. You encourage people and make a huge difference. You know, when you stop - when somebody comes up to you and, you know, they have the love of God and they're wise and they're discerning, they're not going to say things to you that hurt you or put you down. They know that all of us struggle with our human nature. We all struggle with our imperfections, our faults. You know, we all have our struggles, and they know you struggle just like we all do. Hopefully they know that.

So the main thing we could be doing for one another is words, powerful words of encouragement and love and support. It makes such a huge difference when you're down, when you're having a bad day, and somebody just comes up and says, "You know, I appreciate you so much. I want you to know I've been praying for you and about that situation." You all know how that lifts your spirits when someone expresses their appreciation, support, and recognizes your strengths and not just your weaknesses, and they're encouragers. That's a powerful thing. God says we should be doing that.

Turn with me to Hebrews 10, as we begin to wrap it up. And so the third thing that we can be doing is, no matter how bad things get, no matter how tough they get, you know, you should be working and practicing right now on being an encourager of other people, because we're all going to be under a lot of stress, losing jobs, having hard times. But I tell you, boy, someone comes along and says, "Hey, you hang in there. God will see us through, and we'll help you in any way that we can," that's going to be very important and make a huge difference, instead of somebody who's a pessimist and who's negative and who lacks faith and isn't filled with God's Spirit. You know, it's not going to be fun to be around those kind of people. We need to lift them up, as we'll see. So let's read here, Hebrews 10:23-25.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

V.24 Let us consider one another, to stir up good works, not forsaking ourselves the assembly of each other, as the manner of some, but exhorting - and a better word here, or I would say more accurately, exactly, the other translations like NIV and Living Translation and others translate this accurately as, but encourage one another. Encourage and exhort. But encouragement is a better word here.  Encourage one another, so much the more as you see the day approaching.

So the Bible tells us, it commands us, encourage one another. Be an encourager. Be a positive person. Encourage other people. Some people really have that gift, that ability. Because there's a lot of negativism around, discouragement around, situations, there will always be more negative situations, and we all need some encouragement every day.

And then final scripture. Turn with me to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. And this third thing that we can all work on in preparation for times of stress - and, I'm serious, I'm talking about even if you're facing death, no matter what the circumstance, you know.  We, as ministers, many of us have held the hands of people dying of all kinds of things. I have, and I've been right there with them, you know, holding their hand and saying, "Thank you for your example. Thank you for your faith. And thank you for your endurance and trusting God with your life. And you're going to be in God's Kingdom, and we'll be there together, no matter what happens." It can make a huge difference in people's life. 1 Thessalonians 5, And we're going to read verses 1-4. Consider the times.

1 Thes. 5:1 But concerning the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.

You know, they knew.

V.2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 

V.3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

V.4 But you, brethren - and here's the point I wanted to bring out - you brethren, God's people, you are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief.

V.5 You are sons of light and sons of the day. And we are not of the night nor of the darkness.

V.6 So therefore let us not sleep spiritually, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

And notice now verses 9 and 11.

V.9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

V.10 Who died for us, that whether we wake - that is whether we live or whether we die is what Paul is saying here - he died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

When we live, we'll be with Him in the resurrection. And then in verse 11 he says,

V.11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

This is a powerful third thing that you can develop in your character, in your personality and in your attitude. You can pray and say, "God, help me to be an encourager and a strengthener of other people. Please, God, help me to do this more than I am doing it." Can you imagine if - I mean, if it's done appropriately. I don't mean false flattery. I don't mean that. But I mean sincere encouragement that we all need each day, just like our children do, our smaller children.

And then we'll close with verses 14 and 15 of this same chapter.

V.14 Now, we exhort you, brethren, or encourage you, warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint-hearted, uphold the weak, and be patient with all.

V.15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good, both for yourselves and for all.

So, brethren, what can we do? We know stressful times are coming. God has foretold us. Christ has warned us. But He's also told us what we can do to prepare and not only survive, but thrive when it comes into our lives, and: Number one, draw closer to God; number two, build better relationships, stronger relationships with family and friends; and thirdly, receiving the love, support and encouragement from others by being an encourager yourself.

So let's prepare now, brethren, while we do have the time so that we will remain steady and strong in perilous times of great stress.