We Know How the Story Ends
Our human instinct
Are we surprised by this current round of trouble? It certainly could perhaps become the worst many of us have seen in our lifetime, but should we be surprised?
Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Do we believe what Jesus is telling us?
One of the two criminals crucified next to Jesus discussed in Luke 23 asked that Jesus “remember him when He comes into His kingdom” and since that criminal placed his faith in Jesus and believed him, Jesus response was, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”.
Revelation 21:4 tells us how the story ends and the ultimate paradise where, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Jesus knew we would face troubling times
Back to Matthew 6:26, Jesus tells us to “look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
We know how the story ends
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The Bread of Jealousy – You Have a Purpose
Barley vs. wheat
The miracle from His hand
Here’s one thing I find fascinating from this story. God is a master at using, what we would call, the lesser product for His amazing purposes through His wisdom and power.
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Lord, Give Me Faith!
“I may be weak, but Your Spirit is strong in me. My flesh may fail, but my God You never will.”
“Give me faith, to trust what you say. That you’re good and your love is great.”
God tells us in His word that he will never leave us or forsake us.
It’s easy to trust God when things are going well, but our true test of faith comes when life gets a little bumpy.
I believe the first step in growing our faith and trust in Jesus is to recite the lyrics that I first mentioned. “I may be weak, but Your Spirit is strong in me. My flesh may fail, but my God you never will.” I know in my own life that this is a daily process to acknowledge that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. Through my weakness, He is strong.
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Our Hope in Jesus is Secure
HEBREWS 6:19 says: This HOPE we have as an anchor of the soul, a HOPE both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil.
The good news is this: our anchor grips the solid rock—Jesus.
Abraham’s life teaches us that in some sense, hope is also a decision. Hope was his decision to believe God and His promises more than what he saw as impossible—something he couldn’t do without God’s help.
ROMANS 4:18 states When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, DECIDING TO live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, “You’re going to have a big family, Abraham!”
If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently. Romans 8:24—25
JOB 8:13 That’s what happens to all who forget God — all their hopes come to nothing.PS 33:18 Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his lovingkindness.
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Capture Every Thought
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Take the thought that comes into your head, think of taking a lasso and capture the thought – then throw it out of your head.
Then, think of Jesus.
This concept hit home with me and has really helped me get control of thoughts that can lead to stress, anxiety and fear.
You may not struggle with thoughts that cause anxiety, stress, or fear. Maybe you struggle with thoughts leading to depression, lust, pride or a variety of other battles. No matter what the thoughts are that come into our head, we can remain victorious if we make an effort to take the thought captive and focus (fix our eyes) on Jesus.
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A Simple Powerful Truth
I have known the first stanza and refrain for the song “Jesus Loves Me” for many years even before becoming a Christian, but I never knew until recently that it had six stanzas. Before I share these powerful lyrics, I’ll share with you how I discovered this fact.
Anticipating questions from this, I reviewed scripture that validates this truth and did a little research. Here is one of the things I discovered…
Jesus loves me! This I know
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak, but He is strong
Jesus loves me! This I know
As He loved so long ago
Taking children on His knee
Saying, ‘Let them come to Me”
Jesus loves me still today
Walking with me on my way
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live
Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide
He will wash away my sin
Let His little child come in
Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way
Thou hast bled and died for me
I will henceforth live for Thee
Jesus loves me! Loves me still
Though I’m very weak and ill
That I might from sin be free
Bled and died upon the tree
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
The lyrics represent the simple and powerful message of God’s word
and purpose of the Bible.
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