Psalm 14. Verse 1, Let not your heart be troubled. I've entitled this message, The
Cure for a Troubled Heart. Let not your heart be troubled. There has never been a human
being immune from heart trouble. We read in Job 5-7 that man is
born unto trouble. as the sparks fly upward. In
Job chapter 14 verse 1, we read, man that's born of woman is a
few days and full of trouble. Paul said in 2 Corinthians chapter
4 verse 8, we're troubled on every side. He said in 2 Corinthians chapter
1 verse 8, For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, of our
trouble which came upon us in Asia, how that we were pressed
above measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even
of life." That was Paul the Apostle speaking. Trouble. Now everybody
in here, I'm sure of this, Everybody in here knows something about
trouble. There comes with it a feeling
of fear, of unrest and anxiety, agitation, perplexity, worry,
trouble. The Lord said to one of his dear
children whom he loved, Martha. He said, Martha, Martha, you're
careful and troubled about many things. Troubles that come from without
us. The stress of life. The cares of this world. You
know, we're living in troublesome times, aren't we? The economy
is so shaky. It's the worst it's ever been
since I've been alive that I know of. I'm sure there's been times
that have been worse, but these are troubling times with our
economy. This is a time of war. This is a time of political unrest. Everybody's scared to death about
who the next president is going to be. This is a time of trouble
in our environment. The immorality of the days in
which we live. What once was scandalous now
is normative. And religion, that which goes
on under the name of God, That which goes on in the name of
Christ is so far from God. And I'm ashamed to be identified
with it. I tell you, I don't like to tell
people I'm a preacher. I don't like telling that. Not
because I'm ashamed of being a preacher of the gospel, but
I'm ashamed of what's called Christianity in our day. It's
evil. It's contrary to God. Broken homes. Somebody once said,
50% of marriages end in divorce, and the other 50% end in death.
That's true. I could go on and on, but these
are times of trouble. David said, how are they increased
that trouble me? Then there are the troubles that
come from within, and these troubles are even worse. Feelings of fear. Feelings of failure. The fear
of rejection. The fear of living for nothing. The fear of the future. The fear of the past. And then
there's the trouble that comes with unbelief. The trouble that
we bring on ourselves because of our sin. The trouble. The messes we bring on ourselves
and others because of our sin. Turn with me for a moment to
Psalm 38. David. The man after God's own heart
says in Psalm 38 verse 1, O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath, neither
chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine arrows stick fast in
me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There's no soundness in
my flesh because of thine anger. Neither is there any rest in
my bones because of my sin, for mine iniquities are gone over
my head as a heavy burden. They're too heavy for me. My
wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I'm
troubled. I'm bowed down greatly. I go
mourning all the day long for my loins are filled with a loathsome
disease. and there's no soundness in my
flesh. I'm feeble and sore broken. I'm
roared by reason of the disquietness, the lack of rest, the troubling,
troubleness, troublesome, whatever you'd want to call it that's
going on in my heart. Now I know something about trouble,
and you know something about trouble, don't you? and the Lord says to his troubled
disciples back in our text in John chapter 14 let not your
heart be troubled now he said this on the heels
of saying in John 13 21 when Jesus had thus said he was troubled
in spirit he was troubled in spirit he troubled himself And
he testified, saying, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that
one of you shall betray me. And the disciples all responded,
Is it going to be me? Is it I? Now they were troubled
by that. One of you is going to betray
me. And look what he says in verse 33 of John chapter 13.
Little children, yet a little while I'm with you, you shall
seek me. And as I said unto the Jews, where I go, you cannot
come. He said, I'm going somewhere
where you cannot come. you can bet they were troubled
by that. And then he says to Peter in verse 38 of John chapter
13, Jesus answered him, wilt thou lay down thy life for my
sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow
till thou hast denied me three times. Let not your heart be
troubled. Now how in the world can that
be? Let not your heart be troubled. Now I've got a question. If the
Lord says to us, let not your heart be troubled, do we have
a legitimate reason for our hearts to not be troubled in the midst
of our trouble? Now the Lord said this, let not
your heart be troubled." There's a lot of trouble. And yet he
says to every one of his people, let not your heart be troubled.
What's he say next? Here's the cure for a troubled
heart. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God? Believe also. in me. Do you believe that God is utterly
holy and without sin? Perfectly just? You believe that? Believe the same thing regarding
me because I am equal with the Father. Do you believe that God
is sovereign? That means you really believe
that he is the first cause behind everything. That he controls
every event, including these troubling events. He is in control
of everything. You believe that regarding God?
Sure you do. You don't even believe in God if you don't believe that.
You don't believe the God of the Bible. Every believer believes
that God is the cause of causes. Our Lord said, believe that regarding
me. Everything's in my hand, and
my will is always done. Do you believe that God is all-powerful? That he has the power to make
sure that his will comes to pass? Do you believe that? Do you believe
there's any weakness on God's part, but that he is all-powerful?
Do you really believe that? Believe the same thing concerning
me. I am all-powerful. I am God the
Son. Do you believe God is omniscient,
all-knowing, and all-wise? Believe that regarding me. I
am omniscient, all-knowing, and all-wise. Do you believe God
is omnipresent? Do you believe He's everywhere?
You can't go anywhere where He's not? Believe that regarding me. Do you believe God is merciful
and gracious? Believe the same thing regarding
me. I am that I am. Do you believe God? Believe also
in me. Do you believe that God is worthy
of complete implicit trust? Do you? Do you have any reason
to not trust Him completely? Are you satisfied that He is
God and whatever He does is right? And whatever he does, he does
it simply because it seems good in his sight. And if it seems
good in his sight, it's good. You believe that? I love when
our Lord said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because you've hid these things from the wise and prudent
and revealed them unto babes, even so, Father, for so it seemed
good in thy sight. Well, that just thrills me. Everything
the Lord does, He does it simply because it seemed good in His
sight. And I tell you what, if it seemed
good in His sight, it's mighty good in my sight. Whatever He
does, I'm fine with it, aren't you? He is God. Too wise to err, and too kind
to be cruel. Now here is a cure for troubled
heart. Christ. He's gone. He's in control. There's nothing that happens
without Him. And whatever happens, it was
good in His sight. Turn with me for a moment to
Psalm 31. Psalm 31. Beginning in verse 9. David says, Have mercy upon me,
O Lord, for I am in trouble. Have you ever been there? I am
in trouble. The trouble from without, the
trouble from within. I am in trouble. My eye is consumed with grief. Yea, my soul and my belly from
my life is spent with grief. And my years with sighing, my
strength faileth because of my iniquity. and my bones are consumed. I was a reproach among all my
enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and a fear to my
acquaintance. They that did see me without fled from me. I'm
forgotten as a dead man out of man. I'm like a broken vessel,
for I've heard the slander of many. Fear was on every side
while they took counsel together against me. They devised to take
away my life, but I trusted in thee, O Lord. I said, Thou art my God, My times
are in thy hand. There's cure for a troubled heart.
My times, that's everything about me, everything that takes place
in time. My times are in thy hand. Now back to our text in John
chapter 14. Let not your heart be troubled. Now, if the Lord says that to
you, do you have a legitimate reason for your heart to not
be troubled? I don't care what's going on. Let not your heart
be troubled. I'll tell you right now, my heart's
not troubled. I'm carefree right now by the grace of God. He says,
let not your heart be troubled. All right. He says in my father's
house are many mansions. Many mansions. Permanent dwelling
places. My father's home, it has many
mansions. And note that word many. 10,000
times 10,000 and thousands of thousands. There's a whole lot
of permanent dwelling places in my father's house. 10,000
times 10,000 is 100 million. Now remember this, I said this
recently. I read it in an article by somebody. Next time somebody
asks you how big your church is, say, at least 100 million.
At least 100 million. How big's your church? Mine's
bigger than yours, buddy. 100 million. You know, everybody's
all into numbers and all that foolishness, but oh, this church
is a big church. In my father's house are many
mansions If it were not so, I would have told you, and I'd go to
prepare a place for you. There's a mansion in glory with
my name on the mailbox. Really. My name's there. Todd Nybert. It's a place prepared
for me. The scripture says reserved.
Reserved. Remember how Peter said an inheritance
incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven
for you. Now troubled heart there is a
place for you. Isn't that wonderful? My name's
on it. Now when he says, I go to prepare
a place for you, this is not talking about him going up into
heaven and kind of getting the room ready and working on the
mansion and everything until we got it right down pat and
it's fit to live in. This is a reference to him going
to the cross. I go to the cross to prepare
a place for you. I go to the cross to bleed suffer
and die. This is how this place is prepared
for you. This is how come you're going
to get it. Not because you're worthy, not because of some work
you've performed. The reason you're going to have
this place for you is because I go to the cross to prepare
it for you. Now this was planned in eternity,
the preparation of this. He said, Come ye blessed of my
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. from the very foundation
of the world. And when God plans something,
it's done before it even takes place. Hebrews chapter 4 verse
3 says the works were finished, finished from the foundation
of the world. And it was executed in time.
You see, in time, He kept the law for me and He went to the
cross for me to prepare a place I go to prepare a place for you.
You know, I've heard preachers say, there's going to be empty
mansions in glory. What a shame. The cross died
for these people. Their name was there, but they
didn't do what it took in order to be saved. There's going to
be empty mansions in glory. That's foolishness. That's foolishness. Everybody that Jesus Christ died
for must be saved. Everybody that he kept the law
for stands perfect before God. There's not going to be any empty
seats in glory. There's not going to be any empty
mansions in glory. Everybody that Jesus Christ shed
his precious blood for must be saved. Their complete salvation
is an absolute necessity. Can you imagine? You know, just
that very thought. Can you imagine being in heaven,
sitting in some empty chair there, and thinking, well, that fella's
in hell too bad. He didn't do his part, and look what happened
to him. Listen to this scripture. Romans chapter 8, verse 32. He
that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all,
how shall he not with him freely give us all things? Who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. Who is he that can condemn? It's
Christ that died, yea rather that's risen again, who's even
at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for
us. Now, got anything to be troubled
about? You have a man, and I don't mean
that mansion in the sky like a country western song where
people talk, forget that stuff, but I have a dwelling place prepared
by the Lord Jesus Christ himself for me with my name on it. Now do I have much to be troubled
about? Here's the outcome of him going
to prepare a place for his people which he turned to Revelation
21. Now this dwelling place, this
mansion that every believer has with their name on it, it was
planned in eternity. It was executed in time when
the Lord saved His people. That's what He did on the cross.
He saved His people. When were you saved? When Christ
died. That's when I was saved. But, but what? Any other answer? Revelation 21 verse 1, And I
saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away. And there was no more sea, and
I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God
out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. You see, when our Lord prepared
that place for us, He made us a beautiful bride. When the Lord looks at me, He
sees me as beautiful, attractive, worthy of His love. How is that? Because I am. In Christ I am. I'm prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband, clothed in the very righteousness of Jesus Christ. What a wedding garment. I'm prepared. Is there any reason why our hearts
should be troubled? Brothers and sisters, there's
a place prepared for you. It's got your name on it. It's
certain because your sins are no more. This is true of every
believer. You're justified. You're sanctified. You're glorified. You really
don't have anything to be troubled about. Now let's go back to our
text in John chapter 14. In my father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. You can count on this. The Lord tells the truth. Nobody
speaks like this man. He tells the truth. He said,
if it were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a
place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself. that
where I am there you may be also. Now I will come again and receive
you unto myself. Now this thought, receive you
unto myself, the word received is used in Matthew chapter 1
verses 20 and 24 where the angel said to Joseph, take unto thee
Mary to be thy wife. Receive her, same word. Receive
her to be your wife. Now, it's true we receive Him.
But the reason we receive Him is because He received us. He
embraced us. He took us to be His wife. He
made us beautiful by His work on the cross. And now, I receive
Him because He's received me. And I do receive Him. The groom receives the bride,
and the bride receives the groom. Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world. Now, with that as our future, do we have anything
to be troubled about? Really? Do we have anything to
be troubled about? He said, I'll come again and
receive you. Now, this could certainly be referring to the
second coming, but there's something else that he meant by this. Look
in John chapter 14, verse 18. He says, I will not leave you
comfortless. I will not leave you orphans.
I will come to you. Now, he was telling his disciples,
they're scared to death. He says, I'm leaving you. But
he says, I'm not leaving you. I will come to you. Now, what's
he talking about? Look in verse 15. If you love me, keep my commandments,
and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,
referring to the Holy Spirit, that he may abide with you forever,
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because
it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but you know him, for he
dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I'll not leave you
comfortless, I'll come to you. Now, listen to me real carefully.
When God the Holy Spirit comes to a man and gives him life,
gives him the new birth, and births him into the Kingdom of
Heaven, that's Christ coming to them. He says, I'll come to
you. When He gave me life, that was
Christ who came to me. You know, the Spirit of God is
the Spirit of Christ. You know why we don't hear so
much about the Spirit of Christ? Because He doesn't speak of Himself.
He speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ. Somebody's always talking about
the Holy Spirit, doesn't even know who the Holy Spirit is. Somebody
that always is Christ. He's the Spirit of Christ. Christ Himself says, I'll come
to you. And that's what happens when
the Spirit of God comes. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself
comes to you. Remember, God the Holy Spirit
is called the Spirit of Promise. Now here's the reason I'm born
again. Now if you're a believer, You're born from above. You're
born of the Spirit of God. And the reason you're born of
the Spirit of God is because Jesus Christ died for you. That's
why. And we have the promise of the
Spirit. He gives me grace to see my need of Christ. He gives
me grace to see my need of a righteousness better than I can produce. The
Lord Jesus Christ comes to me. When he says, I'll come to you
and receive you to myself, he's not talking about in a sweet
by and by. He's talking about right now. I have the spirit
of the Lord Jesus Christ. I have Christ with me right now.
He's with me. He's with me. Do I have any reason
to be troubled if I'm with him? If he's with me? David said,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I'll
fear no evil, for thou art with me. thy rod and thy staff, they
comfort me." This is also a reference to his
second coming. I go and prepare a place for
you and I will come again and receive you unto myself. I think
the first application is him coming to us by spirit, but it's
also talking about his second advent. The Lord Jesus will come
again. Now he came the first time to
prepare a place for us. He comes the second time to bring
us to the place that he has prepared. You see heaven is a prepared
place for a prepared people. He came the first time as a suffering
lamb. He will return the second time
as a reigning Lion and oh the glory of his return turn with
me to first Thessalonians chapter 4 First Thessalonians chapter 4 Beginning in verse 13 But I would not have you to be
ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep that you
sorrow not, even as those others which have no hope. For if we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them also which sleep
in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you
by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain
under the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which
are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with
a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump
of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which
are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever
be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another
with these words." What have you got to be troubled about?
Look at this glorious future you have. Look in 2 Thessalonians
chapter 1. Verse 7, And to you which are
troubled, rest with us. When the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,
taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished
with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,
and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified
in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe." Because
our testimony among you was believed in that day. Now what do we have
to be troubled about? You that are troubled, rest with
us. The Lord's coming back. And you know everything that's
going on is just temporary. It's just temporary. Turn to
2 Corinthians 4. 2 Corinthians 4. Paul says in verse 8, we're troubled on every side. And this thing
of not being troubled is not like that song that was out so
many years ago, Don't Worry, Be Happy. You know, the landlord
said, I always liked that song, the landlord said, your rent
is late. He may have to litigate. Don't
worry, be happy. Okay. That's not what this is
talking about. It's not denying the reality
of trouble. Paul says we're troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We're perplexed, but not in despair. We're persecuted,
but not forsaken. Cast down cast down, but not
destroyed, always bearing about in the body the dying of the
Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest
in our body. For we which live are always
delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus
might be manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh
in us, but life in you. We, having the same spirit of
faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have
I spoken. We also believe and therefore
speak, knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall
raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For
all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might
through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God,
for the which cause we faint not. But though our outward man
perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day for our light
affliction. Which is but for a moment, over
just like that, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are
seen are just temporary, but the things which are not seen
are eternal. Now our Lord says to every one
of his disciples, let not your heart be troubled. You believe God? Believe me. in my father's house are many
mansions and I go and prepare a place for you and if I go and
prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto
myself that where I am there you may be also Now here is glory. Where I am, there you may be also. Now listen to me. When he stood
as my surety before time began, I was right there with him. When he became flesh, agreement
to those covenant engagements for his people. I was right there
with him. He was with me. When he kept
the law, you know who else did? I did. Because he kept the law
for me and when he kept the law, I kept the law. When he died,
when he was nailed to that tree as the sin-bearing substitute,
you know who else was nailed to that tree? I was. Paul said,
I'm crucified with Christ. When he was raised from the dead,
you know who else was raised from the dead? I was. Every one of his elect. When
he ascended back to glory, you know who else ascended back?
I did. As he's now seated at the right
hand of the Father as the intercessor of his people, you know who's
right there with him? I am. Scripture says we're seated
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. And when He returns,
you know who's going to be coming with Him? Me. Did you notice
that the bride came down from heaven? You see, all of His people
are with Him right now. And when He comes down, they
come down. Heaven is and will be being with
Him. Look in John chapter 17, verse
24. Father, I will. You know, the Lord Jesus Christ
is the only one who can pray like that. You don't say, Father,
I will that you do this. You say, Father, if it be thy
will. We wouldn't dare say, I will that you do this. But the Lord
Jesus does because he's equal with the Father. He says, Father,
I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where
I am. That's where I am, wherever He
is, that's where I am. Is that heaven? Is that glory?
When by His grace I shall look on His face, that will be glory,
be glory to me. Where I am, there He may be also, that they may behold my glory
which thou hast given me for thou lovest me from the foundation
of the world." Now if I'm with Christ, is there anything to be troubled
about? Really? One last scripture, turn to Mark
chapter 4. Verse 35, And the same day, when the even
was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other
side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took
him even as he was in the ship. There were also with him other
little ships, and there arose a great storm of wind. And the waves beat into the ship
so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part
of the ship, asleep, on a pillow. And they awake him, and they
say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And
he arose, and he rebuked the wind, and he said unto the sea,
Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, it obeyed
its master. And there was a great calm. Can you imagine how tranquil
that water was at that time when he said, be still? And he said
unto them, why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? He said that to his disciples. Now, if he's in the boat, Is there anything to fear? There really isn't. Now this is a command to every
believer. Let not your heart be troubled. That's not denying the reality
of trouble. But he says, Let not your heart
be troubled. By His grace, I'm going to take
Him in His Word. I'm not troubled. I'm really
not. Let's pray.