KEEP YOUR HOPE IN THE LORD

PROCLAMATION

“But those who hope in The Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

Chapter forty of The Bible Book of Isaiah presents The Lord God as The Savior and focuses on His grace.  It begins offering a comfort to God’s people, given all that they had been through. (Isaiah 40:1-5)  God is described as a gentle shepherd who carries His lambs close to His heart. (Isaiah 40:11)  Then there is a lengthy discourse proving that The Lord God has no equal and that nothing or no one really compares to Him. (Isaiah 40:12-29)  Finally it states that even young men will get tired and weary, but they that have their hope in The Lord God will have their strength renewed.  They will be able to run and not get tired, and they will be able walk long distances and not faint.  They will also rise up and fly high, and like eagles they will soar effortlessly in the air.

APPLICATION

Bible scholars suggest that this verse refers to three levels of power, walking, running, and flying, or three stages of Christian growth, the young can run, the adults will fly, and the mature will walk non-stop in the ways of God without getting tired.  The Lord God gives strength to the weary and power to the weak. (Isaiah 40:29)  All of our human ability to function comes from God.  It is in Him that we live, move, and have our very being. (Acts 17:28)  As we age, our physical abilities change.  They increase while we are young, and then gradually decrease when we get old.  However, our spiritual abilities should continue to increase as we grow in knowledge and holiness, as we progress from babes in Christ to mature Christian adults, and as we progress from milk to meat. (1 Corinthians 3:2)  We need to thank The Lord God for all that He has done, is doing, and will do for us.  Let us remember to keep our hope and faith in The Lord. (1 Thessalonians 1:3)  Things may be dismal right now but continue to wait on The Lord. (Psalm 27:14)

PRAY AND BE GRACIOUS GOD IS IN CONTROL

PROCLAMATION

“Lord, be gracious to us; we long for You.  Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.”  Isaiah 33:2 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

In this chapter the prophet Isaiah predicts that the enemies of the church, those who would betray it and destroy it, will themselves be destroyed. (Isaiah 33:1 and 33:4)  Those of us who believe and behave and speak righteously will be blessed and happy. (Isaiah 33:15-16)

APPLICATION

Woe unto them who would mistreat the people of God.  Those who betray God’s people and attempt to destroy them will themselves be betrayed and destroyed. (Isaiah 33:1)  As we sow, so shall we also reap. (Galatians 6:7)  We should pray every morning for ourselves, our families, our friends, and for those who would do us harm. (Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:28)  We need to pray for God’s help to be gracious to our enemies and let Him heap burning coals on their heads as we kill them with kindness. (Romans 12:20)  Let us not be stressed because of evil doers or the storms of life. (Psalm 31:1, Psalm 37:7-8, and Proverbs 24:19)  Don’t worry, The Lord God is still in control of everything.

CHOSEN FROM BEFORE BIRTH TO LEAD GOD'S PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb.  He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines … Now then, drink no wine or other fermented drink and do not eat anything unclean because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from the womb until the day of his death.”  Judges 13:5-7 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Samuel under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the Israelites did evil in the eyes of The Lord, He let them be conquered by the Philistines. (Judges 13:1)  Afterwards, The Lord God raised up Samson, who was chosen before he was born, to lead His people. (Judges 13:2-14)  It was Samson who killed a young lion with his bare hands, (Judges 14:5-6) who killed thirty men to pay a debt, (Judges 14:12-19) and who took the jawbone of a donkey and slew a thousand Philistines. (Judges 15:14-16)  Then Samson led Israel for twenty years. (Judges 15:20)  Unfortunately, Samson had a weakness for the Philistine women.  His first wife was a Philistine woman, (Judges 14:1-8) who betrayed him. (Judges 14:15-17)  So was the second woman who was the love of his life, Delilah. (Judges 16:4)  It was Delilah who told the Philistine leaders the secret of Samson’s strength so that they could defeat him. (Judges 16:5-20)  When they seized him, they gouged out his eyes, bound him in shackles, and made him push the grain grinding machine in the prison. (Judges 16:21)  Samson killed more Philistines when he died than he did when he was alive.  The temple was filled with the rulers of the Philistines and there were about three thousand more people on the roof of the temple when Samson collapsed the two pillars which supported the temple killing more than three thousand Philistines. (Judges 16:27-30)

Application:

The Lord God knows everything about each of us.  It was He that made us when we were in our mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13-16)  Each of us is unique.  The Lord God has something special for each of us to do and He knew what we would do before we were born. (Psalm 139:16)  Just as He knew what Samson would do, He knows what we will do.  Samson made some bad choices during his life but he never lost faith in The Lord.  He prayed to The Lord God for strength on his dying day.  We need to remember, just because we are in a bad situation does not mean that The Lord God is not with us or that He cannot hear us when we pray.  We are part of God’s plan and we just need to do our part.

WE ARE STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD

Proclamation:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.  Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”  2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  After his opening greeting, Peter began his second letter to them by confirming their calling and selection by The Lord God.  He told them that God had given them all that they need to live right.  He also told them that God had given them promises of things to come.  He urged them to make every effort to live a Christ-like life which would keep them from being ineffective and unproductive in their efforts. (2 Peter 1:5-8)  Then he went on to remind them of the prophecies of the Holy Scriptures.  Peter wrote these words of encouragement to them because he knew that his earthly time was near the end. (2 Peter 1:13-15)

Application:

If we have The Lord God in our hearts and in our lives, then we have all that we need.  We just need to have the courage and the conviction to do the right thing.  Unfortunately at times we simply choose to do the wrong thing or choose not to do the right thing.  We need to pray for God’s help and strength to do that which is right.  We need to exercise our faith and to increase our knowledge of His Holy Word.  We were all put on earth for a purpose, so let us pursue that purpose with gusto.  We have the promises of God to look forward to.

STAND FIRM AND HOLD ON TO THE BELIEF IN THE WORD OF GOD

Proclamation:

“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.  May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”  2 Thessalonians 2:15-16 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Thessalonica.  He began this second chapter by discussing the antichrist and reminded them that he had told them about these things when he was with them. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5)  The coming of the antichrist will be in accordance with how Satan works using displays of power through signs and wonders to support his lies. (2 Thessalonians 2:7-10)  The false prophets were spreading the word that the Day of The Lord had already come and Paul was telling the believers that it had not come yet. (2 Thessalonians 2:2-3)  Then Paul encourages them to stand firm and hold on to the teachings which they had received.  He ends by praying that God will encourage and strengthen them.

Application:

After the rapture, the day of The Lord will begin.  The Day of The Lord is a technical phrase which refers to the period of time beginning with the Great Tribulation. (Read Matthew 24:3-28)  The antichrist will reveal himself during this period and present himself as God. (2 Thessalonians 2:4)  He will have power and he will deceive the world. (2 Thessalonians 2:8-10)  As bad as thing are in the world today, they will get worse because the day of The Lord has not yet come.  When it does come, believers will not be here to see it because it will occur after the rapture.  So, keep the faith and keep spreading The Word of God by mouth and by actions.  We can rest assured that we are safely within God’s hands. (John 10:29)

BELIEVERS SHOULD CONTINUALLY PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER

Proclamation:

“… We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that The Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of The Lord and please Him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His might so that you may have great endurance and patience …”  Colossians 1:9-11 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written in a letter by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Colossae.  Paul began this letter in his usual manner by introducing himself and offering a prayer for them. (Colossians 1:1-6)  Then he explains why he continues to pray for them. (Colossians 1:9-12)  He wants them to live a life which is pleasing to God.  He wants them to do good works which produce fruit for The Lord, and he wants them to grow in the knowledge of God and be strengthened by His power.

Application:

We all need prayer.  In fact, we are where we are, and who we are today because somebody prayed for us.  It may have been our mother or grandmother, our sister or brother, a relative or friend, a loved one or a preacher, but somebody, probably more than one somebody prayed for us, and they prayed for us more than once.  Likewise, as believers we need to pray for one another.  There is power in prayer, and the prayers of the righteous are effective. (James 5:16)  Again, we all need prayer, and not only because of our current situation.  Each of us could benefit by learning more about The Word of God.  We all could also do a better job of doing things which are pleasing to God.  We all need His help and strength to make it through each day.  We also need to be grateful and thankful for that which we have already been blessed with. (Colossians 1:12-14)

WE GET KNOCKED DOWN BUT NOT KNOCKED OUT

Proclamation:

“We are pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."  2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Corinth.  In this chapter Paul discusses his present physical weakness as compared to his spiritual strength through Christ.  He begins by saying that he does not distort The Word of God.  He presents it plainly. (2 Corinthians 4:1-2)  He says that those who do not understand it are unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)  It is the light of God which shines on believers and brings them out of darkness into knowledge. (2 Corinthians 4:6-7)  Then he tells them that believers are hard pressed but not crushed, perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned, and struck down but not destroyed because of The Christ within them.  He goes on to say that outwardly they may be wasting away but inwardly they are renewed each day, and that any momentary trouble they face is far outweighed by the eternal glory that awaits them. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Application:

Things may not be easy in this life for believers but if we hold on and keep the faith we will be rewarded in the end.  We may be beaten, abused, and mistreated, verbally or physically, but we will not be defeated.  In the end we will be victorious. (1 Corinthians 15:57)  The Christ within us is bigger, and stronger, and greater, and more powerful than anything that comes up against us. (1 John 4:4) 

REJOICE AND PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS STRENGTH AND POWER

Proclamation:

“Be exalted in Your strength, Lord; we will sing and praise Your might.” Psalm 21:13 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm is a song which was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David to be sung by the people after he was victorious in battle.  This is the companion song along with Psalm 20 that was part of the prayer and praise that the people did for their king before (Psalm 20) and after (Psalm 21) the victory in the holy wars.  This is a psalm of thanksgiving and celebration for The Lord God answering their prayer for the victory.  This psalm begins by finding joy and rejoicing in the strength of The Lord and it ends with the people singing, praising, and exalting The Lord because of His strength and power.  It also addresses and anticipates future victories. (Psalm 21:8)

Application:

Jesus, The Christ, said that all power in heaven and in earth was given to Him. (Matthew 28:18)  As believers we know that The Lord God is omnipotent.  He said things that are impossible for men are possible with God, for with God all things are possible. (Mark 10:27)  Given all that He has created and all that He has done, including all that He has done for us, we ought to also sing and shout praises to Him and exalt His holy and righteous name.  For those whom we pray for, afterwards we should also pray and give God thanks for working things out for them and for giving them the victory.   

GOD'S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT

Proclamation:

“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with The Lord to take it away from me.  But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”  2 Corinthians 12:7-9

 Explanation:

While defending himself to the false teachers, false prophets, and false apostles, the Apostle Paul said that he could boast about a number of things but refused to do so.  Under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, he chose to boast about The Lord.  In order to keep him humble, Paul said that he was given “a thorn” in his flesh.  The exact nature of the thorn was not identified.  Whether it was a physical ailment, a great trouble or temptation, the devil meant it to take Paul down but God used it to keep him grounded and from thinking to highly of himself.  Paul asked The Lord three times to remove it but He said that His grace would help Paul to deal with it. 

Application:

Sometimes life throws us a curve.  When times are tough and things go wrong, we should not give up or get mad.  We should remember that The Lord said, "My grace is sufficient ..." (2 Corinthians 12:9)  If He brought us to it, He can bring us through it.  The Lord God’s power is demonstrated during our weakness.  All things happen for a reason and even “bad things” can be used for our benefit. (Romans 8:28)  Some things are just tests which can strengthen us. (James 1:3-4)  So, even when life bring us trials and tribulations we should be joyful and count them as a good thing which is preparing us for something better. (James 1:2)  Each of us is still a work in progress.  As with the thorn in Paul's flesh and the trials of James, God is working on us and He is not through with us yet.  So count it all as joy and know that God is always with us. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

KNOCKED DOWN BUT NOT DESTROYED

Proclamation:

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (NIV)

Explanation:
These Holy Spirit of God inspired words were written by the Apostle Paul to the believers in The Church at Corinth in order to provide them with words of encouragement during difficult times.  Paul told them that even though things were bad for them at that time, they had been knocked down, but they were not knocked out.  He told them that because they had Christ within them, The Lord God who raised Jesus up from the dead, would also raise them up. (2 Corinthians 4:14)

Application:
Today, we need to understand that we have already been assured of the victory. (1 Corinthians 15:57 and 1 John 5:4)  Satan and his demons will attack us, and we may fall and stumble back into sin, or we may get knocked down by the storms of life, but we will not stay down. (Psalms 37:24)  The Lord God said that He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  We are more than conquerors through Jesus, The Christ. (Romans 8:37)  So, even though we may be hard pressed, we will not be crushed.  We may get knocked down, but we will not be destroyed.  We have The Spirit of The Lord God within us, and we will rise up again.

HAVE MERCY ON ME AND GIVE ME STRENGTH

Proclamation:

“But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.  Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant Your strength to Your servant and save the son of Your maidservant."  Psalms 86:15-16 (NIV)

Explanation:
Because his enemies have gathered together and are after him, King David knows that God is compassionate, gracious, full of love, and full of faithfulness, so he asks The Lord to have mercy on him, and to grant him His strength.  He wants God's attention, salvation, and protection because of his special relationship with Him.

Application:
As believers we also have a special relationship with The Lord, and we know that He will never leave us or forsake us, regardless of the situation or circumstance. (Deuteronomy 31:6)  We know that if we call on Him, He will hear us and answer us. (Psalms 34:17 and Proverbs 15:29)  We want God's salvation, deliverance, and protection from whatever negative position that we find ourselves in, and He will help us.  All He asks of us is that we would humble ourselves, and pray, and seek Him, and turn from our sinful ways, then He will hear us, answer us, and help us. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

GOD'S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT

Proclamation:

“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with The Lord to take it away from me.  But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 (NIV)

Explanation:

In his letter to the believers in Corinth, the Apostle Paul was defending his ministry and boasting of the things he had done and the visions that he had seen. (2 Corinthians 11:1-12:6)  Paul said that the “thorn” in his flesh was to humble him and to keep his focus on The Lord.  The Lord’s reply to his requests to remove the thorn was that God’s power is demonstrated in the face of human weakness.  Then Paul went on to say that now he delights in weaknesses, insults, persecutions, and difficulties because when he is at his weakest, he is made strong with God’s help. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Application:

No matter what it is that we are going through, or dealing with, God's grace is sufficient to get it us through it.  The Lord can demonstrate His strength when we are weak and under duress if we turn whatever it is over to Him.  The Lord does not have to remove the mountain that is in front of us, He can give us the strength to climb over it.  He does not have to calm the storm, He can give us the strength to withstand it.  Sometimes we think too highly of ourselves and our abilities and we don’t give God the credit for enabling us and helping us.  Maybe some of our problems are “thorns” which God lets Satan inflict upon us to keep our focus on The Lord.  Remember, Peter was walking on water in a stormy sea and did not start to sink until he took his eyes off of The Lord. (Matthew 14:22-33)  Let us keep our focus on The Lord and not on our problems.  We serve a big and all powerful God and all of our problems are small and insignificant in comparison.  Our “thorns” in life can just be a humbling experience to remind us that God’s grace is sufficient.

GOD CAN STRENGTHEN US WHEN WE ARE WEAK

Proclamation:

"Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.  And the glory of The Lord will be revealed ... The Lord is the everlasting God, The Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in The Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:4-5 & 28-31 (NIV)

Explanation:

In this Bible chapter the prophet Isaiah describes the power of God.  Isaiah comforts people by explaining what God has done and what He can do for them.  All they have to do is have faith in God.  First, he reminds them of what John, the baptizer, said “Prepare

the way of The Lord ….”  They needed to remove the obstacles between them and The Lord by repentance from their sins.  Then he comforts them by telling them that God has the power to strengthen the weak, to pick up those that fall, and to give endurance to those that are weary and faint.

Application:

The same applies to us today.  God is still all powerful and He is still in control of everything.  No matter what is happening in our lives, we need to have faith in God.  For as He works things out for us, His glory will be revealed to us.  He knows what we need when things are getting us down, and He can strengthen us.  He knows when we slip, fall, and sin, and He can pick us up.  We don’t have to wallow in sin and the mud like the pigs, we can soar above the clouds like the eagles.  All we have to do is to remove anything that stands between us and The Lord.  This we can do by believing in Him and asking Him to forgive us of our sins.  We need to have faith in The Lord.  He can share His strength and power with us.

God's Grace Is Sufficient During Our Weakneses

"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."  2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

In one of his letters to the believers in Corinth, the Apostle Paul told them that he was given a "thorn" in his flesh to weaken him and to keep him from becoming conceited. (2 Corinthians 12:7)  He said that three times he asked God to remove the thorn and God told him: "My grace is sufficient..."  God told Paul that His power is made "perfect" in his weakness. 

"That which can't be cured, must be endured." (author unknown)  We need God's help to change our attitude regarding the difficulties which we face that we have no control over.  Some of the difficulties that we experience in life today are things which we ourselves cannot handle, but by God's grace and strength, He allows us to endure them.  Situations of human weakness are platforms for demonstrating God's power and strength. (2 Corinthians 12:10)  With God's help, we can turn our difficulties from negative situations into positive examples of what can be done through the grace of God.  

Encouragement and God's Strength

"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."  2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV)

In his letter to them, the Apostle Paul prayed this brief prayer for the believers in Thessaloniki after he had encouraged them to stand firm in the faith. (2 Thessalonians 2:14-15)

This brief prayer is just as appropriate today as it was then.  We all need to be prayed for and we need to be encouraged.  The troubles, trials, and tribulations which come our way via the storms of life, can weaken us, make us weary, and even knock us down.  We need to hear a word which will encourage our hearts and strengthen us, so that we can continue run the race, and fight the good fight, as we struggle on the narrow path of our Christian journey doing good deeds and spreading The Word of God. 

Put On The Whole Armor Of God Stand Firm And Pray

"Finally, be strong in The Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of The Spirit, which is The Word of God.  And pray in The Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."  Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)

In his letter to the believers in The Church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul told them to be strong and to arm themselves with the whole armor of God, so that they could stand against the devil's schemes, against evil rulers, authorities, powers, and against evil spiritual forces.  Paul told them that when evil attacks them, they should stand firm in the things of God and pray.  He advised them to pray, not only for themselves, but to pray for all of the saints because they would also be under attack.

We need to be aware of the fact that we are engaged in a battle against evil powers and evil spiritual forces, which we cannot stand up against without the help of The Lord God and His power.  Daily we struggle against evil.  The only protection we have from evil are The Truth, His righteousness, the gospel of His peace, faith in Him, and His salvation.  The only weapons that we have to fight against evil are The Word of God and prayer.  Without the help of The Lord God we could not stand against the evil schemes and power of the devil.  God knows that, which is why He said that the battle is not ours, it is His. (2 Chronicles 20:15)  Just as He did for Israel, He will fight our battles. (2 Chronicles 20:17)  We just need to believe, and pray, then stand and see the salvation of The Lord.

Wait Upon The Lord

"Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The LORD is the everlasting God, The Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in The LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)

Thus said the prophet Isaiah, speaking about The Lord God to the chosen people of God who had turned from God to empty ritualism and idolatry.  He had prophesied regarding their coming captivity by the Babylonians and their subsequent delivery.  Here he was reminding the people who The Lord God was, and what He had done.  He spoke of power, knowledge, and strength of God.  Then he encouraged them to be patient, to wait upon The Lord, and to maintain their faith in Him.

How quickly we seem to forget about all that The Lord has done for us.  We forget that He is all powerful, all knowing, and every where all at the same time.  We act like He doesn't see us when we engage in our sinful activities.  We call ourselves "Christians" but we have not turned from our sinful wicked ways.  The Bible says that when He comes back, there will be those calling to Him saying, "Lord, Lord", but He will say to them depart from Me for I know you not. (Matthew 7:21-23 and Luke 13:24-27)  We need to recognize who He is, humble ourselves, and pray, and turn from our wicked ways, so that He will hear us and bless us. (2 Chronicles 7:14)  We need to wait patiently upon The Lord and keep the faith, because our trials and temptations are only tests. (1 Peter 1:7)  God can strengthen us and help us get through any situation. (Philippians 4:13)  We just have to believe and obey His Word.  When judgement day comes, we want to hear Him say "Well done", we do not want to hear "Depart from me." 

Encouraging Words

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.  Do everything in love."  1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV)

These are the words of the Apostle Paul as he offered encouragement to the believers in Corinth who were facing trying times and troubles.  His words were simple, but powerful.  He told them to stand firm in their faith, and to be on guard against anything that would tear it down.  He told them to exercise courage and strength, recognizing that both of these come from God.  Finally he said, in all that they do, they should do it with the love of God.

The events and storms of life can bring us down, or knock us down.  Believers are not immune to troubles, trials, and tribulations, but with the help of The Lord God we can get back up after we have been knocked down.  Once we recognize who we are and whose we are, like the prodigal son, we do not have to stay in the muck and mire of bad situations and circumstances. (Luke 15:17-18)  In our weakness He has the opportunity to demonstrate His strength. (2 Corinthians 12:9)  The battles that we are trying to fight, are not ours to fight. (Ephesians 6:12)  We need to put on the whole armor of God, and just stand and witness His power. (Ephesians 6:11 and 6:13)  Our strength and our courage come from Him, and from knowing that The Lord God will fight our battles and protect us.  In Him we are conquerors. (Romans 8:37)  We just need to remember that we are His, and we need to act like it.  So, be encouraged, trouble don't last always, joy is coming. (Psalms 30:5 and 2 Corinthians 4:17)

Wait On The Lord

"Wait for The LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for The LORD.  Psalms 27:14 (NIV)  The King James Version reads: "Wait on The LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on The LORD."  Psalms 27:14 (KJV)

King David offered these words of encouragement to the people.  He told them to be strong, to keep the faith, The Lord God would strengthen them if they would just wait patiently for Him.  He knew that the goodness of The Lord would prevail. (Psalms 27:13)

As believers we know that The Lord God will supply all of our needs. (Philippians 4:19)  However, we need to understand that He will bless us, and lift us up out of our negative situations, but He will do so in His time frame. (1 Peter 5:6)  We need to develop patience. (Hebrews 10:36)  After we pray and ask The Lord for what it is that we want, we need to wait patiently for Him to bless us with it. (Psalms 37:9 and Isaiah 40:31)  We know that He hears our prayers. (Proverbs 15:9)  We also know that the sincere prayer of the righteous will be answered. (James 5:16)  But we, like Job and David, are impatient and we want to know "how long" must we wait for our blessings.  There is no record in the Bible that God told them how long they would have to wait, but He did bless both of them.  There is a time for all things. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)  All things, including our blessings will happen in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)  We have to suffer through our storms because our trials lead to patience and increase our faith. (Romans 5:3-4)  Knowing this, we are to count all that we go through as joy. (James 1:2)  For we also know that all thing work together for the good of those who love The Lord and are working for His purpose. (Romans 8:28)  There can be not testimony without having a test.

They That Wait Upon The Lord

"Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The LORD is The Everlasting God, The Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;  but those who hope in The LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)

The Prophet Isaiah recorded and number of prophecies which The Lord revealed to him.  Here he records The Word of God as He addresses His people who have question whether or not He had forgotten them. (Isaiah 40:27)   Isaiah reports that The Lord God is never too tired or too weak to help them.  He is so powerful that He can share some of His power with the weak. (Isaiah 40:29)  Those who believe and have faith in Him will have their strength renewed  and increased.  To those who wait patiently for His return, He will allow to fly like an eagle, to run and not get tired, and to walk for a long time and not pass out.  He will be their physical strength and their spiritual strength.

We question God for allowing us to remain in a bad situation after we call upon Him and ask for deliverance.  The Prophet Isaiah reminds us that God created the heaven and the earth, and that He is all powerful. (Isaiah 40:28)  We need God, He does not need us.  We get weary and are weak physically and spiritually.  We need His help and His strength.  We believe in Him but our faith is weak. (Matthew 6:30, 8:26, 14:31, and 16:8)  He lifts us up when we fall, and when the world knocks us down.  One day our souls will fly towards heaven.  When we receive our glorified bodies we will never get weary.  Those who wait patiently upon The Lord will inherit the earth. (Psalms 37:9)  They will also be blessed. (Isaiah 30:18)  Belief, patient commitment, and perseverance in the faith will be rewarded. (Hebrews 11:6)