“New Things”
I hope everyone had a very nice Christmas. It’s a lot of work but the rewards of seeing the family is well worth it especially if family includes grand kids. Our grandkids are just now getting old enough ( 2 1/2 years and under) to “get Christmas” in the sense of family, celebration and presents. To see their expressions as they open a gift is precious. They yet have many years till they understand the true meaning of Christmas, but that time will come as well.
As we are facing a new year with future hope mixed with uncertainty, a question faces us. Does my faith believe that God is greater than all circumstances and can lead me into this new year, or does uncertainty and fear overshadow my view? The answer makes all the difference in how we live out our lives. I have been accused of not being a realist because I hope when hope cannot be found. I have learned that it really depends upon where you place your hope. There are at least two ways in general to look at any problem, God’s view of it with Eternity as a platform or my way. My way is tied to the influences and circumstances of this life which makes things very shaky and hence it stands to reason that I would have uncertainty and fear.
Depending upon which way we chose determines our reality and how we live life. Since hope is so critical to the human soul, our view affects our ability to have and maintain hope. A hope that is based here, earthly, will at times succeed and other times fail. A hope focused that eternity is what I live for, can never fail me, for God’s Kingdom is Eternal. Eternally loving, eternally right and pure, making right all that has been hurtful, painful, unjust and impure. It’s so worth hoping for. It gives strenght in the hour of weakness, sight in the darkness and courage in times of fear. To nurture, maintain and grow this eternal hope there is not a price that’s not worth paying. Fortunately Christ paid it all, completely, and all we need to bring to Him is a humble heart and a willingness to grow closer to Him.
I understand fully that life can be super challenging, even overwhelming. I often say to the Lord that this situation or problem is beyond me. That I do not have the wisdom or the insight to resolve it. I need Him to intervene and show me and He does. When I was in high school I use to pole vault. I use to feel overwhelmed by the heights I had to vault over. The bar was way above my best jump. Yet a “stick”( fiberglass pole) in my hands, applied as designed brought my body up and over a height that I could never do on my own. The mastering of that pole determined everything. Though it was not me jumping, it was the pole vaulting my body over the bar, I needed to trust it and that is true in life. The mastering of the “pole of faith” by trusting God determines the challenges and obstacles that we can overcome, ….or that overcome us.
Young David did the same thing when he put a small rock in his sling. He swung his sling with all his might and guided by the Lord, he released it, striking Goliath on his forehead tumbling the giant to the ground. Then taking Goliath’s own sword, decapitated him. Gross, yes, but a great picture for how we must finish the job when dealing with sin, especially secret sin. Had David engaged Goliath in hand to hand combat, David would have been killed. When we try to defeat our obstacles, be they worry, fear or challenges in our own strenght we can easily become defeated. The prayer of faith must lead, as David’s sling and rock. It affects change even before we arrive. The pole of faith must then be deliberately used, specific promises in God’s Word that ENGAGE GOD on our behalf. As we face our circumstances, He acts, vaulting us over our fear and insecurity by giving us peace, and/or giving direction and clarity so the problem can be resolved. These are simple analogies, word pictures; however how we use our “tool or weapon” of faith will determine our outcome. As you (we) are looking at a new year the question is, where does my confidence lay?
Many of us hear news of potential future events and it causes fear. Fear to such a degree that it affects us. The fear becomes our reality, regardless of whether it actually happens or not. We fear what we can’t control and it affects how we interact with our relationships as well. We do not need to live this way. The apostle Paul lived through so many terrible situations. In many respects he experienced our fears and lived through them. In 2 Corinthians 11:21-28 Paul speaks of his suffering – only to prove his apostleship to the Corinthians. They were being mislead by false teachers.
“Are they ministers of Christ? I (speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one ( his back must have been a scarred mess)
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one ( his back must have been a scarred mess)
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches…”
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches…”
Given all that he suffered and endured he had no fear of the future, for he knew nothing could separate him from God’s love. In Roman’s 8:35-40 a most famous passage,.. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
( we do not like this last part, but to its extreme so is God’s love)
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Through and by his trials Eternity had been pressed into Paul and this is a comment from the last Vida I feel is worth repeating. Just as metal receives the impression of a specific mark through much pressure or gold once made molten and purified by the furnance is poured into a mold taking on a cherished shape, so Paul, via his trials had all concern for this life removed. He was left with one single purpose and one single hope, that of glorifying Christ in his body and finishing the race he was called to run. Fear had no “seed bed” in him. Faith choked out fear. Paul knew that God was greater and was able to use all circumstances to make Himself known and Paul was not just ok with that, he gloried in that knowledge. Roman 8:28 -30..” we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. “
Paul also learned that in his weakness, God was glorified. II Corinthians 12:9 &10…
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in (your) weakness. Most gladly — therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
Everything that Paul speaks of is so opposite of how we are geared and are told to live, but it is through these trials that Eternity had been pressed into Paul and how it gets pressed into us. In Phillipians 3:8 this verse needs to be our compass if we are to live victorious lives, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and in verse 13&14 ” Brethren , I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press ( strain, to break a sweat) toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus my Lord.”
I know that Paul is a unique vessel, but cannot we learn from his lessons and allow the Holy Spirit to impress these truths upon us as well? Can we not see from his life how God kept him not from the trials and hardships but through the trials and hardships, giving him victory? You may say that his type of victory your not interested in, but to ” be more than conquerors through him that loves us ( Rm. 8:37)” is to have a spirit that cannot be conquered. Why would we not want that? As we look at a new year with its aspirations, uncertainties and fears are we willing to put Christ first? This world is not permanent and to live as though it is, is to be as the man in the parable that built his house on the sand. When the rains came it washed his house away. His house represented all his efforts, labor and monies. They were all wasted, as opposed to the man who built his house upon the rock which represents Christ ( Matt. 7:26). Life with Christ transcends this life and gives purpose and meaning to all that we do, even as insignificant as giving a child a cup of cold water because of Christ kindness in us.
Lastly, Joshua challenged the nation of Israel by saying “chose you this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” As we look at a new year, who will we serve, the god of fear and uncertainty or the God who knows the beginning from the end?
May God give us the courage to chose wisely and to chose Him – daily. Amen
Father,
Thank you for this challenging study. We are needing our foundations purified and made right before we can move forward victoriously. Shake us up if necessary and bring us to the point where as Proverbs 5:6&7 says ” To trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge You and You WILL direct our paths. Let this become our life in this coming year. Thank you and Amen.