Bible Ballistics: Vol. 8 No. 07 Being Confident Of This???

 

I am writing this from the hospital where we have been since Friday, with complications from my husband’s CHF (Congestive Heart Failure). He is better and other than extremely tired we are both doing ok. Life is often totally unpredictable, and we have experienced this in the last week, but we have been so beautifully reminded of God’s total faithfulness and trustworthiness. We know that our God reigns in all of our ways and we are trusting Him to continue working His purpose in us and our circumstances.

So often today, people praise God when things are good but blame all adversity on the ‘devil’, or disobedience, or lack of faith or many such other often-empty explanations for the issues of life. Job dealt with this issue many thousands of years ago, and the same God who was faithful to Job back then is faithful to work His will through all that occurs in our lives (Regardless of what Job’s friends had to say, or what others may say today—the Word speaks for itself!). He has promised to work His purpose in His own children, and we have learned to trust Him in all things, won’t you? Together with Job we stand on HIS faithfulness, not our own understanding.

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 13:15

Much like the Psalmist that we looked at last week, our God is faithful even when we must “walk through the valley of the shadow of death”, we can be assured that we can confidently “fear no evil”! And I am so grateful that we serve the faithful God of all creation. And even though we may not know what tomorrow holds, or what the outcome may be—we know that our God reigns and He will provide in His way and in His time!

“For I know that my redeemer liveth,

and that he shall stand

at the latter day

upon the earth:

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body,

yet in my flesh shall I see God:

27 Whom I shall see for myself,

and mine eyes shall behold,

and not another;

though my reins be consumed within me.”   Job 19:25-27

So what does that mean for you and me? It means, among other things, that we can rest secure in the faithfulness of our God—Father God, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit! It means that nothing can defeat us because we belong to Jesus.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

We can rejoice as Habakkuk did in the looming judgment and provision of God.

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” Habakkuk 3:17-19

So the thing that I want to share with you tonight is to remember the hope and confidence that you can take in God! Whether your difficulty is natural in nature–health, family, emotions, finances—or if it’s persecution for your faith in The Lord Jesus Christ, God is there with you working out HIS purposes, and I tell you from not only faith, and confidence in His Word, but also from experience—GOD never fails. And He never fails because Jesus overcame sin, death and hell in tis world by His death, burial and resurrection. God’s Son paid the sacrifice that bought redemption for man (who lost intimate fellowship and relationship with God in Eden), and based on His Work, God is working on our behalf in all these things….

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:3-9

We are seeing the persecution of Bible believing people in our country increase, so we must take heart and prepare ourselves for confident living based on whose we are—not on where we are, or the circumstances we find ourselves in! We can take God at His word, and we can take His Word as truth!

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:28-29

We who belong to Jesus can take heart!!! Whether you are dealing with life issues that are overwhelming, or persecution for following Jesus—we can know that God isn’t caught off guard, or by surprise. Our God is working to strengthen our faith, grow us in grace and power and conform us into the image of HIS SON!!! A confidence that can transform your attitude and walk.

So, choose to follow Jesus and trust all the circumstances of life to HIM!!! He holds YOU! He holds the circumstances!!! He holds the work and outcome, and you simply need to keep your eyes on Jesus, for you will NEVER walk alone!!!

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:5-6