Hope – Page 3 – Praying Pint

21.k. “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction,”

Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:11    Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction,

2 Timothy 3:16-17    All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Peter 1:20-21    knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.  For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 6:11-12   And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,  so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The Word of God teaches us that there will be trials, troubles, uncertainties, testings, and things that hurt us physically as well as emotionally. Why else would scripture tell us that God is our Rock, ever-present in times of trouble, He is our refuge, In Him we find strength, Come to me all who are heavy laden with burdens and I will give you peace, all things work together for good for those called according to His purpose, Stand fast, be strong, etc…..?

For those who trust in, cling to, and rely on Jesus Christ – faith and hope mature. When we face trials, troubles, and uncertainties, is when scripture seems to have more meaning and where God’s power, might, strength, control, grace, mercy, and love is more relied upon, and where we find hope, peace, and rest for our souls. Things do not happen by chance. God is in control. And, though we do not know why something has happened or how it will end, we find a peace that passes all understanding. Faith and hope are what sustain us (those who believe in, rely on, trust in, and cling to Jesus Christ), and give us the courage and endurance.

We do not have to look very far into our present world to understand the hearts, minds, and souls of those who do not have faith or hope. In the absence of faith and hope they fall into despair, hopelessness, worry, fear, confusion, anxiousness, hate, etc….. There is no place for God in their lives and in the absence of God in their lives, there is no refuge, hope, peace, joy, assurance, strength, and confidence. They are left alone and without hope to face the trials and troubles that are experienced by all of mankind.

There is one God and in Him alone will we find true peace and rest for our hearts, minds, and souls, through faith and hope, in Him alone.

21.b. “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the mason’s level”

Isaiah 28:17 “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the mason’s level; Then hail will sweep away the refuge and hope of lies. And waters will flood over the secret [hiding] place.

Measuring things has always been important. Through the years, there have been various standards of measure. There has to be a standard by which to measure. It does not matter if it is measuring volume, temperature, speed, distance, weight, etc…. Standards allow us to measure, compare, and know with accuracy that which is being determined. We also use standards by which to establish a society and cultural rules, morals, and laws. In measuring there are international standards that are published and used to keep international accuracy.

Take the Kilogram, As originally defined, the kilogram was represented in the late 18th century by a solid cylinder of platinum. Measurements of the mass of a volume of water proved to be imprecise and inconvenient to make, however, and the platinum artifact itself became the standard. It was superseded in 1889 by a standard kilogram, also a solid cylinder, of height equal to its diameter, made of the same platinum-iridium alloy as the bar then in use as the standard for defining the metre. The standard kilogram was kept at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures laboratory at Sèvres, France. However, in 1989 it was discovered that the prototype kept at Sèvres was 50 micrograms lighter than other copies of the standard kilogram. To avoid the problem of having the kilogram defined by an object with a changing mass, the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) agreed in 2011 to a proposal to begin to redefine the kilogram not by a physical artifact but by a fundamental physical constant. The constant chosen was Planck’s constant, which was to be defined as equal to 6.62607015 × 10⁻³⁴ joule second. One joule is equal to one kilogram times meter squared per second squared. Since the second and the meter were already defined in terms of the frequency of a spectral line of cesium and the speed of light, respectively, the kilogram would then be determined by accurate measurements of Planck’s constant. The proposal was accepted at the 2018 CGPM and, effective from May 20, 2019, the kilogram would be defined by Planck’s constant. To scientists and physicists, this makes sense but to the rest of us, it is words on a page that has no practical application for us other than to know there is a standard and when used there is accuracy and application for everyone to use across the globe.

There are standards that are defined in the bible too. They have accuracy and application for everyone to use across the globe but each of them has one more aspect that has eternity woven into it. There is one God. Standard. God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. Standard. God is the Creator of all there is. Standard. God is holy, righteous, and absolutely just and true. Standard. God, the creator of all there is, made Himself known to man. Man sinned by disobedience and fall short of God’s expectation and is separated from God. Standard. God searches the hearts and tests the mind of everyone. Standard. God weighs the motives and intents of man. Standard. None have done good, no not one. Standard. God so loved the world that He sent His only Son so that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Standard. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to God but through Him. Standard. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned. Standard. Whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. Standard. Everyone will face the judgment seat of Christ. Standard. The results of these standards will determine eternal heaven or hell.

It is when we mess with standards that we get into trouble. We dilute the absolute standard into something that it is not. Sometimes we apply our standards to make it easier for us to meet God’s standards. In essence, we change God’s holy, righteous, true, and perfect standards to somehow make us right before Him in our own eyes, in our own minds, in our own effort. God does not change. His standards do not change. Everything thing He has made known has not, will not, and does not change no matter what we think, say, or do.

People say there is no God. False standard. People will say there is more than one way to eternal heaven. False standard. People will try to earn their way to eternal life. False standard. People will try to perform their way to eternal life. False standard. People will pick and choose what they believe out of God’s Word. False standard. People will deny Jesus Christ was the Son of God. False standard. People do not believe there is a heaven or hell. False standard. People don’t believe in eternity. False standard. People don’t believe there will be a final judgment. False standard. All of these man-made standards fall short.

Why is it so easy to believe man-made absolute standards and not those of God, the Creator of all there is???

20.y. “Let him seek peace and pursue it.”

Romans 12:9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Psalms 55:21   His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

Psalms 36:4   He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.

Proverbs 8:13   The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

Proverbs 26:25   when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart;

Ezekiel 33:31   And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.

Psalms 34:14    Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Amos 5:15   Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

Psalms 101:3   I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.

1 Peter 3:10-11  For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;  let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

I like where David says “ I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.” He has purposed in his heart to know what is good, true, and right and by knowing this he is able to discern what is evil and worthless. Though he sees it and though others are doing or following after it, it will not cling to him. He has purposed in his heart to keep his life from evil and to do that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ.

How is a person to know what is worthless and how to keep it from clinging to us? “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” We need to be able to recognize and discern the difference between that which is worthless and that which is right, true, pure, honorable, and lovely. God’s Word will always bring to mind the difference. Sometimes this wisdom comes immediately and other times it is a work in progress. The problem is that God’s Word does not reside in the hearts and minds of many. Meditation on His Word is what is able to soak in on a Sunday morning a couple of times per month. There is so much distraction in the world today. It is at our fingertips all our waking moments and unless there is a purposed restraint it will consume our hearts and minds. It is in this consumption that we become neglectful and complacent to the Word of God and things of God. Take an inventory of what is worthless in the world. Make a list of what you see as worthless. Spend some time looking at God’s view of what is worthless in this world. Seek and desire to know the difference.

20.x. “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think”

Romans 12:3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Proverbs 16:18-19    Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.  It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

James 4:6    But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Proverbs 26:12    Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Titus 2:2    Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

1 Peter 4:7    The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded

1 Peter 5:8    Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

We don’t have to listen to much on social media outlets to witness those who think very highly of themselves. We see those with money who think their prosperity is because of their individual talents and thereby elevate themselves to the mental status of someone who ought to be heard and listened to for their “rich” opinion is worthy of everyone to listen to. Because they have become rich they think highly of their status and their wisdom. We also see those who have some form of power to govern or rule, who have also taken high self-worthy praise of themselves. They seem to speak down to people who are not in their circle of influence makers. They speak as though, only they have wisdom and understanding and anyone who does not agree or blindly follow is lacking understanding and knowledge. If we listen and weigh what they are saying we can easily see their pride, folly, and self-worthiness being expressed.

It is easy to read our Scripture today and think it was written specifically for these types of people, but this is not true. Paul was talking to Christians in the Roman Church. He is telling them, “do not think more highly of themselves than they ought to” and to give serious and sensible thought, and to judge these thoughts in light of the faith that has been given to them by God. It is in humbleness that we seek and desire that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ. In this humbleness we give serious and sensible thought to our heart and, as best we can, to the intents and purposes that come from it. We humbly seek and desire to place Jesus Christ first and give no place for self, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place do not exist, only Jesus. Wherever God has led you in life, whatever position He has placed you, whatever knowledge and wisdom He has given you, these are not for our honor or glory, but for His alone. We can take no credit for them but we can be thankful for them. We can take no self-worth from them but we can give honor and glory to God because of them. When is the last time you have given serious and sensible thought (in light of Scripture) to the intents and purposes of your heart?

19.z. “Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him? “

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

James 4:3    You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Job 27:8-10   For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life?  Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?  Will he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times?

Psalms 18:41  They cried for help, but there was none to save; they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.

Proverbs 1:28  Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

Zechariah 7:13   “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts,

Proverbs 21:13     Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

For those who believe and rely on, cling to, and trust in Jesus Christ alone, the Holy Spirit’s help in intercession is perfect because He searches the hearts of those whom He helps, and He is able to guide our prayers according to the will of God. The aching soul of those who humbly surrenders, trust, and has faithful confidence in God will be heard by God even though words fail to come to them to appropriately express their ache, want, hurt, and need. There is comfort in laying this before God. However, this is not so for those who deny any reliance or need of God and His ways. God will not answer them. He closes His ear to them. He will cut them off. They will be left to their own resources, none of which will satisfy their need. Their heartache will not be satisfied. I have to think their heart will become hard and their stance against God more firm. They will avail themselves to be the agent of Satan and do his bidding without giving it a second thought. God does not negotiate His love or His wrath. For those who do not fully surrender to His Holiness, Love, Grace, and Mercy through Jesus Christ, they will receive in full all of God’s wrath. Those who do surrender will receive in full all of God’s love.

19.t. “Guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”

Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Galatians 4:6     And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Ephesians 1:13   In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 1:17-18  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,  having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

2 Timothy 1:14   By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

1 John 4:4  for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Jude 1:19-21     It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

This means every believer has the Holy Spirit. It is a misnomer to divide Christians among the “Spirit-filled” and the “non-Spirit-filled.” If a person is not filled with the Holy Spirit, they are not a Christian at all. However, many do miss out on living the Christian life in the constant fullness of the Spirit because they are not constantly being filled with the Holy Spirit as Paul commanded in Ephesians 5:18. They have no experience of what Jesus spoke about when He described rivers of living water flowing from the believer. How does one know that they have the Spirit? Ask these questions: Has the Spirit led you to Jesus? Has the Spirit put in you the desire to honor Jesus? Is the Spirit leading you to be more like Jesus? Is the Spirit at work in your heart?

Not only are we in Christ (Romans 8:1), but He also is in you, and because God cannot abide a sinful home, the body (old man) had to die when Jesus came in. (Guzik)

I think the problem most Christians have is that they tasted the indwelling Holy Spirit at conversion but somewhere in their life they quit listening to the Holy Spirit and reverted back to listening to what the world, worldly, and flesh has to say. They are no longer influenced and led by the Holy Spirit. The voice in their heart is that of the flesh and does what seems right in their eyes or in the eyes of the worldly. This person has no victory over sin anymore. They no longer listen for the Holy Spirit’s leading. They find comfort and peace in not being convicted of sin and are not encouraged to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. They have found it more pleasing to live in a neutral stasis thinking that living here somehow makes their lives easier to live out. There is nothing further from the truth. This is a lie from Satan and he is robbing them of power, strength, refuge, peace, hope, love, and courage, to live God-honoring, surrendered, and obedient lives. In this neutral stasis, they seek what it can not deliver or provide. How can they think they are Spirit-Filled? How can they think there is a neutral stasis? There is no neutral stasis. There is either Spirit-Filled or worldly filled. If you are not hearing the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart then it would be good to examine your heart and what is in it.

19.k. “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Romans 5:3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:2-3  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Hebrews 12:11  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Romans 15:4  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

We can glory in tribulations (literally, stresses) because they are the occasion to produce perseverance (endurance). Spurgeon said it something like this; “A Christian should expect and know trials and troubles come to them as well as the unsaved.” Our faith untested by troubles and trials is much like a runner who never trains for the race. All of his ability is in his mind, and when the race begins he is quickly unable to continue.

“Whatever virtues tribulation finds us in, it develops more fully. If anyone is carnal, weak, blind, wicked, irascible, haughty, and so forth, tribulation will make him more carnal, weak, blind, wicked, and irritable. On the other hand, if one is spiritual, strong, wise, pious, gentle and humble, he will become more spiritual, powerful, wise, pious, gentle and humble.” (Martin Luther)

“‘Tribulation worketh patience,’ says the apostle. Naturally it is not so. Tribulation worketh impatience, and impatience misses the fruit of experience, and sours into hopelessness. Ask many who have buried a dear child, or have lost their wealth, or have suffered pain of body, and they will tell you that the natural result of affliction is to produce irritation against providence, rebellion against God, questioning, unbelief, bad-tempered, and all sorts of evils. But what a wonderful alteration takes place when the heart is renewed by the Holy Spirit!” (Spurgeon)

More than likely we would rather have God just sprinkle perseverance and character and hope on us as we sleep. We could wake up a much better Christian! But that isn’t God’s plan for us or for any Christian.

“Lord, I won’t seek trials and search out tribulation, but I won’t despise them or lose hope when they come. I trust Your love in everything You allow. I surrender to Your perfect will, plan, and purpose for and in my life. You are my God and I trust You for you are my rock, refuge, and fortress whatever the trials or troubles are.”

19.i. “He did not weaken in faith”

Romans 4:12 but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had

Romans 4:13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.

Romans 4:16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification

Faith

Footsteps of Faith

Did not weaken in Faith

Grew strong in his Fatih

Righteousness of Faith

Faith – Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. Confidence, certainty, expectation, unwavering belief in what God has declared and proclaimed throughout His Word begins with surrender of self-reliance, self-confidence, self-worth, or any other form of belief in oneself counted as a means to be right with God and is the beginning of faith. There is no other way to being the walk of faith. It must start here.

Footsteps of faith – Jesus gave the parable of the seeds. “ The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. If there is no steps taken in faith, there is no root. Things of this world soon dry up the seed and it withers and dies.

Did not weaken in faith – When faith steps are immediately taken the root of hope and assurance grows deeper. Faith weathers the storms of life that threaten it. It is by faith in God we are able to stand in chaos and confusion with the assurance that God is in control. He is our rock, refuge, mighty fortress.

Grew strong in faith – Steps of faith must be taken to gain strength. Faith like muscles needs continual exercise to grow stronger. Faith does not grow on its own. Faith does not grow when we neglect or become complacent with God’s Word. The root of faith grows when it is continually and abundantly watered with the Word of God. Do not think for one second that a casual approach to your walk with God will in any way deepen your root of faith. The heart, mind, and soul must have a deep desire and seek for the purpose of wanting to honor and glorify Jesus Christ every waking moment. Without this desire and seeking there is barely enough watering to keep faith alive yet alone strengthen it.

Righteousness of Faith – Remember that righteousness is also more than the absence of evil and guilt. It means that God does not only declare us innocent, but righteous. Our sin is carried away as far as the east is from the west. We are washed clean. Though we were covered crimson red with sin we are now white as snow. “No sinner, and try he ever so hard, can possibly carry his own sins away and come back cleansed of guilt. No amount of money, no science, no inventive skill, no armies of millions, nor any other earthly power can carry away from the sinner one little sin and its guilt. Once it is committed, every sin and its guilt cling to the sinner as close as does his own shadow, cling to all eternity unless God carries them away.” (Lenski) Praise God, through Jesus Christ we have been washed clean, redeemed, and will one day live with Him forever in our new glorious and righteous bodies.

18.i. “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

John 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Revelation 21:22-23     And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.  And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Hebrews 12:12-13   Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,  and make straight paths for your feet,

Lamentations 3:17-23    my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is;  so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the LORD.”  Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall!  My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me.  But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:  The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;  they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

1 Thessalonians 5:9   For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled.” Believe in God; believe also in Me”. It is not as though He is telling them they won’t have trouble if they believe, but rather that when they are surrounded by troubles they are to cast these cares, worries, fears out of their hearts and place their faith in Him. This is not your home. “In My Father’s house are many rooms.” This is not your final resting place. Your home is with Me and My Father in heaven and I’m preparing a place for you. Do you ever wonder how much time we have lost during our lives with worries, fears, and various cares that are caused in this world? We have to admit that too often we keep our focus on troubles we face in this world rather than on our home eternally in heaven with Jesus Christ.

“Lift up your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees”, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Though the battle in this world seems to rage on, we are victorious in Jesus Christ. Our God is in control and knows that our time on this earth is but for a moment when compared to eternity. Whatever we are facing, God is in control. Whatever trouble comes at us, God is in control. Whatever heart stabbing, brain-numbing, and soul-wrenching thunderous blow come our way, God is in Control.

Don’t let your hearts be troubled!!!!!

17.k. “Let no one deceive himself.”

John 11:45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

Proverbs 26:12    Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Isaiah 5:20-23    Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!  Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,  who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!

1 Corinthians 1:20   Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

1 Corinthians 3:18-19    Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”

The words and works of Jesus divide humanity between those who believe and those who reject. There were some who saw both the power and sympathy of Jesus yet responded by working against Him. Some that had seen even this miracle steeled their hearts against it, and not only so, but conspired the destruction of this glorious Savior!

The religious leaders privately admitted that Jesus performed signs that authenticated His claim to be Messiah and God. As Jesus claimed, His works did bear witness to Him. First, they opposed Jesus because they weren’t convinced He was the Messiah. Now they opposed Jesus because they were convinced that He was the Messiah. They denied and opposed Him. They were afraid of His influence over people and their loss of influence. They knew the logical response to the witness of the signs, wonders, works, and words of Jesus was to believe in Him. “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him.” The high priest unknowingly prophesied. “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.

The Word of God proclaims the wonders, signs, words, and works of Jesus Christ. And just like during the life of Jesus, people believe and reject and deny the truth of it. Some deny Him within their heart but do not speak of it. They float along in life never giving thought to what they have rejected. They trust in their good works rather than the Savior. At some point, they may have heard the Gospel presented in such a way that their heart was softened and their mind was given a full understanding of the offer of salvation and redemption. Yet they chose to reject that offer. Others deny Him openly and with great disregard of who it is they are rejecting. They spit on the grace, love, and mercy of Jesus Christ. In the end, all who have inwardly and outwardly rejected Jesus Christ will suffer eternally in Hell for this rejection. Now is the time of salvation. If the Gospel of Jesus Christ is offered to you, do not reject it. Surrender to it and cling to it. Your eternal life depends upon it.