Before we begin Blog 6, I wish to thank the thousands of readers wo have joined me in this experience since I published my first blog in March 2015. I wish to especially thank my international readers from 39 different countries. As I publish each blog, I pray that it is the Holy Spirit whom I believe is using me as His instrument in sharing what He has for each of you...such a blessing, indeed! In keeping with this statement, may I ask each of you to pray that what you read is indeed God’s truths.
In Blog 5,
we “unwrapped” 2 Cor. 10:3-6 which deals with where we are walking - in the flesh or in the Spirit, putting on the full armor
as written in Ephesians 6:10-18, including the weapons of our warfare, taking
down strongholds, the carnal mind (such as controlling our thoughts/actions), and
sin which contribute to living with sorrow/grief! Additionally, there were strategies
for our focusing on peace, hope and the promises of the Lord God Almighty! We must be so very thankful and praising our
Lord Jesus for His sacrifice on Calvary and the incredible gift of salvation
(being set free from. . .), amen?
In beginning
this blog, let’s consider the critical question “Where is your focus – on your
sorrows/griefs or on the triune God and His truths?” Another way of attacking
your status is “do you live with an attitude of defeat or one of hope that
only your loving Father can provide you?” Most importantly, where is your faith in the face of such hopeless
living? Paul, in Hebrews 11:1, states “Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Let’s
consider the book of Lamentations which deals with Jeremiah living in sorrow
and grief because of his beloved Jerusalem being in such affliction, and as
well, God’s anger with Jerusalem! Thus, we see Jeremiah lamenting from chapter
1 through 3:18. Let’s listen in to what he is declaring in verses 18-26:
18 “And I said, ‘My strength and my hope have perished from
the LORD.’ 19 Remember my affliction and roaming, the wormwood and the gall. 20
My soul still remembers and sinks within me.
Then something
drastically changes in his thinking as for surely the Holy Spirit speaks to him
because then he exclaims
21 “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.”
He continues,
22 “Through the LORD’S mercies we are not
consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
A beautiful
hymn concerning this truth the follows:
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, therefore I hope in
Him. 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. 26
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation (being set
free from. . .) of the LORD.”
In verse 21,
Jeremiah sees God’s mercy at work in his life. The question becomes “are you waiting quietly for the salvation of the
LORD, i.e. being set free from whatever is causing you to lament (sorrowing and
grieving)?” Why is it so significant to “wait quietly”? Jeremiah was far from waiting
quietly in previous chapters!
We see the children
of Israel fleeing from Pharaoh and his warriors in Exodus 14. They became most
sorrowful and filled with other emotions, such as fear, because they thought
they were on the way to freedom from the Egyptians, but soon learned that Pharaoh
and his chariots were after them! It is interesting that in verse 10, “they were
very afraid and cried out to the Lord.” Yet, in the very next verse they rose
against Moses because it was all his fault that they were under attack. Initially “they went out with boldness” (Exo
14:8), but then the spirit of fear overcame them!
Consider
what Moses said to the people (as he was listening to the prompting of the Holy
Spirit), “Do not be afraid. Stand still
and see the salvation (being set free from…) of the LORD, which He will
accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see
again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you and you shall hold your
peace.” (Exo 14:13-14)
There is an
incredible lesson in all this, regardless of their previous many years of much sorrow and grief
because of their bondage in Egypt, the LORD rescued them . . . His way and His time!! It is crucial that we
focus on our LORD instead of what is going on around us causing us to live in
sorrow/grief! For those of you are
living in sorrow and grief, the scripture tells us “to wait quietly”. Why? How can we hear the still small voice of
the LORD stating, “be still and know that I am God, and the plans that I have
for you are for good and not for evil”?
As I have shared before, I like to declare “I restfully and patiently
wait upon the LORD trusting Him to
deal with that which is affecting me”!
Thus, we truly
have a choice as stated previously - focus on that which is stealing our peace
and our joy because of past, future, or present events in which we ourselves have
lost our hope, or “stand still and see the salvation of the LORD God Almighty.”
Also, if we continue to allow the flesh to walk in sorrow/grief, it opens the
door wide to be “double minded” which gives Satan an invitation to harass us,
keeping in mind dear saints, there IS HOPE, as it is stated in James 4:7-10
7 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee
from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will
draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners and purify your hearts, you double
minded. 9 Lament and morn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and
your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the LORD, and He will lift you up”.
One of His Hebrew
Names is “Elohim Ozer Li, God My Helper.” (Ps. 54:4)
Please keep
in mind that which is written in James 1:2-8
2 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience
have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing. 5 If
any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and
without reproach, and it will be
given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts
is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man
suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
Is it fair to
say that if one is living with sorrow/grief day in and day out that he/she is
double-minded and unstable in all his/her ways? How so? Lack of faith!
So be encouraged
and have hope as is stated in Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible
to please Him, for he who comes to
God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently
seek Him.”
A crucial question…are
you diligently seeking Him? If not, why not?
Keep in mind,
it is most important as the scripture tells us, to “take every thought captive
to the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4) and in doing so, with the Holy
Spirit’s help, we will walk victoriously as never before. That is one
of God’s promises to us, and we know He never ever breaks His promises,
thankfully!
Be glorified, Almighty God,
be glorified
To be continued . . . 