God is Faithful: A Word of Encouragement

1 Thessalonians 5:23-25

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 25 Brethren, pray for us. NASU

Job 5:17-27

17 "Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. 18 "For He inflicts pain, and gives relief; He wounds, and His hands also heal. 19 " From six troubles He will deliver you, Even in seven evil will not touch you. . . 27 "Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is. Hear it, and know for yourself." NASU

Faithful--God is faithful to finish what he starts.

Faithful--God is faithful to stand with us in our hour of desperation.

Faithful--God will not fail, he will not give up.

Faithful--if God has called us, he will complete that calling in us. He finishes what he starts (see Isaiah 66:9).

Think of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Gideon, Samson, Deborah, Barak, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Habakkuk, Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Jesus, the apostles, James, John, Peter, and Paul.

Think of poor young Timothy--his spiritual "father" Paul just died--he had his head removed by the Romans for preaching Messiah. And there sits Timothy. He arrived at the prison, the final home of Paul, but Timothy arrived just a bit too late. "Come before winter" Paul requested. Timothy hurried to Rome with parchments and supplies, only he arrived too late. Paul was dead.

We might be tempted to ask Timothy--"Is God really faithful? Does God finish what he starts?"

Tear stained eyes look up at us. A smile shows on a face that was just a moment ago contorted with grief.

"Is God faithful?" Timothy responds incredulously. He looks at us like we had three heads. "Of course God is faithful!" the disciple of Paul exclaims.

But, we might ask, you just lost your friend, your spiritual father. He is dead, gone, his life ingloriously snuffed out by the mad man Nero. Where is God's faithfulness in all of that?

Remember, dear reader, that God's constant faithfulness is not a guarantee against harm or even hard times. Paul knew that, and he knew the risks. But Paul was confident that God would empower him for the task at hand. He even wrote to dear Timothy--"If we are faithless, God is faithful" (2 Timothy 2:13).

Why is God faithful? Paul tells us it is because God cannot deny himself! God is always true to his own character.

Paul also reminded his disciple that hard times would come since "those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:2). In the midst of the storm, God is unable to deny his own essential nature of covenant love, of covenant fidelity, of faithfulness of humble service.

If God suddenly became unfaithful, the universe would literally fly apart at the seams, the world would cease spinning, the moon would crash into the ocean, life would cease, the sun would be snuffed out, the universe would cease its almost infinite growth. God can no more be unfaithful than a human can sprout wings or develop gills. God IS faithful because he is God! God does not change!

So, friend, what trial of darkness are we experiencing? Is it one of our own making, the result of mistakes and missteps in life? Is it an accident, simply the ebb and flow of life? Is it the result of righteousness? 

I'll tell you a secret--it doesn't matter where it originated--God is faithful still! Romans 8:28ff is still in effect.

Have we blown it? Hundreds of times no doubt! We need to make things right and remember--God works all things together for good. God is conforming his people to the image of his dear Son! He is faithful! 

Have you been treated badly for some good thing you've done? Be glad and remember that all things work together for good. Your present circumstances do not hinder God's faithfulness. God does not falter because your situation is so BIG. God is not intimidated by your situation or circumstance. 

GOD IS FAITHFUL!

For God to be unfaithful, he would have to deny himself. And that, dear friend, will never happen.

Thank you, God, for your steady commitment to us. Thank you for being constant and unmoving in your love for us. Thank you for your kindness that leads us to repent and for your faithfulness that calls us to faith. Thank you for the life and example of Jesus. Teach us to live as he lived. Thanks for listening to us!

Thank you, dear reader, for reading!

"Failed": A Word of Encouragement to those who think they are "Failures"

 “Failed.” Your greatest fear realized, you are certain you have failed. I mean, just look around at everyone else. They are succeeding. Their acclaim is clear. They are “living the dream,” and here you sit, failing again. I get it, you really tried. You had aspirations, dreams, you even put in some hard work to achieve what you thought was your “destiny.” You even experienced some early success—people seemed to clamor for your help, for your attention, for your advice. Now? Well, now you just sit wondering what happened. You went from helping hundreds (Is “thousands” too arrogant?) to basically being ignored. I understand. You hoped for more, longed for it, you even tried your best to obtain it.

“Failed.” It stings especially since no one wants to be second place (or, WORSE, “last” place)! How I hate failure, and yet how often I have felt like that is only thing at which I seem to succeed (there is an irony there, succeeding at failing). So, what do you do? Quit? That’s just more failure. No, here’s what you will do: you’ll get up tomorrow, brush your teeth, put on your clothes, and you’ll go out and live a life of service to others even if no one notices.

Here is the rub, though, people do notice. In fact, there are many (I am among them) who see your perseverance and stubborn obedience to Jesus and are encouraged. Your continued faithfulness to serve God and to serve others is evidence of a success. Right now it feels like “failure” is all you can see, but you need to understand that the story isn’t over yet. What seems like “failure” may result in amazing victory, only time will tell.

When you think you’ve failed, remember this: Jesus knows you and your heart. If you are heading towards him, you are no failure. There are also many of us who take courage from so-called “failures” like you. We see your faithfulness and your stubborn willingness to follow God no matter what, and we see HOPE and SUCCESS. I understand it doesn’t “feel” that way, but it is true nonetheless. Jesus is here for you, and so am I. I want to learn from and to bless you! Walk on, weary pilgrim, you aren’t home yet, and your witness/work here is not done. We need you!

A Brief Word of Encouragement

 We want God to fit the narrow confines of our personal preferences for him, we want him to sit in the corner until we need him. But that is not the God of the Bible: He hears the oppressed cry out and sends an amazing deliverance that ruins Egypt, he sees a woman struggling with life and relationships and sits by a well to talk theology with her, he sees an educated man curious about God's ways and astounds him with ideas he may not have thought before, he meets a shepherd in a bush that burns but isn't destroyed, he meets a persecutor/oppressor on the road with a brilliant light and vision, he comes to scared people at dinner and speaks peace to them, he naps on a boat assailed by a storm and when awakened cares for the needs of the alarmed sailors.

He is the God who suffers . . . he is not so aloof as to fail to understand our suffering. No matter how dark our Gethsemane, the Light of the world is there. He suffered outside the city, alone, forgotten, with a sense of utter abandonment . . . and he knows. He knows we are weary, he knows we are "fed up," he knows we are lower than we have ever been. . . and he cares. Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning. May the God of peace soon crush Satan beneath our feet . . .

Thanks for reading! 

The Long Winding Road to Emmaus: A Twice Told Tale

“O Lord my God, when the storm is loud, and the night is dark, and the soul is sad, and the heart oppressed; then, as a weary traveler, may I look to you; and beholding the light of your love, may it bear me on, until I learn to sing your song in the night. Amen.” From Little Book of Prayers by George Dawson.

Job 13:15a "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him." (NASU)

Luke 24:21 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened." (NASU)

Sometimes in the midst of the trials and burdens of life, we lose sight of our anchor. We feel tossed and thrown as on a wild and restless sea. Our emotions tell us that things will never be good, all will be despair and loss. Our hope seems shipwrecked, our desire to go on in life sinks into depression. We see nothing good, only evil all around us. Our enemies (both physical and spiritual) seem to have the upper hand, they seem to be winning the day. Things are just not working out the way we expected! The victory we felt sure would come has not yet manifested itself, and we feel ourselves sinking ever deeper into a pit in which we cannot get the proper traction to climb. The clock is ticking down, our hope is gone, our day is over, and Christ has not come.

Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24, we had hoped that Jesus would be the one who would rescue us. We had fervently prayed that maybe, just maybe, today would be the day when we would “live happily ever after” and find our dreams coming true. We shake our heads and go out for a walk. Maybe some fresh air and a quick walk will clear out the cob webs in our minds. Still, the topic of our recent failure hangs like a cloud over our heads, raining down doubt and fear.

We chat quietly together, commiserating a bit in our sorrow, in our recent loss. We try to remember all the "good reasons" we came to this time--like the first time we heard the story of Jesus, or the first time we met him, or even when we experienced firsthand some of his mighty works. Still, sorrow clings to our soul like a wet coat in a sudden thunderstorm. We can't get rid of the sense of sadness, it is drenched on us and sticks to our bodies. We wonder why we even brought the subject up and continue to make our journey in silence. Maybe time alone with our thoughts will help.

Suddenly, a stranger approaches. He seems rather ignorant of our experiences, and besides that he has a fairly sunny disposition. He is definitely someone we want to avoid at this moment. No pie in the sky false hope will satisfy us. We fear that he will say something like, “Cheer up! Keep a stiff upper lip! Things will work out in the end!” We try to avoid the stranger, yet he resolutely comes our direction. He seems determined to interrupt our brooding, our despair. He is on a mission, and we seem to be his primary targets. We try to ignore him, but then he speaks.

“So, what’s going on? Why the sad face?” he inquires. Out of pure human kindness we try to explain our pain in as brief a manner as possible. We do not want to burden strangers with our “little” concerns, after all. The stranger hears our story and stands tall. Looking at us he says boldly, “Foolish ones, slow of heart to believe what God has said!”

The force of his accusation causes us to stumble in our walk. How dare this stranger tell us our business? How dare he interject his thoughts into our moment of pain, our sorrow? Just who does he think he is to interrupt our musings with his “pollyanna” announcement? We look at him with disdain and think that he likely has nothing of real value to offer.

Then, he begins to speak to us again. Starting with the beginning of our story and bringing us pretty much up to date he tells us things we knew but somehow in our anguish had forgotten. As he speaks, our hearts get a bit lighter. We can literally feel a burning inside that slowly (painfully slowly) begins to purify our thoughts and hearts. His words seem to dry the wet sorrow drenching us. Like sunshine after a thunderstorm, we begin to feel a bit of relief. Spring may yet come! We even feel encouraged (a little at least) .

We invite the stranger to eat with us, and he offers to say grace. As he prays, we realize his true identity. He is Jesus, our Lord, the one who was beaten brutally, was painfully crucified, who died with the full weight of our sin upon his broken and bruised body. He has been there all along, listening to us, sympathizing (or is it empathizing?) with our pain and anguish. He has been waiting to comfort us with his presence. He loves us in this way, even when he seems silent.

We beg him to stay. Oh, the situations of our life haven’t changed dramatically. We still have problems, and those problems seem just as depressing and burdensome as before. The difference is that we have Jesus in the house, and the light of his love gives us courage to press on, he becomes an anchor for our souls. Why? Simply stated—“Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Through him and his love we may not have better situations or circumstances, but we can still be “more than conquerors through him who loved us” in the trials we share as his joint heirs. How? Talk to him. Let him talk. Trust his character. He is faithful even when we are faithless. We genuinely matter to him.

He longs to say to you "Keep pressing on, I have not forsaken you. I love you."

As we walk our soggy paths of life, we should pause and wait for the Lord. Let him catch up to us in our musings. Listen to his words (even the ones that gently rebuke). Get in his presence, let him pray for us  and with us. Let his words and actions encourage and empower. Remember, he walks with us whether we acknowledge him or not. Why not sit in his presence for a minute and acknowledge his concern for us?

Thanks for reading!

A Word of Encouragement in Hard Times

Several years ago I was struggling with some hard circumstances that had arisen in my life. Things were not going as I had planned, and I felt that God had all but abandoned me. In the midst of a particularly difficult emotional struggle, I had a dream one night. In this dream, a person that I thought was Jesus came to me and offered words of comfort. When I awoke, I wrote down the words as I remembered them. I hope these words may provide some encouragement for someone else who is struggling.  This is what I remember he said:

My child, if you will die, I will produce the harvest. Do not think that I have forsaken you, nor believe that I am incapable.

I am God.

How can you worship that which is limited and unnecessary? How can you submit yourself to that which is not divine? What need have you for a ministry? What need have you for fame or fortune? When will you learn to be content with me?

How long must I wait to see my dreams fulfilled in you?

I long to hold you in my arms of love, to heal the scars of bitterness, anger, and rejectionn that have trekked across your heart. I have carried your sorrow, my child.

I died and live for you.

I love you.

My child, do not surrender the grace of God for the dream of so-called better things in the future. There is no better thing for you than to be in my presence, in my love, in my grace.

How do you think you arrived where you are today?

I brought you to this place. I provided what you need. I love you.

Stand and watch the things I will do for you.

You have often desired the future things now, as though you desired to run before you knew how to walk. Remember, the vision will come and I am not slow regarding my promises. Wait for the fulfillment of the promise, it will not delay.

Will my word return empty? Will it not accomplish what I sent it to do? Is my arm short that I cannot save?

You desire so many things, but only one thing counts, only one thing really matters--your relationship with me.

Your present problems will create growth, not destruction. Your present fire will prove your faith, not harm it. Your situation may seem futile and foolish now, but when the time will come, you will see what I have promised.

Stand firm in the promise I have given. Follow the course I lay out for you.

I have not and will not forsake you. Hold fast to my promise, to my word.

I love you. Grab onto that and let your faith grow.

These words were a blanket of encouragement to me in my time of great pain. I don't think of them as "inspired" like Scripture, but they certainly provided me a sense of comfort. They may have originated in my overactive imagination, but I hope they will help someone else.

Maybe some of you are going through a crisis or a problem that seems to have no solution. Let me say that God is indeed faithful. He does fulfill what he says he will do. God finishes what he starts.  He is true to his word. He has proven it to me in more ways than I can say.

He is good. He loves you. He is with you in your fire.

Hang in there! You are going to make it!

Thanks for reading!