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Your Hope Is In The God Of Hope

Dec 8, 2020

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15:13

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It is easy to lose hope when we lose a loved one, lose a job, lose a battle, lose control, lose our health or lose our way, but there is a sure and steadfast hope that is ours as a gift of grace that is always there when we need it most.  This hope isn’t some self-created positive attitude that things will turn out the way we envision in our heads; it is a Spirit-produced confidence in the faithfulness of God to keep His promises that is settled in our hearts.  He promised that Jesus would come, and He did.  He promises that Jesus will come again, and He will.  As we reflect on what God has already done, we are reassured of what He is yet to do even as we wait in-between… The beginning and the new beginning.  The already and the not yet.  The first coming and the second coming.  The earthly and the heavenly.  The suffering and the pleasure. The seeing through-a-glass and the seeing face-to-face.  The temporary and the eternal.  Even as we await our entrance into heaven then and there, we can experience our heavenly citizenship here and now.  Its peace.  Its joy.  Its King.  How?  By believing.  Believing that hope in Jesus is never a lost hope.  Believing in the promises of the God of hope.  Believing that the Holy Spirit will cause us to abound in hope.  Yes, this world is full of hurts and heartaches, but no matter what you face today, you can live in celebration of what Jesus has already accomplished for you and in anticipation of the day He will return to heal your hurting heart fully and forever.  He has been with you all along.  He is with you even now.  He will be with you always.  Your hope isn’t in your ability to figure out how to make it work out; your hope is confidence that He already has, and though things aren’t yet perfect, the day is coming when they will be.

When We Could Not Get To God, God Came To Us

Dec 1, 2020

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).  – Matthew 1:22-23

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There is something about closeness that increases the intensity of the experience and decreases the insensitivity to it.  Nearer to the sun produces greater light.  Nearer to the fire produces greater warmth.  Nearer to God produces greater hope and happiness.   If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then surely presence makes the heart grow fuller.  But there is a problem:  our sin prevents nearness to God because it separates us from Him with no possible way from our side to bridge the gap between us.  This is why Jesus came, to become “God with us” so we can be with God.  This is why Jesus lived.  This is why Jesus died.  This is why Jesus rose.  So you and I can draw near to God.  In doing so, He unleashed the light and warmth of His love with all of its countless benefits and blessings that come from knowing and being close to Him.   We who are trusting in Jesus for forgiveness of and freedom from sin need no longer be distant from real peace, real hope, real joy, real comfort, real security, real wisdom and real love because we are no longer distant from God.   The greater our trust in Him, the nearer we are to Him.  So… Let us look to Him with confidence that He will satisfy our hearts; let us live for Him by faith that He will secure our way; let us long for Him with hope that He will come for us so we can be perfectly and pleasurably in His presence forevermore.  And let us remember and rejoice that it’s all because of Immanuel.  When we could not get to God, God came to us.

The Only Words God Can’t Use

Nov 21, 2020

God sends you to other people to do good works; He also sends you to deliver good news. It’s not enough to model the Christian faith, you must talk about it as well.  More than your political views, weather thoughts, weekend recaps, chit-chat, sports rants and other normal aspects of everyday conversation, people desperately need to hear about Jesus from you. You are an ambassador who speaks on His behalf, shares His message, and sends out His invitation to come find life in Him.   Rather than giving other people pep talks, false hopes and self-improvement strategies for “living their best lives now,” we should point them to the life-giving, life-changing, life-enriching good news of Jesus and all the blessings and benefits He has secured on the cross for those who will trust in Him.   The people we know need to know what we know about Jesus!  When we give practical guidance, it should include a reminder of what Jesus has promised to them and an encouragement to rely on Him.  When we talk of our own lives, we should testify to His faithfulness and goodness towards us.  When we voice our views, we should give the truths of God’s words as the basis for our beliefs.   It’s always about Jesus. So… Tell others about Him.  Encourage others to trust Him.  Help others know Him.  Speak up in faith about your faith and trust God to speak through you as you speak for Him. The only words God can’t use are the ones you don’t say.

Jesus Is The Solid Rock On Which We Stand

Nov 15, 2020

It is hard to know who or what to believe.   It is hard to know what is real and what is fake.  It is hard to distinguish between fact and fiction.  It is hard to know who is telling us the whole truth, who is withholding the truth, who is distorting the truth, who is misinterpreting the truth, and who is creating their own version of the truth. Who can we count on to be honest with us with what we need to hear?  What is the standard by which we can evaluate all other guiding life principles and philosophies? What truth can we live by so we do not live in vain or error? Who can we believe?  Jesus.  The Son of God is Who we can believe.  He always says the right things at the right time in the right way to get the right result in and through our lives, primarily speaking His words to us through THE Word, the Bible.  On what He says, we must:  Base our faith. Pin our hopes.  Entrust our futures.  Find our answers.  Solve our problems.  Build our lives.  It is the solid rock on which we stand; all other ground is sinking sand (Matthew 7:24-27).

It’s Okay To Not Be Okay

Nov 8, 2020

It’s okay to not be okay.  It’s not okay to stay that way.  Self-sufficiency was never a part of God’s design for us.  From mankind’s beginning, He purposed that we would be a people who needed help.  Help from Him.  Help from each other.   To those He called to be in the family of God, He also called to live as the family of God in administering His care to one another until the day comes when He will welcome us into our heavenly home, and there will be no more burdens to bear.  He calls, gifts, empowers, mobilizes, and sends the church to be the hands, feet, and mouth of Jesus to people inside and outside the family of God.  I help you; you help me; we help others; we all look to God for help.  That’s what God means to happen. Therefore, the smartest thing we can do when we find ourselves feeling overpowered, overwhelmed or overloaded is to ask for help.  If it’s more than you or I can handle alone, that’s God’s way of saying He doesn’t want us to handle it alone.

There Is Much I Don’t Know

Nov 7, 2020

There is so much I don’t know.  Every day I am aware of my limitations for figuring things out on my own.  I often don’t know… What to say. What to think. What to do. What to pray. What to desire. What to prioritize. What to decline. What to give. What to believe. Know what I mean? There are countless perplexities in our lives where the best way to proceed is often unknown to us.  But there is good news for people like you and me.  There is so much we do not know, but all we need to know is Jesus.  Why?  Because He knows everything!  Every mystery is already solved by Him.  Every as yet unwritten page is an open book to Him.  Every murky situation is crystal clear to Him.  Every question is easily answered by Him. He knows exactly what we should say, think, do, and feel to wisely navigate through life.  Better still, He makes known those very things to us so we can know what He knows.   The wisest thing we can do today is seek the wisdom of the Lord.  There will never be a situation for which He does not have the answer. Don’t be concerned about what you do not know; be confident in the One Who knows it all.

Our Lives Are About Jesus

Nov 6, 2020

It’s easy to be mistaken about this.  It’s easy to assume this.  It’s easy to believe this.  It’s easy to want this.  It’s easy to live like this. What is this? The idea that your life is about you.  It’s not.  The Bible teaches over and over again that your life is about Jesus.  For example, 2 Corinthians 5:14,15 says… “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” Who are we to live for?  Not ourselves.  For Jesus, the One who died for us and was raised for us. Today is a good day to be reminded that you and I should… Exalt Jesus. Proclaim Jesus. Model Jesus. Know Jesus. Serve Jesus. Praise Jesus. Believe Jesus. Seek Jesus. Adore Jesus. Please Jesus. Magnify Jesus. Worship Jesus. Defend Jesus. Treasure Jesus.  Follow Jesus. Trust Jesus. Enjoy Jesus. Obey Jesus. Love Jesus.  As Christians, everything about our lives is because of Jesus and should be used for Jesus.

God Is Working In Ways You Do Not See

Nov 5, 2020

God is actively working behind-the-scenes for you right now to meet your needs in ways that you don’t see.  You don’t have the answers; God does.  You don’t know the next move; God does.  You can’t see how it will work out; God does.  Everything you really need will really be supplied.  Not maybe.  Not probably.  Definitely.  God will provide for every need.   Not some of them.  Not most of them.  All of them, without exception.  Right when you need it, not a second too late. If you don’t have it now, it’s because you don’t need it now.  God met our greatest need by sending Jesus to live, die and rise for us so we can be forgiven for and freed from our sin; surely, He will also meet our lesser ones! What rest and relief and rejoicing there is when you do the work that God has said is for you to do, and believe that He is doing the work that is not for you to do.

The Weight Of Worry Is Lifted By Jesus

Nov 4, 2020

You can downplay it, but you cannot ignore it.  You can numb it, but you cannot heal it.  You can run from it, but you cannot escape it.   For those who carry it around inside, the weight of worry is a debilitating burden that grows larger, gains traction and grates on your thoughts and feelings. Oftentimes a low-level anxiety.  Sometimes an explosive outburst.  At all times a threat to your peace and joy.  The cure is not to make-believe it isn’t there, white-knuckle your way through it or self-medicate for some temporary relief.  These may pick you up for a moment, but they offer no real hope for real freedom from the worries that are weighing you down.  The balm for a heart and mind that is reeling from the cares of the world is to cast your cares on Jesus.  He is willing to take that weight from you and carry your anxieties for you if you are willing to let Him and let go of them.  This means trusting that He is strong enough, wise enough and loving enough to sustain you through it all no matter what happens.  As your confidence in Him grows, your anxiety shrinks; as your worries transfer to Him, your peace and joy return. Remember this today: you do not have to live with constant low-level anxiety and stress because you have the constant presence of Jesus living in you.

Our Hope Is In Jesus

Nov 2, 2020

Our hope is not in who sits in the Oval Office, but in Who sits on the throne in heaven.  Our hope is not in who governs us on earth, but in Who reigns and rules over the entire universe.  Our hope is not in what laws are passed, but in the One Who has written His law of love on our hearts.  While politics, parties, programs and policies do have an impact upon our lives and our country, and we should take these things seriously, the optimism we have for everyday and eternal well-being does not rise and fall on one of us, but on Jesus, Who is God with us.  No candidate, no party, no administration, no vote, no election, no legislation, no ruling, – no, nothing can stop God from accomplishing whatever He intends.  This is where we pin our hope.  Let us prayerfully consider how to honor Christ in how we cast our vote and let us move past election day with positive confidence that God will work things out for good, and that things will turn out for the best in the end.

I’m A Believer

Oct 30, 2020

I’m a believer.  I believe that Jesus is Who the Bible says He is and did what the Bible says He did. I believe He can be trusted without hesitation or reservation.  I believe He reigns over my life for good.  I believe His kingdom will last forever.  I believe fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore await me.  I believe in His agenda of love.  I believe He chose me to be in His family and called me to invite others into His family. I believe I have given up nothing of value to follow Him and have gained immeasurable riches in knowing Him. I believe grace is available to those who receive His love, and wrath is coming for those who reject it.  I believe He has forgiven the penalty of my sin, freed me from the power of sin, and will forever remove the presence of sin from me.  I believe He will finish what He started in me, loving me just as I am, but always working to transform me into who I have not yet become.  I believe that to believe is to turn from sin and turn to Jesus. I believe He is coming soon, perhaps today, to fulfill all that He has promised.  I believe until I meet Him face to face in glory, I should bring Him glory on earth.  I believe that because of Jesus the best is always yet to come for those who believe. Do you believe?

He Will Finish What He Started

Oct 27, 2020

In a world of seemingly endless uncertainties, there is something that we can be absolutely sure of:  God will finish what He started in us.  There is zero chance He will fail.  God has begun a good work in us, and He will work all things together for good to ensure its completion.  We will keep going.  We will endure.  We will make it to the finish line where our faith will become sight in the presence of God. Not because of anything we can do apart from God, but because Jesus is a part of us, enabling us by His grace to persevere to the end.  He is both the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), and He is faithful even when we are not. We are on our way and until we get there, even when our days include struggles and our walk include stumbles, let us press on in joyful confidence that getting to our heavenly home does not depend upon us but on God at work in us and for us.  Yes, we work hard by His grace to follow Him closely in loving obedience, but He alone will ensure that we are able to do so every step of the way.  Rejoice as you hold on until the end-before-the-beginning, knowing that God is holding on to you.  On this, eternal security firmly rests for those who are trusting in Jesus:  He will finish what He started.

This Life Is Not All There Is

Oct 26, 2020

One of the enemy’s biggest deceptions is convincing us to live as if this life is all there is.  It’s the cause for the fear of missing out, the fear of sacrificial service and the fear of death.  It’s the reason so many strive to build their own kingdoms instead of building the kingdom of God.  It’s the basis for the never-ending search for happiness by looking to the world instead of looking to Jesus to find happiness that is never-ending. The lie that we should live as if this life is all there is to live for is the fountainhead of ten thousand troubles.  And you can find out exactly what you’re living for by honestly answering one simple question:  why do you think, feel, speak, and act as you do?  Is it because of some earthly aim or ambition, or because you’ve got your sights set on eternity?  Everything looks different when you look past the temporary to forever.   This place isn’t our home; we’re heading home.  This life won’t last forever; the next life will.  This treasure trove will fade away; the ones laid up in heaven have an everlasting shine.  The joys and pleasures of today that never satisfy enough and never last enough will give way to fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore when we enter the presence of God.

Trusting That God Knows What He’s Doing

Oct 24, 2020

Why are some things hard?  Why are some things easy?  Why are some things ongoing?  Why are some things abrupt?  Why are some things present?  Why are some things absent?  Because God knows best what to allow into our lives, how intensely they should be experienced, and how long they should remain.  It’s not always easy to see the “why” behind the “what” that God allows into our lives.  But the longer we walk with Jesus, the more we recognize that our Heavenly Father uses all the things He allows into our lives to build us up in our faith and bless us in ways we never would experience if we followed our own plan.  Looking back, we see that in those moments we didn’t think God was working, His fingerprints were on every irregularly shaped piece of the puzzle, fitting them together to form us into the image of His Son.  God doesn’t expect us to know what He’s doing; He just expects us to trust that He does.

God Will Get You Through The Day

Oct 22, 2020

The more confident we are in God’s love, mercy, and faithfulness, the more we will turn to Him for help instead of looking elsewhere for it.  And we will find that help, for His mercies are always lovingly and faithfully delivered anew each morning.  New because each day has new needs.  New because today’s needs are different than those from yesterday.  New because we are never to enter any day thinking we don’t need God.  New because they testify of God’s steadfast love and great faithfulness day after day.  New because our daily walk is to be one of faith.  New because their day-by-day presence re-centers and re-stirs our hearts to grateful worship.  Whatever happens today, we can be assured that God’s custom-tailored, need-meeting, heart-stirring, joy-producing, Jesus-glorifying mercies will be there to save the day.  That doesn’t mean it will always be without problems, pain and pandemonium.    Sometimes you’ll arrive at the end of the day a little broken and beaten up.  But what will help get you through the day is remembering that God will get you through the day!

With Faith All Things Are Made Possible

Oct 17, 2020

There is often a tension between belief and doubt when things become difficult.  The mountain seems too high.  The path seems too rough.  The situation seems too overwhelming.  The outlook seems too bleak.  The task seems too great.  What we need to remember is this:  if we believe in a small God, our problems will always seem big.  If we believe in a big God, our problems will always seem small.   It would be plausible to lose hope and lose heart when facing things that are too much for us to handle if we were forced to handle them alone.  But Jesus has promised to never leave us alone, always supplying the grace we need for the needs we face.  The more we trust in Him, the more we will rely on Him to take the next steps into the unexpected, uncertain and unpleasant difficulties of this broken world.  He will work it out for good as we work out His purposes for us.  With faith all things are not made easy.  With faith all things are made possible.

The Mountain Reminds Us To Depend On God

Oct 15, 2020

We were not made to be self-reliant, self-sustaining or self-sovereigns.  God created us to be dependent upon His gracious care and provision, turning to Him and trusting in Him, moment by moment for what we need for what we face.   Our wisdom and willpower are inadequate for handling life, but His is infinite, and it is readily available to those who have put their faith in Jesus.  Don’t try to make it on your own.  You were never meant to.  Whenever there is a mountain of little stuff piled up a mile high, or one big mile high mountain, that is too big for you to climb, perhaps God put it there as a gracious and loving reminder for you to depend on Him.

Accept No Cheap Substitutes For Jesus

Oct 5, 2020

Every day we are offered cheap substitutes for God and His way of living.  They promise us a great deal on getting a better life apart from Him … you can get comfort in food, peace by running from your problems, security in your bank account, self-worth by achievement, guidance via a self-help manual, rest through a weekend getaway, and happiness in whatever makes you feel good for the moment. Yet none of those things lead to full and lasting satisfaction.  While they certainly satisfy for a moment, they are never enough.  They always leave us wanting something more or something different.  But here’s the good news: God has already richly supplied us with every possible blessing in Jesus to satisfy our souls.  In moments when we feel our hearts craving better lives than the ones we are experiencing, remember that the source of such a life is found in Jesus.  Look to Him for comfort, peace, security, self-worth, guidance, rest and happiness and you will always be satisfied.  He is in you.  He is with you.  He is for you.

Setting Your Mind On Jesus

Oct 4, 2020

Every waking hour something has captured the attention of our minds.  We never stop thinking.  We are constantly entertaining new thoughts, pausing at times to dwell on some of them.  These thoughts have the power to shape how we believe and behave, for better or for worse, so we must let our minds land most often on Jesus.  The more we think about Him, the more it will rewire how we think about ourselves and others.  It will change our perspective on how we interpret our circumstances.  It will cause us to reprioritize what matters most so we don’t waste our time on lesser things.  It will stir up a healthy fear and trembling before God because of the sin in our lives and thus bring about repentance.  It will produce greater joy, peace, comfort, security, strength, hope, and contentment as we rest in what we have come to know about who God is and what God does.  We think about everything.  Setting our minds on Jesus will change how we think about everything.

If We Knew All That God Knows

Oct 3, 2020

For those who are trusting in Jesus, God is always doing much more in us, for us, around us, and through us than we are aware of.  All we see is the show, but He is working behind the scenes.  All we see is the ship, but He is working beneath the surface.  He is precise.  He is punctual.  He is providential.  There is nothing that happens unless it serves His purposes.  We don’t have to make sense out of everything that is going on or that we are going through; but we do need to trust that God is tirelessly at work in ways that would make sense if we knew all that He knows.