Category: comfort

To See the Invisible Hope #5

Monday, November 7, 2016

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Romans 8:22-25 KJV).

How do we see the hope that cannot be seen?

When today’s Scripture says, “We are saved by hope,” this certainly does not mean, “We hope we are good enough to go to heaven when we die.” No, that is not Christianity—that is vain religion masquerading as Christianity! When we come by simple faith in Jesus Christ dying to pay for our sins, His burial to put away our sins, and His resurrection to give us a right standing before God, then we are just as sure of going to heaven as if we were already there with the door locked behind us!

To be “saved by hope” is not referring to being saved into heaven, or being declared righteous before God. It means, “delivered from misery and depression.” If all “life” was was this brief time before death, existence in a sin-cursed world filled with evil and suffering, we would have every reason in the world to feel depressed beyond words. As Paul said, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19). We would be “most miserable” indeed! In fact, the Corinthians, who were denying bodily resurrection, had robbed themselves of such Christian joy.

Thankfully, brethren, we are not trapped in these limited, weakening bodies forever. As we would change clothes, God will take these earthly bodies and exchange them for heavenly bodies (see 1 Corinthians 15:36-58; 2 Corinthians 4:16–5:8). We will then share in Jesus Christ’s glorification in the heavenly places forever (Romans 8:18-25). Let us take our stand by faith in these simple truths, thereby letting us “see the invisible hope,” until we see the hope we cannot see! 🙂

To See the Invisible Hope #4

Sunday, November 6, 2016

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Romans 8:22-25 KJV).

How do we see the hope that cannot be seen?

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). This is certainly an unusual exhortation—“look not at the things which are seen, but [look] at the things which are not seen.” What is one of the things we should look at today, which cannot be seen? It would be the first eight verses of chapter 5, which are an explanation of the context of today’s Scripture (Romans 8:18-25).

At the head of its great “Hall of Faith” chapter, the Bible says in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (And then, the writer lists dozens of names of believers from ancient Bible days.) When we hope for something, we cannot see it with the physical eyes. But, we assume it is coming. It may or may not come. However, when the Bible speaks of hope, it does not mean, “I sure hope it comes.” “Hope” in today’s Scripture, as well as in Hebrews 11:1, is a “confident waiting.” As today’s Scripture says, “we with patience wait for it.” The day of the resurrection of us Christians is coming, the Rapture is imminent, but we must not rush it.

While we cannot physically see our glorified bodies today, while they do not exist today, God’s Word plainly declares they will exist and we will indwell them. We just believe those verses, counting them as true (for they are true), and that hope delivers us from misery and depression….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “‘Epistle’ and ‘letter’—same or different?”

To See the Invisible Hope #3

Saturday, November 5, 2016

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Romans 8:22-25 KJV).

How do we see the hope that cannot be seen?

What Paul only mentions briefly in today’s Scripture, he provides great detail in Second Corinthians.

Chapter 4: “[16] …[B]ut though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. [17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; [18] While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Now, chapter 5: “[1] For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. [2] For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: [3] If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. [4] For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. [5] Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. [6] Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: [7] (For we walk by faith, not by sight: ) [8] We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

Rather than using physical eyes, we employ the eyes of faith….

Sparrows and Saints

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31 KJV).

A noted atheist once openly ridiculed “soft-hearted” God for “weeping” when a sparrow fell. What is our answer to such a fool?

Today’s Scripture says, in New Testament times, two sparrows were worth one “farthing” (also called an assarius). A “penny” (also called a denarius) was a laborer’s daily wages (Matthew 20:2). The assarius was about 1/16th of a penny. Imagine your wages for working 1/16th of a day. That was the price of two sparrows. Halve that to get the price of one sparrow. One would only have to work 1/32nd of a day to buy one sparrow. You could work a full day and buy 32 sparrows. In other words, sparrows were inexpensive in terms of human assessment. But, in the Lord Jesus’ estimation, every little sparrow was valuable. The Father would notice when an “insignificant” sparrow would “fall on the ground” (assuming death). After all, that sparrow was the descendant of the original birds He had directly created via His spoken word. He never intended even one animal to die! Death was man’s doing, not God’s!

Yet, even “many sparrows” (despite God’s value of them) were nothing compared to His believers. “Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Take time today to read Matthew chapter 10 very closely. You can see the Lord Jesus Christ preparing His 12 apostles (and, more generally, believing Israel) to experience very difficult times. They will have to endure the extreme pressures of the coming Antichrist’s rule. Friends, that future persecution of Israel’s Little Flock is beyond our comprehension. For following Jesus Christ, all will lose family members and friends. They will also lose their homes, clothes, employment, and access to food. Some will lose their lives.

What the Lord Jesus skillfully did in today’s Scripture is encourage believing Israel, paraphrased, “Just as My Father notices an inexpensive sparrow dying, He will notice you suffering and dying for His Son’s name! He is watching everything and will punish your persecutors in due time!”

Hated But Humble

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18,19 KJV).

We are hated but humble!

A new Christian emailed me in exasperation. Tired of how people had treated him, he wanted to go to heaven and leave this planet of such great evils! He explained he did not care how he lived anymore—even if those frivolous actions made other Christians or lost people stumble! Thankfully, the Bible truths I shared with him helped him recover himself out of the snare of the Devil.

That brother needed to be reminded Jesus Christ was treated most horribly. He was “hated without a cause” (John 15:25). People have various reasons for hating us. Some are justified. Perhaps we lied to or about them, or stole from them, or cursed them out! However, they had no reason to hate Jesus Christ. He did nothing wrong—to them or anyone else. All Christ did was preach God’s truth and love, and they demanded His crucifixion!! Despite how they treated Him, He still lived righteously for the sake of His Heavenly Father whom He represented. Brethren, let us do the same, remembering not to live unto ourselves, but unto the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us and rose again (2 Corinthians 5:15).

Philippians chapter 2 exhorts us: “[3] Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. [4] Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. [5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Why do we suffer?”

Waiting

Saturday, September 3, 2016

“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;” (1 Thessalonians 1:2,3 KJV).

Let us continue to patiently wait….

This past week, Mom and I visited an old family friend who used to go to the same church we attended many years back. Having not seen us in a few years, and having grown a bit frailer, she was surprised and delighted when we showed up unexpectedly at her nursing home room. All three of us have grown older but it was nice fellowship with her around Christ and His Word. Now in her 80s, she still declares, “I am still waiting for the Lord!” (The dear soul has been “waiting” at least 40 years.)

Paul highlighted the Thessalonians’ spirituality by mentioning their “work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” These elements (faith, love, and hope) appear throughout the Pauline epistles—sometimes as triplets (as here) but other times as couples. Let us focus on that last one, the “patience of hope.”

In the same chapter as today’s Scripture, we read: “[9] For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; [10] And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” And, Titus 2:13: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Finally, 2 Thessalonians 3:5: “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”

Our hope is not, “I hope He comes.” Our hope is, “Jesus Christ is coming for us and the rest of His Body, and we anticipate it patiently.” This is “the patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Brethren, “sorrow not, even as others which have no hope…” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Rather, be “looking for that blessed [happy, joyful] hope!” 🙂

“Missing” People?

Friday, August 19, 2016

“He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our LORD, and of great power: his understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:4,5 KJV).

If the LORD God Almighty can number and name the stars (which outnumber the grains of sand on every earthly beach combined!), knowing the whereabouts of every last human being is quite an easy task for Him!

While visiting a store, my eyes glimpsed a giant poster featuring information about and pictures of missing persons. Some of these individuals have been missing for nearly 20 years. One lady disappeared almost 40 years ago, still missing even today. Are they still living? Or, did they die long ago? We can only wonder what happened to them, and to all the countless others who have mysteriously disappeared throughout human history.

The good news is that there is a God, a loving and just God, and He will eventually set these things right. At the resurrection-rapture for Christians (Body of Christ—1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), or the resurrection for the Jewish kingdom saints before the Millennium (Revelation 20:4-6), or at the end of the Millennium for all the lost of the ages (Revelation 20:11-15), God will resurrect every single person who has ever lived. He has never lost track of even one of these 10 billion-plus souls or even one of these 10 billion-plus bodies. They are all somewhere, and while we may not know their whereabouts He certainly does!

Believers separated by time and/or tragedy will be united one day in heaven’s glory. Their relationships are not lost forever, only interrupted momentarily. People have a tendency to want God to “take care” of certain wrongful things, but if He is to “take care” of those disorderly things, He will have to force everything else to be right as well. That means “taking care” (in judgment) of every person without Jesus Christ. Friends, may we not hope for God to “take care” of all the world’s problems just yet. People still need to trust Jesus Christ and be saved from the wrath to come. Joyful reunions for us Christians will come in due time, but let us not rush it or worry about it! 🙂

When All You Have is Christ Jesus

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:3,4 KJV).

When all you have is Christ Jesus, then you realize He is all you need!

Here in southern Louisiana, significant rainfall and extensive flooding have caused tremendous destruction these last several days. One grace Christian I spoke with via phone said his house had over four feet (1.2+ meters) of water in it! Thankfully, he and his wife escaped with their dog. They lost all their other possessions.

I reminded that brother that God’s grace is sufficient for them. He and his wife can still rejoice in being alive. I reminded him they were going to lose those possessions at death anyway. Scripture calls our material goods “uncertain” (1 Timothy 6:17). At any moment, we can lose them to various events. If our identity is found in our things, and we lose our things to disaster, then we lose our identity. That is the danger of materialism, exalting riches as a god. The Bible calls this “mammon,” material riches worshipped as a deity (Luke 16:13).

However, as Bible believers, we know that our identity is in Jesus Christ. Fellow saint, that identity is the only thing that cannot be taken from you. You can lose your house, job, family, vehicle, and even your physical life, but you can never lose your eternal life in Jesus Christ. God freely gave it to you forever! With that identity in Christ, Father God has promised us comfort, abounding security. He provides us with spiritual stamina, fortitude, to endure all of life’s troubles (Philippians 4:11-13).

Paul, in the context of today’s Scripture, was very depressed because of violent opposition in Ephesus (verses 3-10; cf. Acts chapter 19 and 1 Corinthians 16:8,9). Yet, Father God gave him victory over that enormous burden. He was thus able to comfort others. When we suffer, let us rely on God’s grace too, that we may comfort others with, “When all you have is Christ Jesus, He is all you need!” 🙂

Not a Bother to Satan! #3

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

“For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14 KJV).

A wise Christian brother observed long ago: “There are some believers whom Satan seldom bothers because they do not cause him too much worry, they do not threaten his program; but strong Christians are always his targets and he puts countless snares and pitfalls in their way.” How appropriate, even today!

Satan does not like God’s truth reaching the masses. So, his evil world system will entice God’s messenger to change the message. If the Christian refuses to apostatize, but rather faithfully continues sharing God’s pure Word with others, then Satan will move from attacking the message to attacking the messenger. The Christian will be persecuted, discouraged, or even killed!

Today’s Scripture describes how Satan had neutralized Israel. Confused and weakened, she was no bother to him anymore. Spiritual ignorance would continue among the Gentiles! But, individual Jews had accepted Jesus as Messiah-King and had separated themselves from their apostate nation. Satan turned his attention to these believers. The Devil and his allies persecuted those believing Jews into the early Acts period. Refusing to change God’s message, those Jewish kingdom believers were thus attacked literally and physically. Israel’s corrupt religious leaders arrested, imprisoned, and even killed Jesus’ followers! That believing remnant in Israel had certainly caused Satan much grief, and God permitted him to take their lives. Nevertheless, they were true to God’s Word to the end.

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). As the wise Christian brother wrote decades ago, friend, you attempt to let Christ Jesus live His life in you, and you will learn that Satan will not like it! Still, may you be a bother to Satan! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Do Isaiah 2:4 and Joel 3:10 contradict each other?”

Eyes on Christ, Not on Me(n)!

Saturday, July 30, 2016

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV).

A lady with whom I recently dealt just learned that one of her former pastors has lately turned himself in to the police. He did some inappropriate things many years ago, and he has finally admitted his guilt. Understandably, she was heartbroken. My words to her were loud and clear, “Keep your eyes on Christ, not on men!”

It is not uncommon for church members to exalt the apostles, or even today’s church leaders, as though they were/are super-humans or even gods. (Friend, I certainly hope that you do not worship me or consider me as anything special! I give all praise and glory to my Lord Jesus Christ! He alone is to be worshipped and considered special!)

Today’s Scripture summarizes the warnings previously listed in verses 1-12. Just as Israel started off well but later abandoned God’s promises to her and ended up deceived, so we can start off well in Christ and end up deceived by that same evil world system. Do not say it will not happen to you; it just may!

Verse 14 follows today’s Scripture: “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” The Corinthians had already fallen into the trap of idolatry (false religion). Paul instructed them to return to the truth. Lest anyone think they cannot repeat Israel’s apostasy and the Corinthians’ apostasy (departure from the truth), verse 12 sternly warns: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

Brethren, we should certainly not look down upon Christians who have fallen into sin. Pray for them and help them if you can (Galatians 6:1-5). Today’s Scripture says we may fall into those same sins ourselves. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus Christ, who will never fail us, who is always, always, always faithful. Let us not focus on men—they have failed us before and will doubtless fail us again and again!