Persevering With Hope

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4

    I don’t know if I will ever get to the point of being able to glory in my suffering. How about you? When a time of suffering has passed, we may be able to look back and see we have gained wisdom, knowledge, and an ability to identify with someone else’s pain. The best thing to come out of suffering is the intimacy we share with God, finding a way to turn to Him and learning to trust Him.

     Sometimes the perseverance part is the toughest part of suffering. Being patient when we don’t see results, or an answer or hope. We do the work, pray the prayer, do everything we think we should, and see absolutely nothing change.

     A friend of mine since kindergarten died almost exactly two years ago from a heart attack he suffered while he slept. He was a brilliant scientist for a pharmaceutical company in San Francisco. He devoted decades of his life to formulas that he knew may or may not ever work. Right after his death, the company signed a contract with Bristol Meyers, to develop possible cures for some major diseases.

     He never saw the results, but the seeds of his labor and his bio-chemist’s brain live on. God sees through His infinite eyes. We see in finite time frames. The year or month or days we spend waiting with perseverance are but a grain of sand to Him. He understands us, but He is God! His ways are nowhere near ours.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."  Isaiah 55: 8-9

     Let Him take that persevering prayer and hold it until the timing is just right. Let Him use your suffering to bring about something good. Let Him use the small seeds you have planted to grow precious fruit in the years to come. Those hidden hopes in our hearts are honored by our God. Believe in His ways. Trust in Him. Allow our Savior, Jesus, to persevere right along with you. He has been there. He was tempted in every way. He suffered more than any of us combined. He knows. He understands. His ways and His thoughts are higher than our earthly understanding. Let your patient perseverance bring hope.

Dear Jesus,

We suffer. We persevere. We do what we need to do, a step at a time. You know how to use all of it for good. Our perseverance grows character and finally brings about hope. Our hope is in Your loving and capable hands.

Amen

A Word for the Weekend

Focus your attention on the words from the great love chapter in the Bible.  They are words to take in and live out. I hope you can spend this weekend with those you love.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease, where there are tongues, they will be stilled, where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophecy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child; I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain; faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 1-13

Hope, Faith and Love

     The veil of separation was lifted when Jesus died for our sins. We have the glory of God available and our high priest sits in heaven. We can go straight to the throne room with no hesitation. His glory can grow in us day by day, but His full glory will not be seen until we get to heaven. Read Paul’s Word about this:

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12

     Until then what matters? What is our purpose? How do we live? We know everything around us is temporary, but we want answers. We want a place, a date, a reason, a goal, a plan, a time, a vision. We ask who, what, where when and why? Paul sums up this beautiful love chapter of the first book of Corinthians the 13^th chapter with these words:

And now these three remain; faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

     Remember we always have our hope of salvation, guarding us forever. We can stand firmly on our faith in Christ no matter the circumstances. We don’t know the number of our days on earth, but we do know the answer to forever. When we get there in full glory and we see fully face-to-face, we won’t need hope. Our hopes will be realized. We will not need faith. He will be standing right in front of us, holding out His hand to welcome us home.  

     Finally, what will remain? Love will reamin; the love we shared on earth for Him. When all is said and done it’s about love.

Dear Jesus,

You represent our hope and faith, but most of all You represent love. You are the answer to all of our questions, the reason for it all, when all is said and done.

Amen

Unveiled Faces

     Man cannot look upon the full glory of God and live. Moses had to wear a veil over his face after his encounter with God on Mount Sinai. We talked yesterday about the mammoth veil covering the Holy of Holies where the presence of God was held in Israel’s temple. That veil was torn from top to bottom as Jesus died on the cross.

     Our separation from God was removed by the blood of Jesus as He took our sin upon Himself on the cross. The Lamb of God, the King of Kings, the Word of God became flesh and lived among us. (John 1) We picture Jesus as He was when he lived on earth for those 33 years. Now He sits at the right hand of the Father in full glory. One day we will see Him face to face as Messiah, the Christ.

     In the meantime, the veil has been removed!  Jesus now resides in a new temple, the temple of our hearts. His Holy Spirit lives within us! Imagine that. Here are more New Testament verses explaining the significance of the veil.

Even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  2 Corinthians 3:15-18

     I love that last verse. Our hearts are no longer veiled. We know the truth of Jesus and His Holy Spirit continually changes us into the image of Christ! We will be filled with ever-increasing glory as He transforms us day by day. I believe that. As we continue to read the Word of God, pray to the One now sitting in glory and listen to the guiding of the Holy Spirit, we are changed, miraculously changed.

     Look up with that unveiled face today and radiate with the glory of God!

Dear Jesus,

We thank you for removing the veil from our hearts. We won’t see Your full glory until we are in heaven, but each day fill us a little bit more with Your light.

Amen 

The Veil

     The Jewish Temple was built in accordance to God’s very specific instructions. The Holy of Holies was the inner sanctum of the temple. This Holy Place contained the presence of God and only the high priest could enter it once a year on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur. (Exodus 30, Hebrews 9) A veil covered the entrance to the Holy of Holies.

     This particular veil (or curtain) was no ordinary veil. It measured around 60 feet high and was at least 4 inches thick! It was beautifully made in twisted fine linen, made with purple, blue and scarlet material. This veil signified the separation between God and man. It signified sin.

     Now picture this mammoth veil and try to imagine what happened as Jesus died on the cross:

And when Jesus had cried out again, in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom… Matthew 27:50-51a

     This was the final atonement for sin. There was now no need for the veil! The separation between God and man was paid for, once and for all, by God Himself.  Solomon’s temple and Herod’s temple have both been destroyed and are long gone, the last having been destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.  Acts 17;24

     I love seeing the promise of Christ throughout the Old Testament. He fulfilled so many prophetic Scriptures with His birth, His death and His resurrection. Many more are to come with His second coming and the new heaven and earth. The following beautiful Scriptures from the book of Hebrews will tie this all together. Now we can go boldly to the throne of God. Jesus opened that veil of separation for all time.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-21

Dear Father,

How do we thank You for removing the veil of separation once and for all? We can come boldly to the throne because of Jesus, our High Priest. Let us draw near to Him with cleansed hearts.

In Jesus Name

Amen

His Radiance

     Our encounters with God can be life-changing. God sees our potential and our purpose long before we do. Let’s revisit Moses today and talk more about his mountain-top experience with the living God. Remember, Moses has been in the desert for 40 years after running from Egypt.  God calls him when he is 80 years old!

     Feeling old, or weak or just plain ordinary? Join the club of Biblical heroes. God chose David, the youngest and weakest in the family to be king. He called Gideon to battle when he was in hiding. God called him a “valiant warrior.” He calls us, the weak and the ordinary to do extraordinary things with His strength.

     After Moses asked to see God's glory and God said he would not live through it, God placed Moses in a crevasse in the rocks, placed His hand over him and allowed His glorious presence to pass alongside. Listen to what happened:

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant and they were afraid to come near him.  Exodus 34:29-30

     Moses had to wear a veil over his face. His countenance was too bright for the people. We will talk more about the significance of the veil and the glory of God this week.  What will we look like, what will we act like after spending time in the presence of God? The word “radiant” means emitting rays of light.

     When we allow His presence to pass by, when we hear His voice calling us to action, He can do miraculous works through us and in us. Don’t be surprised if He calls you at a time when you least expect it, at an age where you think it’s too early or too late, at a time when you feel as if you are hiding under a rock, at a time when you are about to give up. Is He calling you today? Whether you are on a mountain-top or in a valley, let your countenance be lit with the radiance of His glory.

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for sharing the stories of Your children. You often call us at our weakest moments. You fill us with light. Let us radiate with the Son.

Amen

The Glory of God's Dwelling

Arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.  Isaiah 60:1

     The glory of the Lord is available to each one of us today, as we experience the presence of Christ. This week we will travel together back to Israel’s journey through the wilderness as they made their way to the Promised Land. Moses was called to meet with God, in the presence of His glory.

     That presence of God traveled with them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When Moses asked to see the glory of God, God told him, “You cannot see my face; for no man shall see Me and live.” (see Exoduss 33)

     The presence of the Lord was kept behind a veil in the temple. Today, after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the glory of the Lord has been allowed into our hearts.  We are blessed to be living in this time of grace and light. The Hebrew word, “Shekinah” meant the dwelling place or settling place of God's glory.

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14

Dear Jesus,

Your light and glory lives and dwells among us now in grace and truth. You are the glory of God living within us. Someday we will see you in full glory as we finally meet you face to face and live forever. Thank you for Your Word this morning. May it rise up in our hearts.

Amen