Hope Archives — Today's Word Is ...

Today’s Word Is SWIM

Mon-Jun-15-2020

The prophet Ezekiel lived in Jerusalem in 590 BC, as one of the Jews who had not been taken into captivity and carted off to Babylon. And he had a prophetic vision (Chapter 47) of a stream flowing out from the Temple, which was a message of hope for those being held in exile. The river in his vision flowed eastward for about 1,500 feet and was ankle-deep. As the Lord took him further, the water became knee-deep for another 1,500 feet, and then waist-deep for another 1,500 feet. (That’s a little over a mile so far. Then …

He [the Lord] measured off another fifteen hundred feet. By now it was a river over my head, water to swim in, water no one could possibly walk through. He said, “Son of man, have you had a good look?” (Ezekiel 47:5-6)

Have you ever been in “over your head”? That’s where the Lord was taking Ezekiel. This is the Christian life of faith. This is when we truly begin to trust in the Lord with all we have, in a state of total dependence.

Here are some things we learn from this. First, the Lord is gracious – He starts us out in ankle-deep water. If not, we might chicken out! And it keeps us going, because there is more. I do think, however, that some of us are still in that ankle-deep water. Some of us kept getting deeper and deeper into faith, until our feet didn’t touch. Some of us have succumbed to fear and stopped moving forward in order to stay where our feet can touch the bottom.

It is interesting that while we are in the shallower water, it is easier to see what’s under there! Sometimes, that’s why we don’t go deeper. Fears can arise when we are unsure of what might happen next or how we would handle difficult moments. However, we should know that God knows everything that is under there, and he will not let us sink — or be eaten alive — or suffer mortal wounds. Being unsure of ourselves might just be a sign that we are also unsure of God’s faithfulness. Trusting in God creates courage and confidence.

This vision teaches us that God wants us in those deep waters – he wants us to swim! After all, that is where we really learn to trust! And the waters of God are fresh water. They are healing waters. The Lord told Ezekiel, “Where the river flows everything will live.” (v. 9)

If you are nervous reading this because you are someone who fears swimming, remember that this passage is about your spirit swimming in and with the Holy Spirit. It is a life of adventure and trust. In a sense, we are out of control, because the current of a river is too strong for us to go wherever we want to. God wants us to go with the flow – not to swim upstream trying to get back to some false feeling of safety. Going with the flow means following the Spirit. We don’t necessarily go where other people are going, or even where they think we should go – we go where God goes!

Have you ever been whitewater canoeing? I did a lot of that in my younger years. There are three types of experience that stand out to me. First, there are “floats.” The river moves quietly and steadily along. You can paddle and make good time, or if you like you can rest and let God carry you. Then there are “pools.” These are places where the water is deeper and calmer. You can get out of the boat and not get carried away by a strong current. It is a time to stop and play! You can empty the boat of any water you took on. And while you have the boat flipped over, you can swim underneath as you laugh and play. You can also sit on the shore and relax.

But the other experience is when those “rapids” come. There are dangers, hard work, crashes, and disasters. You may get stuck or fall out. But to a canoeist, this is the best part of the trip. Who wants to go canoeing if there are no rapids!? The hard part is also the most fulfilling part of the adventure.

Regarding the river of your life … do you spend your time trying to avoid the rapids? Do you decline the difficult things? People need us, and it isn’t easy going. And furthermore, do you fail to stop and play when God provides the opportunity? Stop struggling in the river and relax. Be ready for the rapids when they come, don’t fight them, use them.

Are you ready to head for deeper water… meaning a deeper life? Are your feet still touching the bottom? Are you all in for Jesus enough that you will go where the Holy Spirit takes you and enjoy the great adventure that he has for you?

A final thought … the Israelites in captivity were surely wondering if God had abandoned them. They were no longer in their homeland. They were enslaved with little hope of being free. And the Temple that housed the presence of the Holy Spirit of God was far away. But Ezekiel’s vision was a clear message that God leaves the Temple to come to his people. Babylon was east of Jerusalem, and the waters in the vision flowed east out of the Temple. God was reaching out to his people, heading their direction, bringing his river of love to engulf them, support them, and carry them.

You are not alone or abandoned. You are not without help. God is with you and he wants you to swim in the waters of the Spirit that he brings to you. Trust him. Enjoy him. Enjoy the adventure. Go with God’s flow. Play in the pools. Battle the rapids. Together we will make it. The river of life is a great place to be.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is CIRCUMSTANCES

Thu-Jun-4-2020
Originally published
Wed-Nov-27-2019

The verse that says “I can do all things” by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:13 is popular and encouraging. But it means something more than what some people think. Philippians 4:10-14 is about Good Times & Hard Times … and how to thrive spiritually, mentally, and emotionally in all of them.

To do so we need to overcome what I call “try-harder” theology. You see, Paul was not saying, “I can do all things, if I try hard enough.” But that’s how many people use it.

So, here’s “the rest of the story” …

First of all … Sometimes we need help. The Apostle Paul earned money making tents, but many times that was not enough. He still needed offerings from churches. It’s OK to ask for help. But it’s not OK to complain if someone can’t help. For awhile the church couldn’t help Paul, but Paul thanked them when they could.

Paul says (v.10) But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

Also … True contentment is apparently hard to achieve, since so few appear to have it. Learning how to adjust to a wide range of circumstances is not popular. After all, if I go through a drought, what am I going to do about the house and car payments? We want the circumstances to adjust to us. Paul learned to adjust to them. He had a mission that was more important than circumstances.

(v.11) Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

Next … Without that passion for a calling or purpose in life, we often resort to bemoaning our misfortunes. When there’s plenty, we’re happy, but when we must do without … well … does our joy leave when difficulty arrives? Paul is our witness that it is possible to be as content in poverty as it is in prosperity. We will endure circumstances when we are on a mission. It could be as a schoolteacher, as a nurse, as a pastor, as a social worker, or any other job, as a parent to our children, loving our spouse, working for a non-profit or a church project. What we are passionate about will help us to disregard certain difficulties.

(v.12) I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

NOW, HERE COMES THE BLESSING …

(v.13) I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Some folks take this to mean that any bad circumstance can turn into a good one simply by believing it can happen, or that God will fix it for me, or that just trying harder is the way to overcome the barrier … and once the circumstance turns good, then I can rest, get the precious joy back, and be thankful that I succeeded.

But Paul is making a deeper point. “Doing all things” might just mean putting up with irritations or lack of amenities in order to accomplish a higher purpose.

Even if things are bad right now, and even if they’re going to stay bad for a while. No matter. I have God and he is enough. And my joy doesn’t come and go with good times and bad. They’re all alike to me in this sense: I am the same ‘me’ and God is the same God, regardless of my circumstances.

He is our strength in good times. He is our strength in hard times.

LAST THOUGHT …

We are not to wallow in our difficulties in order to get mileage or sympathy points out of our suffering. If things are difficult, we stay on course, and give thanks when caring people pitch in and lift us up.

(v.14) Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.

Stay steady in all circumstances, difficult or easy,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word is BLAME

Mon-Apr-27-2020

I have ministered to many, many people who are looking for someone or something to blame for the difficulties they are going through. We often want to tell this person the wonderful verse from Jeremiah 29:11 that says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Many people know this verse and are encouraged by it. It sounds like it is especially addressed to someone who is not prospering or has been harmed, or perhaps someone who feels like the future holds no hope. By this verse we are reminded that God is not the one who is the perpetrator of the terrible things that happen in our lives. I am thankful that I did not grow up blaming God for things, but some people have developed the tendency to accuse him of doing them harm. These are the ones who resent this verse. It seems to them to be a false promise.

Perhaps they feel as though they have been lied to. They do not see prosperity or a hopeful future. Rather, based on their terrible lot in life, they have become weary of relying on hope, and now would rather get a secondary satisfaction out of finding someone to blame.

If you are one of those, I suspect it is because you may have had more than your share of difficulties, tragedies, and abusive or harmful circumstances. It seems unfair and maybe you direct the blame toward God simply because you can’t think of anyone else to take it out on. After all, he’s the great “fixer,” isn’t he?

The path to overcoming this resentment involves reinterpreting our expectations of what life is meant to be like. We must admit that no person will escape difficulty at some time. And at those points, would we be willing to let someone comfort us, even though they do not fix the problem? If we cannot release our problem in exchange for warmth and acceptance, this is an admission that all of life is about “me” and essentially a declaration that I cannot be satisfied, since life will never go perfectly for me or anyone. I am thus waiting for the impossible.

Jeremiah 29:11 is not about a formula for success by which we become happy when good things finally start to happen. It is more about a relationship with a loving God who meets us in the middle of the ups and downs of life and walks us through them. The hope and the future of which God speaks is that of being loved and accepted. This is hope … that I will make it. I don’t have to know “how” I will make it, but only that God will never forsake or abandon me. At those times when we may feel disappointed or even abandoned, the Scripture says this,

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29:12-14)

This is describing the Captivity of the Jews in Babylon. The great truth is that God heard their cry and came to them. No nation, no evil, no bad thing can keep us in its grasp forever when we belong to God. We keep seeking him “with all our heart.” Notice that the promise to restore their “fortune” is not so much about wealth, but rather he said we would “bring them back” to their original place with God.

Did God put you in the places of difficulty or “captivity”? So it seems, by this Scripture. But remember, the Old Testament is a story of learning what God is like, and we learn by experience. Would reading an explanation of restoration teach us well enough? Not for me. It is by being in the place of captivity, feeling the despair, longing for being home and at rest that I learn by experiencing, internalizing, and claiming the beauty and victory of restoration and peace.

This is God’s plan for a hope and a future, that he goes with us into our wildernesses, allows our pain and struggle to teach us, and then restores that which was lost.

I cannot blame God for letting me learn the hard way. And I thank him that the great gift of his presence is my hope and my future.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is PARADE

Fri-Apr-3-2020

I am not observing “Friday Humor Day” today or next Friday in deference to the Easter season. The next two Sundays, Palm Sunday and Easter, are the most significant of the year for us as Christians.

Now you may not be used to observing Palm Sunday or putting it up there at the top along with Easter. As Christians, we celebrate the birth of the King on Christmas. On Palm Sunday he declared it. On Easter, he proved it.

Just in case you don’t remember the details of Palm Sunday, I have placed it at the bottom, from Luke 19: 29-44. You scroll down and read it now if you need to.

After three years of Jesus’ ministry, filled with teachings and miracles, the Pharisees and other leaders were in the process of planning how to kill him. They were offended by his teachings in which he was clearly claiming to be the Messiah, the Chosen One of God. And they were losing their hold on the masses of people who followed him, common folks who found hope in him and were amazed at his miracles.

Jesus knew that the Pharisees’ opposition was a signal that the time had come to fulfill his purpose, the sacrifice of his life for the sins of the people. The approaching week was the annual celebration of the passover, a somber festival to remember their escape from bondage in Egypt. The Israelites had suffered as slaves in Egypt for 400 years, but God sent Moses to lead them out. God instructed them to sacrifice a lamb and place the blood on their doorposts, so that when the angel of death came he would “pass over” their houses and they would avoid the 10^th and final plague of the killing of the firstborn. Passover was a remembrance of this.

So, as Jesus prepared to enter Jerusalem for this festival, he knew this would be the year of the ultimate Passover, with a capital P, in which the Lamb, with a capital L, would be sacrificed as an all-sufficient, one-time atonement for the past, present, and future sins of all humanity.

Before we proceed with the parade into town, take note that there are two kingdoms throughout history – the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. A Messianic Jewish teacher, whose lessons I am reading, calls them the kingdom of Empire and the kingdom of Shalom (Hebrew for peace). Empire operates by power, wealth, and control. God’s Kingdom of Shalom operates by hospitality, humility, sacrifice, love, faith, and forgiveness.

In ancient history, a conquering warrior-king, who returned to his city after victory in battle, rode on a white stallion, a symbol of power. Jesus rode into Jerusalem that Sunday on a donkey, a symbol of humility. He was teaching us: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty. (Zechariah 4:6) As he rode along, crowds lined the roads, shouting his name as King, declaring the wonders of his miracles, and waving palm branches as a message of honor and peace and hope.

The world’s Empire power approach will never defeat the Kingdom of God. And Jesus, as the leader of the parade into Jerusalem, was proclaiming this truth. The Jewish power machine had tried to silence him. Now they were going to kill him. And he was going to allow them to do it.

The crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus, coming up in the following week, would be the proof that it is God’s Kingdom that is forever. For us, there is a choice – Shalom or Empire – God’s way or the world’s way. If you choose God’s way, you can practice humility and sacrifice and never be defeated. The world’s attempt to kill Jesus was not counting on a resurrection. And that is what we count on.

We can recall the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem when we need assurance. The people are shouting “king,” but his garment is not a royal robe; it is homespun and simple. He is not on a “warhorse,” but a beast of burden. His “court” is made up of fishermen and hated tax collectors. His “parade” is an array of common people.

Yet no pageant that ever passed through the streets of any city has so set its mark on time as this one. The triumphal entries of the Romans and all other empires have long since been forgotten or become irrelevant. But this one, with Jesus on a donkey, is known and retold in every detail, year after year, century after century.

Blessing you with peace as you follow God’s parade,

Chaplain Mark

NOTE: The Jewish teaching I referred to is called the Bema Podcast, by Marty Solomon, and is worth listening to on your favorite Podcast App.

The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, which we call Palm Sunday, from Luke 19: 29-44

As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.'” Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it, and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

Today’s Word Is HOPE

Tue-Mar-31-2020

We sang a song in church when I was young called “Whispering Hope.” One phrase in it said, “hope is an anchor to keep us, holding both steadfast and sure.” I always liked that analogy … hope is an anchor.

Hope looks to the future with confidence and waits patiently. The Apostle Paul said, “But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” – (Romans 8:24b-25)

Some hopes are directed at short term needs, and others will take a lifetime to fulfill. Some hopes are directed toward material things, which we know can only bring limited satisfaction and sometimes even create dissatisfaction. How so? Sometimes we discover that “this” was not as fulfilling as we thought it would be, and now we need something more to make us happy.

This cycle is somewhat like the hamster in the wheel, it is never-ending. None of us will ever get enough “stuff” if we only listen to our worldly desires. Now … I am not belittling our desires for material things, I have a few myself. But I am mindful that the marketing we are bombarded with is constantly pushing us to want, want, want. If we become consumed by this, it could diminish our trust in God and our life of faith. Let us hope in the higher things.

The Apostle Paul says: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1^st Timothy 6:17)

Look at it this way … Would you rather have a gallon of milk … or be friends with the person who owns the cow? After all, milk spoils. Milk here would symbolize material things which diminish with time. As friends of God, our needs are supplied day by day, including both physical needs and the inner blessings of joy, fulfillment, love, and peace from the Perfect Father. God tends to give out the milk (physical needs) by the glass, by the sip, by the gallon, whatever he chooses for you, so as to build your confidence in his provision. Thus, the material things, as we mature, become secondary. Our hope has refocused on higher things. It makes you shake your head that you ever worried so much about the material things.

If you’re just getting provision by the sip right now, fear not, God owns it all … everything. So, our hope is rightly directed toward Him. And it is amazing what holding onto hope can do to hold you steady during the storms of life. And no matter how many of our hopes become fulfilled, one at a time, there is always something more to hope for, the greatest and final of these being the hope of heaven.

Remember this … Genuine hope and true joy increase together. On Jesus’ last evening with the disciples in the upper room, he explained as well as he could about his imminent sacrifice and the work of the Holy Spirit to follow, linking them to the joy that is ahead. He didn’t want them to be alarmed or destroyed by the terrible ordeal of his death, because it was all for a reason. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11) He was planting a new hope within them, one which would bring joy.

You will know the measure of your trust in God, and you will experience his peace when your unfulfilled hopes do not prevent your joy from being complete. Unfulfilled hopes do not bring us down, they build us up by creating anticipation of God’s good future for us.

Don’t let go of hope and don’t lose your joy,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Christmas Word Is … QUESTIONING

Mon-12-23-2019

The faith of Mary is to be admired. I want that kind of faith. The angel Gabriel, who is the chief messenger angel, came to her with the news that she had been chosen to bear the child who would be the Savior, the Messiah.

Hers was not the only angel visitation in the Christmas story. Joseph also had such an encounter, as did the shepherds. But there was an announcement that preceded all those. Several months prior, it happened to Zechariah, a priest serving in the temple. He was the husband of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth.

Luke 1:10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to [Zechariah], standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth …”

Amazing … he and his wife were chosen to be the parents of the one to be called John the Baptist, the forerunner who would prepare the way for the Messiah. Zechariah’s first response to the angel was to ask an intriguing question based on the fact that he and Elizabeth were past the child-bearing age. They were childless and had prayed many years for God to grant them a child. My guess is that Zechariah had given up on the idea. So …

Luke 1:18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

Gulp!!! This was not the answer Zechariah was hoping for! I can’t talk for the next 9 months!

But hold on … when Gabriel came to tell Mary that the Holy Spirit would bless her with a child, she asked basically the same question. It went like this …

Luke 1:30 … the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

And … Mary asked a question … it was not about old age, it regarded a bigger problem … she was not married and had not “known” a man, meaning no intimacy.

Luke 1:34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

And the angel proceeded to tell her all about how this would come to pass. Woohoo!

Here’s the key. God knew that Mary asked her question in faith, whereas Zechariah had unbelief within him. Unfortunately, he had let disappointment rob him, causing him to ask a question that lacked faith. It is okay to question God … but it matters what is in your heart. With God, all things are possible.

This Christmas, may we resolve to live with the faith of Mary, rather than letting past disappointments tarnish our hope. We may have questions, yes, but it is a wonderful joy to have a great confidence in God that he will accomplish his good purposes, regardless of how unlikely or how difficult we think they might be.

Living by faith and rejoicing in the glory of Christmas!

Chaplain Mark

P.S. Today was about Mary, tomorrow is Joseph, and Wednesday is Jesus!

Today’s Christmas Word Is … HOPE

Mon-Dec-16-2019

The movie The Pianist portrays the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish musician who survived the horrors of World War II, including the execution of his family, to become a leading concert pianist of the 20th century.

For a time, Szpilman is living underground, hidden by friends, and shuttled from place to place to avoid detection by the Nazis. In one scene he is ushered into a small barren apartment by a friend, who cautions him to remain silent. This hiding place is next door to the head of police and across the street from a hospital caring for wounded German soldiers.

“You are now living in the heart of the lion’s den,” says his friend. “Keep as quiet as possible.”

When the friend leaves, Szpilman eyes an old piano in the corner of the room. Having not played for many months, he is drawn to open its keyboard and lift the felt cover off the keys.

A symphony orchestra begins to play, and we see Szpilman seated at the piano with his hands above the keys. As the music proceeds, his his hands go into motion , and the piano can be heard. The viewer is led to believe that Szpilman cannot resist playing, and the thought comes into your mind that he has just given himself away. But as the camera pans downward, you realize that while his fingers are moving as if playing every note, his hands are not actually touching the keys. The music you are hearing is all in his head and his heart.

This soon-to-be famous pianist is existing in the hope that he will play again before crowds of people. Hope is a powerful thing. It will keep you going in the direst of circumstances.

Most of the people in this world have limited hope. They live without the inner presence of the true God as revealed in the Scripture. Their reality is based merely in the physical world. In this sort of existence, the only way to have hope is to mentally figure out what is and isn’t possible. A coworker may say, “You’ll never get that promotion.” A doctor may say, “You’ll never walk again.” A counselor may say, “Your child will never be able to overcome this handicap.” From this perspective, certain things are not possible, so why hope for something that you think could never happen?

But for those who belong to the Lord, who have given themselves in faith to Jesus, and in whom the Holy Spirit of God is alive, there is always hope. How is that? Because for God, “All things are possible.” A friend of mine prayed for decades for his father to come to faith, and when his father was in his late eighties, he repented and gave his life to the Lord. There is no time limit on hope and prayer.

Is there something or someone in your life that you have given up on? Remember this verse: Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26}

Christmas is first of all about hope, a hope which began long before the Christ child was born in Bethlehem. The Israelites had waited for hundreds of years and were still waiting and hoping. The Scripture said that the Messiah was coming, and “if God says it, I believe it.” An old hymn says, “Hope is an anchor.” Without it, you can lose your position and your bearings. But with hope, you can remain firm.

May your hope be renewed this Christmas,

Chaplain Mark

Prayer for the Day:

Dear Lord, Thank you for the hope that you have planted deep in my heart and soul. I must admit, Lord, that there are some days when that is about all that keeps me going. Other times it is easy to have hope, because things improve, and I start getting a little excited. Give me the kind of faith that remains steady. Remind me today and every day that you are the God of hope, and that you are faithful to sustain me. If there is anyone I am about to give up on, or something that I felt was a promise from you which is taking a long time to come to pass … renew my hope and put me back at ease. And Lord, if there is someone around me who seems to be losing hope, let me be their reminder of your faithfulness. In your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

An Old Testament prophecy about the coming Messiah:
Isaiah 42:1- “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.
2- He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.
3- A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4- he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.”
5- This is what God the LORD says– he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:
6- “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
7- to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Today’s Word Is … CIRCUMSTANCES

Wed-Nov-27-2019
“my joy doesn’t come and go with good times and bad”

The verse about “I can do all things” by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:13 is popular and encouraging. But it means something more than what some people think. Philippians 4:10-14 is about Good Times & Hard Times … and how to thrive in all of them.

To do so we need to overcome what I call “try-harder” theology. You see, Paul was not saying, “I can do all things, if I try hard enough.” But that’s how many people use it.

So, “Here’s the rest of the story” …

Paul says (v.10) But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

NOW, HERE COMES THE BLESSING …

13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

But Paul is making a deeper point. “Doing all things” might just mean putting up with irritations or lack of amenities in order to accomplish a higher purpose.

He is our strength in good times. He is our strength in hard times.

LAST THOUGHT …

14 Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.

Stay steady in all circumstances, difficult or easy,

Chaplain Mark