Farmers Need The Rain

Record rainfall has flooded many roads and fields. And, inevitably, someone calls out in ignorance “but the farmers need the rain”. 

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It is true, the farmers need the rain. The farmers need the rain to prepare the ground for the planting of the seed. The farmers need the rain to nurture the plants and help them grow throughout the season. The farmers need the rain to prepare for the planting and for the harvest. But, there comes a time when the farmers do not need more rain. 

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It occurs to me that - just as rain is God’s preparation for the ground and nutrients for the plants preparing them for harvest - Bible studies within The Church prepare The Church for the planting of seeds - evangelism - and for nurture Christians as we grow and mature in our faith. 

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But, just as there comes a time when the farmers do not need more rain, there comes a time when The Church does not need more Bible study. There comes a time when believers must open the doors, walk out into the world and begin to sow the seed of God. There comes as time when The Church must plant the truth of Jesus into the lives of those that are lost, hurt, and in need. There comes a time when Christians must help make the fields ready for harvest. 

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This is the call on The Church today.

Court-side

The kids and I went to the Indiana vs. Arkansas basketball game this afternoon. We were given tickets to sit court-side. I’ve been to several IU games but - by far - this is the closest I’ve been to “the action”. 

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This experience left me with few observations;

(1) I could hear what the players, coaches, and officials were saying and they could hear what I was saying. (I will admit that I yelled several encouraging words at the Hoosiers and some not-so encouraging words to the opposing team and the officials.)

(2) You must be aware that more people will see you - in the arena and on television. (We showed up in the “big screen” twice and two people sent me “screen shots” of our family on ESPN.)

(3) Fans are much more passionate and engaged court-side than they are “in the rafters”. (Every play was an occasion to jump up and cheer or stand up and yell.)

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Then I think about The Church; Could it be that many people are not close enough to “the action”? Could it be that many people are satisfied watching from a distance in the rafters (or even watching on tv or Facebook)?

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Perhaps this is why some Christians cannot hear the voice of God, why they struggle to understand His Word, or feel as though God cannot hear them. Perhaps this is why some believers fail to live a life of love, joy, and peace before others, as Jesus has called His followers to. Perhaps this is why so many followers of Jesus lack a passion and excitement to worship and serve The Lord.

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Could it be that you are not sitting “court-side” with Jesus right now? Could it be that you are missing out on “the action”? Could it be that you have never experienced His presence in this way?

Respond

We are in an all out war. We are facing an enemy that has spent centuries on this earth deceiving and distorting. This enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy our lives, families, and children. How will we respond?

Parents, we have been entrusted with one of the greatest gifts from God - the ability to influence and nurture a life. We have the responsibility of affecting the generation to come - in small and large ways. How will we answer?

Your child's...

...friends cannot save them

...technology cannot save them

...sports cannot save them

...politics cannot save them

Jesus is the only hope for our future.

Jesus is the only hope for you and me.

Jesus is the only hope for victory.

Jesus is the only hope for your child.

Read and discuss Scripture with your child - daily.

Sit down and pray for and with your child - daily.

Get engaged in a Bible-honoring faith community - weekly.

We are in an all out war. How will you respond?

Before I was, You were

God, my Father, before I was, You were.

Before I was formed, You knew me.

You spoke my life into existence. 

You knit me together in the womb.

You spoke my life into existence. 

You speak all things into creation.

You have wonderfully made me.

You created me in Your very image.

Before I was born, You consecrated me.

You know the plans you have for me.

You protect me with Your right hand.

You comfort me with Your rod and staff. 

You prepare a table of blessing for me. 

You are my help, You sustain me always.

You have given me all that I ever need.

Before I knew right, You died for me. 

You laid down Your glory and put on flesh.

You served in humility and lived in poverty. 

You showed grace by loving your murderers.

You came for the powerless and sinful.

You freely gave Your life to pay my debt.

You are the perfect eternal sacrificial lamb. 

Before I speak, You know my every word.

You have searched my heart and mind.

You know me fully and completely.

You known when I sit and when I go.

You know when I sleep and when I rise.

You know my thoughts from afar. 

You know my needs when I am unsure.

Before I knew You, You chose me.

You have made Yourself known to me. 

You surround me with Your presence.

You go before me preparing my path.

You fill me with Your love, joy, and peace.

You empower me through Your Spirit. 

Your Word is a lamp to my footsteps.

Before I chose You, You chose me.

You accept me just as I come to You.

You called me Your friend and Your son.

You trust me to bear Your great name.

You call me to partner with You in ministry.

You gave me the ministry of reconciliation. 

You give me an eternal inheritance.

Before the world was formed, You were.

You are good.

You are perfect.

You are love.

You are eternal.

You are righteous.

You are all I need. 

The Nets

Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Luke‬ ‭5:5‬ ‭

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Jesus often calls us to take action when we are tired and worn out, when we have tried everything else, when all other measures have failed.

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He does this develop faith and perseverance within us. He does this to illustrate His power that is made perfect in our weakness.He dies this to show us Himself.

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Could it be that the reason you “have worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything” is because God is withholding His greatest blessing until you trust only in Him

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Could it be that God is waiting for you to exhaust all your human effort - and even come to the point of exhaustion yourself - until He opens His floodgates of blessing to you?

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Jesus is calling out to us today. Let us listen to His voice. Let us wait for His instruction. Let us take action when He tells us to. Let us give Him the praise as He blesses us. 

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“Because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

We Wait

Advent is the season of hopeful waiting.

Mary waited in expectation of her son.

Israel waited for their eternal King.

The Jews waited for their Messiah.

The angels waited to declare Jesus’ birth.

The world waited for their redeemer. 

Waiting does not come easy to any of us.

Waiting is something that must be taught.

Waiting is something that must be practiced.

Waiting is something that must be learned.

The promise of a gift gives us hope.

And yet we must still wait. 

We anticipate. 

We hope. 

We wait.

The Psalmist begins; “I waiting patiently for the Lord...”. This is a good reminder for us all - to wait and to wait patiently for the Lord. And yet, he concludes his Psalm; “...God, do not delay” (Psalm 40). 

What are you waiting on right now? 

Are you waiting in hopeful anticipation?

Are you waiting patiently for The Lord?

“Blessed are this who trusts - who hope - who wait - in The Lord” (Psalm 40:4).

Who You Really Are

From my devotional - “UncomMen” - this morning; Here’s a list of what God says "Who You Really Are" as a follower of Jesus Christ.

I am blameless and free from accusation. (Colossians 1:22)

Christ Himself is in me. (Colossians 1:27)

I am firmly rooted in Christ and am now being built up in Him. (Colossians 2:7)

I have been made complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)

I have been spiritually circumcised. My old unregenerate nature has been removed. (Colossians 2:11)

I have been buried, raised, and made alive with Christ. (Colossians 2:12-13)

I died with Christ, and I have been raised up with Christ. My life is now hidden with Christ in God. Christ is now my life. (Colossians 1:1-4)

I am an expression of the life of Christ because He is my life. (Colossians 3:4)

I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved. (Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4)

I am a son of light and not of darkness. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)

I have been given a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

I have been saved and set apart according to God’s doing. (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5)

Because I am sanctified and am one with the Sanctifier, He is not ashamed to call me brother. (Hebrews 2:11)

I am a holy partaker of a heavenly calling. (Hebrews 3:1)

I have the right to come boldly before the throne of God to find mercy and grace in a time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

I have been born again. (1 Peter 1:23)

I am one of God’s living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house. (1 Peter 2:5)

I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a People for God’s own possession. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

I am an alien and stranger to this world in which I temporarily live. (1 Peter 2:11)

I am forgiven on account of Jesus’ name. (1 John 2:12)

I am anointed by God. (1 John 2:27)

I am a child of God, and I will resemble Christ when He returns. (1 John 3:1,2)

I am loved. (1 John 4:10)

I am like Christ. (1 John 4:10)

I have life. (1 John 5:12)

I am born of God and the evil one, the devil, cannot touch me. (1 John 5:`8)

I have been redeemed. (Revelation 5:9)

Student and Teacher

If you call yourself a Christian - that is a follower of Christ - this one verse gives you a lot to consider and contemplate. Here are a few...

• In your relationship with Christ, are you acting more like the student or the teacher?
• What have you - the student - learned from your teacher recently? 
• Are you - the student - fully honoring and respecting your teacher and His teachings? 
• Are you - the student - living out the teachings of your teacher? 
• Are there points when you feel like you are better - or know better - than your teacher? 
• Are there points when you live as though you are better - or know better - than your teacher?
• Have you been fully trained in the ways of your teacher? 
• If you are not yet fully trained, how are you seeking further training?
• If you are fully trained do you live, love, and serve like your teacher?
• What will you do next? 

I Stand At The Door

I Stand at the Door

By Sam Shoemaker (from the Oxford Group)


I stand by the door.
I neither go to far in, nor stay to far out.
The door is the most important door in the world -
It is the door through which men walk when they find God.
There is no use my going way inside and staying there,
When so many are still outside and they, as much as I,
Crave to know where the door is.
And all that so many ever find
Is only the wall where the door ought to be.
They creep along the wall like blind men,
With outstretched, groping hands,
Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,
Yet they never find it.
So I stand by the door.

The most tremendous thing in the world
Is for men to find that door - the door to God.
The most important thing that any man can do
Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands
And put it on the latch - the latch that only clicks
And opens to the man's own touch.

Men die outside the door, as starving beggars die
On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter.
Die for want of what is within their grasp.
They live on the other side of it - live because they have not found it.

Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it,
And open it, and walk in, and find Him.
So I stand by the door.

Go in great saints; go all the way in -
Go way down into the cavernous cellars,
And way up into the spacious attics.
It is a vast, roomy house, this house where God is.
Go into the deepest of hidden casements,
Of withdrawal, of silence, of sainthood.
Some must inhabit those inner rooms
And know the depths and heights of God,
And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is.
Sometimes I take a deeper look in.
Sometimes venture in a little farther,
But my place seems closer to the opening.
So I stand by the door.

There is another reason why I stand there.
Some people get part way in and become afraid
Lest God and the zeal of His house devour them;
For God is so very great and asks all of us.
And these people feel a cosmic claustrophobia
And want to get out. 'Let me out!' they cry.
And the people way inside only terrify them more.
Somebody must be by the door to tell them that they are spoiled.
For the old life, they have seen too much:
One taste of God and nothing but God will do any more.
Somebody must be watching for the frightened
Who seek to sneak out just where they came in,
To tell them how much better it is inside.
The people too far in do not see how near these are
To leaving - preoccupied with the wonder of it all.
Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door
But would like to run away. So for them too,
I stand by the door.

I admire the people who go way in.
But I wish they would not forget how it was
Before they got in. Then they would be able to help
The people who have not yet even found the door.
Or the people who want to run away again from God.
You can go in too deeply and stay in too long
And forget the people outside the door.
As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place,
Near enough to God to hear Him and know He is there,
But not so far from men as not to hear them,
And remember they are there too.

Where? Outside the door -
Thousands of them. Millions of them.
But - more important for me -
One of them, two of them, ten of them.
Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch.
So I shall stand by the door and wait
For those who seek it.

'I had rather be a door-keeper
So I stand by the door.

Superhuman

The truth is, the first-century Christians were the superhumans of their day, and the world stood in awe of them. Here are just a few of their exploits found in Scripture:

No one in their communities lacked anything—no one had physical needs of any kind, and there was no one on government assistance (Acts 4:33–35). Entire cities came to Jesus in a moment, and the gospel swept through entire regions in a matter of years (Acts 9:32–35, 19:10). 

God’s power operated through them so much they had to convince people they weren’t gods (Acts 10:25–26, 14:8–18)—think about that for a few seconds. They had worship times so powerful they shook the ground (Acts 4:31). And as a result of those things, they had a reputation of being people who had turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). 

What should really challenge us is that God makes it clear in His Word that the Christians of the last days will do even more than these early believers.

From “Killing Kryptonite” by John Bevere

Pain

This evening - minutes into a project in the garage - I smacked my thumb with a hammer. I immediately felt the pain shoot through my left hand and into my wrist. Although there was little pain in my thumb, I could feeling the throb.

Dropping the hammer on the floor, I walked to the far corner of the garage to assess the damage. Momentarily I waved my hand in the air and grit my teeth together in pain, Then, I calmly exclaimed (to myself), "That really hurt!".

Walking over to my workbench I decided to grab a pry bar. Except, in the moment, I couldn't remember what a pry bar was called. What's more, I couldn't remember where my pry bars were located. I probably stood in front of my workbench for two minutes trying to gather my thoughts. As I rummaged through a cabinet - and then a shelf - I continued to struggle with my thoughts. Looking directly at my pry bar I asked myself (audibly), "What am I looking for?".

Seconds later - finally with a pry bar in hand - my mind cleared and I came to a realization. I was unable to think clearly because of the momentary pain that I was dealing with.

The reality is that when we face pain - momentary or long-lasting - we struggle to think and act in a rational way. Think about it, if you have ever faced overwhelming pain - physically, emotionally, or otherwise - your pain takes precedence. Soon the thought of your pain is unshakable and it begins to overshadow all other rational thoughts. You may even find that your normal actions are overcome by the reality of your painful experience.

And when we consider the reality of our world today it is undeniable that countless people are hurting. So many individuals are dealing with the painful scars and experiences of their past, struggling with the painful reality that surrounds them, fearful of the painful and uncertain future that awaits them.

Could it be that the pain that is overwhelming our world today is causing many to think and act in confusion? Could it be that the anger and aggression that we see so prevalent in our world today is brought about by the pain that so many are dealing with every day?

This pain is leading to more hurt.

And this hurt is leading to more pain.

And this pain is leading to more hurt.

Which will only lead to more pain.

And this will continue to build more and more.

Until someone steps up and stops the cycle.

At some point someone must step forward and absorb the hurt of the world.

I believe that this is the particular call of The Church around the world today. You see, as followers of Jesus, we are the only ones equipped to step up to absorb the hurt. Because, as followers of Jesus, we are the only ones that do not have to keep the hurt of society - the pain of the world in our lives.

As followers of Jesus are given the supernatural ability to absorb the hurt and then to turn it over to Jesus.

Will it be painful? Yes. Will it cause us pain? Yes. However, the hurt - and the pain - that we face is temporary and - as we walk with Jesus - it will only draw us closer to Him as we turn it all over to Him and as He takes it all away.

This scene from "The Green Mile" is a visual illustration of the way we - as The Church - can take the pain of a hurting world and turn it over to Jesus in a spiritual way.

So, are you prepared to absorb the pain? 

Who do you know that is hurting right now? 

Who are you praying for God to lead you to? 

Someone must step forward and absorb the hurt of the world. 

As followers of Jesus only we are equipped.

Difficult and Challenging Times

So many thoughts and prayers have flooded my head these past couple of days. With the news cycle showing more and more social unrest and hatred throughout our nation - with the reality of what so many are enduring throughout the world - it is difficult to understand and challenging to know what to do. 

So, instead of writing my own words and unleashing a flood of thoughts and confusion (along with some anger), I will share the prayer from my devotion this morning along with some Scripture. 

"Almighty God, who always moves with clarity of will and singleness of purpose, help me to live and work with certainty in an uncertain world. Light a lamp before me so that my feet do not stumble. Make my path clear so I may never wander from your chosen way. I pray in the name of Jesus who comes to make your way clear before our eyes. Amen."

Psalm 127:1-2:
Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.

1 Peter 3:13-18
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.

2 Peter 1:2-11
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Once You Were...Now You Are

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 

Now you are saved by God's grace. 

Now you have been united with Christ Jesus. 

Now you have been brought near to God through the blood of Christ. 

Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

Now you are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. 

Now you are members of God’s family.

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‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:1, 8, 13, 18‬, 19

Is There Any Encouragement

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I was in a particularly grumpy mood this morning.  I could have made a list of things to complain about. Yet as I began my prayer time and devotional reading I came into a right frame of mind. Soon I was journaling and making a list of things that I am most thankful for. 

As I thought of individuals that I could have complained about my mind went to the words found in Philippians 2:5. 

I turned to Philippians 2 prepared to read of Christ's humility and, as I began to read Philippians 2, I was not prepared for the conviction of the Holy Spirit that followed. 

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? 

Is there any comfort from his love? 

Is there aby fellowship together in the Spirit? 

Is your heart tender and compassionate?

Although these are rhetorical questions shared with the church by Paul, let me invite you to consider them -let me encourage you to ponder them. 

Are you enjoying the encouragement - the comfort - the fellowship - of Christ's presence in your life? 

Are your thoughts - your motives - your actions marked by tenderness and compassion? 

Do you have the mindset of Christ? 

 

Ephesians 3:14-19

The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Ephesians 3:14-19 

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

As I sit in this text today, I was brought to contemplate the process; submit, call, know, and receive. 

Submit - "I kneel" 
Call - "I pray" 
Know - "to know...to grasp" 
Receive - "to be filled" 

I am aware that many days I rush through this process - skipping over one or more of these "steps" and therefore lack the daily filling of Christ.

Lord, help me to submit to You first - to lay down all that I am before You and to give way to Your will in my life. Father, remind me to call out to You - to reach out and connect with You intimately and deeply. Holy Spirit, enlighten me to know Your way and Your desires - give me insight and direction from Your voice. Jesus, let me be filled with You - let me be filled to all fullness if Your love. Amen. Let it be. 

Fan The Flame

 

The Holy Spirit is not a spark that is ignited on a Sunday morning and quickly dies out. 

The Holy Spirit must be a flame that burns deep within our souls always. For in this way our hearts are passionate, our minds are focused, and our spirit is alive. 

The Holy Spirit may be extinguished by the world that we live in, but only if we allow it. 

The Holy Spirit is a spark that is ignited at the moment that we come face to face with Jesus - when we align ourselves with His will for our lives - when we dedicate our ways to Him - when we commit our lives to Him. 

The Holy Spirit, then, must be fanned for His fire to stay alive and active within our soul. 

Yes, the Holy Spirit must be fanned on a Sunday morning through our worship of God and through the hearing of His Word. 

And, the Holy Spirit must be fanned through our daily acts of worship; prayer, Scripture reading, accountability, sharing with Christian friends. 

The Holy Spirit is not a spark that is ignited on a Sunday morning and quickly dies out. For He is larger than the local church. If it is the responsibility of the local church and its leaders to bring you the Holy Spirit each week your walk with Jesus will never progress. 

The Holy Spirit must be a flame that burns deep within our souls always. 

Fan the flame - today and always. 

Fan the flame - let the spark be ignited. 

Fan the flame - feed the fire and passion for God in your life. 

Fan the flame - don't allow the embers to cool. 

Fan the flame of the Holy Spirit. 

As We Prepare To Start 2017

 

As we prepare to start 2017, let me offer Isaiah‬ ‭40:28-31‬;

Do you not know? 

Have you not heard? 

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. 

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. 

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

If we go forth in our own strength, we will fail, and utterly fall; but having our hearts and our hope is in heaven, we will be carried above all difficulties, and able to lay hold of the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus.

As we prepare to start 2017, let us commit to placing our hope in God and being strengthened in Him and by Him. 

Redeemed and Reconciled

I was talking to a couple of ladies this morning about the relationship between Christmas and Easter. In the midst of this conversation two words came up - two of my favorite words - "redeemed" and "reconciled". 

 

We understand that Jesus came from heaven - that He was sent - to redeem all of humankind from the penelty of sin - that is death. We also understand that Jesus gave up His life on a Roman cross so that our sin debt would be paid. Furthermore, we understand that Jesus arose from the dead - that He arose from the tomb - so that we could be eternally reconciled with God our Father. 

This afternoon I was reminded of one of my favorite passages of Scripture - a passage I think of often around Easter but rarely around Christmas. And yet, without the gift of Jesus at Christmas we cannot celebrate the gift of Christ at Easter. 

Romans 5:6-11; You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Since We Have Been Justified

Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because Godʼs love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

‭‭(Romans‬ ‭5:1-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

 

We have been justified - pardoned - acquitted - of our sinful acts - this means that we are declared blameless in God's sight.

This justification comes through faith - our confidence of and assurance -  in Jesus Christ. 

Because of this we have peace - unity and harmony - with God our Father. And why wouldn't we have peace with The Almighty God, knowing that He views us without blame? Furthermore we have peace with Jesus knowing that He has reconciled us with God. 

Now we stand unified with Jesus as our Savior - as the one that saves us from the penalty of sin - and Lord - as the one that leads our lives. 

Through Jesus - our Savior and Lord - we have access to God's marvelous, matchless grace. This grace in which we stand safely and securely in. 

So, given all of this, let us boast. We do not boast in our own selves or our own abilities. No, let us rejoice - with great joy - I say it again, rejoice - in Jesus Christ - in the hope of the glory of God. 

We have this hope only through Christ - and in what He has done for us. We have the hope - the great expectation - that we will one day soon stand before God and He will impart His glory on us. 

Yet, we not only rejoice in hope, we also rejoice in our current suffering. We are able to rejoice because we trust that our suffering - our trials, our hardships, our distress, our pressure, our trouble - produces perseverance. We learn not to give up or give in - even in the midst of suffering. This perseverance, then, produces spiritual maturity - because it drives us to a total dependence on God and a complete reliance on Him. 

In all of this, we will not - now or ever - be disappointed. How could we be disappointed? We are basking in God's eternal and unsurpassable love. And, God's Spirit is living in us bearing constant witness to His great love to us. 

Since we have been justified by faith, what else do we need? 

Hope

Hope has always been a dominant quality in the life of the Christian community. From the time of the resurrection of Jesus until today, individual Christians and the Christian community have been full of hope. In the face of fierce opposition and persecution, followers of Jesus never lost hope. Even when failure interrupted their journey, hope was the undercurrent that swept them to repentance, forgiveness, and companionship with the living Lord once more. The source of this resolute hope was never found in the surroundings or how things were going for the Church. Rather, hope was found in God and the assurance that God was at work in the Church and in the world. The disciples felt a calm confidence that God’s work and will would ultimately be completed and fulfilled. And they were assured that every Christian was invited into a partnership with God that moved toward the fulfillment of God’s grand design for all creation. Such assurance is fertile ground in which the seeds of hope can flourish and bear the fruit of faithful living. 

—Rueben P. Job, A Guide to Spiritual Discernment