Shoulder To Shoulder #1345 -- 9-28-23 ---- “Unwavering Assurance For Uncertain Days” (part 2) -- Having The Right God For Tumultuous Times"
"Standing Together, Shoulder To Shoulder, As We Fight the Good Fight of Faith"
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
Shoulder To Shoulder #1345 -- 9-28-23
Title: “Unwavering Assurance For Uncertain Days” (part 2) -- Having The Right God For Tumultuous Times"
My Dear Friend and Pilgrim Partner:
Greeting, this time from still-hot Yuma, AZ. After several weeks of being "absent" from the writing world, I am happy to be back sharing my thoughts with you again. We have just returned from another one of those typical Fall days in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona back to a very dry Sonoran Desert. In just a month we will begin our 7th season at Chapel de Oro in the Fortuna de Oro 55+ RV park. Folks from across the U.S. and Canada will return to spend winter months far away from frigid, wet, and snowy regions of North America. It will be good to be together again, beginning November 5th. Some of our members have already been communicating with us about their returns.
Regarding my last letter on September 12th, several have mentioned that they were unable to open the link to the sermon accompanying that letter. So, here is a link that will hopefully work, should you want to watch the video version. There are two different links by which to access it. At least one should certainly work:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tegF-FlGEDyPFscPB2hZiDsGqnd0B1gE/view?usp=sharing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM6lMaCKoQg&list=PLOkBIyvGYtJ2ZXPAReKytPytQ48sevQl5&index=1 (This one is of poor quality.)
REVIVAL STILL HAPPENING:
While the outpouring of revival at Asbury College last February has not taken on the widespread impact earlier ones have taken, God is still powerfully at work in both local churches, colleges, and university campuses across the United States. Many campuses such as Texas A&M are still feeling the impact. Several schools have been conducting weekly meetings of preaching, worship, and evangelism since the Asbury outpouring. Most recently, a worship time at Auburn University ended up with a spontaneous baptism at the nearby lake where over 200 people were baptized. Texas A&M recently saw over 1,000 students attend an event with 128 coming to faith in Christ and being baptized.
My heart still pulsates for national revival among churches and an awakening like those of years gone by -- but I still see only spotted evidence of such a thing happening yet. Tragically, the overwhelming percentage of local churches are either already dead, going through "the motions", and/or have so much affinity with the values and practices of the world that they don't have a clue about the plight they are in. And, as I noted in an earlier letter, it may well be that my assumption that revival must come to the Church before awakening comes to the culture is about to be proven wrong.
I still remember the late pastor of FBC Church in Modesto, CA, telling a group of us way back in 1973 to "Go with the goers". He described how his church created a small group strategy that kept new believers generally separated from those who had been believers for a long time because he didn't want the new converts to begin thinking the same way the older Christians did. When it came to Sunday school, discipleship groups and/or Bible study groups, Pastor Yeager's pastoral leadership team created new groups for new believers, led by seasoned, faithful, motivated leaders who would not dampen the idealism and fresh curiosity of those new followers of Christ.
Recognizing that you will always have a "Mixed Multitude" in any church, -- after all, Jesus Himself pointed that out (Mt 7:7-ff) -- I think Yeager's idea is spot on, and might just be a great policy for any church to implement. Clearly age and life's experiences can make a difference in one's spiritual condition. This is one reason why you and I must not underestimate what is happening among college and university students -- and also in high schools and middle schools. Due to a large extent by the aftermath of "fallen heroes" and the COVID fiasco, mental and emotional issues among even elementary school children is approaching epidemic proportion. While this is an alarming development that almost every parent could have told the professional elite in Washington and at CDC -- and one that many respected medical professionals warned us about -- it still has a potential benefit to it.
>From elementary school to university level, that particular generation is more open to the Gospel than any group in the past forty to fifty years (history records that in the U.S., spiritual awakenings have taken place about every 50 years since the First Great Awakening. As far as I can tell, every great revival or spiritual awakening began with a small group of young people who still idealistically believed that what the Bible said was actually true -- and, if they obeyed it's commands, the world could be changed. The historical record is pretty clear on that.
In September 28th -- just a few days ago -- an article by Shawn Akers, online editor to Charisma Media, appeared on the CharismaNews website, entitled "GenZers' Faith Debunking Myth They've Given Up on Jesus." In the article Akers pointed directly to the recent participation surge at this month's "See You At the Pole" voluntary prayer rallies around school flagpoles. A movement that began in 1990 with ten students at one high school now encompasses tens of thousands of students around the U.S. each year on every level of educational facilities, elementary through university campuses.
Akers, referencing SYOTP event promotion coordinator and National Field Director of National Network of Youth Ministries Doug Clark, Clark indicated that attendance this year was way above 2022, with students from more and more schools nationwide participating. Clark stated, . . .
"We've been extremely encouraged by the social media posts and the photos we've seen from See You at the Pole 2023, and they're coming in from all over the country. The numbers are way up over last year. It's been an incredible day. . . . We are blown away by how See You at the Pole 2023 went! We give God all the glory and pray that He starts a movement out of this moment. We hope you are all encouraged and determined to see more regular prayer in your schools! It starts with you."
Clark went on to point out the obvious: . . .
" We haven't seen this much participation since before the pandemic. And, of course, COVID-19 was just a scheme of the enemy to try to interrupt any momentum Jesus was gaining among young people at that time. Before our event this year, a lot of people were asking for resources from us to help stage it at their school, an increase of 35% from 2022. That's pretty encouraging too."
Clark continued by noting two other serious factors --
1. "Yes, a lot of that (COVID) is political, but I think it (COVID) also has to do with the rates of depression and suicide among our young children, which are indicators of a big mental health problem, but then it also creates an openness to the gospel. We know the road that these kids are taking is difficult, but our country is ripe for awakening. There is no other solution in our country than a profound movement of the Holy Spirit. It's got to come from God."
2. "There's a lot of infighting going on in the churches, and that's not attractive to them. We're accountable for how we behave in front of this next generation. It grieves that other things take priority instead of us recognizing how important it is to give these kids Jesus. That's simply vital right now."
You can read Aker's entire report at https://www.charismanews.com/culture/93433-genzers-debunking-myth-they-ve-given-up-on-jesus. Other ministries also too note of the extraordinary SYATP participation. For example, Focus On The Family posted the following observation on its Facebook page:
"Despite the pressure of the world to stand down and be quiet, the youth of this generation are still gathering under God to pray for those around them. Amen!"
A great revival among God's people is desperately needed. If history is any indicator, it may well again be the younger generation that gives its initial impetus. Whether or not it comes remains yet to be seen. If the current movement ever reaches critical mass, then it will likely happen. Every great awakening -- apart from some in ancient Israel -- began small, sometimes within one single person, and then slowly spread. True awakenings don't happen overnight. Even the renowned "Jesus Revolution" didn't happen overnight. There were months -- even years -- of God's movement in the hearts of a handful of people before the "explosion" took place about which we are so familiar.
As this apparent move of God continues to develop, it is refreshing to see how more and more "big names" are being more outspoken as to the role of Christ in their lives. Country music legend Toby Keith, former NFL sensation Deion Sanders, sophomore Texas Longhorn quarterback Quinn Ewers, Hollywood actors Jonathan Roumie (Jesus in "The Chosen") and Jim Caviezel (in "The Sound of Freedom" and "the Passion of the Christ"), Alabama's two-term Governor Kay Ivey, and well known CBS news anchor Julie Chen Moonves are bravely professing their faith in Christ.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Asbury University revival last February was the actual spark that will one day result in a massive revival among God's people at large which, in turn, makes Jesus the topic of conversation throughout the spheres of today's culture. In the meantime, you and I can take personal responsibility to see that, regardless of what happens, we are personally equipped for and engaged in what God is up to in our individual circles of influence. Just today, a longtime Facebook I still have never met in person, State Prayer Coordinator for California Southern Baptists (yes, I associate with all kinds of people), posted, "Christians allow the things of the world, the good, the bad, and the ugly, to distract them from our two main focuses: The LORD and the LOST!"
I couldn't agree more! True revival will correct the focus.
NO OTHER GOD:
For me personally, that means I must . . . Have The Right God For Tumultuous Times. You may assume that's "a given", but it may surprise you to discover how many Christians merely believe that in their minds to be true, but in practical living it is a foreign concept that is essentially irrelevant to life. There is a clear disconnect between the teachings of scripture (religious conviction) and "the real world".
A few weeks ago, Charisma Media staff writer, James Lasher, made the following observations regarding all the turmoil we are facing these days. It seems that storms are raging everywhere in every sphere -- political, moral, sociologically, militarily, and terrestrially. Lasher stated, . . .
"As we navigate this period of profound instability, we must prepare for more turbulent months and years ahead. The trials we have witnessed are but a glimpse of what lies in the future, a reminder of the prophetic words of Jesus and how He is the only hope for this world." (https://www.charismanews.com/world/93298-jesus-prophetic-words-are-these-earthquakes-a-sign-of-the-end-times)
I know that this scripture passage is directed specifically toward the Nation of Israel in its early days, and that it speaks to a debatable prophetic time, but it also speaks to us:
1. "But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! 2. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.
3. "For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. 4. Since you are precious in My sight, Since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.
5. "Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, And gather you from the west. 6. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring My sons from afar And My daughters from the ends of the earth, 7. Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made. 8. Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes, And the deaf, even though they have ears.
9. "All the nations have gathered together So that the peoples may be assembled. Who among them can declare this and proclaim to us the former things? Let them present their witnesses that they may be justified, Or let them hear and say, 'It is true.'
10. "You are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me. 11. I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me.
12. "It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And I am God. 13. "Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?" -- Isa 43:1-13
Last Spring as I was preparing for the Summer ministry season in Greer, AZ, my preaching theme became clear -- "Unwavering Assurance For Uncertain Days" -- the same theme about which I am writing this current series. The thought occurred to me then -- "I know that God's people know He is faithful; BUT do they REALLY know? Do they absolutely know that they know that they know -- to the point that they don't shrink back in the day of battle like Israel did (Ps 78:57) or like those described by the writer of Hebrews (Heb 10:39)?"
In considering what the general thrust of the theme should be, I was struck by two things -- the phrase, "so that you may know" and the number of times it appears in the Bible, and the number of personal pronouns used in the above text relating to God. Doing a little research, I found that the phrases, "so that you may know" and "you will know" are found an astounding 79 times in the Bible -- AND the overwhelming majority of those times, it is a direct reference to God.
There was absolutely no doubt -- this is all about God, and actually both knowing "about" Him and in truly "knowing" Him.
Then, the number of personal pronouns relating to God in Isaiah's text above became more significant to me. Count them. In addition to the many proper names God uses, a stunning 35 personal pronouns about Him are found in these short 13 verses.
That spoke deeply to my heart -- if people are to have a confidence in God that doesn't waver and doesn't cringe in fear or fall back in retreat, their singular resource is going to be their God.
That being the case, then it is crucial that they are trusting in the right God. This may seem elementary to you, -- hopefully so, -- but to others what I'm about to share might strengthen and lift them up at just the right time. After all, don't forget what the writer of Hebrews said . . .
". . . he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." -- Heb 11:6
One of my father's oft-quoted scriptures was . . .
"If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out, Then how can you compete with horses?" -- Jer 12:5a
God was confronting Jeremiah over his complaining that life in general was hard, and following Him was nigh on unbearable (12:1-4). God's rebuke was straight to the point: -- "If you think things are hard now, what are you going to do when they get worse? . . . because they will."
We have neither time nor space to dissect this passage of scripture, but the point seems to be clear -- uncertain days are going to become more uncertain, and you must have some sort of anchor to keep you steadfast and strong. Today we want to talk about whether or not we have what it takes to face today’s challenges and tomorrow’s unknown. You'd better have something -- or someone -- you can trust with unwavering assurance that you will get through what lies ahead.
That "something" is nothing. That "someone" is God -- God alone. Obviously we don’t have what it takes. So, does God???
The issue is NOT does God have what it takes, but will WE take what GOD has… AND have we chosen the right God in the first place?
A LOOK AT THE RECORD:
America’s founding, in some ways, was similar to the birth of Israel –certainly not in the same special way as the Children of Israel. I in no way want to elevate America to that of Israel in God's overriding plan. However, there are some interesting similarities and contradictions between the two.
1. Both were born of divine intent – similar yet different: Israel, to Provide salvation to the world; America, among other reasons, to Promote the Gospel of salvation to the world. The original writings of the earliest settlers, from Jamestown to Providence, and later our founders give undeniable testimony to both.
2. By the time of the prophets, however, Israel had repeatedly strayed from God; by World War II, America was doing the same, having already abandoned some of God's most basic principles for societal prosperity. Today we are much like Israel, having strayed from God's original intended purpose. We are not just straying, we are willfully walking away from the very God Who inspired our founders to form a nation shaped to carry the torch that was lit in Jerusalem.
3. In both cases, when a nation or individual willfully walks away from God, it is usually a slow, often sinister, and generally unnoticed process over a period of years, or even generations. In both the case of Israel and of America, that process generally ran from between 20 to 40 years. True, "What one generation tolerates in moderation, the next generation practices in excess." You can tell the trajectory of a nation by looking at its past 20 to 40 years; that will tell you much about what the future looks like for a nation.
In my last letter we examined the idea of "Developing Steadfast Hardness For Inevitable Hardships", examining Paul’s admonition to a young man, Timothy, to utilize God's Grace, Peace, and Mercy, accompanied by Love, Power, and a Sound Mind to faithfully endure hardship and suffering (read II Tim 1:1-14).
The secret to building such a strong and resilient faith that can withstand the challenges and winds of the world is to have a solid foundation upon which to build it (James 1:2-8).
2. "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3. knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5.But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8. being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
That means one must choose his god -- and it must be the right One. You see, the god you choose, will determine the way you face today’s challenges and tomorrow’s unknowns. That should be a no-brainer for us, but sadly many Christians have done the same things the Children of Israel did. Even though they knew the One true God, they had lived under Polytheism -- worshiping, according to the World History Encyclopedia, over 2,000 gods -- for such a long time that, when the One True God brought them out of captivity to worship only Him, they had a very hard time abandoning the false gods of Egypt and of Canaan. They came to the point where they had to make serious choices.
The numerous similarities between Israel’s history and our own means we should seriously consider what God said and did to Israel. We must make the same decisions they had to make. Not only that, but just as this nation must choose the right God it intends to serve -- and if it wants to survive, -- so we personally must decide which one god we will trust and serve in this current world. To do so, we must consider the following:
A LOOK AT THE RIGHT GOD:
I. Which God Is Actually The Right God?:
Yes, I understand that this is probably "old hat" to you, but it needs to be briefly addressed. As I have written about so frequently in the past, this summary actually is a highly condensed version of a Bible study I taught beginning in 2003 in our after-ESL classes in Kyiv, Ukraine. I had been preaching and teaching on it since 1975, but put it into a syllabus form then. While they are certainly not the best videos quality-wise in the world, if you care to dig into the subject systematically in some detail, you can check out the series I preached on it in 2016 at Greer Chapel up in the White Mountains of Arizona. The link to the playlist is https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOkBIyvGYtJ2YBelt4_H5r2MzPmRs9vmt .
THE POINT: --There are over 50,000 known religions in the world, and reportedly over 200,000 separate gods. Not all of them can be right. Following the admonition of Joshua -- whether knowingly or unwittingly -- we "Choose . . . this day whom [we] will serve". He succinctly mentioned "the gods of Egypt" (the gods of their past),"the gods of the Amorites" (the gods of the future), -- or the "One True God" (Josh 24:15). Clearly, since the fall of man in the Garden (Gen 3), man has chased after false gods. Mind you, they are not real gods -- they are "false" gods; they are not really gods at all. They are simply visible or imaginary idols created by depraved and fallen minds.
There are fundamentally two big lies when it comes to choosing the right god. The first big Lie is this -- “all religions are the same and will get you to paradise, heaven, Nirvana, Utopia.” The second is -- “I am not a religious person.” Both are entirely false conclusions through and through.
Paul's encounter with the intellectuals in Athens makes the point. Every person born is religious by nature because he/she is a spiritual being by nature with an instinctive yearning for spiritual meaning – for someone/thing that fulfills and completes him. He is searching for a god of some kind -- for God. He is searching -- though he doesn't know exactly what or who it is for which he searches -- for someone or something to fill that "God-shaped vacuum" of which the 17th Century French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and Christian philosopher, Blaise Paschal wrote.
So, when Paul entered Athens, he was immediately struck by the presence of so many idols and temples erected to various gods -- even "the unknown god" (whoever it is). The question, then, for the Athenians was the same as it is today -- Which god? All gods? Any god? If there are thousands, which one? If all religions are the same and get you to the same destination, then just pick one.
If, on the other hand, man is actually NOT a religious person, then how do you explain the existence of all those gods in the first place? Who created them? Who needs them? Why would a non-religious person create a religious object? Why are there temples to gods if man is not religious? Why are there tarot cards, idols, icons, religious orders, astrological emblems, horoscopes, sacrificial ceremonies, and the like? If man is not religious, then none of these things should even exist.
You see, the very fact that there are many religions with many gods undeniably proves that man actually IS religious by nature, and that there has to be one of those gods, that is the True one. The bottom line, then, is that man actually IS religious by nature, and he spends his entire life searching for gods -- the Right God. So, -- which one is the "Right" one?
I like to try to keep things simple, so when it comes to this issue, I found it helpful in my own thinking to recognize that all religions can be divided into three categories:
1) Many gods – Animism, Pantheism, Polytheism, Hinduism, etc.
2) No god – Atheism, Secularism, self-worship, etc.
3) One God – Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Baha’I, Rastafari, etc.
Where does one start? Which one is right? Does it matter which religion I choose? Does it make any difference which god I choose?
Well, the very definition of "god" or "God" should help us. You see, there cannot be more than “one true god”. By definition, there cannot be multiple gods. God refers to a spiritual being who is supreme over all. If there is more than one god, then there is no god -- no supreme being "over all". This is why the Bible almost always addresses "other gods" as being "false gods". They are not real. They are imaginary. They are false. They are not genuine gods, much less being the "One True God" Who was, Who is, Who is to come, and created all things.
While there are many spirits, there is only one Supreme God. He is the God of the Bible. Look at the evidence. What do other gods offer you that will sustain and prosper you today and guide and support you in the future? What do they have that the God of the Bible does not have? What can they do that the God of the Bible cannot do? If you are going to have a religion or a supreme being in your life to take you through uncertain days we are now in and which are laid out ahead of us, what kind of God do you want which you can trust, follow, depend on, and serve?
II. What Is The Right God Like?
In that the Bible is quite explicit in our being able to "know" -- and God tells us we should, we can, we will, or we must know, -- then it is pretty important that we "know" which God is the right one, and what He is like. When it comes to facing today with all it contains and anticipating tomorrow with all it may bring it is essential that we know God in ways not yet fully experienced or understood. Among many other things, we can know these 18 facts about our God. I can't possible take time or space to discuss any of them, but simply to say, if you are going to face these uncertain days with a sense of unwavering assurance and confidence, then you must know -- and believe -- that . . .
1. He alone is God. (Isa 43:10; Isa 49:3; Ezek 6:7; 6:13; 7:4; 11:12; 12:20; 13:14; 13:21; 13:23; 14:8; 15:7; 20:38; 20:42,44; 22:16; 23:49; 24:24; 25:5,7; 35:4,9; 36:11; 37:6,13; Joel 3:17).
2. There is no other like Him. (Ex 9:14)
3. There will never be anyone like Him (Isa 43:10)
4. We can know with assurance that He is God. (Isa 49:23)
5. He used adversity to prove His reality. (Exod
6. God judges, and judges rightly. (Job 19:29; Jer 44:29; Ezek 7:9; 14:23).
7. God judges disobedience (Ezek 22:22)
8. There is forgiveness when we err or fail (Mt 9:6; Mk 2:10; Lk 5:42).
9. He knows me, and knows me by name (Isa 45:3).
10. He hears me (Ezek 35:12).
11. There is only One truth, not many (Lk 1:4).
12. God restores and rebuilds ruins (Ezek 36:36).
13. Eternal life is both possible, promised, and permanent – and you can know it (I Jn 5:13).
14. There is absolute deliverance from everything for everyone (Ex 16:6).
15. He alone can and does save and redeem (Isa 60:16).
16. God does what He says He will do (Ezek 37:14).
17. God chooses to dwell with us – He is near (Joel 2:27).
18. God sends people to us (Zec 2:9,11; 4:9; 6:15; Jn 8:28).
My friend, go back and take time to ponder each of these. Actually it would be a good Bible study to consider over a period of days or even weeks. Don't rush through them. Take one of them and take a full day or several days to search the scriptures (I've already given you a few; search for more.). It is so incredibly simple to search the internet on any one -- or all -- of these. Just type in, "Scripture about . . ." or "What does the Bible say about . . ." You'll be stunned by what you can learn. I do it all the time.
Then, do some study on what certain words really mean in the original Hebrew (OT) or Greek (NT) languages. That will give you even greater understanding.
So, then -- if this is the kind of God we know, love, and serve, what does He actually offer us? What does He do to us and for us that should drive us to total abandonment to Him? And why do I bring up the obvious in today's letter?
Because my understanding of Who God is helps me be much more confident in What He does. In like manner, What He does bolsters my trust in Him to take me through any and all challenges and the coming days that lie ahead for you and me. There are literally thousands of things God provides for us, but I have listed seven that I believe are absolutely foundational for our living lives of joy, peace, assurance, and fruitfulness. I know of virtually no other god of this world who can do these.
So, then, . . . .
III. What Does The One True God Offer Us?
Again, I can only list these without comment. Each one is worth writing an entire book about it. I again urge you to take each one and do a thorough biblical research. Based on Isaiah's account of what God told Israel, you and I have . . .
1. Assurance that we are His and He knows us because He created us (43:1).
"But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, '. . . I have called you by name; you are Mine!'"
2. Comfort when we face times of duress and fear (43:1).
". . . Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; . . ."
3. His sustaining presence during times of great trouble (43:2).
""When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you."
4. His unbroken promise of protection and rescue (43:3-4).
"For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. Since you are precious in My sight, Since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life."
5. His victorious Deliverance from every type of bondage that imprisons us (43:5-9).
"Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, And gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring My sons from afar And My daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made. Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes, And the deaf, even though they have ears. All the nations have gathered together so that the peoples may be assembled. Who among them can declare this and proclaim to us the former things? Let them present their witnesses that they may be justified, or let them hear and say, 'It is true!'"
6. Our growing confidence that He is Who He is (43:10-11).
"'You are My witnesses,' declares the LORD, 'And My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me.'"
7. An increased understanding of God’s ultimate, sovereign, and unchanging purpose for you and me -- and mankind in general (43:12-14).
"'It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; so you are My witnesses,' declares the LORD, 'and I am God. Even from eternity I am He, and there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?'"
CONCL:
So, I ask you; if you are not trusting in and following the God of the Bible, then which god are you following? Does that God offer you what my God offers? Will he -- or even Can he -- provide you assurance in every situation? Or comfort when troubled? Or maybe the confidence that he is literally present in the middle of my situation -- "an ever present help in time of need" (Ps 46:1 ; see Heb 4:16). Will your god -- if he is not the God of the Bible -- actually be able to protect you from harm, or deliver you from bondage? Will he be able to convince you over the long haul that he is the right faithful and sufficient god for you? Will you be able to ever find out what that god's purpose is for your life specifically? To all these questions, . . .
Never!
As I mentioned earlier, the Bible uses the terms “so that you may know” and “You will know” an amazing 79 times. Other supported words are even more numerous. For example, just the words "assurance" and "confidence" alone, in their varying tenses -- more than 70 times -- bolster even further that we actually do have the capacity to live this very day -- and all of the tomorrows we may have -- with unwavering assurance that, 1) God has not changed one iota, 2) His plan has not changed in the least and, 3) His love and provision for us remain limitless.
Do you REALLY know -- not just mentally, but experientially -- that knowing God through His Son is the core secret to facing your todays & tomorrows with Assurance, Confidence, Courage, & peace? The one thing that enables you to face the circumstances of today and the challenges of tomorrow is God – knowing God for Who He really is. The writer of Hebrews gives us the secret:
“For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." -- Heb 11:6).
As I mentioned in my last letter, Paul explained the bottom line:
“For I KNOW Whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” -- II Tim 1:12
Who is your God? Do you Know Him – REALLY Know Him? Is he genuinely REAL to you? I certainly pray He is. How else can you Ever have unwavering assurance by which to live in days like we are in today -- and most importantly, in what still assuredly lies ahead? How else can you and I ever come before God with hearts that cry out for revival? For a radical culture-changing spiritual awakening that uproots evil and establishes righteousness? How can we possibly intercede to Him in behalf of our nation? How will we ever pray with boldness for the salvation of those around us whom we know and love?
Yes, there's no doubt about it. If we are going to have that "Unwavering Assurance For Uncertain Days", the only way we can experience it is that we "Have The Right God For Tumultuous Times."
"The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will extol Him." -- Exod 15:2
If you want to know what one's life can be like when he has chosen to love, worship, follow, and obey the right God? Take time to read the words of David's song of praise in I Samuel 22. And that's just the half of it.
"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." --(Ps 18:2)
If you care to watch the actual sermon I preached on today's topic last June, you can find it at the following two links. The first is edited, has better color, and has a little music it. The second is scripture and sermon only, and with poor color but better audio.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XuJBx2wX2QGVu9hWyXCIZi6KZW1q8tWj/view?usp=sharing
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
Life Unlimited Ministries
LUMglobal
lifeunlimited@pobox.com
Copyright October, 2023
"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill
"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon
If this letter has blessed you, feel free to forward it or copy from it, with proper credits, to any and all you wish.