Ya'll, I don't know about you, but I need me some hope! God bless you people who watch the daily news. I can't do it. It makes me too depressed. If I believe the mainstream media, or social media, I lose all hope.
Almost everyone I know is facing some sort of struggle. In the past two days, I have been made aware of at least six families who need a miracle. They need clothes, food, shelter, transportation, and health care. They need hope. It is overwhelming, and I feel powerless to help because the needs are so great. I need hope!
So, I opened God's Word, and I found hope in the book of 1 Peter Chapter 1. We can praise God for His mercy, which fills us with a living hope (1:3). We can set our hope on the grace to be given us when Christ is revealed (1:13). Our faith and hope are in God (1:21).
Our hope cannot be in the material wealth of this world. Even gold will perish in a fire (1:7). Our hope cannot be in people, because they will disappoint us and disappear when we need them the most (1:24). Our hope cannot be in our own good works, because even when we try to obey God's Word, our evil desires get the best of us (1:14).
Our hope is in our heavenly inheritance (1:4). Even when we suffer grief in all kinds of trials (1:6), we can have hope. Even though we cannot see Christ, we love Him. We believe Him. We are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy (1:8). Our goal, our hope, is in the salvation of our souls (1:9). Now, that's the kind of hope I've been looking for!
What does it mean to be blessed by God, to be chosen by Him to serve in the Kingdom? Peter addressed his letter to God's elect. What does that mean?
In American culture, we somehow equate prosperity with spiritual blessing. We look at our beautiful homes, campers, boats, motorcycles, sports cars, lawn tractors, gym memberships, and 2.4 children, and we say, "I am SO blessed!" Our intentions are good. In our western, Christian worldview, we are making an honest attempt to recognize that all we have is good, and we recognize that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father. (James 1:17)
However, at the same time, we make a subconscious judgment of anyone we consider to be less wealthy than we are, and we deem them "less blessed," or even "judged by God." Come on now, we have to admit that deep down we live as though we are blessed because of our works. We may not say it out loud, but we judge others and think, "If only they would work harder.... If only they would serve God, then they could live the blessed life I'm living."
Our theology is wrong when it is not applicable around the world. Would you say to an Iraqi Christian who is running for her life to escape persecution, "If you would just give glory to God, He could rescue you and bless you with a boat and a camper"? The book of 1 Peter is addressed to people who were exiled because of their faith in Christ. They gave up their homes, businesses, land, and families to follow Christ. Peter deemed them God's elect and called them chosen and blessed because of their obedience. They were persecuted and scattered, but they had grace and peace in abundance. God knew in advance the hardships they would endure, and He chose them specifically for His service. They were blessed.
I urge you to pray for the persecuted church of our day. Pray they will know that God is near them. Pray they will stand firm and be obedient to God's call. Pray that God's grace and peace will surround them. Pray for their strength as they press on toward their heavenly prize. Pray for yourself that you could have even a mustard seed of faith.
One of the memes I've liked recently says, "I'm not that perfect Christian. I'm the one who knows I need Jesus." As humans, we are not perfect, and we will mess up. I will disappoint you. I apologize ahead of time.
As a Jesus follower, I am trying every day to do better than the day before. I hope I look more like Jesus this month than I did last month. If you are striving toward this same goal, let's take a look at some of the hidden gems in Philippians 3:17-4:23. We won't do any of them perfectly, but making an honest attempt to work on them will move us closer to our prize.
1. Follow the example of mature believers. With whom do you spend your free time? Are you spending your free time studying the teachings of Jesus with others, or are you crushing candy and sharing ridiculous videos?
2. Eagerly await the return of Jesus. He could show up or call you home at any moment. Are you waiting and watching, or are you scrolling through social media and complaining about politics?
3. Stand firm in the LORD. I know things get tough. It's easy to become discouraged. That's what the enemy is trying to do to you. The enemy makes us forget the promises of God and the faithfulness of our heavenly Father. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Stand firm.
4. Be faithful workers alongside Christian leaders, and stop arguing with fellow believers. As a pastor's wife, I could get on a soap box here. Instead, let me say how truly grateful I am that my church family is amazing.
5. Make certain your name is written in the book of life. This actually comes first on the list. If your name is not written in the book of life, then I'm pretty impressed that you are still reading my list of 20 secrets. If your name is not written in the book of life, I hope you will ask me lots of questions. I want to invite you to accept Jesus as your Savior this very moment. If you don't know how, contact me or another godly person who can explain salvation to you. Here is a great resource.
6. Rejoice in the LORD always. Choosing to have a positive attitude and to find joy in every day will solve the majority of our problems. When times are tough, we need the daily discipline of rejoicing in the LORD.
7. Be gentle to all. We live in a culture of cynicism and sarcasm where bullying abounds. As a follower of Jesus, dare to defend the weak and powerless. Be kind. Be gentle. Share the love of God with a lost and dying world.
8. Remember the LORD is near and will return again soon. When your days feel dark and dreary, encourage yourself and others with the reminder that Jesus promised never to leave you. He promised to prepare a place for you in heaven. He keeps His promises!
9. Do not be anxious about anything. I come from a long line of worriers. Anxiety is my default mode. Leaving my worries in the hands of Jesus takes a conscious effort. What a blessing it is when God fills my heart and mind with calm in the midst of the storm!
10. Be thankful as you present your requests to God. What do you need? Have you asked God to meet your need? He says we have not because we ask not. The secret is to have a grateful heart as you ask God to supply your needs. Be thankful that your Father knows exactly what you need, and that He has your best interest in mind.
11. Let the peace of God guard your heart and mind. This goes hand-in-hand with not being anxious about anything. God offers you peace that passes all understanding. Why would you cling to your anxiety when God is willing to trade it for His perfect peace?
12. Think positively! In Philippians 4:8-9, Paul asks you to think about things that pass the following tests. Is it true? Is it right? Is it just, pure, and lovely? Is it admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy? If your thought does not meet these qualifications, then put it out of your mind.
13. Put into practice what you learn from godly leaders. When you hear a good sermon or read a Christian book, does it move you to action? Who is your Christian mentor? Are you helping disciple a new believer? Passing the baton to another believer is the secret to energizing your Christian life.
14. Learn to be content, no matter the circumstances. Talk about a challenge! In our materialistic culture, our wish lists grow longer every time we turn on any type of media. We compare our cars, houses, and wardrobes with every person we know, and in our minds, we come up short every time. Paul taught his followers that godliness with contentment is great gain. (I Timothy 6:6)
15. Rely on Christ's strength. We usually quote Philippians 4:13 when we are attempting something we perceive as a physical impossibility. Paul wrote this verse in context of being content. He said he could be content only because Christ gave him the strength to do so.
16. Give to those in need, and give to support those who are sharing the Gospel. Sharing with others brings contentment that is beyond description. Generosity is a true secret of Christian living.
17. Give the kind of sacrifice that pleases God. Search for the word sacrifice on a Bible web site to learn about what pleases God. It will be a thought-provoking word study.
18. Trust that God will meet all your needs. Make a list of all the times God has provided for you. He proves his faithfulness daily. One of my all-time favorite songs is "He's Never Failed Me Yet!"
19. Give glory to God! All you have comes from God. Give Him Glory!
20. Fellowship with other Jesus followers. Believing in Jesus does NOT make you a Jesus follower. Obeying Jesus, doing everything He asks of you, makes you a follower. Spend time with other Jesus followers. Learn from them. Be encouraged by them. Find joy in following Jesus together. Share your secrets for living this Christian life together. Your life will be full!
