Hope instead of. ( Romans 8 v 28 - 36 )

 Hopeful  instead of  fearful, is it possible?, now of course there are those who are naturally  optimistic , to them the glass appears to be always half full. But  I am sure even the optimistic, has moments when despair creeps in. We read how the prophet Jeremiah, wrote a letter to his fellow Israelites who were being held captive in the Babylon. If we turn to Psalm 137 we  see  what they were experiencing  and how they felt, their captors tormented them, mocked them  ,and they lamented over their situation, they said how can we sing the Lords song in a strange land?. So here is the word of the Lord through his servant Jeremiah,( chap 29 v 11). ''For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope''. Dear child of God , the times are dark, your situation may seem hopeless, lift your eyes up to the  God who says ,that you have a future and a hope.

                                        May the God of hope, fill you with all joy

                                        and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you

                                        may overflow with hope by the power of

                                        of the Holy Spirit.

                                                     ( Romans 15 v 13 )

Laughing at impossibilities. ( 3 ) (Jeremiah 32 v 17 )

 So Abraham was promised a son but he had to wait, and wait, and wait, for it to happen, about 25 years, most of us would have given up, but not Abraham. Abraham was a man of  faith, his wife Sarah was also a person of faith, she was 90,he was a 100.  Romans 4 v 18, reads, 'Even when  there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept  hoping....... v 20 'Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise.'....  v21,'  He was fully  convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises'. Abraham did not ignore the facts , he faced them, how? with faith in God's word, that is all he had to go on ,for Abraham that was enough.           J. Stott  writes,' Abraham reflected on the promise, and on the character of the God who had made them. And as his mind played on the promises, the problems shrank accordingly,  for he was fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised''

                                                 In hope against all human hope,

                                                 Self - desperate, I believe....

                                                 Faith , mighty faith, the promise sees,

                                                 And  looks to that alone;

                                                 Laughs at impossibilities 

                                                 And cries; it shall be done.    ( Words  C. Wesley )

A reason for trials. ( 2 ) ( Psalm 40 )

 So Abraham was promised a son, a special son, the promise was given, but nothing happening, so Abraham and Sarah decided that they could have a child through there slave girl Hagar. And so a child was born , but this child was not the promised child , no they would have to wait ,their faith would be tried. In 1 Peter 1 v 7, we read ,'That the trial of your faith, being much more precious  than of gold that perisheth , though  it be tried by fire, might be  found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ'. Edmund Glowney writes ,' Our faith ,like gold must pass through the furnace , trials should not surprise us, or cause us to doubt God's faithfulness. Rather, we should actually be glad for them. God sends trials to strengthen  our trust  in Him so that our faith will not fail. Our trials keep us trusting they burn away our self - confidence, and drive us to our Saviour'. 

                                        'But let patience have its perfect work,

                                         that you may be perfect and complete

                                         lacking nothing.'

                                                      James 1 v 4

So simple ( 1 ) ( John 3 v 16 )

 God promised Abraham that he would have a son (Genesis 15 v 4,) and that through his offspring all the earth would be blessed. (Gen 22 v 18). Abraham believed ,and God credited  to him as righteousness, This great statement, is the  foundation of how we get right with God, 'Faith', but not just  faith, but faith in Jesus. He is the object of our faith . faith in Him and his finished work on Calvary. That is were it starts and finishes, for only the work of Christ, and that alone saves. This rules out good works, religious activities, or any thing else you can name.  The scripture tells of a man who cried out, ''what must I do to be saved ?'', the reply came back, ''Believe in the Lord Jesus , and you will be saved'', and he did just that, ( Acts 16 v 30 - 31 ). It is not complicated , a child can do it, you can do it ,anyone can do it, just simply trust Jesus as your Saviour. Then you may never fear  death, for Jesus said, ''I give unto my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish'' ( John 10 v 28 ).

                                                    Jesus, I will trust Thee,

                                                    Trust Thee with my soul,

                                                    Guilty, lost, and helpless,

                                                    Thou canst  make me whole;

                                                    There is none in heaven

                                                     Or on earth like Thee;

                                                     Thou hast died for sinners,

                                                     Therefore , Lord, for me.  ( Words M. J. Walker )

                                                  

Humility ( Luke 22 v 26 )

 It was coming close to when Christ would be arrested, he knew his hour had come, knew Judas was going to betray him,  knew the terrible suffering that awaited him. C. Swindoll writes,' He knew He would face agony on a cosmic scale, far more than the physical pain of  crucifixion'. Before that would happen he had many things to teach them, He was in an upper room , with his 12 disciples. Suddenly he arose ,took of one of His garment, got a towel, filled a basin with water, and then began to wash the disciples feet. No one said anything except Peter, who objected  to Christ washing his feet. When He finished he explained to them the reason he had washed their feet. We read this in John 13 v  1- 17, so what was he teaching them?, the answer  was simple but profound ,and challenging for them and for us who are his present day disciples, 'Humility'. Basically it boiled down to this, as He had washed their feet, so they must be willing to  wash each others feet. The  act of washing a persons feet was the action of a servant, Jesus their Master had become their servant.so they must become servants to each other. Their idea of a conquering  Messiah, were they ruled over their enemies, was not to be, instead they were being called to serve. W .Barclay writes,' When we  are tempted to think of our dignity, our prestige, our rights, let us see again the picture of the Son of God, girding a towel, and kneeling at His disciples feet'.

Have you got troubles? ( 2 ) ( 14 v 8 )

 What do people need when they have troubles? they need a friend, it is sad that the nature of society isolates people, some people have no one to turn to. They desperately need a friend ,one of my sons befriends old people, he tells how he just listens to them, and he helps them ,where help is needed. It is John Donne who wrote, 'No man is an Island', that stresses the fact, that human beings do badly when isolated from others, and that they need to be part of a community in order to thrive. The Covid- 19 has highlighted the harm to people who are living on their own, it is very serious, today its them ,tomorrow it could be us.   As one reads the account of our Saviours life ,we see a person who was friendly,  He called his disciples his friends ,John 15 v  15,He declared that the greatest love one can have for a friend , was to give their lives for them. John 15 v 13 .But  Jesus did more than that, he give his life for those who were his enemies, Romans 5 v 10 , in order to make them his friend.  Of all the friends I have ever had He is my closest friend, He knows the worst about me ,yet he still  loves me. He has been there for me, in the worst, as well as the best of times. Recently a person I thought was a friend stopped bothering with me, sad , not  so Jesus, he is a friend who never forsakes those who are his,

                                               What a friend we have in Jesus. 

                                                 He can be your friend.

Have you got troubles?. ( Psalm 34 - v 6 )

 It was Billy Graham who said , '' that he had never a man without troubles'', it is true ,trouble comes in many shapes and sizes. Thirty odd years ago a person Joni Earkeskon  had a diving accident, and ended up paralysed , She can move her head and partial move her arms ,she is a Christian, it was after  her accident she found God ,she said this ,'' I had no where else to go, but God''. Many things bring us to God and a saving faith in Christ, when we find ourselves in a prison cell, or at the point of suicide, or a marriage break up, Yes so many things can happen in our lives ,where we have no where else to go, but to God. Jonah was in the belly of a great fish, no where else to go so he called on God, here is what he said,'' In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me''. ( Jonah 2 v 1 -2 ) So many people are in debt, no where to go, unemployed, no where to go, turn to God. Here is the important thing about Jonah, he did know God, you may not know God, you may never have trusted Christ as your Saviour. Trust Him today for salvation, and God will become your loving heavenly Father, a Father who will help you in the way that is best for you, his child.

9 Jonan