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Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Hebrews 10:23
Hope is easy when what we are hoping for is out of our hands. Some will say, ‘I hope my team wins’, or ‘I hope this relationship works out’, or ‘I hope it doesn’t rain this weekend’.
Those are valid hopes but in reality those hopes are built on things that are either completely or partially out of our control.
Hope that is secure is built on trust and trust is a process of growing. It doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Is like a muscle that is often developed through hardship and, in some cases, uncertainty.
Trust is easier when we understand the make-up of the person or thing that we want to trust in. We can trust more easily when we know the intent of the person we are putting out trust in. For example, we can trust people, even in failure, if we are completely convinced of their intentions.
Trust is easier when we can trust in the ability of the person being trusted.
Lastly, the level of trust one has is dependent on the integrity of the person or thing being trusted. A broken and cracked chair doesn’t offer the same level of trust as a new chair.
The writer of Hebrews talks about the hope we have because we can trust God. When we believe his intentions are graceful and merciful; when we know in our hearts he has the ability to protect and guide us, when we understand his working because of our close walk with him, when we act based on his integrity, then hope is easy (er) during the confusing and discouraging times of life.
We live in hopeless times. We live in times when trust in people, government and media can attack our security and peace. Put your hope in the promises of God, not the fickle plans of mankind.
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:15
The atheist doubts His existence. The skeptic doubts his deity and judges Him according to those who claim to follow him. Some see him as a man of love.
Who do YOU say he is? What will you do with Jesus? Our response determines our outlook on life. Our response determines how we respond to issues of race, gender and sexual orientation, abuse, verbal and physical attacks and a whole lot more.
When Jesus asked his followers that question there was a lot of speculation as to who this teacher was. The Greeks saw him as a Hebrew lunatic. The Jewish leaders saw him as a heretic. The people of Israel were unsure of who he was but were enamored by his signs and miracles. Yet the question remained and still does today.
Who do YOU say He is? Not who does science says He is. Not who does culture say He is. Who do YOU say he is.
The greatest danger for the unbeliever is to not see Jesus as the great Messiah promised centuries ago. The one who forgives sins, offers strength during the difficult times of life and promises eternal life with God after this life on earth is over.
For the believer though, there is a different danger, one of familiarity. There’s an old saying, ‘Familiarity breeds contempt’ and for the believer there is some truth to that. Not that we hold contempt against Jesus, but that we become so familiar with him that we fail to fully grasp who he is and what it means for us on a daily basis.
We may visit him on Sunday and sing His songs. We may even take time for daily study and offer up a few short prayers. While we celebrate his love and forgiveness, familiarity may cause us to fully grasp what it means to follow him.
There are many verses in the Bible that give us descriptors of who Jesus is. Isaiah 9:6 should be one we carry with us throughout the year.
Jesus is our Mighty God. As Mighty God, He is the supreme ruler of the universe and in ultimate control of everything your future holds.
As your Everlasting Father, He is intimately connected to you. A good father gives his children every opportunity to succeed. He’s proud of you and supports you in every stage of life. Even the best earthly father fails, or dies. Not this one. He’s the daddy you can count on. Every. Single. Day.
Jesus is your Wonderful Counselor. As your wonderful counselor he understands your deepest frustrations, fears and failures. Rather than judge, he guides.
Lastly, Jesus is your Prince of Peace. As ruler of peace He is the source of peace in the midst of your struggle. He is the peace in the face of your grief. He is the peace as you pick up the pieces of your failure.
Who is Jesus to you? Remember these four aspects of his identity as you go about your day.
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 2 Corinthians 9:8
Have you ever been in a situation where you had an opportunity to give but just didn’t do it? You were asked to donate to a worthy cause and while you could afford it, just didn’t do it?
You were asked to help with a church or community event and even though you had the time, the invitation of your couch and TV was more compelling
A group of friends invite you to a cookout but your grass needed mowing (which you never got around to doing anyway).
In 2 Corinthians 9:8, the Apostle Paul is writing regarding a financial gift the Corinthian church had committed to. He reminds them that while giving financially can be hard at times, the reward of knowing you are helping the Kingdom of God and the Body of Christ is not without reward.
While Paul is talking money here, there is a valuable principle we can sure in other areas of life. The more we give of our time, our gifts and yes, our money, the more we can see God work.
I’m not talking prosperity gospel here, I’m not saying give (out of duty) and you’ll get an unexpected check in the mail. I’ve found that the more I give of my time, the more time I tend to have. The more I use my gifts, the more enjoyment I get from seeing others encouraged.
I’ve started a practice lately that may seem rather odd or even self-serving. When time allows, I do much of my writing/studying at a local coffee shop. More often than not, someone I know will ‘stop by’ my table and chat. I’ve been able to minister and encourage in ways that I never could have sitting in my home office.
We have more than we need to accomplish God’s will for our lives. A will that we are told in Romans and elsewhere is good, pleasing and perfect. Sometimes it’s the little things we can do that make a big difference.
Use the overabundance of resources God has freely given you to give freely to others.
Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. Psalms 19:2
I love the mountains. A few years ago we took a trip from our midwest, relatively flat area to the mountains. Driving through one pass in particular, the mountains on either side of us nearly blocked the sky. They were huge.
One of the things I thought of as I gazed at these immense rocks is how they had withstood the passage of time, endured the changing elements and had been unaffected by disease, political change, or any other environmental issue.
They were the same in hot weather and cold, dry weather or wet, in the brightness of the day and the darkness of night.
The Psalmist writes of the stability and order of God’s creation. Here, in verse two he writes of creation enduring through time. Like the mountains I looked on with awe, God stands tall.
Night after night, season after season, He stands immovable and impenetrable regardless of what is going on around Him.
It’s so hard, in our frail humanity to fathom how God stands unaffected by anything going on around us. We are affected physically, emotionally and spiritually by weather, illness, social and political climate, relational differences and much more.
Yet our God isn’t moved. Mountains don’t speak words, but they speak lessons. They speak reminders of God’s immensity. They speak reminders of God’s resilience. They speak reminders that whatever is bothering you today; whatever fear you are dealing with; whatever worry is attacking you,
God stands strong. When we live in the power and shelter of his spirit, we can stand strong too.
In your mind, right now, picture the grandeur of the mountains and remember, your God stands strong through whatever you are going through.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 