In this incomplete 5 sermon series I talk about things like: Not being Discouraged, Living Responsibly, Hope, Joy, and the Peace of God during these tuff times that we are experiencing as a nation.

In spite of all that’s happening in our nation and around the world, I want people to know that I know how things appear now, but God has not changed His nature; nor has God switched teams. I need people to know that God is not on the side of the wicked and those who do others wrong. –I know things look bad “now,” but “later” when the final scores are posted and are all added up, [only those of us who have truly trusted in Jesus and have remained faithful to the things of God, while others were discouraged and disenchanted with God] will really “live” as God has planned.

In a day and time where [we] believers are experiencing the affects of a bad global and local market, economic recession, and a financial crisis; there is a question that [we] believers must address. [What Shall We Do?]…

In day and time where false prophets who are only out for self-profit have been telling us that God only wants us to experience His best, and that [we] believers should always be on top and never the bottom; there is a question that [we] believers must address. [What Shall We Do?]…

In day and time where false prophets who are only out for self-profit have been telling us that [we] believers should be lending and not borrowing—the head and not the tail; there is a question that [we] believers must address. [What Shall We Do?]…

In a day and time where [we] believers are not only losing our savings/security, but our cars, our homes and even our jobs; there is a question that [we] believers must address. [What Shall We Do?]…

Well, the answer to all those questions are the same; “we” who are true believers in the risen Christ and the returning Savior, are to do what [we]should have always being doing and that is living responsibly… Listen, how much we prosper or not doesn’t change God’s expectation of us to live responsibly.

Yes, as a believer, money and the economy can make a difference as to where we live, but it should not make a difference as to how we live as a believer. Money and the economy may influence our choice of community, but money has nothing to do with our character or integrity.

So what is living responsible? It’s denying ungodliness and worldly desires [lust]; it’s living sensibly, righteously, and godly, right now in this present day with all of its challenges—even though it’s not popular… And lastly but most importantly, it’s keeping a short-list of sins to repent from all the while spending this life now eagerly anticipating Christ calling us up to live with Him later in the presence of God forever…

By the way, a person can’t be reckless Monday—Saturday; and then be responsible on Sundays…
Responsible living should be lived before the watching world, not the collective church. God wants us receptive in church and responsible in the world…

Hope… is so important and instrumental in our lives as a Christian that it is listed in [1 Cor. 13:13] right in between faith and love; where it says; “Now abide faith, hope, and love.”…
The devil knows that if he can get a person Christian or non-Christian to be hopeless than they will live reckless.
I don’t claim to know all of what has dumb-down the full meaning of hope, but I know that the once infamous campaign slogan of “Keep Hope Alive!” may have led some folk to think that—that is our responsibility.
But; “For the believer who truly has placed their trust in Christ, we don’t have to keep hope alive." Because our hope is a living hope. Unbelievers are the ones who have to perform CPR on their hope daily.
Because their hope is a dying/dead hope.

Joy… Every true genuine saint of God is under a divine command not simply to be somewhat joyful in their trials but to look at every trial with all joy—regardless of the cause, type, or severity of the distress. 
I know, and you know that, being joyful is not the natural response to tuff times, so a believer must make a conscious commitment, a choice to face their trials, troubles, and tuff times with joy… Even severe trials shouldn’t rob us of our joy. Now, we are not to be fake or pretentious with our joy; we are not to just act joyful, in reluctant pretense, we are to be genuinely joyful.

Peace…it has been said that peace [biblical peace] is not the absence of trouble.
Also, during these tuff economical times, what the world needs to see is God’s people projecting God’s peace.
Every saint everywhere at all times regardless of how tuff the times are needs to be letting their forbearing spirit be known to all men. Every corner of society should be benefiting from the saints peace and stability that we have been granted by God.

Take a quick 2 question exam:

• Can an unbeliever look at how you function in times of trouble, tuff times, and in tight times and conclude that the power of God must be real, because of the peace that they see in your life?
• Does the way you function when your faith is on trial demonstrate that God is sovereign in and over all of your trials? –If your answer to both of those questions is “yes,” then it is more than probable that your stability comes as a result of having the peace of God.

When God’s peace is at work it guards the Christian from being pulled out of alignment, it keeps worry from eating away at our hearts, and God’s peace keeps stuff that shouldn’t be tearing up our minds, from tearing up our minds.

Don’t think that God’s peace is weak and worthless…

• God’s peace is aggressive, God’s peace doesn’t allow the Christian who possesses it to be victimized by events…
• God’s peace attacks what tries to attack us—and gobbles it up and uses it to work together for our good...
• God’s peace put’s us to sleep when troubles tries to keep us awake.
• God’s peace quiets the burdens that we can’t bear…
• God’s peace does not leave room for doubt, blame, or second-guessing…
• God’s peace doesn’t keep us from trouble; it activates when we’re in trouble and keeps us until: “We come to know that the testing of our faith is designed to produce endurance, so that we will become a better saint and not a bitter saint…”
• God’s peace is the strongest antidote a believer can have when they are fearful and facing hardships and the unexpected…
• God’s peace cannot even be affected by trouble, danger, sorrow, or even tuff economical times?
• God’s peace is never affected by circumstances but instead affects and even overrules challenging circumstances?
• God’s peace is not a part-time peace; it’s a full-time peace….
• God’s peace is not seasonal, it’s perpetual…

Finally, don’t look for God to develop His peace [inside of you], outside of trouble, or rather, in the absence of trouble, according to the Book of James God develops His peace with our problems…

THESE ARE JUST A FEW POINTS AND PRINCIPLES YOU’LL BE EXPOSED TO IN THIS SERMON SERIES