|
Defeating Discouragement
Psalm 42:1-11 Intro: Discouragement is one of the devil’s most effective weapons. For a Christian to be discouraged does not require that he or she commit some horrible sin- some ethical or moral failure- some rebellious action. Discouragement means to be deprived of courage and confidence; disheartened. To discourage someone means to hinder by instilling fear. So the Devil does everything he can to Instill Fear in the heart and mind of the child of God, thereby hindering them from living a victorious, effective, successful Christian life. With such fear, he steals away our courage and confidence. This Psalm was written when David was in exile from Saul and his men who were trying to kill him. David was running, hiding, barely escaping, running again, hiding, and in constant danger. The way the Psalmist felt, his soul was “cast down;” and “disquieted.” It was cowering in fear; down in discouragement; disquieted; in turmoil; all calmness and tranquility had been taken away; fretting and worrying. We all know the power of discouragement, BUT it can be defeated. I. Prove the Promises of God. Two times David said to himself - Hope thou in God. Hoping in God requires FAITH & TRUST. How do we build our faith and trust and defeat our discouragement? We PROVE the promises of God. The Bible is filled with God’s Promises. Of course, if you don’t read and study the Bible you won’t even be aware of them. You need to READ them- Realize they are for YOU- Remember them- Rely on them. 2 Cor. 1:20- For all the promises of God in Him (Jesus Christ) are YEA- and in him Amen.” - Albert Barnes- they are True and Certain. - John Gill- God’s promises are unchanging and irrevocable; they are by Christ confirmed and ratified. - JFB- The Yea is his Word given; the Amen is his Oath by which it is impossible for God to lie, making our assurance doubly sure. - M. Henry- God’s promises are TRUE and in Christ they are Confirmed and ratified. - Calvin- God’s promises are Sure and Well founded for they are Founded upon and within Jesus Christ himself. In Christ, God has confirmed the truth of all his promises, so now he teaches us, that it is our duty to acquiesce (agree with; to participate) in this ratification. This we do, when, resting upon Christ by a sure faith, we subscribe and set our seal that God is true, and WE in full confidence say Amen to his promises. Prove the Promises of God. II. Practice the Presence of God. David said in verse 5- I will praise him for the help of his countenance. The Countenance is the FACE; you must be in the presence of a person to see their countenance, not far away; distant. This is not a casual acquaintance but someone you KNOW WELL. Many of us have gotten into a Bad Habit: we have relegated being in the presence of God to being in Church, and even only certain kinds of services in church. “Out of church=out of mind” There is a Classic devotional book written by Brother Lawrence who had been a cook in a French Monastery in the 17th century. He wrote that the key to Friendship with God is not necessarily changing What you do (in the way of everyday tasks) but changing your Attitude Toward what you do. He said that we need to turn even the most commonplace tasks of life like preparing meals, washing dishes, doing our daily job, working around the house into acts of Praise and times of communion with God. In the words of David in verse 6- O my God, my soul is cast down within me, therefore will I remember thee. He had been driven to the utmost borders of the land of Canaan, to shelter himself there from the rage of his persecutors; sometimes he fled to the country about Jordan, and then, when discovered there, to the land of the Hermonites, or to a hill called Mizar, or the little hill; but, Wherever he went he took his God along with him. In all these places, he remembered God, and lifted up his heart to him, and kept his secret communion with him. After all, “Jesus said, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” “He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” Heb. 13:5 Practice the Presence of God. III. Pursue the Peace of God. In Psalm 34:14 David said, “Seek Peace and pursue it.” (Follow after it- lay hold on it- make it yours.) In 42:8 David said, “the Lord commands his loving kindness in the daytime and IN THE NIGHT his Song shall be with me...” God’s peace is not just for the Day-times of our lives but for the Night times as well; Not just for the times when all is Well, but the times when all seems Lost. Phil. 4:6,7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. This doesn’t happen by accident; We must Pursue God’s Peace. For a Sinner to have Peace with God- he must DO some thing- Confess sin- Repent of sin- Take Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. For a Saint to have the Peace of God, he must DO some things: Replace useless anxiety and Worry with PRAYER; Pray Earnestly, Fervently (supplication); Must be Thankful (Gratitude for what God has done- Praise for who God is.) Pursue the Peace of God. IV. Proclaim the Power of God. David said in verse 5- I shall yet praise him. Again in verse 11- I shall yet praise him. In verse 9 he calls God, My Rock in verse 8 the “God of my life.” We are so prone to proclaim our discouragement and the reasons why we are discouraged. We are too prone to express Doubt & Fear while keeping much too quiet about TRUTH and FAITH. It does not matter what situation you are in- God is still All Powerful. It does not matter how bad things seem to be- God is still All Powerful. He is God and always will be God. Whether he changes everything that’s happening in your life or not does not change the fact that HE CAN and HE MIGHT and if he does not HE is STILL GOD. The reason some people are constantly discouraged is because they are consumed with their Circumstance; paralyzed by their Problem; obsessed with their opposition; Its ALL they Think about- All they Talk about- Always on their Mind and always in their Mouth. Why not make God, His Promises, His Presence, His Peace, His Power all that you Think about, All that you Talk about? I’m not telling you to Deny that you have any problems but I am telling you to stop denying the power of God. I’m not telling you just to practice “positive confession”but I am telling you to Practice Positive Proclamation. Tell yourself how Great and Good God is. Tell your children how Great and Good God is. Tell your family- Tell your Friends- Tell your enemies- Tell your Brothers and Sisters in the Lord. In Revelation 12 we read of the Rage of the Great Red Dragon that hates God and his people; he fights with the angels of heaven and is cast down to the earth where he is said to have great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time. AND Still there are over comers! They overcame the devil by 1) the Blood of the Lamb, 2) the Word of their Testimony. You can Defeat Discouragement!
0 Comments
Intro: “Be patient;” we hear it from our parents when we are small children; we hear it when we are pre-teens wanting to be teens; when we are teens wanting to be adults; wanting to drive; wanting that NEW car or truck; wanting to be out on our own; wanting to marry... Oh, how we dislike hearing that phrase! How we want to grow up to the place that we don’t have to Hear, Be Patient!
Then we become adults and we still hear it- Life keeps saying to us, Be patient. Want that NEW car or truck; want that New house; want that new Gun; that new Furniture... So the Lord says to us Be Patient Son- Be Patient Daughter. So the Word of God says to us from James the Apostle, Be Patient Brother- Be Patient Sister. I. There is a Patience Which Toils. Vs. 7- Be Patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord; behold the husbandman, [consider the Farmer] he WAITS for the precious fruit of the earth- he has LONG patience for it Until he receives the early and latter rain. Think about that for a minute- how does a farmer WAIT; how does he manifest patience? In summer he sits in the living room in the recliner with an ice cold lemonade; In winter he sits in the living room in the recliner by a roaring fire with a mug of hot coffee; Every morning he looks out the window and says, Well, no crop yet but I’ll just keep waiting; I’ll be patient... Then back to the recliner... I don’t think so! The farmer Toils- he plows the field; he plants the seed; he cultivates it; he fertilizes it; he keeps the weeds out of it; he guards against pests and insects that would invade his fields; he fights against diseases that would destroy his crops. The whole time he is Waiting for a Harvest, he is Working; Toiling. There is a patience that Toils. He keeps doing every thing he can do; and he is patient in waiting for God to do what only He can do- send the Early and Latter Rain. Every one of us has been Converted to Serve God; we have been Commanded to Serve God; we have been Called to Serve God. We are Co-Laborers together with God; we are laborers in his field; in his vineyard. Some are planting; Some are watering; Some are Reaping Some are Praying; Some are Preaching; Some are Teaching; Some are Testifying; Some are Singing; Some are Serving; Some are Leading; Some are Lifting burdens; Some are Making Decisions; Some are Getting Dirty so to speak; BUT WE ARE ALL TO BE TOILING; Working for the Lord. Be Patient Brother-Be Patient Sister! Don’t become impatient in the work of the Lord. Charles Ryrie said it is one thing to become Weary IN Serving; It is another thing entirely to become Weary OF Serving. You Don’t think you are accomplishing anything? Don’t feel like anyone is listening/obeying? Don’t feel like anyone is being helped or changed? Don’t feel like the kingdom of God is benefitting from what you are doing? What and Who are you working for? Are you Working for People? Working for Applause? Working for Recognition? Working for Results? OR Working for the LORD? Be Patient Brother; Be Patient Sister- There is a patience which toils. II. There is a Patience Which Trusts. Vs. 8 Be patient, establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh; vs. 10 Take, my brethren, the Prophets, [Consider the Prophets] who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience. James was writing to believers who were suffering affliction because of their faith; they were being severely persecuted for their allegiance to Jesus Christ; they had renounced Judaism and turned to Jesus the Messiah. Now they were suffering; afflicted; persecuted; life was full of trouble; Wondered if it was worth it; wondered if it might just be easier to go back to the way they used to be. James reminds them that the Lord is coming soon; in light of his coming they were to be Patient and TRUST the LORD. James also reminds them of the Prophets they knew so well- those great men of God who proclaimed God’s truth even when it was not popular; when the people would not listen and became furious when they were told the Word of the Lord; even when Kings decreed against it. Prophets like Elijah whose Life was in danger for Years; Prophets like Michiah who was put in prison; Prophets like Jeremiah who was arrested and put in a dungeon Like Amos who was told by the king to Keep Quiet- they didn’t want to hear him anymore Like John the Baptist who was arrested; imprisoned and beheaded. Like Jesus Christ himself who was rejected; reviled; crucified by his own countrymen. These men and others like them Suffered Affliction; but they were Patient in Trusting God. These men and others like them were Misunderstood; misquoted; and hated but they were Patient in Trusting God. So you and I must be Patient in Trusting God; regardless of the situation we are in today; regardless of the affliction we are suffering to day; Be Patient Brother- Trust the Lord; Be Patient Sister- Trust the Lord; establish your hearts- the coming of the Lord draws nigh. III. There is a Patience Which Triumphs. Vs. 11 Behold, we count them happy which endure; ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful (sympathetic) and of tender mercy (compassionate). I don’t need me to rehearse the whole story of Job but here’s the highlights: He was a Devout Man of God and was Prospering Materially; he had 10 children and they were a very close family. Then the devil got involved and began Testing the Faith of Job. In one day he Lost his Oxen, his Plowing Horses; his Sheep; his Camels; all but three of his servants; then All 10 of his children! We Cannot comprehend such Tragedy! Seems more than a man could take; not finished yet! Job was then smitten with Sore Boils from his head to his feet; His wife in despair suggested that he Give Up and Curse God and Die; Three friends showed up and spent the next number of days criticizing him and accusing him of sinning against God. We Cannot comprehend such Suffering; Seems more than a man could take! This went on for some time; seemed to be no relief; no help from God; no escape from the suffering and pain; Still- JOB PATIENTLY ENDURED! Some of the great proclamations of Faith come from Job in the midst of this Severe Trial. “The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” “He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:And though skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold” Be Patient Brother; Be Patient Sister; Keep Toiling for the Lord; Keep Trusting in the Lord; You will Triumph in the Lord. He is Sympathetic; he cares about your affliction; he cares about your suffering; your confusion; your perplexity; your disappointment and discouragement. He is Compassionate; he will minister to you with Tender Mercy and Amazing Grace. Be Patient Brother! Be Patient Sister! Say Amen!
Ps 106:48 Intro: The word “amen” is a common word in our church setting. We use it as a closing for a prayer. We use it to express our agreement with the preacher. We use it in a more common way to express our agreement with a statement someone makes in regard to just about any subject: the weather, politics, work, life in general. So the word “amen” becomes very common and ordinary and even gets used sometimes in an inappropriate way because of carelessness. Still, in the Bible the word “amen” is an Important Word; A Powerful Word; a Word Full of Meaning and Purpose. In our text tonight we read where the Psalmist Cried out: Let All the People Say Amen. When you read the whole Psalm, he had written about the goodness and mercy of God; about his might and power in the earth; about how those who trust in the Lord are Blessed and Rejoice in Him. The writer then rehearsed much of Israel’s history: their deliverance from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the destruction of the Egyptian army. He reminded them how their forefathers forgot the works of God and rebelled against him and he reminded of them the terrible price many paid for their rebellion. Some were slain by the Lord right at that time and eventually the entire nation was punished by being given into captivity to the heathen nations around them. The Psalmist reminded them of God’s great mercy in spite of their sin. God regarded their cries for help and remembered his covenant with them. Finally the Psalmist cried out in vs. 47- Save Us, O Lord our God! Gather us from among the heathen that we may give thanks unto thy holy name and triumph in thy praise. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! And Let ALL the People Say AMEN! In light of God’s Great Power; In light of Israel’s great Failure; In light of God’s Great Mercy; Let all the people say Amen! This is not just a word to be spoken by habit without thought; it is a word of Great Feeling Spoken from a heart that Rejoices in the Power and Glory and Mercy of God. 1) Saying Amen means I Agree with the Word of God. When you say Amen, you are saying I agree with the Word of God. Even when it Corrects me- I say Amen. When it Reproves or Rebukes me I say, Amen. When it Instructs me I say, Amen. There’s an interesting incident in Deut 27. Moses told the people that when they crossed over Jordan into the land of Canaan, their homeland, they would make a monument of stones coated with plaster; upon this monument they would write the Law of God so they would be reminded to Obey it all the days of their lives. Moses also told them that when they crossed over into Canaan’s land, representatives of 6 tribes would stand upon Mt Gerizim and pronounce God’s blessing upon his people. Then representatives of the other 6 tribes would stand upon Mt Ebal to pronounce the curses that would come upon them if they refused to obey the Law of God. The instructions were given that the curse would be pronounced, and “all the people shall answer and say, Amen!” 12 times, they were told to respond to the Word of God by Crying Out, Amen! You know what response God wants from you when you Read His Word? AMEN! You know what response God wants from you when you Hear His Word Taught and Preached? AMEN! Whenever God’s Word is proclaimed we are to say, AMEN and by doing so we are Saying, I Agree with God’s Word. Now God’s Word is True and will stand forever whether you and I agree with it or not; BUT if you want your life to Stand before God with his Blessing and Approval, you Must say Amen to God’s Word. 2) Saying Amen Means that I Approve of the Ways of God. When God proclaims his truth, I say Amen and by doing so I say, I approve of your Ways, Lord. Ps 18:21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, Jer 7:23 Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. In Rev 15 there is a assembly of those who have gotten the victory over the Beast and are now in the glories of heaven- vs. 3 says, And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. We must say Amen and Approve the Ways of God Even when we don’t fully Understand them from our human perspective. God told us in Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways...” 3) Saying Amen Means that I Appropriate the Gifts of God. When I say Amen! From my heart I am saying, Lord, I am Personally Obeying Your Word and I am applying it to MY Life. You provided salvation and I said, AMEN and I have been saved. You provided means for holy living and I said, Amen and I am obeying your Word to live holy. You provided the fulness of the Holy Ghost and I said Amen! And I am making every effort to be filled with your Spirit. Ps. 116:12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? 13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. 14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. 4) Saying Amen Means that I Give my Assent to the Will of God. Saying Amen from my heart means that I am surrendering my will to the will of God no matter what his will may be. I know that God doesn’t deliberately use his will to “punish” us even though some to have that mentality. Some have said, “think about what you dislike the most and you can pretty well figure that it is God’s will for you.” Nonsense! God’s Will for your life and mine is Heaven’s Highest Intentions for us! God wants your life to be full of Purpose; full of satisfaction; full of contentment; full of joy! So, however God leads your steps, say Amen! Yes, Lord- I give my assent to your will. Remember the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane? His human nature was recoiling at the thought of the torture, the suffering, the humiliation, and the agonizing death that was just ahead. Jesus cried out “being in agony, If it be possible let this cup pass from me...Nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done.” Jesus said, AMEN! Giving his assent to the will of God. God’s will may not take you away from your hometown, but it might. God’s will may not make you preach, but it might. However God works, he will use your abilities, your strengths, your potential for your best. He will direct your steps by his Word; he will direct your steps by his Spirit within you; he will direct your steps by the circumstances of your life; he will direct your steps by that inner feeling of peace and assurance. Say AMEN! Say it from your heart! Say it with your heart! Say it with fervency and devotion. I agree with your Word O Lord. I approve of your Ways O Lord. I appropriate your Gifts O Lord. I give assent to your Will O Lord. AMEN! Mary and the Master
John 20:1,2; 14-16 Intro: Easter Sunday is one of the Greatest Days of the year for the Christian. Of course, Christmas is one because it’s a celebration of Jesus’ birth as a baby in Bethlehem; Easter is the other because it’s a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, proving that He really was the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Lets take a look at that first Easter Sunday especially from the perspective of Mary Magdalene, a devoted follower of Jesus. I. The Misery Mary Magdalene came very early in the morning on the first day of the week. Mark and Luke record that she and another Mary had brought a preparation of spices to anoint the body of Jesus. Of course, they wondered how they would move the stone that had been rolled up against the opening of the tomb, but they loved the Lord so much they decided to at least try to anoint his body if it could be done. The last few days had been shocking to say the least. The followers of Jesus had been shocked by the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, one of his own disciples. They had been horrified by the trial and torture of Jesus. They had been devastated by his crucifixion. It seemed that their whole world had been turned upside down and inside out and they were in Misery. Now, when they arrived at the tomb, the stone was already rolled away and the body of Jesus was not there and their misery increased even more. The other gospels tell of an angel of the Lord that told the ladies that Jesus had risen from the dead; Matthew and Mark both say that the ladies were astonished by this turn of events and that they Ran from the tomb with fear and trembling. John picks up the story here and tells how Mary ran and found Peter and John and told them what she had seen and heard. She evidently came back with them as they ran to the tomb to see for themselves what was going on. Peter and John looked into the empty tomb for a few minutes then returned to their own homes. Mary, however, remained near the tomb, overwhelmed with sorrow. She was weeping and mourning the loss of her beloved Lord and Savior. This man was the one who had delivered her from 7 demons and saved her soul. She loved Jesus and believed completely in him as the Son of God. Now he was Gone. It was bad enough that he had been tortured and crucified, but now he had disappeared! In her misery, she turned away from the tomb and from the corner of her eye, she saw someone standing across the way in the garden. The man standing there asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She thought he was the gardener and that he might have moved the body of Jesus to a different place. She pleaded with him to tell her where Jesus was so she could take him herself and care for his body. Mary was immersed in Misery! II. The Master At this point in the story, Jesus said gently, “Mary.” Something pierced through her misery when she heard that voice; there was something about the way he said her name; She quickly Turned to face him and cried out, “Master!” It Was Jesus! He was really here; And He was ALIVE. He was standing there; breathing; speaking to her; he was Alive. Her misery dissolved into great Joy. Her sorrow vanished; her grief was gone. Hope had been reborn; Joy had been restored; Faith had revived; and Peace had returned. Jesus was Alive; She had Met the Master. Let me tell you here today; the cure for your misery is to meet the Master. The cure for your despair is to meet Jesus and find that he is STILL ALIVE TODAY. A. You Need to Hear his Voice. - Like Moses hidden away in the desert, a fugitive from those who would punish him for murdering an Egyptian. He was living in Misery until he saw the burning bush and heard the Lord say, “Moses, Moses! I am God and am come down to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians.” - Like Samuel who was dedicated by his parents to serve the Lord in a time when Israel was in spiritual darkness. The Lord called his name and he first thought that it was the Priest Eli calling for him. When he realized it was the Lord, he cried out, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” B. You Need to See his Glory. - Like Joshua who was facing the fortified city of Jericho with its massive walls; he was struggling with the coming battle and the Lord appeared to him as the Captain of the Host. The Lord reminded Joshua that he was not in this battle alone, the Lord was going to fight for him. - Like Isaiah who was grieving over the death of King Uzziah and knew that Israel was at a crucial point in their history. The Lord appeared to Isaiah while he worshiped in the Temple and his Glory caused the door posts to move; Isaiah saw the angels of God and heard them crying out, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord.” - Like the apostle John who had been exiled to the Island of Patmos because of his faith in Jesus Christ. He was isolated and alone but he was worshiping the Lord on the Lord’s day. Jesus appeared to him in his Glory and said to him, “I am he that Lives; I was dead but Behold, I am alive forevermore!” Are you living in the misery of a sinful life? Have you allowed things of this world to bind your mind and your body and they are making you miserable? Have you drifted away from your relationship with the Lord and been overwhelmed by the frustrations of life? Are you a Christian but you have allowed your circumstances to beat you down? Are you carrying a heavy load of care today and its making miserable? You Need to Hear His Voice! You Need to See His Glory! In the words of Vance Havner- We have not gathered here today to Honor a Corpse, but to Hail a Conqueror. He is Aware of your situation He is Here to revive your Faith; renew your Hope; restore your Joy; Make Life worth Living! He will Give you Abundant Life and He will Give you Eternal Life. Look for Him
Heb. 9:28 Intro: “Look for”(ap e dech a me) means to attentively and patiently wait for. It is translated “wait for” 5 times in NT and 2 times “Look for”. 1Cor 1:7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Phil. 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Seven times in the Gospels, Jesus gave us a strong exhortation to WATCH- to be Watching. It is important for us to understand this statement: “unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” So, what does the phrase “look for,” “wait for,” or the word “watch” really mean to you and I? I. Expectation of His Coming. We must be expecting Jesus to come again. His coming is the clear declaration of God’s Word- no doubt about it. Jesus Promised it- “If I go away, I will come again and receive you unto myself.” Angels Promised it- “this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Paul declared it- “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God...” James declared it- “be patient brethren unto the coming of the Lord.” Peter declared it- “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” John declared it- “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” We Can Expect His Coming; We Should Expect His Coming; We Must Expect His Coming. We sing it in our songs: “Just any day now our Lord is coming, he’ll be returning for you and me, O I’ve been watching and I’ve been waiting, just any day now his face I’ll see” “What a beautiful day for the Lord to come again, what a beautiful day for him to take his children home, How I long to see his face and to touch his nail scarred hands, what a beautiful day for the Lord to come again” “Jesus is coming soon, morning or night or noon, many will meet their doom, trumpets will sound. All of the dead shall rise, righteous meet in the skies, going where no one dies, heaven ward bound” Any Day we should Expect the trumpet to sound- expect to hear the voice of the archangel- expect Jesus to appear in the clouds- expect that all true believers will be caught up- raptured out of this world. To “Look For” indicates an Expectation of His Coming. II. Anticipation of His Coming. The coming of Jesus for his people is not only the clear declaration of God’s Word, it is also the Blessed Hope of every Believer. “Unto them that Look for him shall he appear...” Looking for him not only involves an Expectation of his coming but an Anticipation of his coming. This is Not just a Fact that we expect- but a Fact that we Anticipate- not Just LOOK FOR but LOOK FORWARD TO. To expect means to look for something to happen; to assume or suppose it will happen but to anticipate means to look with longing and excitement for something to happen. So Paul said that the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ our Savior is a Blessed Hope. Paul told Timothy about a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord would give to all them that LOVE HIS APPEARING. We not only Expect the Coming of the Lord- We anticipate His Coming. We long for his coming- We love to think about his coming- We love to sing about his coming- Testify about it- Preach about it- Talk to one another about it. The Coming of the Lord is the Blessed Hope of every Living Believer; Rapture to Eternal Life The Blessed Hope of every Believer that has already died; Resurrection to Eternal Life. It is Our Blessed Hope: Benefits of a Glorified Body: no sickness or disease, no weakness or frailty, no pain, no death. No weariness, no fear, no sorrow or tears, no burdens or worries. Beauty of Heaven: foundations of precious stones, walls of jasper, street of pure transparent gold, gates of pearl, crystal river of life, crystal sea and rainbow around the throne. Being Reunited with Saved Loved Ones: husbands, wives; parents, children, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, grand parents, brothers and sisters in the Lord, wonderful friends- reunited forever in the presence of the Lord. Blessing of God’s Personal Presence: God the Father seated on the throne; Jesus Christ, God’s Son at the Father’s right hand; Holy Ghost- the eternal Spirit of God; Holy Angels- worshiping and serving God. To look for his appearing certainly involves an Anticipation as well as an Expectation. III. Preparation for His Coming. If we are Looking for his coming in Expectation- and in anticipation- then we will Look for his coming in Preparation. If you are not preparing for the coming of Jesus, then you are not truly Looking for his appearing. The coming of Jesus is our Great Incentive for Holy Living. Why Live a Holy Life? God’s Word Requires a Holy Life; God’s Spirit Produces a Holy Life; The Coming of Jesus Inspires a Holy Life 1 John 3:2,3 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Romans 13:11-14 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Unto them that Look For Him Shall he appear: Lets Look for Him! Look in Expectation. Look in Anticipation. Look in Preparation. |
Bro. Dwain GaliherPastor of JHPC Archives
January 2026
|
RSS Feed
|
|
|
Junction Hill Pentecostal Church - West Plains, MO © 2017 All Rights Reserved © |