Christ – Page 10 – Praying Pint

16.r. “Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.”

John 9:24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

John 9:30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.

John 9:39  Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

2 Corinthians 4:4-6   In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.  For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 6:9   And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

The man born blind showed a simple and profound wisdom in his back-and-forth with the esteemed and educated religious leaders. If they kept asking the same question, they would keep hearing the same answer. The healed man said this about their unbelief, not about the miracle of Jesus. It was if he told the religious leaders, “Your unbelief and ignorance in the face of the evidence is more of a miracle than my cure.”

For judgment I have come into this world: John recorded these words of Jesus as part of a larger theme in his Gospel – that men were divided over Jesus, with some accepting and some rejecting. This is one way Jesus brought judgment…into this world, by being a dividing line. In this sense, Jesus is like the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains; a single place where an entire path is decided. Jesus is “the pivot on which human destiny turns.” (Tenney) That those who do not see may see: Those who admit their spiritual blindness can find sight in Jesus. But those who see may be made blind – that is, those who falsely claim to have spiritual sight will be made blind. Jesus used blindness in a spiritual, metaphorical sense – of those who cannot see the light and truth of God, especially as it is revealed in Jesus Christ. One may say that this entire chapter paints a picture of how Jesus heals blind souls. There is a great difference between the one who is blind and knows it, and the one who simply shuts his eyes. “To b so self-deceived as to shut one’s eyes to the light is a desperate state to be in: the light is there, but if people refuse to avail themselves of it but rather deliberately reject it, how can they be enlightened? As Jesus said, their sin remains.” (Bruce)

15.t. “While no one understands”

Phillipians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Isaiah 57:1-2 The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; he enters into peace.

Philippians 2:21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,

2 Corinthians 5:8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Dilemmas: we face them just about every hour of every day. What is a dilemma? A dilemma is usually defined as a situation involving a choice between equally unsatisfactory alternatives.

Sometimes the dilemmas we face are not between two unsatisfactory choices. It might be between the known and the unknown. Do I keep my present job, or do I take that new position in a different city? Sometimes our dilemmas involve two equally satisfactory choices. Do I take the pecan pie or the chocolate pie? Sometimes our dilemmas involve choices that are very important. Do I forgive my child one more time, or do I ask him or her to move out? But, at some point, we will face death. Like it or not we will come face to face with it. Now here is the dilemma; Do I make the choice, now, for heaven “Believing and Trusting in Jesus Christ”, or do I give no thought about heaven and hell and take the consequence of hell because I chose not to believe and trust in Jesus Christ while I was alive. Heaven and hell should not even be a dilemma, but sadly it is. Too many people choose to deny Christ and would rather live to satisfy themselves rather than living for Jesus Christ.

What is your purpose in life? What have you chosen? Have you chosen Heaven through Jesus Christ or hell through Satan and self-reliance? Your purpose in life determines how you will act, think, speak, and live. Remember, there is no choice after death. None of us know the minute, hour, day, week, month, or year when we will die. Heaven or hell both are eager to welcome you. One to eternal life and the other to eternal damnation.

15.g. “They asked him to stay with them”

John 4:27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.

John 4:39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

John 4:45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him,

Mark 5:15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.

Jesus so impressed this woman that she was compelled to tell those in her city that they should come to the well and meet Jesus. Jesus impressed and attracted her, even though He confronted her with her sin. Jesus displayed so much love and such a sense of security that she felt safe with Him even when her sin was exposed. The woman’s invitation was effective. The people came when she told them who Jesus was and how He had impacted her life with their brief conversation. The people came to see this man who the woman claimed “Can this be the Christ?” They came to see Him. What is clear to see about their hearts is that after a brief time with Him at the well they asked Him to stay with them. The same clarity can be seen in those in Galilee – they welcomed Him. A different mindset can be seen in the country of Gerasenes. After a great miracle of casting out demons from a possessed man the shepherds fled and told of it in the city and country. People came to see, but what they did reflects their heart. They begged Jesus to leave and depart from their region. Such is the heart of man. Some will have a heart that invites Him in and others will beg Him to leave. Each individual will make a choice of invitation or rejection. Each individual decision results in either eternal life or eternal hell. The open heart will find peace, love, refuge, and joy with their invitation to Jesus to stay. The closed heart will find torment, fear, hatred, and anger with their rejection of Jesus.

Only Jesus can bring peace to the heart, mind, and soul. Everything else that we believe can or will do this is a deception and lie.

15.f. “You worship what you do not know”

John 4:16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

“Christ has different doors for entering into different people’s souls. Into some, he enters by the understanding; into many, by the affections. To some, he comes by the way of fear; to another, by that of hope; and to this woman, he came by way of her conscience.” (Spurgeon) Jesus brought up this embarrassing issue because her sinful life had to be confronted. This woman had to decide what she loved more: her sin or the Messiah. One scholar, (Alford) wrote something interesting. Alford said the first step in granting the request of the woman for the living water, Jesus had to first confront and convince her of sin. What did the woman do when Jesus brought to her attention that she was living in sin with a man who was not her husband? She tried to change the subject and change the focus of their discussion. This is so true with us too. When we read something in scripture that speaks to our soul about sin in our life we try to change the meaning or convince ourselves that what we read was not really speaking to us personally. Though this woman was a sinner, Jesus revealed Himself to her. Jesus reveals Himself to sinners. God’s Word reveals “sin” and “understanding” to the hearts and minds of those who are open. Though they may be in the act of sinning or harboring sin in their lives, God’s Word will reveal it. I wonder how many times I have been deaf and blind to sin in my life when I read or listen to His Word. Do I read it and let it fall on a closed mind? To worship God in “Truth” means we do not come to Him and His Word with pretense or mere display of spirituality. When we read God’s Word we will do well to read it with this verse from David in Psalms 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

15.b. “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison). Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Jeremiah 1:5    “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

1 Corinthians 4:7    For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

Matthew 25:15     To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

1 Corinthians 12:11    All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Romans 12:6   Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us

1 Corinthians 15:10    But by the grace of God I am what I am,

James 1:17    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

1 Peter 4:10-11  As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:  whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

John’s disciples seemed alarmed, but it didn’t bother John one bit. John would not allow envy or the fickle crowds make him forget his mission: to announce that the Messiah had come, and then to step back and let the attention be focused upon the Messiah. John first answered his worried disciples that everything he had – including those who responded to his ministry – were a gift from God. If they are God’s gift, then they should be received gratefully. John then reminded his disciples that he knew who he was, and he also knew who Jesus was. Understanding that, he could keep his proper place; not too high (thinking he was the Christ) and not too low (thinking he had no call or place in God’s plan). John explained to his followers that he was like the best man at a wedding; he isn’t the bridegroom. He isn’t to be the focus of attention, but to supervise the bringing of two people together. “John had no sense of envy or rivalry. It is not easy to see another’s influence growing at the expense of one’s own; it is even less easy to rejoice at the sight. But John found his joy completed by the news which his disciples brought.” John the Baptist understood it was good for him to become less visible and known, for Jesus to become more visible and known. In even larger aspects, this should be the motto of every Christian, especially leaders among God’s people. Jesus should become greater and more visible, and the servant should become less and less visible. John that Baptist also did not quit his work just because Jesus was doing a similar work and doing it for more people. He labored on, content to do what God called him to do even though Jesus gained more and more attention and John less and less.

14.s. “And they followed Jesus.”

John 1:35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

I really did not give much thought to “John was standing with two of his disciples” before. I guess I just glanced over this and thought John was standing out in some body of water and telling people to repent and be baptized. John the Baptist preached a message of repentance expressed in water baptism and bearing active fruit in one’s life in preparation for the appearing of the Messiah. Mark 1:4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John was sent to call the people to urgent repentance in light of what God would soon bring about. John had disciples who learned from him. Acts 18:25 introduces us to a man named Apollos of whom it is said: “This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John.” While Apollos still needed further instruction and clarification in the faith, accounts like this make it clear that the core of the gospel was preached and taught by John. When John saw Jesus walk by he said to the two disciples standing with him, “look, the Lamb of God”. John preached repentance, confession, baptism, and the coming Messiah. Even unto death, John called people high and low to turn their hearts and their lives from their sin unto God. John preached warning people of the wrath to come. Luk 3:7-10 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”

Many times people were cut to their heart and asked “What then shall we do?” From the warnings of the wrath of God to come, people made intentional choices to repent, confess, and be baptized. Some of these men stayed on with John. We see Andrew was one of the two and when he heard John say “behold the Lamb of God” they immediately followed Jesus. Andrew did something else too, he first went and told his brother, Peter, “We have found the Messiah”. To the heart that is seeking, Jesus will be seen. If the warning about the coming wrath of God is rejected the need for Jesus will never be seen as needed. Sin is always at the door of our heart, knocking and trying to open the door to entice us to live for self, rely on self, and deny there is any need to change. There is a yielding that allows this door to open just as there is a firm resistance to keep it closed. It is an intentional choice and both become easier over time. Yielding day after day to sin will harden the heart to the point where the door is wide open and wrong seems right and false seems true. The intentional choice doesn’t even need to be made anymore because this way of life has become common, regular, and established. Resisting day after day will keep the door firmly closed. The intentional choice to keep the door closed is made every waking moment. God’s Word will strengthen the resistance and give power to the weak who intentionally choose to resist. Sometimes we don’t even know what to resist until God’s Word reveals it to us. That is the power of His Word. Be mindful of your heart and bath it in God’s Word every day.

14.p. ““I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,”

John 1:19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Malachi 4:5    “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

Matthew 11:13-14     For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

Matthew 17:10-12   And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”  He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.  But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.”

Luke 1:17    and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Luke 1:76-79     And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,  to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,  because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high  to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

With emphasis, John told the Jewish leaders who he was not. He did not come to focus attention on himself, because he was not the Messiah. His job was to point to the Messiah. John rejected any claim that would elevate himself above the coming Messiah. His purpose was to prepare the way not to get in the way.

Do you ever wonder if your life, the way you think, speak, and act points to Jesus Christ or prepares people to meet Jesus Christ through the Gospel? We get lost in our day to day lives, lost in living, lost in self, lost in pride, lost in hate, lost in jealousy, lost in fear of rejection, etc…. and at the end of the day no one we have come in contact with is any closer, and quite possibly, is further away. It is as if our shadow blocks the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The light of Jesus Christ should permeate out of us like the sun in a clear sky. I think what happens is that we absorb the light of Jesus Christ but it does not shine through us. Grace, mercy, love, hope, faith, joy, peace, godliness, kindness, gentleness, patience, truth, reliance, and obedience are the rays of light in our lives that should shine bright and point those we come into contact with to the reason for the hope that is in us, Jesus Christ. The light of Jesus Christ gets absorbed and darkens when there is pride, greed, selfishness, hate, fear, worry, lust, and coveting things this world has to offer over humbly serving, honoring, glorifying, following, trusting, and obeying Jesus Christ. If you look into a mirror of the life you live does the light of Jesus Christ blind you or is it so dim you have to squint to make out the slightest glimmer of a spark of light? There is no better time than right now to confess and repent of the shadows in your life blocking the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is an intentional choice to dim the light of self and shine bright the light of Jesus Christ. This light will grow brighter and brighter as you spend more and more time in His Word. It will grow Brighter and Brighter day by day as things of this world grow dimmer and dimmer in the light of His Word. Spend more time in His Word with a heart, mind, and soul-deep desire to shine for Him today and every day until we unite with Him in eternity.

13.v. “Worship the King, the Lord of hosts”

Zechariah 14:16 Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain; there shall be the plague with which the Lord afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths.

Revelation 11:15-17 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

Romans 11:26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;

The millennium time is a bit of a mystery. A thousand-year reign with Christ as King. A time of peace and no wars. A time of being in the physical presence of Jesus Christ. Do you ever wonder why there would be people who do not want to or see the need to worship Jesus during this time? Is it possible that we are no different? Do we come to Jesus when convenient and other times we just can’t find the time or make the time? What drives us to come to Him and worship Him? Is it forgiveness of sin? Is it His sacrifice for us? Is it His promise of eternity? Is it His blessings on the work of our hands? Is it the blessings of our family? Is it the blessings of the indwelling Holy Spirit? Is it a peace that passes all understanding? Is it comfort in the storm? Is it courage in the face of whatever we are battling? Is it the understanding of grace, mercy, and love He showered on us? Is it the promise that He will never leave or forsake us? Is it …..? The point is that when we seek and desire Him with all of our heart, mind, and soul, and strength, worship will flow from our heart and mind and soul for Him. When we give the world any place in our heart, mind, and soul it seems to take the worship of Jesus Christ captive and releases our self-centered, self-reliant, self-serving desires. Take a look at your worship of Jesus Christ and place it first above all else.

11.a. “And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.”

Micah 5:1 Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace.

John 7:42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

Matthew 2:6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Luke 2:4-7 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

1 Corinthians 1:27-28 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,

Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet.

From Micah, we read of the importance that was to come from Bethlehem. This prophecy from Micah was quoted in Mathew chapter 2 by the chief priests and scribes. They knew the Messiah would come from Bethlehem. They quoted the verse to Herod when asked: “where the Christ was to be born”. Do you ever wonder what it was that kept them from acknowledging Jesus Christ? Do you ever wonder what it was that kept them from believing in the miracles, healings, and His death and resurrection? These were people who knew scripture and believed in the one true God. And yet, they failed to see the redeemer and savior Son of God. Their lives had the appearance of piety. They proclaimed to know the way too honoring and pleasing God. What was it that kept them deaf and blinded to the Son of God? The fact of the matter is that they trusted more in what they were doing than what Christ did. They trusted in their works as a means of being made right before God. Their hearts, minds, and souls were not surrendered to Jesus Christ but rather given to self-reliance and pride. We aren’t so much different. We trust in self, and much more so when things are going smooth and well in our lives. We lean on our own understanding and make provision in our minds why we are right before God. Our eyes are blind to how far we have followed after things of this world. Our ears are deaf to the Word of God because we choose to live apart from it and allowing it to speak into our hearts. Our hearts, minds, and souls, must be totally surrendered in humble submission before Jesus Christ. It is then we will begin to see that the things of this world are distracting us away from a fruit-filled life of honoring, glorifying, following, obeying, and relying on Jesus Christ.

d.e. ” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace”

1Corinthians 15:19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction evidence of things not seen.”

Romans 15:13 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.

This was recently posted in Compelling Truth and very worthy of sharing with you.

We often talk about hope in a type of wishful sense: “I hope you have a nice day.” “Hope you have a relaxing vacation.” “I hope I get the job.” “I hope she says yes.” “I hope I get the promotion.” “I hope I don’t get sick.” There are many things we hope for in this life, some more probable to happen than others. However, the biblical concept of hope goes far beyond these earthly hopes. It is not mere wishful thinking, but something we have confidence will happen.

The Christian’s hope is grounded in the belief that there is more to life than what we can wish for in this world. The Christian hope is based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ and in God’s promise to resurrect all who believe in Jesus. It is the hope of forgiveness of sins. It is the hope of a heavenly home. It is the hope of a glorified body in which to live and the hope of a new earth on which to live. Most importantly, it is the hope to live in these new glorified bodies on a new earth in the very presence of God Himself for all eternity—eternal life and joy in the presence of God. This is the hope of all true believers. This Christian hope is not wishful thinking. We have been given promises by God Himself that Jesus Christ, whom He raised from the dead, will return again. We have been promised by God Himself that when Jesus returns, we who believe will be transformed into the perfect image and likeness of His Son. We have been promised that we who believe will be forgiven our sins because of the death of Christ and will inherit eternal life because of the righteousness and resurrection of Christ. The resurrection is no myth. It was a historical event witnessed by hundreds of people. Jesus Christ rose from the dead and appeared to His disciples and at least 500 other people. After forty days, Jesus ascended to heaven where He reigns at God’s right hand. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. In this we hope, and we have good reason to hope, for God has said it will be and God accomplishes everything He says. He has done so throughout history and will continue to do so in the future.

As further assurance, God has given His Holy Spirit to believers in Christ. The Holy Spirit testifies to our hearts, minds, and spirits that the promises of God are true. The Holy Spirit confirms the truth of God’s promises to us and assures us by His very presence in us that we belong to Christ. The Spirit confirms our adoption into God’s family and therefore assures us that our hoped-for inheritance is certain. In fact, the Holy Spirit is God’s pledge to us.

The Bible has much to say about hope, but this is what it says about our greatest hope. The ultimate Christian hope is that one day Christ will return and we who are looking forward to that return will go to be with Him forever. Because of Christ, we will triumph over sin, guilt, death, and hell itself. We will inherit eternal life to be enjoyed in the presence of our most loving and gracious God. We will even receive rewards for what we have done for Christ and we will reign with Him in a new world—a perfect world of love and righteousness. In this we hope and because God has promised it we know it will certainly happen. All God’s promises find their fulfillment in Christ, our Lord and Savior. He is our hope!

“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.