When We Dwell Among Them

 Temple Baptist Church - 7-12-2026

Genesis 19:1-16

 

Introduction:  The message for this morning applies to both the pastor and the pew.  So, do not take this personally, just take it personally.  Not personally because it is a shotgun message that hits us all.  Take it personally because both you and I need it.

A.  Our need for revival is constant as we live in these last perilous days.  Our time was prophesied thousands of years ago as the Bible speaks of the days of Noe and Lot as an analogy to our days.

 

1.  The days of Noah where they were eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage is certainly a reality today. 

 

Matthew 24:36-38  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  (37)  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  (38)  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

 

“But” emphasizes our knowledge of the times and seasons of our Lord’s coming.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6  But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  (2)  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  (3)  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  (4)  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  (5)  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  (6)  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

 

2.  The days of Lot are also prevalent today. 

 

Luke 17:28-30  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;  (29)  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.  (30)  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

 

“But” carries the same implication here also.  While the world relishes their sinfulness by thinking that they can parade it in front of the eyes of God, the Bible’s message to them is “ Be not deceived; God is not mocked!”

 

1. When we think of the city of Sodom, we automatically think of the sin of sodomy.  BUT sodomy was the end result to rejection of God. 

 

Romans 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

 

Romans 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

 

Romans 1:25-27  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.  (26)  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  (27)  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

 

2. In Ezekiel, we find the things that ultimately caused Sodom to give themselves over to their sinfulness and sodomy.

 

Ezekiel 16:49-50  Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.  (50)  And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.

 

B.  My message for this morning is not the condition of the world as we approach the Rapture of God’s Church.  As I was reading the my Bible one morning, I saw a phrase that I had read many times. 

 

Genesis 19:9  And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

 

C.  The danger of our times is not the wickedness, it is the “getting used to the dark,
and “sojourning” among them!”  This “one fellow” was Lot.  I want to look closely at these verses today as they are relevant to the end-time church, but especially to each of us in general.

 

1.  Lot was a saved man!  This message is to the saved, God’s people!  A saved man must be a separated man.  Demas saw something in Thessalonica that he could never get out of his mind and heart.

 

2 Peter 2:7-8  And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:  (8)  (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

 

2 Corinthians 6:17-18  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,  (18)  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

 

2.  Lot placed the temporal things above the spiritual which are eternal things.  Lot knew the condition and character of Sodom, but chose the watered plains of Jordan and moved his family to live in Sodom. 

 

Genesis 13:10-13  And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.  (11)  Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.  (12)  Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.  (13)  But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

 

Lot knew what Sodom was!  You and I know what this world is like and the philosophy that they try to force upon us!  Satan and most of the world hate God and therefore are not friends with the saved.

 

3.  Lot came to sojourn (“pitched his tent”) among them and ended up dwelling (“turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house”) with them.  Though these two words are somewhat similar, they have different meanings.   Genesis 13:12  Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.   Genesis 19:2  And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.   a.  Sojourn implies a temporary stay with the expectation of moving on.  Often associated with being a foreigner, pilgrim, or exile.   b.  Dwell means to settle into a place and live or remain.  A long-term residence associated with security and belonging.   c.  Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer that you want to stay, and keep you longer than you want to stay!   d.  Lot was different when he came, but tried to assimilate: adapt or conform.   e.  You and I must live here because we are in the world, but must, at the same time, maintain a marked difference because we are not to be of them.  Our Lord’s Prayer clarifies this statement.   John 17:14-17  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  (15)  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.  (16)  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  (17)  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.   In these verses that our Lord prayed 2,000 years ago, He prayed for believers in our day.   John 17:9  I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

f.  In the beginning, Lot “pitched his tent” but later lived in a house, a more permanent dwelling place.

 

Genesis 13:12  Abram dwelled (to settle in and keep house) in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

 

Genesis 19:2  And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

 

4.  Lot thought that he fit in with the Sodomites, as he sat in the gate (I wonder what Lot was thinking that evening while sitting in the gate of the city, not suspecting that the morning would break with Sodom and the cities of the plain destroyed and most of his family lost!)  where all the city business took place, but he did not fit in!  Now to the verse, Genesis 19:9,  that stuck out to me. 

 

Genesis 19:6-7  And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,  (7)  And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

 

“And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them.”

 

a.  “Stand back!”  There will be a time when the world separates from you!  You get out of our way.  You are not going to change the world by trying to assimilate into it.  “This one fellow came into to sojourn!”  You will not change their hearts, minds, or actions!  “Evil communications still corrupt good manners!”  The world knows who you are!

 

b.  “ And he will needs be a judge.”  Lot was not going to judge their actions because, though saved, tried to ignore their exceeding sinfulness!  We cannot live with the world, try to live like the world, and quote Scripture to the world!

 

c.  “Now will we deal worse with thee, than with them!”  The Sodomites turned upon Lot as their main enemy!  Today, though so much of the churches dwell and sojourn in the world, more and more the church has become their enemy!  “There is an old saying, “You can run but you can’t hide!”

 

d.  “Up, get you out of this place … But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.”  Lot’s testimony to his family was “Get you out of this place” that I chose to dwell and sojourn in!  “Don’t do as I do, do as I say do?”  That won’t work!

 

e.  “While he lingered.”  Though warned of God, Lot still lingered where he was.  Interesting note, Demas never returned from Thessalonica!  Once the child of God gets wrapped up in the world, they normally die as they lived.  I have often said that our lives will preach our funerals.

 

f.  God was merciful, but the cost was great! 

 

Genesis 19:16  And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

 

Genesis 19:26  But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

 

Conclusion:  Pray for God to “ revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee!”  The cost of not being revived is horrendous! 

Corinth

Temple Baptist Church - 2-12-2025

1 Corinthians 1:1-3; Acts 18:1-11

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  The author of the book is the Apostle Paul. (1:1, 16:21).

 

B.  The place of he was writing from was. Ephesus. (16:8).

 

C.  The time of his writing.  Possible in the spring of 57 A.D., shortly before the Jewish feast of Pentecost (16:8), during his third missionary journey (Acts 19:1-41).

 

D.  Three things make the Corinthian Church stand out to me.

 

1.  The Carnality of the Corinthian Church.  Fifteen of the sixteen chapters were an open rebuke of said carnality!

 

2.  The Maturity of the Corinthian Church, found in 2 Corinthians, as they got the things that were wrong right.  They did not get mad, they got right!

 

3.  The Love that the great Apostle Paul had for this carnal church.  It was the only church epistle where Paul signed it this way: 

 

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  (24)  My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.” (1 Corinthians 16:23-24) 

 

E.  To understand the carnal condition of this “baby” church, full of new converts,  we need to look at Corinth in Paul’s day.

 

F.  The Background of Corinth: Corinth was situated on the Isthmus of Greece (called Achaia in the Bible) between the Ionian Sea and the Aegean Sea, above the Mediterranean Sea. About 50 miles to the east was the city of Athens.

 

1.  Isthmus - a narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger areas of land.

 

2.  This made Corinth possibly the most important trade city in its day. 

 

a)  Bridge between two major trade routes to the east because of the proximity of two seas to cross.

 

b)  A great port for trade ships as they could easily unload on one side and load on the other side of the isthmus, making trade goods easily accessible going east to west or west to east.

 

G.  The Corinth of Paul's day was relatively new. 

 

1.  The old Corinth (which was famous and powerful in the days of the Peloponnesian War) was burned in 146 B.C. by the Romans.  Because it was a city devoted to the gods, a hundred years were required to pass before the city could be rebuilt. 

 

2.  In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar rebuilt the city, populated it with a colony of veterans and freedmen, and named it Julia Corinthus.  It soon became a very important commercial center.

 

3. With a population of 400,000 and being a prominent center of commerce in the Mediterranean world, it was a place for all sorts of vice.  An example of its immorality was found in the temple of Venus (Aphrodite), which hosted 1000 priestesses dedicated to prostitution in the name of

religion. 

 

4.  The city's close proximity to the city of Athens probably added to the problem of intellectualism.  As noticed in the epistle, such an environment had its effect upon the church in Corinth.  It is amazing that a church existed at all in such a city.  Only God!

 

H.  The Background of the Church at Corinth:  The establishment of the church occurred during Paul's second missionary journey.  It is recorded by Luke in Acts 18:1-18, which can be divided into three sections:

 

1. Abiding with Aquila and Priscilla, fellow tentmakers; reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath (Acts 18:1-6).

 

After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;  (2)  And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.  (3)  And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.  (4)  And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.  (5)  And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.  (6)  And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. 

 

 

2. In the house of Justus, abiding there and teaching for a year and six months (Ac 18:7-11)

 

And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.  (8)  And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.  (9)  Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:  (10)  For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.  (11)  And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

          3) An incident before Gallio, proconsul of Achaia (Ac 18:12-18)

 

And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,  (13)  Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.  (14)  And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:  (15)  But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.  (16)  And he drave them from the judgment seat.  (17)  Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.  (18)  And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.

 

J.  These newborn babes in Christ were adversely affected by the immoral environment and thus the church was affected.

 

K.  Paul wrote 1 Corinthians in order to correct sinful practices and to refute false doctrine.

 

1.  Chapter 1 - Paul dealt with division in the church.

2.  Chapter 2 - Paul dealt with Intellectualism.

3.  Chapter 3 - Paul dealt with carnality.

4.  Chapter 4 - Paul dealt with stewardship and faithfulness.

5.  Chapter 5 - Paul dealt with immorality.

6.  Chapter 6 - Paul dealt with lawsuits and the sanctity of the body.

7.  Chapter 7 - Paul dealt with family problems.  Marriage to widows.

8.  Chapter 8 - Paul dealt with offending the brethren.

9.  Chapter 9 - Paul dealt with taking care of God’s men.

10.  Chapter 10 – Paul dealt with tempting the Lord through sinfulness.

11.  Chapter 11 – Paul dealt with submission to authority.

12.  Chapter 12 – Paul dealt with ignorance concerning spiritual gifts.

13.  Chapter 13 – Paul dealt with brotherly love.

14.  Chapter 14 – Paul dealt with the misuse of tongues.

15.  Chapter 15 – Paul dealt with heresy concerning the resurrection.

16.  Chapter 16 – Paul dealt with problems concerning giving.

 

HOW DID THIS CHURCH GET SO WORLDLY?

 

1.  There was the problem with both the pulpit and the pew.

 

a.  Verse 1.  Paul establishes his position and authority.  “Paul, called to be an apostle”  One sent forth with orders – authority.  I don’t know who the pastor was, but there was a total breakdown of authority and godly example so necessary for the welfare of a church.  People learn by seeing and hearing.

 

b.  They had a pastor but evidently there was no authority - 1 Peter 5:2  Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

 

1)  He failed to take the oversight – to watch over and protect from sin and Satan.

 

2)  He failed to feed – to ground them in God’s Word.

 

3)  Or, they had a pastor, and they failed to listen to him - 1 Timothy 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

 

4)  I do not believe that it was the third option because when Paul wrote to them, they listened and responded.

 

5)  The key to the church’s success was the faithfulness of the pastor and pulpit.

 

6)  The pastor is to be first an example, then he can effectively preach to the congregation.

 

1 Corinthians 11:1   Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

 

2 Timothy 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

 

2.  Therefore, there was a problem in The Church – vs. 2  “the church of God”  They were divided, suing one another, committing sin against one another and their own bodies, etc.

 

a.  In the Church we see unity instead of disunity – “church”  a called out assembly.  Called out of the world to worship and exhort one another.

 

John 15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

 

b.  In the Church we see purpose - Matthew 28:19-20  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

          1)  To evangelize

 

          2)  To instruct

 

3.  We See The Conversion – vs. 2  “called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours”  Saints-a most holy thing - purity-service  Not called to go to heaven, but called to be saints.

 

a.  It was a changing conversion - Galatians 6:15  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

b.  It was a common conversion - Romans 3:22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

 

Romans 10:12   For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

Remind Me, Dear Lord - Part 3 - This World Is Not My Home

Temple Baptist Church - 8-28-2022

1 Peter 1:3-5

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Last week, we were reminded that, despite our circumstances, we have a great salvation that is immutable, incorruptible, and eternal!  How about praising the Lord about that!

 

B.  This morning, I want us to see the second thing that Peter reminded these “strangers scattered,” that this world was not their home!

 

1.  The Lord saved us from the destruction of our sin.

2.  The Lord saved us from the destruction of our selves.

3.  The Lord saved us from the destruction of an eternal hell.

4.  BUT the Lord did not save us from the sorrows of this life: troubles, trials, tribulations, sickness, persecution, disappointments, discouragement, and all of the other problems associated with this life.

 

a)  Peter, the author of the book, suffered greatly.

b)  Paul, who wrote the Hebrew epistle to these same people, suffered greatly.

c)  In Hebrews, chapter 11, untold millions suffered greatly.

d)  From Abel to the present, people died and continued to die for their faith.

e)  Jesus Christ was rejected and railed upon, then crucified.

 

C.  Paul ended chapter 11, the Hall of Faith chapter, with these words: “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me!”  (Hebrews 11:32a)  It is important for us to know that when the Lord saved us, He did not save us from trials, troubles, disappointments, or discouragements, but He is there with us and for us in our hard times as well as in the good times.  Life is hard so just toughen up!

 

1 Corinthians 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.  (God sometimes does removed trials, God sometimes does not remove trials, but God always does help us to cope with them and get through them!)

 

D.  But the Lord did save us unto something!  A “lively hope” because of His resurrection from the dead.  Christ Jesus was not spared the suffering of propitiation because it was necessary for the salvation of sinners but, after His suffering, He rose from the tomb never to suffer again.

 

E.  We like to feel right at home in the present evil world and there are many things to be thankful for in this life but, we are in the world—not of the world.  We no longer belong.  We are a heavenly people living in a temporal world.

 

F.  Our Lord saved us unto something, not from something—He saved us to eternal life with Him—but He also saved us “to” something mentioned in verse 4.  To an inheritance!  Paul alluded to this in the First Corinthian Epistle:

 

1 Corinthians 2:9-10  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  (10)  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

 

G.  1 Peter 1:3-4 – “(3)  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  (4)  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you!”

 

1.  An Inheritance—The future acquisition of properties, finances, or real property.  The Lord saved us to an “inheritance.”

 

2.  The Bible declares that Christ will be heir to ALL things.  Heaven and earth will bow to Him and profess that He is Lord of all.

 

Hebrews 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

 

3.  Paul described all children of God as heirs.  Because we children, we are classified as heirs. 

 

Romans 8:16-17  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  (17)  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 

a) Heirs as God’s children.

 

b) Heirs of God.  Hebrews 1:2 declared Christ as heirs to All things that belong to God.  No contradiction here as Paul clarified eternal heirship in Romans, chapter 8.

 

c) Heirs of God because we are joint-heirs with Christ.  Joint-heirs means that all that Christ has belongs to each individual.

 

4.  When you have more than one heir in a will, there are many ways that the inheritance.  It can be divided up equally or unequally.  Since a of God’s children are saved by grace and grace alone, they have equality in inheritance.

 

5.  Paul made an importance statement in verse 17: “and joint-heirs with Christ.”  This means that our eternal inheritance will be all things that belong to Christ.  Joint-heirship will belong to each of the believers who inherit.

 

6.  I know of two men who were given a certain amount of land together.  All the land belonged to each to be used together.  Thus, it will be in eternity all that Christ Jesus owns (and He owns it ALL) will also be jointly owned by all the saved!  Just imagine that, owning heaven and earth and all that in them is!

 

H. Now the question could be asked, “What is my inheritance going to be?”  The short answer is EVERYTHING!  Now look at verse 4 of 1 Peter, chapter one.

 

1.  Our Inheritance will be incorruptible.  Everything here is temporal and will eventually corrupt!  I have seen property and homes that get tied up in an estate go downhill.  Properties and homes not cared for will tend to decay.  The eternal will never corrupt.  Your inheritance will never “go downhill!”

 

2.  Our Inheritance will be undefiled.  Everything here is temporal, and either is or will become defiled!  The eternal will never be defiled. No sin in eternity for sure so all that we know will be like the Garden of Eden as it was in the beginning.  Perfection to be enjoyed with no serpent to annoy!  Eternal bliss is the only way that I can explain it.

 

3.  Our Inheritance will be immutable.  Everything here is temporal and decays.  The eternal will never change.  The greatest thrill of eternity is that it is eternal: no time to pass because there will be no time.  And we wonder why God gets in no hurry?

 

4.  Our Inheritance will be unearned.  It is an eternal gift that God has reserved for His children.  We are not “sending up timbers” as some would say.

 

Conclusion:  In the midst of this evil world, we will have troubles, trials, tribulations, hard times but this world is not our home.  Our “long home” awaits us at either the moment of death or the twinkling of the eye at the rapture of the church!  Hang on, dear children, we are almost home.