Ever since God called me into the ministry, eighteen years ago, the theme of my ministry has been "Christ Is The Answer."   Why is that the theme?   I believe with all of my heart that Christ is the answer to every question and the solution for every problem.  I have had many questions that needed an answer; problems that needed a solution; problems that man could not solve.  I took them to the Lord.  He heard my prayers, he answered them and then filled my heart with a peace that passeth all understanding.

I believe that everyone has burdens to bear and troubles to face.
The Bible says "Man is born into trouble as the sparks fly upward."  But I also believe that Christ is the answer to every one of these trials.

Let's take a look at some of the many instances when Christ is the answer.

America is the greatest nation on the face of the earth, and I believe there never will be another nation just like America until Jesus comes back and sets up His kingdom.  This nation was founded by God because of a group of concerned, praying people on the ship, Mayflower.

 God has been good to America.

HE HAS BEEN GOOD TO US ECONOMICALLY.
 The standard of living here far exceeds that of other nations of the world.
HE HAS BEEN GOOD TO US EDUCATIONALLY.
 Any young person in America can go to college if he so desires.
HE HAS BEEN GOOD TO US POLITICALLY.
We have such great documents as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of  the United States which are the voice of the people.
HE HAS BEEN GOOD TO US RELIGIOUSLY.
There is a separation of Church and state.  Everyone may worship God according to the dictates of his conscience, God has truly been good to us.

But we are the most thankless people on the face of the earth.  S Someone has said, "If God doesn't judge America for her sins very soon, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah."

Just look around you.  You'll see sins of every kind: alcoholism, drug addiction, immorality, crime, lawlessness, and wickedness of every description.

A few years ago the United States Supreme Court opened a regular session with this prayer, "God save the United States of America and this honorable court."  But the Supreme Court that same day, issued a decree to put an end to prayer in the public schools in America.

What worse mockery can be thrown into the face of God.

We can't read the Word of God and pray in our schools, and yet, inscribed on our coins are the words, "In God We Trust."

What is the Answer to America?
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  II.Chronicles 7:14
Christ Is The Answer

Back in the beginning, God created the world.
Then He created man, Adam, in His own image and likeness.
Then He gave to man the greatest of all human gifts -- the freedom of choice.

God said, "Adam, you can eat of every tree but one.  If you eat of that one tree, you will surely die!"

NOW, Adam had a choice.  He could obey God or disobey Him.
He could eat of that one tree or not eat.
He could live or die.
He made his choice.
He ate of the tree and sinned against God.

Sin is a transgression of the law, and since Adam, the first man, the head of the human race sinned, then everyone born from that day to this, is born in sin.

You have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  And the Bible says, "The wages of sin is death.   The soul that sinneth it shall surely die."

You cry out from the depths of your soul, "What shall I do?"
Jesus then says, "Come unto Me. I will take your burden away.  I will bury your sins in the deepest ocean."

How wonderful to have Christ as our Savior.

Picture a man drowning in the river.  He cries for help.
One man goes sailing by and says to him, "I'm sorry I don't have time to help you."
Another man sails by and says, "Next time don't fall in."
Then another comes to his side.  He reaches down and lifts the man out of the water and places him in the safety of the boat.  When I looked closely, I found it was my soul sinking in the river of sin and the one who lifted me out was Jesus Christ.

He says to everyone, "Come unto Me, and I will lift you out of the sea of sin and put you in the ark of safety."

Yes, Christ is the only answer to the problem of sin.

Our newspapers are filled with stories of divorces and broken homes.
Stories from brokenhearted husbands, tearful wives, and confused children ---- unbelievable stories of misery and unhappiness in the home.

Nearly 400,000 marriages turn into divorce every year in the United States.
One third of these involve children.
The child's feelings are affected through fears, tensions, and nightmares.
Many times these scars are deep and permanent.

How desperately each child needs to know that mom and dad love each other and love Jesus Christ.

It seems strange to me that parents claim to love their children so much they give them food, clothing, a roof over their head, and spending money, but deny them the thing they need most: a
Christian mom and dad.  I've seen many homes and families go on the rocks because Christ did not have a place in those homes.

Here are a few suggestions for a happy home:

1. BUILD YOUR HOME ON CHRIST.
This is the strongest foundation that you can find.  The storms of life can beat upon your home, but they can never wreck it.   Surrender your life to Jesus.

2. LIVE A CONSECRATED LIFE.
 After you have let Christ into your home, you must continue to live daily for Him.
 Go to church together on Sunday.

3. READ YOUR BIBLE AND HAVE PRAYER.
The Bible must have a prominent place in your home.  Read it, love it, and live it.
 Pray every day.  You say, "Tim, I don't know how to pray."
Prayer doesn't have to be a well thought out speech, prayer is simply talking to God.  Just pour out your heart to Him.  Let Him know what's in your heart.

Troubles may come, tears may flow, your heart may be broken a hundred times, but if you have Christ in your heart and home, you will have the strength to rise above them.

I thank God for doctors and nurses and medicine and hospitals.  God has provided them for our benefit and His Glory.  They have helped my family and me numerous times.  However, there are times when the doctors are baffled.  Their wisdom and knowledge and healing power have reached an impasse because there are a few diseases for which no cure has been found.

But, Jesus has the remedy for every disease and affliction.  He healed the sick, cast out devils, gave sight to the blind, caused the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

In the book of Mark we read of a woman who had a blood disease.  She had it for twelve years and I imagine it had caused her a great deal of pain and mental anguish.  She had gone to many doctors and spent her life savings in an effort to find a cure for this discomfort.  But no cure was to be found until she brought herself and her disease to Jesus.  Jesus and His disciples were walking down the highway.  A great crowd of people were following them.  This woman in need slipped up next to jesus, reached out her hand and touched the hem of His garment.  Jesus turned quickly and asked, "Who touched me?"  His eyes gazed upon he woman.  She was trembling and afraid.  She fell down before Him and poured out her problem to Jesus, and He said, "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole."

He is still the great Physician.  He is the Christ for every crisis.  When sickness comes, talk to your family physician, but don't stop there.  Talk to your Heavenly Physician too.  He will give you strength to overcome weakness, courage to endure pain, faith to drive away fear, and patience to calm anxiety.

The Bible says, "It is appointed unto man once to die..."

As you look out upon the world, you see that the Bible is true.
We find funeral services being conducted every day; graves being opened; obituary columns being prepared for print; and the cup of sorrow being pressed to the lips of many people.      The bottom has fallen out and life is empty.

What can a person do to bring strength and peace in such an hour?

Turn to Christ for He will comfort, bless, and give you peace and hope.

What about the deceased?
What can he do about the problem of death?

There is nothing he can do if he is already deceased.  He must do it before death comes.

He must prepare by repenting of his sins and putting his faith in Jesus before he breathes his last breath.

One of radio's fines news commentators on a broadcast recently pulled a real ‘blooper.'  He told his listeners, "from time to time you will hear commercials from sponsors of this program.  I hope you will patronize them soon --- maybe even this week."

But as soon as his broadcast was finished the first commercial was for an area funeral home.

Probably not too many wanted to heed the advice of the announcer and patronize that sponsor "soon", but it ought to have caused all of them to do some serious thinking.

Unless Christ returns for His own first, every individual who heard that newscast along with millions of others will one day -- perhaps soon, perhaps within a week -- patronize a funeral home.

Knowing that death is coming to you, it would be wise to line up with Christ.  He has defeated death and has made a stairway from the closed grave to the open gate leading to life eternal.

Trust in Christ now:   HE IS THE ANSWER!

A lady in Montreal, Canada wrote to the Michigan State Highway Department and told of a planned visit to the Detroit, named Hell, saying,  "We thought it would be fun to be able to say we had been in Hell, saying, "We thought it would be fun to be able to say we had been in Hell."  They received a marked map from the department showing the location of the tiny, unincorporated community, adding, "To complete your trip, you might also visit Paradise in upper Michigan."

I don't know whether the lady will spend eternity in Hell or Paradise, but one thing is sure: she will spend eternity in one place or the other.  And so will every one of you listening to my voice.  That destiny will be determined by what you do with Jesus Christ.  John 3:18 says, "He that believeth on Him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

The attitude of this lady is typical on the part of many people everywhere.  They talk lightly of Heaven and Hell.  They think if they ridicule them enough they will be able to laugh them out of existence.  That will never be possible.

The Bible describes Hell with such language as, "outer darkness," "chains of darkness," "mists of darkness," and "the blackness of darkness forever."

Some time ago three coal miners were trapped in a cave-in at Beaver Dam, Kentucky.  These men were trapped in the pit for more than forty-one hours.  They fought a damp cold, and they went without food.   But after they were rescued, they said, "We missed the sunshine most of all."

Yet they experienced only 41 hours of darkness.  Try to imagine what it will be like for a sinner in Hell where he will see no light.

These three men said after they were rescued, "All of us prayed right after the fall. We didn't do any singing, but we prayed."  But in the pit of Hell, it will be too late to pray.  They were rescued from the mine, but no sinner will be rescued from Hell.

Try to contrast in your imagination the other place of eternity called Heaven.  The twelve gates are made of pearl; the walls are of jasper; the street is pure gold; and the foundations of the city are made of jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, topaz emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, chrysoprasus, jacinth, and amethyst.

Oh how beautiful Heaven must be.  It will be a place where no tears will flow for God will wipe them away; no sorrow will be known; and where Jesus and our loved ones, who died in Jesus, will be waiting for us with open arms.

But there is only one way to reach that Heaven.  Entrance into the city will not depend upon race, color, or creed -- it will depend upon a vital, personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  He is the answer.

He said, "I am the way," He also said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."