This picture is one of contrasts: my weakness compared to God's blessings. We all know about our weaknesses, so I thought concentrate on the blessings instead....
Hope
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,
23 him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;
24 whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.
25 For David says concerning him,
‘I saw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced.
Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;
27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades,
neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.
28 You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
23 him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;
24 whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.
25 For David says concerning him,
‘I saw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced.
Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;
27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades,
neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.
28 You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
1
Peter 1:3
3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according
to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,
4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,
Where would we be without hope. In a word, LOST! We may have everything that this world that we would want, but if we die without forgiveness of sins- What hope do we have?
The resurrection of Christ provides that HOPE. The question is: Will we accept it?
Light
John
Chapter
8
(WEB)
12 Again,
therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I
am the light of the world. He
who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light
of life.”
2
Corinthians, Chapter 4 (WEB)
1 Therefore
seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t
faint.
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who are dying,
4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.
5 For we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake,
6 seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who are dying,
4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.
5 For we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake,
6 seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Without God, we stumble through life, with God- there is the light of life and his name is JESUS!!
Strength
10 Finally,
be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace,
16 above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace,
16 above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Truth,righteous, the Good News of peace and faith. Very good things to possess, but not your own, but rather GOD'S. You can rely on Jesus, he just didn't talk like politicians do, he gave his life that you and I may have the hope of eternal life- now THAT IS STRENGTH!!!
Comfort
3 Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies
and God of all comfort;
4 who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.
6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.
7 Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort.
4 who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.
6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.
7 Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort.
The truth is: If you are a Christian expect suffering and persecution. But, God will be there to help and comfort you through it all. See Strength above...
The equation
The picture is like an equation: We lack and God supplies our needs. Yet, there is another side to the equation, something that would cause God to bless us with help in time of need in the first place.
Consider...
Matthew,
Chapter 22 (WEB)
34 But
the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees,
gathered themselves together.
35 One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him.
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
35 One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him.
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
If we truly love God and I mean TRULY, then we will obey him in everything he wants us to do. To me, this is summarized in a song; one that you have probably heard before....
(Click on the blue link below, or enter the address into your browser to listen)
http://www.polkchurchfiles.info/Hymns/Jesus%20is%20All%20the%20World%20to%20Me.mp3
This isn't a one shot deal, its a lifetime commitment. Love and obey, for there is no other way... but that is from another song, for another day.
Gary, are you listening? I wonder if anyone else is???