Put Your Hope in God.
My wife Fran and I were watching Fox News the other night. I’m not sure how long we had the program on, but Fran suddenly said “That’s enough of that. It’s so depressing”, and changed the channel. I have felt that way many times myself as I listen to the news – especially in regard to the direction our government (the State) is taking.
Maybe you felt depressed and discouraged after our discussion over the last couple of weeks as we discussed the role of the State (two weeks ago), and the condition of American families in the United States (last week), and the ways in which the State seems to actually oppose the Lord’s “Husband-Wife-Children” design of the family through formal and informal doctrines. When I look at the condition of our culture, recognize that we live in a post-modern world which is increasingly hostile toward those of the Christian faith, and accept the reality that the world hates us, I find myself wishing that I could just “change the channel.” Even if I could, I would find that the same program is playing on every station. The reality cannot be avoided.
When we begin to feel discouraged in the battle, it is important to remember the words of the psalmist –
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. (Psalm 42:5-6)
We find valuable insight here regarding how we are to deal with our disturbed and downcast souls. We should do two things: 1) “Put your hope in God.” 2) “I will remember you”, meaning remember all that God has already done.
“PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD”
I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency at times to put my hope in everything BUT God. I know this is incredibly foolish, and that you would never do such a thing, but sometimes I put my hope in my strength, my will, my abilities, my knowledge – you get the picture, right? It strikes me that we, as body of believers have a similar tendency, especially when it comes to addressing the huge problems that exist within our government. We may place our hope in a certain party or political candidate. We might place our hope in getting the “right” Supreme Court justice in place. We may place our hope in getting so many “Tea Parties” organized that we bring about change.
I am not saying that we should not do these things. I believe that we have a responsibility to do all that we can within our rights as citizens. These things are however, a “vain hope for deliverance” (Psalm 33:17) if these actions are what we hope will bring about change. The believers’ hope must be in God, and Him alone.
“I WILL REMEMBER YOU”
If we will remember all that God has already done, our hearts are uplifted because of His awesome “body of work”. In an earlier post (Session IV, Post 16) I wrote these words:
When I examine my own life, I can see that the Lord had His hand on my life long before I was saved, and has continued to do so ever since. He brought me through the years of anger and bitterness after my father died. He brought an amazing woman into my life who has been my helpmate for almost 38 years. He saw my family through times of illness – some acute and severe, some chronic and long lasting. He brought blessing to me in business, and blessed us with two wonderful children who have grown to become adults whom I respect and admire. His blessing just goes on and on…
It pains me to admit how seldom I think of these things. All too often I suffer from “want of memory” and I “forget” Him, becoming unaware and oblivious.
Brothers and sisters, when we begin to feel discouraged, we need to remember the character and nature of the God we serve, and all that He has already done.
The reality is that we are more than conquerors, in spite of how things may appear in this world.
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:28-37)
We are more than conquerors. How? Through him who loved us.
This is the only way to victory.
Is your soul downcast and discouraged? Put your hope in God, and nothing else.
In Christ,
John
Soli Dei Gloria
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Truth Process Session IV, Lesson 1
Truth Process Session IV, Lesson 1
In our first lesson we were reminded of one of the “harsh realities” of life – we live in a post-Christian culture in which false truth claims seem to spread and multiply like dandelion seeds in the wind. Metaphorically, our culture is deluded into thinking that a field full of dandelions is more desirable than a lawn of lush, green grass!
The reality is that there is not a single person or organization which is capable of changing the culture. No program, no matter how well organized or promoted can do it. A super-charismatic, eloquent speaker could not, by virtue of his words and the manner in which they are delivered, bring about a change in the moral climate of the world we inhabit. If it were possible, that would be an example of “Top Down” change. That’s not going to happen…
The alternative is “Bottom Up” change. This type of change involves each of us, as individual parts of the body of believers, doing all that we can do to impact those around us for the glory of God. Now you may find it as difficult as I do to imagine that God could use me as a tool in the transformation of others’ lives, but we need look no further than the life of Paul to see the evidence that God can do extraordinary things with very ordinary people. But you and I, as believers, are no longer ordinary at all – we are, each and every one of us, a “new creation”.
I have no idea what you were like before salvation, but I was a stubborn, angry (at God and the world in general), harsh person – hard on myself and even harder on others. (Remember the Donkey picture I showed you? Well, that was a kind depiction of what I was like.) An amazing thing happened at the moment of my salvation – I became a new creation! No longer a donkey, but a Thoroughbred – built to run – swift and strong. And although a new creation, I found that I still carried many of the old “donkey” habits and characteristics. Over the years, the Lord has helped me to change, and become more like a Thoroughbred, but I still find the old “Donkey nature” appearing from time to time. But here’s my point…
You, as a believer, are a new creation. Whatever you were before, God has changed. You are now His beloved, His child, His ambassador. A saint! You are an extraordinary child of the God of the universe. He knows you personally, and you get to call Him “Father”. Isn’t that incredible? Isn’t it amazing?
Think about this: Christ is in you. The Holy Spirit is in you. Christ and the Father are one, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son. That makes you pretty extraordinary, doesn’t it? You would think that so many extraordinary people would have a huge impact on the culture. So what’s the problem?
I think it’s fair to say that there a number of reasons why we have failed to impact the culture as we should. I can’t speak for you, but for me, it’s often an ATTITUDE problem.
God’s word says:
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…” (Phil 2:5)
The word translated “attitude” has to do with “being mentally disposed in a particular direction”. This addresses how we think, how we view the world, ourselves, and ultimately, our purpose.
The verses which follow give us an idea of Christ’s attitude:
Although fully God, He poured himself out – emptied himself.
He humbled himself. Christ willingly humbled himself – He did have to be humbled by the Father – He willingly humbled himself.
He was obedient. The word translated “obedient” means “attentively listening, (by implication) submissive.”
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…” Imagine how different our lives would be if we were disposed to have the same attitude as Christ - pouring ourselves out for Him, willingly humbling ourselves before Him, attentively listening to Him.
In addition to the ATTITUDE problem, there’s the “working it out” problem.
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-- continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” (Phil. 2:12)
“Work out’ means “to do work fully, i.e. accomplish; by implication, to finish,”
Let me be clear here in stating that this is NOT a reference to an attempt to earn one’s salvation by works. Your salvation and mine are a finished work through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Scripture plainly tells us that “by grace you have been saved through, not by works…” So what is this “work out” business all about?
Working out our salvation is the expression of one’s salvation in spiritual growth & development. Over time, we should find ourselves becoming more mature in our faith, more Christ like, less like the old fallen self.
How I wish this was something I could just check off my “To Do” list! I love “To Do” lists. I love it when I can check of an item, knowing it’s done. It’s not that way for me when it comes to working out my faith, and it’s not that way for you either.
Note that Paul says “continue to work out your salvation.” There is nothing accidental in the divinely inspired word of God. This clearly conveys to us that spiritual growth and development is a continuous, life long process. You can’t be “done with it.”
This week’s lesson reminded me that my attitude falls far short of that of Christ Jesus, and that I have a tendency to stop working out my salvation. I encourage you to take some time for your own self examination this week. Maybe you will discover the same is true for you as well.
Until next week – remember that God loves you with a love higher than the heavens are above the earth. Your sins have been removed from you as far as the east is from the west. Whether you act like a spiritual donkey or a spiritual thoroughbred, you are always beloved by Him.
In Christ,
John
In our first lesson we were reminded of one of the “harsh realities” of life – we live in a post-Christian culture in which false truth claims seem to spread and multiply like dandelion seeds in the wind. Metaphorically, our culture is deluded into thinking that a field full of dandelions is more desirable than a lawn of lush, green grass!
The reality is that there is not a single person or organization which is capable of changing the culture. No program, no matter how well organized or promoted can do it. A super-charismatic, eloquent speaker could not, by virtue of his words and the manner in which they are delivered, bring about a change in the moral climate of the world we inhabit. If it were possible, that would be an example of “Top Down” change. That’s not going to happen…
The alternative is “Bottom Up” change. This type of change involves each of us, as individual parts of the body of believers, doing all that we can do to impact those around us for the glory of God. Now you may find it as difficult as I do to imagine that God could use me as a tool in the transformation of others’ lives, but we need look no further than the life of Paul to see the evidence that God can do extraordinary things with very ordinary people. But you and I, as believers, are no longer ordinary at all – we are, each and every one of us, a “new creation”.
I have no idea what you were like before salvation, but I was a stubborn, angry (at God and the world in general), harsh person – hard on myself and even harder on others. (Remember the Donkey picture I showed you? Well, that was a kind depiction of what I was like.) An amazing thing happened at the moment of my salvation – I became a new creation! No longer a donkey, but a Thoroughbred – built to run – swift and strong. And although a new creation, I found that I still carried many of the old “donkey” habits and characteristics. Over the years, the Lord has helped me to change, and become more like a Thoroughbred, but I still find the old “Donkey nature” appearing from time to time. But here’s my point…
You, as a believer, are a new creation. Whatever you were before, God has changed. You are now His beloved, His child, His ambassador. A saint! You are an extraordinary child of the God of the universe. He knows you personally, and you get to call Him “Father”. Isn’t that incredible? Isn’t it amazing?
Think about this: Christ is in you. The Holy Spirit is in you. Christ and the Father are one, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son. That makes you pretty extraordinary, doesn’t it? You would think that so many extraordinary people would have a huge impact on the culture. So what’s the problem?
I think it’s fair to say that there a number of reasons why we have failed to impact the culture as we should. I can’t speak for you, but for me, it’s often an ATTITUDE problem.
God’s word says:
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…” (Phil 2:5)
The word translated “attitude” has to do with “being mentally disposed in a particular direction”. This addresses how we think, how we view the world, ourselves, and ultimately, our purpose.
The verses which follow give us an idea of Christ’s attitude:
Although fully God, He poured himself out – emptied himself.
He humbled himself. Christ willingly humbled himself – He did have to be humbled by the Father – He willingly humbled himself.
He was obedient. The word translated “obedient” means “attentively listening, (by implication) submissive.”
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…” Imagine how different our lives would be if we were disposed to have the same attitude as Christ - pouring ourselves out for Him, willingly humbling ourselves before Him, attentively listening to Him.
In addition to the ATTITUDE problem, there’s the “working it out” problem.
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-- continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” (Phil. 2:12)
“Work out’ means “to do work fully, i.e. accomplish; by implication, to finish,”
Let me be clear here in stating that this is NOT a reference to an attempt to earn one’s salvation by works. Your salvation and mine are a finished work through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Scripture plainly tells us that “by grace you have been saved through, not by works…” So what is this “work out” business all about?
Working out our salvation is the expression of one’s salvation in spiritual growth & development. Over time, we should find ourselves becoming more mature in our faith, more Christ like, less like the old fallen self.
How I wish this was something I could just check off my “To Do” list! I love “To Do” lists. I love it when I can check of an item, knowing it’s done. It’s not that way for me when it comes to working out my faith, and it’s not that way for you either.
Note that Paul says “continue to work out your salvation.” There is nothing accidental in the divinely inspired word of God. This clearly conveys to us that spiritual growth and development is a continuous, life long process. You can’t be “done with it.”
This week’s lesson reminded me that my attitude falls far short of that of Christ Jesus, and that I have a tendency to stop working out my salvation. I encourage you to take some time for your own self examination this week. Maybe you will discover the same is true for you as well.
Until next week – remember that God loves you with a love higher than the heavens are above the earth. Your sins have been removed from you as far as the east is from the west. Whether you act like a spiritual donkey or a spiritual thoroughbred, you are always beloved by Him.
In Christ,
John
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