Journal for Christ

Monday, August 6, 2018

The Source of Our Strength

August 2, 2018

Worship: My Hope Is In You by Aaron Shust

I meet with You

And my soul sings out

As Your word throws doubt far away (Ps 56: 3-4)

I sing to You

And my heart cries holy

Hallelujah! Father, You’re near (Deut 4:7)

(chorus)

My hope is in You Lord

All the day long (Ps 25:5)

I won’t be shaken by drought or storm (Ps 62:6)

A peace that passes understanding is my song (Phil 4:7)

And I sing

My hope is in You alone (Ps 62:5)

I wait for You (Ps 38:15)

And my soul finds rest (Ps 62:1)

In my selfishness, You show me grace (Rom 5:8)

I worship You

And my heart cries glory

Hallelujah! Father, You’re here (Matt 28:20)

(chorus)

(bridge)

I will wait on You (Ps 38:15)

You are my refuge (Ps 62:8)

I will wait on You

You are my refuge

(chorus)

My hope is in You Lord

All the day long (Ps 25:5)

I won’t be shaken by drought or storm (Ps 62:6)

My hope is in You Lord

All the day long

I won’t be shaken by drought or storm

The peace that passes understanding is my song (Phil 4:7)

And I sing

My hope is in You alone (Ps 62:5)

My hope is in You alone

Lyrics: http://life1019.com/songs/my-hope-is-in-you/

Video: https://youtu.be/XNZFctND4jY

Witness:

Well, here I am sitting before my computer feeling a little frustrated at the time. It’s 8:20 pm and I am just getting started in journaling. A lot has gone on in the past few days. My daughter, who has worked a lot of hours with little rest, locked her keys in the car. The day before she lost her tip money. She has been dealing for a while with depression over a lost relationship. The car keys incident sent her over the edge, and she snapped and cursed God. I tried to comfort her at the time this happened. I then paid 40 bucks to get the door open. The next day I sent her an email to encourage her. Praise the Lord she is better now, but keep praying for her – she is not entirely out of the woods yet.

All this has taken a toll on my spirit. Lately, my time has been taken up in extra sleep because I am exhausted. I also have been dealing with getting used to a CPAP machine and I think it has made things worse, not better. This is the first day in about a week that I have been able to sit down and share some thoughts.

Yesterday morning at work, I was getting frustrated by the interruptions as I was cleaning the restrooms. Every time I tried to enter the Woman’s restroom I was interrupted by a customer needing my assistance or a woman needing to use the restroom. With each interruption, my frustration grew. Then it hit me...again. Something that I have realized before and written about in the past.* Words that I sometimes begin my prayer time with:

“My times are in Your hands.” Psalm 31:15

I had to remind myself that my life was in God’s hands and He is in control.

Of course, this does not absolve me of my responsibility to be a good steward of my time or getting priorities right. Like when I spent too much time doing something like shopping which keeps me from having any time for study or meditation. And when I find the time to study, I spend too much time in research and not enough time meditating over what I have written or learned.

However, when things are out of my control, I need to relax and realize that God is in control and I need not be frustrated by the little interruptions that occur in my life every day. I must not respond sinfully, but pray:

Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.Ps 119:133 KJV

Today, I had a chance to put this in practice. I said earlier that I felt that my sleep quality has gotten worse. On the way home I was struggling to stay awake. My body finally gave out as I was rounding a slight curve in the road just before you turn into my street. I fell asleep and ran up over the curve. The impact popped my front right tire. This afternoon I had to spend money that was not in the budget for a new tire. Though not executed perfectly, my attitude was much better. Yes, there was a tinge of concern over my finances.

However, I told myself:

God is in control. He kept me safe. He will provide. He is God. He is Good!

* http://journal4christ.blogspot.com/2016/11/grant-me-wisdom-lord-to-redeem-time.html

* http://journal4christ.blogspot.com/2017/09/one-more-thought-on-light.html

WORD:

Ps 27:11-14

11 Teach me your way, O LORD;

lead me in a straight path

because of my oppressors.

12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

breathing out violence. *

13 I am still confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the LORD.

NIV (1984)

* spouting malicious accusations

NIV (2011)

Ps 27:11-14

11 Teach me how to live, O Lord.

Lead me along the right path,

for my enemies are waiting for me.

12 Do not let me fall into their hands.

For they accuse me of things I've never done;

with every breath they threaten me with violence.

13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord's goodness

while I am here in the land of the living.

14 Wait patiently for the Lord.

Be brave and courageous.

Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Ps 27:11-14

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

KJV

Ps 27:11-28:1

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,

and lead me on a level path

because of my enemies.

12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;

for false witnesses have risen against me,

and they breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living!

14 Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the Lord!

ESV

As David is working through his predicament and wrestling with fear and discouragement he remembers who God has been, is, and will be. In faith, he declares his confidence in the Lord and hope arises amidst the present turmoil in his soul. Many a saint face trials and struggles and wrestle with fear but overcome them by faith. This is the mark of the believer (1 John 5:4). And they are not too proud to petition for more faith (Luke 17:5) and admit their weakness in faith (Mark 9:4).

David realizes that storms in life are often long, and a persevering waiting is necessary. A hope that persists in spite of a protracted presence of evil or persecution or problem in his life. Therefore, he exhorts himself to wait or hope, and be strong in the face of them.

I have wrestled with this exhortation “be strong and let your heart take courage (ESV).” After all, the Apostle Paul said he will “boast in his weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (see 2 Cor. 12:9). David is telling himself to be strong. Paul is telling himself to be weak. What shall I do with this seeming contradiction?

The dilemma is solved quickly when we look at what Paul actually says. I believe that Paul gives the answer in the same passage where he speaks of his weakness.

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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor 12:9-10 NIV

Our strength comes from the Lord! Even in the passages in the Old Testament where we are commanded to be strong or courageous or both, it is clear that it is only because of the Lord that we can do this.

Let’s look at some passages where these two words appear together (I will discuss their meaning more in-depth in my next study).

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Deut 31:6 NIV

⁷Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. ⁸The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Deut 31:7-8 NIV

The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: "Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you."
Deut 31:23 NIV

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Josh 1:9 NIV

²³ Love the Lord, all his saints!The Lord preserves the faithful,but the proud he pays back in full.²⁴ Be strong and take heart,all you who hope in the Lord.
Ps 31:23-24 NIV

From these verses we gather that the Lord promises to be with us, never forsake us, preserve us, and fulfill all that he promises to do for us. In Psalm 27 David’s hope, strength, and courage are based on all that God has been and will be to him.

Thus, even as the Lord is the source of our hope, so is He the source of our strength.

Therefore:

Be weak

Be strong

Though trials prolong

He will strengthen the meek

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1c/86/84/1c86849be194e7db05996354c15c9c15.jpg

Monday, July 30, 2018

Faith and Hope

Worship: In the Night My Hope Lives On by Andrew Peterson

I am weary with the pain of Jacob's wrestling

In the darkness with the fear, in the darkness with the fear

But he met the morning wounded with a blessing

So in the night, my hope lives on

And when Elisha woke surrounded by the forces

Of the enemies of God, the enemies of God

He saw the hills aflame with angels on their horses

So in the night, my hope lives on

Oh, in the night, oh, in the night

Oh, in the night my hope lives on

I see the slave that toils beneath the yoke unyielding

And I can hear the captive groan, hear the captive groan

For some hand to stay the whip, his foe is wielding

Still, in the night, my hope lives on

I see the armies of the enemy approaching

And the people driven, trembling, to the shore

But a doorway through the waters now is opening

So in the night, my hope lives on

Oh, in the night, oh, in the night

Oh, in the night my hope lives on

Like the son who thought he'd gone beyond forgiveness

Too ashamed to lift his head but if he could lift his head

He would see his father running from a distance

In the night my hope lives on

And I can see the crowd of men retreating

As He stands between the woman and their stones

And if mercy in His holy heart is beating

Then in the night, my hope lives on

Well, I remember how they scorned the son of Mary

He was gentle as a lamb, gentle as a lamb

He was beaten, He was crucified and buried

And in the night, my hope was gone

But the rulers of this earth could not control Him

No, they did not take His life, He laid it down

And all the chains of death could never hope to hold Him

So in the night, my hope lives on

And I can see the Son of Man descending

And the sword He swings is brighter than the dawn

And the gates of hell will never stand against Him

So in the night, my hope lives on

Oh, in the night, oh, in the night

Oh, in the night my hope lives on

Oh, in the night, oh, in the night

Oh, in the night my hope lives on

Lyrics: http://www.songlyrics.com/andrew-peterson/in-the-night-lyrics/

Video: https://youtu.be/oGXptHQHGq8

Witness:

The other day at work I faced the usual temptation again to pick off the roller grills the old items that needed to be written off. We are allowed to do this, and I too often give in to the urge to eat even though they are not part of the healthy diet I try to maintain. I had a mild stroke many years ago and eating these items was not good for me. Yet try as I might I give in and rationalize why it is okay to eat them.

Excuses like:

· It’s free

· I didn’t have time to make something to bring to work, and I’m hungry

· They taste so good

· It’s just one

· It’s my Friday I can indulge a little

During these times I am conflicted with feelings of guilt and thoughts that justify my behavior. I struggle with the idea that my friend’s son fought drug addiction and at this moment still is one, yet here I am struggling with such a little thing and having no victory either. "You are so weak," I said to myself. One day resisting and the next day making up for it. Suddenly I realized that I was calling this problem “a little thing.” After all drug addiction is so much more evil and bad for our wellbeing. It was a SIN to take drugs. My “addiction” was so minor in comparison. Or was it? If giving in to temptation results in a sinful response then how can I call my actions a “little thing?” If it is still sin then Jesus my Lord suffered for both my overindulgence and my friend’s son’s drug addiction. In looking it this way, I do not lessen the sinfulness of drug addiction, but raise my awareness that I am no better than the drug addict when it comes to resistance, nor am I purer. In light of this. Armed with this thought my prayer is that the next time I am tempted to eat an old hot dog, I will see a nail instead that pierced my Savior’s hands and feet. And I pray that my friend’s son will see his Savior refusing the pain numbing drink offered [Mt. 27:34] in order to face with a sober mind, the mission He was sent for and drink the cup His Father gave Him to drink for you and me [Mt 26:42; Jn 18:11].

WORD:

Ps 27:11-14

11 Teach me your way, O LORD;

lead me in a straight path

because of my oppressors.

12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

breathing out violence. *

13 I am still confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the LORD.

NIV (1984)

* spouting malicious accusations

NIV (2011)

Ps 27:11-14

11 Teach me how to live, O Lord.

Lead me along the right path,

for my enemies are waiting for me.

12 Do not let me fall into their hands.

For they accuse me of things I've never done;

with every breath they threaten me with violence.

13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord's goodness

while I am here in the land of the living.

14 Wait patiently for the Lord.

Be brave and courageous.

Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Ps 27:11-14

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

KJV

Ps 27:11-28:1

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,

and lead me on a level path

because of my enemies.

12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;

for false witnesses have risen against me,

and they breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living!

14 Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the Lord!

ESV

There was a comment from Ironside that I did not see in my previous study, which bears noting because I believe he may also capture some of the essences of what David is really saying.

Psalms 27:1-14 The Psalm closes with these words, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” God does not always do for us immediately what we ask. We are not only to wait on the Lord but also to wait for the Lord. Wait His own time. But now notice that thirteenth verse, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” The words, “I had fainted” are in italics. There is nothing in the original to answer to them. But, you say, you would not have a complete sentence without them; you could not say, “Unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” No, you could not have a declarative sentence, but you might have an exclamatory sentence like this, “Oh, if I had not believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!” What a tragedy it would have been if I had not believed, what a terrible blunder I would have made if I had not believed in these difficult days! I have had numbers of Christian businessmen say to me, “Oh, my brother, if it had not been for my confidence in the Lord, when my business went to pieces and when the savings of the years were swept away, I would have been like those other people who went to one of these high buildings and jumped off.” That is what David is saying, Oh, the tragedy if I had not known the Lord! But my soul was at peace and I could wait upon Him.(from Ironside Commentaries, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2012 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

I realize that is a rather lengthy quote, especially in the font size I have it, but I felt it was a notable quote that needed to be shared.

I have highlighted verses 13 & 14 because I believe they are intricately related. What ties these two verses together is the theme of faith and hope. I have purposely used the word “theme,” in the singular form because I believe that faith and hope are words that are intricately tied to one another. Someone has said of these words that they are “the soul’s forward and upward look towards God.^1”

http://www.findaspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Find_a_Spring.jpg

HOPE It is one of the three great elements of Christian life and character (1 Cor 13:13). Faith is the root, love the fruit-bearing stem, and hope the heaven-reaching crown of the tree of Christian life. Faith appropriates the grace of God in the facts of salvation; love is the animating spirit of our present Christian life; while hope takes hold of the future as belonging to the Lord, and to those who are his. The kingdom of God, past, present, and future, is thus reflected in faith, love, and hope.(from McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The psalmist declares in verse 13 in essence, “I believe I will see.” Here is hope working through faith in confidence that it will see the “Lord's goodness in the land of the living.” David was looking for the Lord.

This is the way of the believer.

Spurgeon notes:

Psalms 27:13 Some say, “Seeing is believing,” but it is not: it is the very opposite of believing. Some people must see in order to believe, but the true followers of our Lord believe to see. If thou wilt believe it, thou shalt see it; but if thou wilt not believe it till thou hast seen it, then thou shalt never believe at all.
(from Spurgeon's Expository Notes. Biblesoft Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

And only the regenerate can see. Those who have been born from again from above.

Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God. John 3:3 AMP

Therefore, God plants

the seed of faith

and out it, hope grows.

https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/11/23/01/11/wheat-1851639_960_720.jpg

This is where the keyword we find in verse 14 comes into play, the word “wait.” When a seed is planted, it does not immediately grow up into a mature plant. No, we must water it and nourish and watch over it, and we must wait! The word which is translated here as "wait" is the Hebrew word hw*q* qavah (kaw-vaw')². When we research its meaning, we find that hope is a crucial element in the word.

hw*q* qavah (kaw-vaw')2 OT:6960 A verb meaning to wait for, to look for, to hope for.(from The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament Copyright © 2003 by AMG Publishers. All rights reserved.) OT:6960to wait, to look for, to hope, to expect(from The Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright © 1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research.)

OT:6960 The words ordinarily rendered 'hope' in the A. V. are kavah hwq OT:6960), and yachal ljy OT:3176). The first, which is frequently used in the Psalms, signifies the straining of the mind in a certain direction in an expectant attitude; the second, which occurs several times in the book of Job, signifies a long patient waiting.(from Synonyms of the Old Testament. PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2013 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) 1994 OT:6960 hw`q* (qāwâ) I, wait, look for, hope.This root means to wait or to look for with eager expectation... Waiting with steadfast endurance is a great expression of faith. It means enduring patiently in confident hope that God will decisively act for the salvation of his people (Gen 49:18). Waiting involves the very essence of a person's being, his soul (nepeš; Ps 130:5)... There will come a time when all that God has promised will be realized and fulfilled (Isa 49:23; Ps 37:9). (from Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Copyright © 1980 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)

Hope then is faith holding onto the promise of God’s goodness in this life and especially in the life to come.

Note the marks of hope.

Hope is waiting:

· Expectantly

· Confidently

· Steadfastly

· Patiently

· With Perseverance

Hope is only as strong as the object* it is tied to. Hope in others or in self will surely disappoint because we are fallen and finite and fallible and feeble. But our object of hope is the LORD who is Upright and Unbounded and Unfailing and Unlimited. Hallelujah AMEN!

* Grammarly has flagged this as possible plagiarism because it found one instance on the internet that is similar to what I have said. I have never read this source before. The source has wording that is identical, but the sentence is not exactly word for word. So I reference it so you can see the similarity and the difference. This is a case of two people thinking along the same lines and yet not dependant on the other.

https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ghcc.media/notes_20120916.pdf

Monday, August 6, 2018

The Source of Our Strength

Monday, July 30, 2018

Faith and Hope

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