The developments of the past year – especially the last several months – have given rise to many serious concerns being voiced by evangelical Christians regarding the direction of our wonderful, yet imperfect nation. It’s not only the problems inside the country that are cause for alarm, but the ones outside our borders as well.
Islamic terrorism and the rise of nuclear Iran continue to be ongoing threats. Rampant and illegal immigration, the costs of which is being passed solely to the working American taxpayer, is deeply troubling. The massive assaults to the small business owners, forcing hundreds of thousands to close their doors this year alone. And now, according to many military analysts, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which rules over a population four times larger than the United States, could be the single largest threat to global democracy.
These matters, in addition to the increasing daily challenges in our personal lives, can bring about fear, anxiety, and more. But allow me to remind you that the peace of God passes understanding and is superior over the problems of this world. The Lord Jesus reminded His followers: “… in the world you shall have tribulation [pressure, affliction, difficulty]: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
God never promised His children life would be “a bed of roses.” We are not exempt from life’s problems simply because we are Christians. On the other hand, God did provide stellar truth for His children. The Bible is full of supernatural promises, that when rightly understood, can make the present trials seem like ‘bumps in the road’ in comparison. Even physical death itself is but short-term inconvenience in the larger scheme of eternal life with God in Heaven.
In his letter to Titus, Paul admonished his ‘son in the faith’ to be “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Peter had the same hope in mind when he wrote: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively [living] hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).
Unlike the uncertainty that is bound up in our common use of the word “hope,” the “hope” which Paul and Peter had in mind is hope only in the sense that its realization is still future. The hope of which they spoke is not only living and good, it is also certain and eternal.
But what is this blessed hope? It is simply this: Jesus is coming again. This time He is coming to rule and reign. This time He is coming to rule a kingdom and ascend a throne. This time He comes not as a lamb, but as a lion. This time He comes not with humility, but with glory. Not to die, but to judge. This is the blessed hope, dearest friends.
As believers we are exposed to the full realm of human suffering, and sometimes the strain seems too great to bear. But remember this today please. There is a vast difference between the believer and the unbeliever. The lost have no living or blessed hope. The physical death of the unbeliever will bring only eternal darkness and separation from God. But, praise the good Lord, the child of God, has a blessed hope. This hope is a living certainty! Resurrection of the dead in Christ, or the awesome rapture for believers living at the time of Christ’s triumphant return, is what we await with fervent expectation and joyful faith.
If you take a moment and think about it, as children of God we are in an astoundingly admirable position. We can’t lose. Sometimes we don’t act or live like we can’t lose, I understand. But the absolute truth is… our victory is certain. The Bible says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35).
Because of your faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Messiah, you have this blessed hope. And with that faith in Jesus and applying His word throughout your days on earth, you possess the victory that overcomes the world. He is coming again… soon!
In the meantime, remember, that with God nothing is impossible!
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Dale & Paula
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