When Life Get's Tough: Remember God - Psalm 77

Psalm 77:1-6 "My voice rises to God, and I will cry aloud; My voice rises to God, and He will hear me. 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; In the night my hand was stretched out without weariness; My soul refused to be comforted. 3 When I remember God, then I am disturbed; When I sigh, then my spirit grows faint. Selah. 4 You have held my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5 I have considered the days of old, The years of long ago. 6 I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart, And my spirit ponders."

Introduction: 

Have you ever lost a set of keys or a wallet? What is the one bit of advice people always say to do: retrace your steps. I recall a set of keys that had every conceivable key you could imagine. Included in the set of keys was the only key we had to a vehicle. For two days I searched everywhere without success. On the third morning I went out to check on a snow blower that I knew we were going to be using later that day. Wouldn't you know it, the keys were hanging on the snow blower! They had been there the whole time, I just couldn't see them. I realized that I had them with me the last time I used the machine.

Asaph was the man in the Bible who often found himself asking God questions. I like Asaph because of his honesty. In the dozen psalms credited to his authorship, we find Asaph expressing a deep faith in God because He often found himself experiencing deep troubles in life. He sought God and at times got frustrated. Asaph always found a way to work through his valleys, the dry seasons and those places where it seemed God was absent. In Psalm 77, we find Asaph pouring out his heart.

Summary of today's post:

Remembrance is the path we cut to get back onto continuing in the walk of faith. When the three “d’s” hit, (discouragement, disillusionment, doubt), it is tempting to think God has forgotten us. Only when we take time to remember what God has done will we be ready to see what He is doing right now. Just like Asaph, we can learn how to see better the hand of God in the present moment whenever we reflect on how His hand has been on our lives in times past.

What should I include in my remembrance of God?

1. Remember the songs of faith. Ps 77:1-6

Music is the paintbrush for the soul. Once you have heard a tune - especially a catchy one - its hard to forget. Good Christian hymns or praise songs have the ability to leave their imprint upon you. Hearing a familiar song or humming the tune to oneself can evoke memories of places, scents, people and emotions. 

Hearing a hymn brings back scene of childhood in which I recall sensing God's call on my life in salvation, to make a major decision or to change direction in my life. Asaph speaks of a "song in the night" which was his own. Though he was not hearing the voice of God at that time - He nonetheless had the songs of praise to go by in reminding him of those times He did hear God speak to him.

2. Remember God’s promises (His word). Ps 77:7-10

Asaph is a man that asks penetrating questions to God: "will the Lord reject forever?" (77:7) or "has his promise come to an end forever?" (77:8). A Christian who rarely visits their Bible will find themselves questioning God's character at every turn. The ability to wrestle successfully with doubt is directly proportional to how much time we spend in not only getting into the Bible, but also getting the Bible into us.

3. Remember God’s past works. Ps 77:11-15

Wintertime can leave the impression that no growth is taking place in the trees. After all, there are no leaves, no fruit and no spring-time birds singing in the boughs. But do you know, below the ground those roots are seeking after water? Sometimes in those dry seasons of faith, one must remember what God has done in order to appreciate the deeper work He is doing at the moment. We all love Spring and the other seasons due to the pretty leaves, singing birds and shades of the seasons. 

But do you know? if the roots of that tree do not have the chance to go deeper - the other seasons will deplete them. The winds of spring can topple the tree. The heat of summer can shrivel up the leaves. The impending coldness of Fall causes the leaves to plunge to the ground. All the while, the tree's roots have remained deep in the ground to get whatever water and nutrients they can from the soil. 

So it is in remembering God's works. The roots of faith have a chance to go deeper and to survive the ravages of either internal doubt or the harsh climate of a cynical age.

4. Remember your salvation experience. Ps 77:16-20

Do you have a story to tell of how you were brought to saving faith in Jesus Christ? Even if you don't recall a date or time - there ought to be a sense in which you have two memories: life before Christ and life being lived in Christ by faith. One's conversion to Christ represents base camp for the person climbing the mountain of faith. 

It can get down-right difficult when we have to face sheer-rock walls of frustration or find our lungs aching to breath as we have thinner and thinner air in the higher elevations of the walk of faith. Thankfully, the Christian is not alone. The Christian has the compass of the Bible and a climbing partner called the Holy Spirit. 

Hebrews 6:18 tells us of how Christ Himself is literally like "an anchor for faith", which in our analogy would mean that Christ is already at the top of the mountain, tugging on the rope of faith. When I recall "who I am" and "Whose I am", I find that in so many ways - I'll summit that mountain quicker than I think. Salvation includes the experience of Christian growth in sanctification. The journey of faith is just as vital as the destination.

Closing thoughts:

Thus, the four reasons above provide explaining why it is so important to remember God, as disclosed here in Psalm 77.

P2 Distinguishing Between Doubt And Unbelief In Matters Of The Will, The Mind And Moral Character

John 7:1-5 "After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him."

Introduction and review:

In our last post we began reflecting on the distinctions between doubt and unbelief with respect to how our mind and will relates to or rejects truth, evidences for Christianity and the Lord Jesus Christ. We had reflected on the specific episode of Jesus' brothers not believing in Him during the course of His earthly ministry. We also considered other passages of scripture that compared people like Peter and Judas Iscariot as respective representatives of doubt (Peter) and unbelief (Judas Iscariot). As we closed out the last post, we had noted the following:

1. Doubt wrestles with the truth about Jesus; whereas unbelief wrestles against the truth about Jesus


2. Doubt seeks for better reasons to hold to faith while unbelief seeks after more excuses to reject the faith


Doubt will wrestle and, along with faith, attain greater conviction about the truth of God's Word. Unbelief on the other hand will look for greater excuses and justify why it should not nor cannot accept the truth. 

So we've seen that the distinction between doubt and faith involves matters of the will and matters associated with the mind. With those distinctions made thus far, we want to close out this series by considering how both can be distinguished in the realm of one's moral character development. In other words, doubt or unbelief is not only an issue of the mind and the will but also a matter of one's character. 

3. Doubts are temporary and desired to be overcome whereas Unbelief is chronic and prefers to dismiss matters of faith and truth.

Here we deal with doubt and faith as issues of one's moral character. In the quote we considered in the last post post, J. P. Moreland and William Lane Craig included the functions of both doubt and unbelief to indicate the character of a person. They note in their book: "Philosophical Foundations For A Christian Worldview", page 94:

"If doubt, understood as a character trait, helps one avoid naivete, then it is an intellectual virtue. If it produces cynicism and a loss of faith, then it is an intellectual vice. Wisdom requires a balanced perspective."

Whether we are talking about doubt or unbelief - it must be observed that either one never develops in a vacuum. There is always a context in which doubt or unbelief can be present. Whichever we speak about, doubt or unbelief, both derive from within a person. In situations where people are doubting or operating in full-fledged unbelief - the issue has to do with how they perceive certain evidences, truth, the Lord and His Word.  

To illustrate, author Tim Keller notes how doubt can function like a vaccination in the Christian life. A vaccine of course is a weakened version of the full-fledged illness. The point of vaccinations are to inoculate the patient so that their immune system can fight off the full-version of a given virus. Per Keller's illustration, doubts act like vaccinations. We hear certain objections or perhaps experience life's challenges and disappointments. We question God and wrestle with what we know by faith versus what we are experiencing. 

In so far as we have given ourselves to regular Bible-reading, prayer, time with God's people and other spiritual disciplines will determine  how well our faith weathers the storms. The Bible indicates that God uses both testings and spiritual disciplines to develop our moral virtue as Christians (see Romans 8:28; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-8; 2 Peter 1:3-11). 

When we compare this to unbelief, no matter how much evidence is presented - the unbeliever will always look for an excuse to "argue" and "bat-away" the evidence. In the instance of Jesus' brothers, they had a front row seat to behold miracles, acts of kindness and to even hear Jesus' sermons. Nevertheless, their unbelieving state issued forth excuses and refused to allow faith a place at the table of their heart.

Such situations can be unsettling. We may wonder how anyone can even become a Christian - since the Bible indicates that all people are born into this state of chronic unbelief due to inheriting sin from Adam (see Ephesians 2:1-4; Romans 5:11-21). The answer can only be found in the working of the Holy Spirit, the hearing of God's Word and the relative state of the human heart to the truth of the Gospel. Wherever there is the Holy Spirit, God's Word and a willing heart - expect change. 

Doubts too are overcome in much the same manner. The Christian must ever be exposed to the hearing of the Word, open to the Spirit's illuminating work in their heart and resolve to remain open to the truths of faith while working through their doubts (see Romans 10:17). We know that Jesus' brothers did go from unbelief to robust faith as seen for example in James (see 1 Corinthians 15:7). We also know too that, like Peter, when doubts arise, they can be overcome in proportion to how much one gives themselves to the hearing of the Word, openness of heart and the Spirit's working. 

Final thoughts
Today and last post we explored the important distinctions between doubt and unbelief. We also noted how unbelief can be overcome and how doubts can be defeated. We have witnessed the following distinctions between doubt and unbelief:

1. Doubt wrestles with the truth about Jesus; whereas unbelief wrestles against the truth about Jesus

2. Doubt seeks for better reasons to hold to faith while unbelief seeks after more excuses to reject the faith

3. Doubts are temporary and desired to be overcome whereas Unbelief is chronic and prefers to dismiss matters of faith and truth.

P1 Distinguishing Between Doubt And Unbelief In Matters Of The Will And Mind

John 7:1-5 "After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him."

Introduction:
Today's post will explore the distinction between doubt and unbelief. The above passage features Jesus in a conversation with his brothers who are related to him touching His human nature (Jesus, remember, had been virgin born of Mary, with her having His siblings born quite naturally after His birth - see Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:35; Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). In what is perhaps the most stunning detail of these verses - the Apostle John records that Jesus' brothers "were not believing in Him." What makes this detail even more shocking is the fact that Jesus' half-brothers acknowledge His miracle working power - however they failed to believe in the ultimate meaning of those works. How could this be? As jarring as John 7:5 is in the text, the detail certifies the historicity of the event, since truth history records "warts-and-all". The tension in this text concerning the unbelief of Jesus' half-brothers is explained quite clearly by theologian Dr. R.C Sproul in his St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary on John's Gospel, page 130:

"Let me tell you why I find this text so troubling. These were the people who had been with Jesus during His earthly ministry, watching Him day after day. In fact, they were His blood brothers and they had grown up with Him. They thought they knew Him. They thought they were on His team. However, they had their own agenda for Him. They were rooting for Him to go to Jereusalem to manifest His power. This tells us they were still unbelievers, outside the Kingdom of God."

In meditating on the above verses, I got to thinking on what distinctions there are between "unbelief" and "doubt". As a Christian, I wrestle from time-to-time with doubt - whether it be in matters of faith, practice, calling or God's purposes - as I'm sure any Christian reading this post does. 

In the opening picture of today's post, we see a conversation where a man asks Jesus to help Him in His unbelief. Though doubt and unbelief can overlap, the man in Mark 9:23-24 is having a crisis of doubt, since He is at least still reaching out to Jesus. Surely the moment one doubts cannot necessarily mean that one was never "in saving faith" nor possessing genuine faith at that moment. Doubt, when wrestled with and overcome, will validate the presence of genuine faith. Unbelief, as we will see below, when persistently entertained, may indicate the lack of genuine saving faith. 

We know that it is valid to distinguish between doubt and unbelief by how the New Testament portrays Peter and Judas

When Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus later restored Peter and reinforced Peter in His faith in a wonderful post-resurrection conversation with Peter in John 21. Jesus had predicted Peter's doubt in Luke 22:31-32 and attributed such to what Jesus called "the sifting by Satan". Jesus knew Peter would doubt while indicating that He prayed for Peter's faith to be strengthened so that he could later encourage the other disciples. So we know Peter wrestled with doubt - but it was not the final, chronic unbelief like what we find here in John 7:5. 

Interestingly enough, while Peter had ended up denying Jesus three times, another disciple of Jesus - Judas Iscariot - ended up denying Jesus too. Judas' denial was not just a matter of doubt - but full fledged unbelief (see John 6:70-71). His unbelief and the ultimate preference of money and safety over Jesus demonstrated that He never possessed genuine faith. Both Judas and Peter on the outside-looking-in appeared to do identical responses to Jesus with respect to their denials. However, in the final analysis, Judas' denial was chronic unbelief - like the brothers in John 17:5, whilst Peter's instance was a lapse in doubt.   

Beginning to make sense of the distinctions between doubt and unbelief

How do we make sense of this distinction between doubt and unbelief? In today's post we will deal with these distinctions as they operate in the realm of the choices we make and the thoughts we entertain concerning faith, evidence and truth about Jesus. Below we will offer the following distinctions to aid us in better understanding what can be a difficult subject when talking about matters of faith, doubt and the spiritual condition of people.

1. Doubt wrestles with the truth about Jesus; whereas unbelief wrestles against the truth about Jesus

Anytime we are dealing with doubt or unbelief, it first and foremost is a matter of the will. Both wrestle. Both are responding with respect to the truth of God's word, salvation and the Lord Jesus Christ. However, doubt wrestles "with" the truth in an attempt to attain clarity. Unbelief continues to wrestle "against" the truth despite what may be sometimes in the face of full clarity. Once a skeptical Mark Twain remarked of how it wasn't the things he didn't understand in the Bible that disturbed him in as much as it were those details which he did understand that troubled him the most. So doubt wrestles with the truth to attain clarity while doubt wrestles against the truth despite what may or may not be possession of clarity on the truth. Now notice a second distinction between doubt and unbelief....

2. Doubt seeks for better reasons to hold to faith while unbelief seeks after more excuses to reject the faith

If the first distinction has to do with matters of the will, this second distinction deals with matters of the mind. The linkage between the will and the mind can be described as the relationship between a follower (the will) and a leader (the mind). The mind of a person and the will of a person are linked together by the four-lane superhighway of the human conscience. Whenever you and I consider and weigh various options in our mind, those options and their conclusions travel from the mind to the will. We could say that the combined efforts of the mind, conscience and will roughly correspond to what the Bible refers to as the "heart of a man".

In the process of "making-up our mind" to the point where we act on our thinking, the conscience will contribute  - resulting in our actions being based upon either mere opinion or true conviction. I say all this to underscore the fact that the mind is just as much involved in our faith in the Lord as it is in situations where we see doubt or unbelief. 

Whenever we have doubts, the process of "weighing the options" is occurring. Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that "faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen." Whenever we are dealing with doubt as a Christian, we are in a search for better reasons for holding onto the faith we already possess. James P. Moreland and William Lane Craig spell out this distinction between doubt and unbelief in their volume: "Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview", page 96, as it pertains to the relationship of the mind to evidences and truth:

"But one must be careful here to distinguish between doubt as a method and doubt as a habitual character trait (this second category corresponds to our use of "unbelief" in this post). "The former (doubt) employs the use of doubt to develop knowledge. The latter (unbelief) is rooted in a skeptical character of the heart and is not completely desirable from a Christian perspective because, as Christians, we are to cultivate faith and knowledge while at the same time not being gullible or naive. If doubt, understood as a character trait, helps one avoid naivete, then it is an intellectual virtue. If it produces cynicism and a loss of faith, then it is an intellectual vice. Wisdom requires a balanced perspective."

Doubt then wrestles with evidence, information or truth to attain better reasons for holding to them. However, as the above quote indicates, doubt left unchecked and mishandled can lapse into chronic unbelief. Therefore we have seen the distinctions between doubt and unbelief in matters of the will and mind. 

Closing thoughts for today
In the next post will look at a third important area of consideration: how doubt and unbelief are distinguished in the realm of moral character development. For now, we will conclude with what we learned today:

1. Doubt wrestles with the truth about Jesus; whereas unbelief wrestles against the truth about Jesus

2. Doubt seeks for better reasons to hold to faith while unbelief seeks after more excuses to reject the faith

More next time...

P2 Bullet-proofing your Christian faith - Book of Hebrews

Hebrews 2:1-4 "For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will."

Introduction:

The writer of Hebrews is writing out under Divine inspiration what appears to have been a sermon or series of messages to Jewish Christian converts who were tempted to leave Jesus and go back to Judaism. The key theme to the book of Hebrews is showing to us the superiority of Jesus Christ. 

Today's post picks up where we left off yesterday. We wanted to know how a Christian can bullet-proof their faith. Thus far we have considered two points from consideration of the Book of Hebrews:

1. Center your focus on the greatness of Jesus Christ

2. Cling to the greatness of Jesus Christ (by heeding the warnings)

Today we continue and conclude this short two-part study by noting the third way one can bullet-proof their Christian faith....

3. Consider how much greater Jesus is than the temptation
If the first thought has to do with centering on the greatness of Jesus in-and-of-itself and the second has to do with clinging to such greatness, then this last point serves to reinforce the first two by revealing why Jesus is greater than the temptation. Hebrews 2:3 poses the question: "how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" For Jews reading this letter, Jesus would have to be shown greater than every standard of greatness that they knew. Even the greatness of key Biblical figures - wonderful as they are - can become idols if used to substitute for Jesus. Hence, in Hebrews 1 we find Jesus is greater than the angels. In Hebrews 3 we find Jesus is greater than Moses. On and on the writer goes, parading one great Jewish illuminary after another. In Hebrews 7 we find Jesus is greater than Abraham, followed up by Him being greater than the entire Old Testament sacrificial system that looked forward to Him in Hebrews 8-10. 

Now of course most readers of his post have not derived from a Jewish background. However, the principle of considering Jesus greater than our temptation applies readily to us today. 
Even good things like success, money, family, ministry-life, exercise, sports, food and leisure can quickly become idols if we place them is that spot that is reserved for Jesus, and Jesus alone. Certainly the pull of the old-life before conversion issues its siren calls to our flesh. I won't take time to rehearse the numerous scriptures that show the reader the inadequacy and hell-bound trajectory that had been the pre-conversion life (an example: Ephesians 2:1-4,12). 

So often the writers of scripture will put before the reader the incomparable greatness of God in fending off temptation. 1 Corinthians 10:13 is a prime example - "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." I'm reminded of a warning Solomon issues to his son in Proverbs 3:19-22 "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth,By understanding He established the heavens. 20 By His knowledge the deeps were broken up
And the skies drip with dew. 21 My son, let them not vanish from your sight;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So they will be life to your soul
And adornment to your neck." 

In as much our hearts are needed in passionately following after Jesus - we musn't forget the mind. If anything, whatever the mind deems to be the highest good will result in the heart following (see Matthew 6:24-33). Considering Jesus as greater than our temptation entails engagement of the mind and heart. Sadly, Christians today do not fill their minds with the great truths of the Word of God. Whenever you read the Book of Hebrews, notice how many scriptures the writer quotes and how much sound doctrine he uses in urging his readers to focus on the greatness of Christ. 

Certainly a Christian faith that is all head and no heart is dry; but a Christian faith that is all heart and no head stands the greatest chance of near-death. Remember: the heart is the seat of your emotional and living personality. The hearts needs a leader. If we are not regularly filling our minds with scripture - what greatest good is there to occupy our thoughts?

If we are going to bullet-proof our faith, we need to consider the greatness of jesus Christ greater than our temptation, as well as center on His greatness and thus cling to it. 

P1 Bullet proofing your Christian faith - Book of Hebrews

Hebrews 2:1-4 "For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will."

Introduction:

The writer of Hebrews is writing out under Divine inspiration what appears to have been a sermon or series of messages to Jewish Christian converts who were tempted to leave Jesus and go back to Judaism. The key theme to the book of Hebrews is showing to us the superiority of Jesus Christ. 

An equally important emphasis in the letter to the Hebrews is that of warning: namely, warning readers who perhaps have only made a profession of faith but have no possession of genuine faith. Even for people who do possess genuine saving faith, the temptation to "walk away" from Jesus is just as real as to those who pretend to follow Him or for those who make no such claims. The only difference between the "professors of false faith" and "possessors of genuine faith" is that the latter will endure to the end because of the fact they are in Christ and that Christ is in them. 

I know in my own life as a Christ-follower, there have been those times where I smelled, tasted and felt the pull and tug of this world so much as to entertain what it would be like to walk away. I can tell you that only by God's keeping grace am I able to still say "I'm in" and "remaining in". 

Today's post is aimed to equip the reader to avoid walking away from Jesus. I want to list in short order three truths from the book of Hebrews that can equip us to avoid the temptation spoken of in Hebrews 2:1-4 and throughout the Book of Hebrews. Notice...

1. Center on the greatness of Jesus Christ.
The writer of Hebrews has extended sections in his letter that spell out some of the most amazing words you will ever read about the Person and work of Jesus Christ. As we noted earlier, one of the major themes of Hebrews is the greatness of Jesus Christ. The urgency to focus on His greatness is seen in explicit commands to do such as well as statements affirming the reality of Jesus' greatness. Hebrews 12:1-3 commands the reader: "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

One of the repeated statements found throughout the letter is that "Jesus is greater" or "Jesus is better". For brevity's sake, I will simply list those references which make mention of Jesus Christ being "greater":

Hebrews 1:4 "having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they."

Hebrews 3:3 "For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house."

Hebrews 7:7 "But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater."

Hebrews 7:22  "so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant."

Hebrews 12:24 "and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel."

So, if we are going to have a bullet-proof faith, we must first of all focus on the greatness of Jesus Christ. Then notice the second thing the writer of Hebrews urges readers to do in his letter...

2. Cling to the greatness of Jesus Christ (by heeding the warnings)
As we noted earlier, the writer of Hebrews punctuates this amazing letter with warning sections that urge readers to not walk away from Jesus. Many Christians have struggled over the five warning sections in Hebrews (2:1-4; 3:6-4:7; 6:1-8; 10:26-39 and 10:25-39). Are these warnings written to true Christians in danger of losing their salvation? Are these warnings hypothetical, or do they represent true realities that could result if not heeded? 

To answer these two questions, let me begin with a question: whenever you see a warning label on a medicine bottle, do you ignore it? Do you take offense and wonder why the company is insulting your intelligence? Or do you heed the warning? Much like the parent telling the little child not to touch the hot stove, the writer here is exercising good pastoral ministry in warning all of his readers (make-believers and true believers) of the dangers of focusing on anything else but Jesus. 

These warnings are addressed primarily to those who are pretending to be Christians. How do we know? In most of the warnings, we notice that the writer will first sound the warning to those who have outward pretend faith but not the inward reality (compare Hebrews 4:1-3; 6:1-8; 10:26-31; 12:18-21). Then the writer will switch gears and address those who are genuinely converted (see Hebrews 4:4; 6:9-10; 10:32-39; 12:22-29). 

It is clear that in order to awaken those truly converted persons who may be slumbering and tempted in their faith and to equally serve warning to those who are playing church, the author issues the warning to the entire congregation (see Hebrews 2:1-4 and the other warning sections. So to answer the first question then, the warnings in Hebrews serve warning to those who are playing church, make believing to be Christians and, if not careful, will slip into worse forms of unbelief. When we see the contrasting tone the writer uses in addressing those who are genuinely converted, we can conclude that Hebrews does not teach loss of salvation.

So then, are these warnings hypothetical or real? The fact we find these warnings repeated five times indicates they are not hypothetical in nature - but represent genuine negative spiritual consequences if not heeded. God is not mincing words. Even for those who are genuinely saved and yet fall into grevious sins, God in His mercy can exercise early discipline which in effect may even lead to that person's sudden exit out of this world (see Proverbs 29:1-3; 1 Corinthians 11:30). Dr. Adrian Rogers has named this dangerous predicament that can be experienced by genuine Christians caught in prolonged carnality as "crossing the line with God". So yes, these warnings are real warnings. 

So why the extreme language? Unless you have ever parented small children or pastored a church, you will not find the writer of Hebrews being over-the-top. He is pleading, urging his congregation to cling to Jesus, and not walk away. A loving parent will issue a firm warning to a small child not to touch the hot stove. The child maybe startled and even begin to cry at what sounds like a harsh tone. Nonetheless, the parent is being loving and merciful. So, if you and I are going to bullet-proof our Christian faith, we must center on the greatness of Christ, cling to His greatness and thirdly...

More tomorrow....

What to do when doubts arise in the Christian life

Matthew 11:1-3 "When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?”

Introduction:
Matthew's Gospel aims to present Jesus Christ as the True Saving King. As the first Gospel of our New Testaments, Matthew's purpose is to feed faith and verify the identity of Jesus Christ as King of Kings. Interestingly there are several times recorded in Matthew's Gospel where the theme of doubt or the temptation to doubt is presented. Why? To show the reader that faith in Jesus Christ is sustained by God's grace moreso than just mere human will-power. The disciples are depicted on a few occassions evidencing doubt at key points where Jesus clearly demonstrated His identity as the Saving King (Matthew 8:18-27; Matthew 14:22-36; Mathew 28:17). 

One major figure that has his own moment of doubt is John the Baptist. It would seem that out of everyone we meet in Matthew's Gospel, John the Baptist would had been the last person to have any doubt. Yet he does. So the question is: when the Christian doubts, What is Jesus trying to affect in the believer's life when doubt arises? Is doubt normal for Christians? What provisions are supplied by the Lord when the dark season arises? Asking such questions and find the answers can aid greatly in navigating through the doubts that arise in the Christian life.

1. What is the Lord trying to affect in the believer's life when doubt arises? 
John the Baptist had been in a dungeon for 10 months. All four Gospels record his sudden appearance on the scene of history - proclaiming the pending public appearance of the Lord Jesus. In all four Gospels - as soon as Jesus appears and is baptized, John the Baptist recedes into the background. John had been faithful, obedient and unwavering in his message. He had prepared a nation for the arrival of Messiah. What were the results of his labors? By confronting Herod and his sin, John was cast into prison (see Matthew 14:1-2). It was a dark dungeon with hardly any light. 10 months of solitary confinement had led John to ask whether Jesus was the Promised Messiah. 

What was Jesus doing in the meantime?
Jesus was preaching and training his disciples. Undoubtedly a couple of those disciples (who had originally followed John), were passing messages back and forth between Jesus. Part of God's training of us in faith is in the exercise of our faith. The disciples of Jesus, some of whom who had been with John - heard John request as to whether or not Jesus was the Messiah of expectation. This was a testing time for both John and the early disciples. The question hung out in the air - needing a response: "are you the one, or should we expect another?"  

I would suggest that fundamentally, Jesus' activities in relationship to John the Baptist had to do with exercise of faith. We read elsewhere in James 1:3-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7 that the exercise of our faith under pressure produces more fruitfulness for God. Wrestling with doubt is way-different than giving up and embracing it. Hence what God may be doing in our lives through seasons of doubt is strengthening our faith - even if we don't immediately realize it (see 2 Corinthians 4:16-18).  

2. Is doubt normal for Christians?
Author John Piper writes in his book: "When the Darkness Will Not Life", pages 38-39 - "All the great doctors of the soul have distinguished between faith and its full assurance. The reason for that is that we are saved by the work of God causing us to be born again and bringing us to faith. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). Piper later writes: "...which means that God is at the bottom of my faith; and when it disappears for a season from my own view, God may yet be there sustaining its root in the new birth and protecting the seed from destruction." 

The great truth of the perseverance of the saints teaches that all true-Christians will persevere to the end because of God's pledge to preserve them to the end (John 10:27-28; Ephesians 1:13-14; Jude 1:24-25). Yet it is also clear that even the greatest of Christians can experience times of doubt. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 notes the following: "All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation."

John the Baptist's moment of doubt was his way of punching through what was truly a dark time. John's actions are certainly explainable. However, the fact that John is held by Jesus to be the greatest of men born among women reveals that John did not lose his faith - only that his faith momentarily got out of focus. So yes - it is normal to experience doubts in the Christian life and by God's grace they can be overcome.

3. What provisions are supplied by the Lord when the dark season arises? 
So as we've seen - God is at work even in those seasons where it seems like the lights are out in the house of faith so-to-speak. The chief purpose is to exercise our faith against the resistance of doubt. We also noted that doubt is normal in the Christian life. But now what provisions are supplied to the believer who may very well be facing doubt. Notice in short order how Jesus gives strength to John...

a. Scripture. Matthew 11:4-10.
Jesus sends a message back to John that his identity (utilizing the words drawn from Isaiah 61:1-2a) is the same Biblical identity proclaimed by John. John had not missed it. He was on target.

b. Advocacy. Matthew 11:11-19
Jesus proclaims to other people about how faithful and true John has been to his calling. He has not been forgotten (see Hebrews 6:10). Jesus does this for the child of Good in heaven before the Heavenly Father (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 John 2:1). To know that we have a Great intercessor in heaven - the Lord Jesus, Who has also sent us His Spirit - gives great hope and power to overcome doubt. Notice a third provision...

c. Sovereignty. Matthew 11:25-27
Jesus denounces the cities that had not repented as a result of his ministry (and presumably John's). Jesus is recorded as saying that all things have been handed over to Him. Though Jesus operated as very man, He never ceased being God at the same time. His Sovereignty is way more powerful than the arguments presented by doubt. 

d. Mercy. Matthew 11:28-30
We've seen that Jesus made available - both directly and indirectly to John but most certainly directly to us, three provisions to combat our doubt - scripture, advocacy and Sovereignty. Now lets consider one final provision - Mercy. I love what Jesus states in Matthew 11:28-30 - “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

John the Baptist is held up as a supreme example of faithfulness in God's Word. He would not only get through this season of doubt, but persevere to the end. Matthew 14 records his death as a result of standing up for righteousness. The fact that Jesus had advocated for Him reminds us of God's advocacy of Job in the Old Testament. When you and I experience times of doubt in the Christian life - we have four provisions ever available to us from the Lord: scripture, Jesus' advocacy, Sovereignty and Mercy. 

I close out today with this quote from the great scholar of years past, Alfred Edersheim who writes about how doubt was functioning in John's life, and his conquering of it: "When he sent his disciples with this question straight to Christ, he had already conquered; for such a question addressed to a possibly false Messiah has no meaning. And so it must ever be with us. Doubt is the offspring of our disease, diseased as it is in its paternity. And yet it cannot be cast aside. It may be the outcome of the worst, or the problems of the best souls. The twilight may fade into outer night, or it may usher in the day. The answer lies in this: whether doubt will lead us to Christ, or from Christ."1

Endnotes:
1. Alfred Eedersheim. The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. Volume 1. Page 668.

Understanding doubt and how doubt can be overcome

Matthew 28:16-20 "But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo,I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Introduction:

Yesterday we considered the account of Jesus' walking on the water and Peter's initial stepping out on faith and ultimate giving into doubt. We saw how his anxiety over the winds and waves caused his focus on Jesus to shift to the visible circumstances. We also noted how the word translated "doubt" in that passage is found in only one other place - Matthew 28:17. Such observations are eye-catching, being that the author is using a rarely used word to convey the emotional and spiritual struggle of those who are doubting. 

Doubts do arise in the Christian life, and at seemingly the wrong places or unexpected times. I find out of all the places for which we would not expect to find doubt in the New Testament is at Jesus' final post-resurrection appearance in Matthew 28. The text of course is the setting for the famous "Great Commission" that Jesus gives his disciples and truly his church. I am sure readers have heard Matthew 28:18-20 quoted in sermons or in lessons. Such verses stir faith and vision for the unsaved world. However, the oddest detail of the surrounding context is the seemingly out of place presence of doubt. 

I read Matthew 28:17 and ask myself: how could anyone have any doubt about Jesus at the time of His appearing in Galilee? The nature of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances are describe as compelling and convincing in Acts 1:3 - "To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God." The NIV and HCSB describe the nature of Jesus' appearance as that of "convincing proofs", whereas the KJV renders the character of His appearances as "infallible". This is to say, the clarity and compelling nature of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances was such that the evidence was beyond reasonable doubt. 

Jesus' appearance to the disciples in Galilee was physical, and it was accompanied by Him speaking and dialoguing with them. He had already appeared on several occasions. There was no way anyone could have any doubt after all was said and done. And yet there was doubt. The question is: how did such doubt function in the face of otherwise unassailable evidence? 

Understanding the pathology of doubt

The clue to the pathology of this particular type of doubt is found in passages that describe what was going on inside the disciples hearts during Jesus' post-resurrection appearances. Mark 16:14 records Jesus saying: "Later, He appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw Him after He had been resurrected." In Luke's Gospel, we read of the disciples' response to the initial report of the women concerning Jesus' post-resurrection appearance to them in Luke 24:11  "But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women." Then we read elsewhere of a separate incident, another appearance by Jesus, wherein he says in Luke 24:25 "He said to them, “How unwise and slow you are to believe in your hearts all that the prophets have spoken!" From these three passages we can better understand how the doubt of the disciples was working, and perhaps how we can better understand either our own doubts or the doubts of others we encounter. Notice....

1. Doubt arises from some sort of hardness of heart

The disciples were not looking for a risen messiah. They had already been struggling with Jesus' ten predictions of His pending death. Anytime we show resistence to Divine truth prior to further illumination of more truth, we will have an inability to digest it. Doubt can arise when we presume there is nothing to find or no forthcoming explanation of what is before our eyes. This is what is called "hardness of heart".

2. Doubt arises from cynicism about the credibility of the evidence

If the doubt we have arises from a misplaced attitude or cynical approach, the credibility of the evidence will be in question. The disciples themselves thought the women's report of a resurrected Messiah to be nonesense. Doesn't this sound all too-familiar in today's world? The first characteristic of doubt's pathology has to do with the activity of the will. This second expression of doubt deals with the attitude of the mind towards the evidence. Typically if someone has already made up their mind that the evidence is nonsense, then all that can be expected is an argument (apart from God's supernatural intervention). 

3. Ignorance or weak response to the evidence

In the Luke 24:25 passage, Jesus is rebuking the disciples for their lack of understanding an slowness of heart. At times, ignorance of what the scriptures say can contribute to doubt. Othertimes, slow obedience in the past or lack of applying scripture with one's life can also contribute to doubt. Neglect is as much of an enemy to the spiritual walk as willful and overt sins of commission. 

Different types of doubt 

The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, page 355, notes about doubt that when studied as a category, it entails the mind, emotions and will. The article on doubt identifies four types of doubt that roughly correspond to what we explored in the three passages above:

1. Philosophical doubt or skepticism, which concludes there are no answers to be found. The Evangelical dictionary suggests that Thomas evidenced this type of doubt. When Jesus manifested himself, Thomas realized then that there was indeed an answer!

2. Provisional doubt calls into question certain assumptions in order to reach a more firm conclusion on larger issues. Typically a person who is wrestling with doubts in their Christian life may actually find their faith being strengthened, since in addressing doubt, their faith is excercised and validated.

3. Denial doubt is where there is overt and willful saying of "no" to the evidence. According to the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Satan's dialogue with Eve was disguised as a series of veiled assertions about God, which of course were a strategy to plant doubt in Eve's mind. This type of doubt is unwilling to acknowledge the validity of the evidence.

4. The final category of doubt is ignorant doubt, whereby the person has enough evidence to have basic faith but yet does not know what the final explanation would be in putting to rest doubts that plague his or her faith. In ignorant doubt, even if the person had a full explanation, they wouldn't know it. This is usually due to inadequate instruction or a blindspot in the person's thinking that can only be exposed by the Holy Spirit and scripture. 

These four types of doubt could be placed along a spectrum of doubt ranging from the most hostile at one end due to it's purposeful knowing and oert denial of the evidence (i.e denial doubt) to ignorant doubt at the other end which has incomplete knowledge and thus lacks complete trust. The other two types of doubt fit in between, with all four pictured below:

Denial   Provisional          Philosophical                             Ignorant
Doubt   Doubt                   Doubt                                         Doubt

The reader may notice that all four are placed at different intervals from one another. The distances correspond to the rate of the growth of doubt that occurs if one stays to long at any given point. Hence the distance and time one can remain in ignorant doubt before it results in damage to one's faith is longer than philosophical doubt. The denial end of the spectrum is by far the most dangerous and is arrived at as a result of having journeyed through the other three.  

Only God's supernatural power through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit can overthrow doubt at any level
Whenever we see the disciples in Matthew 28:17 having doubt, we must ask: what or Whom overcame their doubts? Acts 1:8 recounts Jesus telling them to wait until the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost. The contrast between the uncertainy in Matthew 28:17 and the disciples' boldness and faith 50 days later in Acts 2 is profoundly different. Only two conclusions can be drawn as to how a group of doubting, uncertain disciples could become so bold - Jesus had indeed risen from the dead and the Holy Spirit had came upon them and in them as Jesus said. 

When the Spirit's working and Christ's authority is brought to bear with the scriptures, the power to overwhelm any doubt is manifested. God's grace is the only thing that can be credited to anyone trusting in the Lord and overcoming their doubts. Any persistence in doubt is that person's fault, without any blame to be given to God or the evidence of scripture. Scripture describes faith or the ability of firm persuasion that overcomes any unbelief as something that arrives from God to the doubter or the sinner. (Galatians 3:23-25; James 1:18) Such supernatural faith operating in the human heart must be fed by scripture if it is to grow (1 Peter 2:1-2). We know doubts can arise, but thankfully God grants faith as a gift that in turn enables the one doubting to trust and say: "I believe!" (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

Can Christians ultimately lose their faith if they doubt?

Matthew 14:25-32 "And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying,“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Introduction:

What does it mean to doubt? This is the question I have had on my mind as of late. Christians will at some points in their Christian walk grapple with doubt. 

If a Christian doubts Jesus at any point in their Christian walk, can they ultimately lose their faith if they doubt? Questions such as these will be explored in today's post. The passage featured at the beginning of today's post depicts the famous account of Jesus walking on the water. 

Stepping out on faith in the wee hours of the morning

The winds and waves on the Sea of Galilee were threatening to swallow the disciples. Jesus had sent them ahead to the other side while He went up to the mountain to pray. Between 3:00-6:00a.m modern time, Jesus sensed His disciples were in trouble, and so He went out to them. The disciples saw Jesus and Peter shouted out to Jesus that if He were truly Jesus, then He was to bid Peter to step out of the boat and come out to meet Him. We can look at Peter's actions as impetuous. Nevertheless there appeared to be no doubt in Peter. His faith seemed at that moment to be bigger than the waves and stronger than the winds. So he stepped out - onto the water - and began to walk towards Jesus.

What led to Peter's doubt - anxiety

Doubt seemed a million miles away from this scene. Then it happened. Matthew 14:31 reads - "But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Peter "saw" the wind - that is to say - he saw the affects that the wind was producing. Peter's gaze shifted from the Master of the seas to the sea. He began to sink. What was it that made Peter doubt? One word: anxiety. Peter's anxiousness about the situation overuled (at least temporarily) what little faith He had. 

Taking a closer look at the doubt expressed by Peter

But now we must ask: what is doubt? The cause in this passage is anxiety. But what is there about doubt that distinguishes it? I ask this because the particular Greek word translated "doubt" in Matthew 14:31 occurs only one other time in the entire New Testament - Matthew 28:17. Whenever I see a word appearing once or twice in the entire New Testament, and only one author using that word, that gets my attention. In these two spots we find the puzzling fact that where doubt would seem to be the least to be (situations where Jesus is clearly demonstrating His Sovereignty), doubt is present. 

In Matthew 14:31, the word translated "doubt" refers to the uncertainty that arises when a person is toggling back and forth between one focal point and then another.1 Peter stepped out of the boat with his focus completely on Jesus. However, the strong winds began to divert his attention. Peter began to toggle and to waver. The spiritual eyes of the heart operate on a similar principle as our physical eyes - namely we can only give our full attention to one thing at a time. 

So in thinking about Peter, we can say that he perceived his ability to walk on the water to Jesus to exceed the possibility of sinking. Such a conviction derived from the faith that was already in Peter. How much Peter had exercised his faith prior to that point was going to be tested in this episode. Faith's perception is sculpted by what is unseen (Hebrews 11:1). The moment our perception of truth is informed more by what is seen, we have moved over into anti-faith or "doubt". Peter's anxiety (an expression of his switch to perceiving things with physical eyes) fueled the doubt that led him to begin sinking into the water. 

When Christians doubt, what keeps them from losing faith all together

I think it is important before closing out today's post to see whether or not Peter lost faith. Its one thing to have one foot in doubt and another in faith versus the condition of people prior to conversion, whereby they have both feet firmly planted in doubt and unbelief. What pulled him up? His faith or the object of His faith? Notice Matthew 14:30-31 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus pulled Peter up out of the water by the thin rope of faith. Peter had let go, yet the object to which His faith was tied to did not. 

Though Peter's hand of trust had let go of the line of faith, little did Peter realize that His faith was around the waist of his heart so-to-speak. God had given him the gift of faith to sustain him as a life-preserver. Even though his faith was "little" - nearly out of air - yet it was tied to the Sovereign Lord who pulled him out of those angry waves. This is what Christian theologians have historically referred to as the "perseverance of the saints" or "preservation by God".

Author John Piper writes in his book: "When the Darkness Will Not Life", pages 38-39 - "All the great doctors of the soul have distinguished between faith and its full assurance. The reason for that is that we are saved by the work of God causing us to be born again and bringing us to faith. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). Piper later writes: "...which means that God is at the bottom of my faith; and when it disappears for a season from my own view, God may yet be there sustaining its root in the new birth and protecting the seed from destruction."

So as we see in this episode in Matthew 14, Jesus came out to the middle of the sea to sustain the small faith of a man who was willing to step out. I find it interesting that Peter was unable to answer Jesus' question: "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" There was no good reason. It didn't make sense. Christian doubts never do. Despite that reality, how the episode ends demonstrates the reality and superiority of true saving faith over doubt in the long run. The scene ends with the disciples (including Peter) affirming the Deity of Jesus in the boat. 

Doubts may come and go - and can and will - in the Christian life. Yet, true faith will affirm and overule the doubt that for a season attempted to clip its moorings from the Anchor - Jesus Christ. 

Final thoughts

We began today's post by asking the question: can a Christian ultimately lose their faith if they doubt? In our exploration of the account of Jesus' walking on the water and Peter's doubt, we saw that the short answer is "no". Why? Peter was sustained not by his faith, but rather by Jesus who was sustaining it. It is one thing to have doubt for a season. However, a true Christian won't persist and stay camped in such doubt without calling out for the Lord to come save them. Faith that is momentarily submerged under the seas of doubt will pop back up like a buoy and ring the bell for the Master of the sea to come and save it. I close with this reminder to Christians who are experiencing wavering faith in 1 Peter 1:5 "who are protected by the power of Godthrough faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Endnotes:

1. When we speak of faith or doubt, we are talking about being persuaded about the truthfulness of an idea or more specifically, a statement that is called a "proposition". For example, the proposition "2+2=4" is true, regardless of how a person may feel. The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, page 355, notes the following in it's article about religious doubt: "It should be noted that the proposition in question may in fact be true and even verified. Doubt or uncertainty relates to whether or not the proposition has been perceived to be true." The article then goes on to say: "The subjective attitude (of the person evaluating the proposition) need not have anything to do with the certainty (the degree to which a proposition has been verified or even to its truthfulness."

Glimpses of God's Kingdom work in the midst of hopeless despair - Isaiah 24-35

Isaiah 24:21-23 "So it will happen in that day,That the Lord will punish the host of heaven on high, And the kings of the earth on earth. 22 They will be gathered together like prisoners in the dungeon, And will be confined in prison;
And after many days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed, For the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, And His glory will be before His elders."

Introduction:

One of things I so appreciate about the prophetic books is how much they speak to today's world. Whenever I plunge myself into the world of the  prophets, I'm equipped with the concepts and spiritual tools needed to address my world. These last couple of days have been dedicated to looking closer at the prophet Isaiah. His world was a world where he literally saw his nation and people go from the highest points under the reign of Uzziah to dwindling spiritual ruins by the days of Kings Jotham and Hezekiah. Despite reforms and revival, the nagging reality was that the efforts seemed to be a day late and a dollar short. The ultimate renewal that would abide and last was not going to occur in Hezekiah's day. Isaiah saw the True King and Savior through prophetic vision that would bring in everlasting salvation. 

One of the truths we discover in Isaiah's book is how often he made recourse to Christ's future earthly reign in the midst of judgment and woe on the nation or the people of God. Though the thunder and lightening of judgment was pealing all around Isaiah, the radiant beams of the hope of God's Kingdom always found a way to shine through. To see a sample of this, I thought we would peer into Isaiah 24-35 to grasp this pattern of glimpsing God's kingdom work in the midst of hopeless despair.

1. Despair (24:1-20) and Kingdom hope (24:21-23)

2. Praise for God's Sovereignty in Isaiah 25-26 as a result of what is spoken in Isaiah 24.

3. Isaiah 27 Promised restoration of Judah

4. Isaiah 28:1-13 judgment upon the Northern Kingdom. 28:14-29 Judgment against Judah's leadership

5. Isaiah 29:1-17 Judgment upon Judah's hypocrisy. Yet, promise of Judah's restoration in Isaiah 29:18-24

6. Judgment upon Judah's rebellion in Isaiah 30:1-7. Yet, promises of restoration for Judah in the future and protection in its immediate circumstances from a power enemy in Isaiah 30:8-33.

7. Isaiah 31 details God's Judgment on Egypt for Judah's confidence in her. At the time, Jerusalem and Judah had made an alliance with Egypt.

8. Isaiah 32:1-8 gives us a glimpse of Christ's earthly millennial reign followed by a prediction of Assyria conquering the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

9. Isaiah 33. A cry for for mercy and promise of forgiveness

10. Isaiah 34. Judgment on the nation of Edom.

11. Isaiah 35 details another picture of a restored Jerusalem during Christ's earthly reign. 

As you can see, God has sprinkled the hope of His kingdom promises in the midst of hopeless despair. Perhaps the reader today is dealing with very difficult circumstance. Sometimes we bring them on ourselves but oftentimes difficulties come when we least expect it. Acts 14:22 tells us that in the process of entering the Kingdom, difficulties will come. Jesus told His disciples in John 16:33 that many trials would come upon them, and yet not to fear, since He has overcome the world. James 1:3-4 and 1 Peter 1:6-7 remind us that trials are normal for the Christian, and that God is working with us in the trial to purify our faith and trust in Him. Matthew 6:33 states that we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything else will be added unto us. Would it be that we would glimpse God's Kingdom work in our midst. Would it be that we would trust in God and His promises, rather than relying on present circumstances to give us hope that will endure.