Gratitude and Hope: That Gratefulness will look back.
Hope looks forward with desire and with reasonable confidence and expectation. By looking back, gratitude fuels
forward-looking hope.
Being thankful….Psalm 100 :1-5 …Message Bible…on your feet now---applaud
God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into His presence. Know this:
God is God, and God, God. He made
us; we did not make him. We’re his people, his well-tended sheep. Enter with the password: “Thank YOU!”
make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him. For God is
sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever.
A reaching out with hope….in expectancy by giving praise to God!
Luke
17:11-19…KJV…11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that
he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a
certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said
unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it
came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of
them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, &
with a loud voice glorified God. 16 And fell down on his face at
his feet, giving him thanks;& he was a Samaritan. 17 & Jesus answering
said, Were there not ten cleansed: but where are the nine? 18 There are not
found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 & he said
unto him, Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made
thee whole. (financially,
physically, socially, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally)
Sharpening others to become focused on their tomorrows. Grateful for the past victories but looking forward to a better tomorrow, a better future with clear focus of what is ahead.
Luke 1:39-40, 44….Amplified Bible…39 And at that time Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town of Judah. 40 and she went to the house of Zachariah and entering in saluted Elizabeth…44 For behold, the instant the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Luke 1:46-56….KJV…..46
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 For He hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:
for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For He that is mighty hath done to me great
things; and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. 56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. exhortation by Mary was for both herself and Elizabeth…Elizabeth because of her age Luke 1:7 But they had no child for Elizabeth was barren; & both (she and Zachariah) were far advanced in years.
Mary would carry this word for exalting God into the birth of Jesus.
Mary would find herself and Joseph far from family. They would find a town, but
comfort was in a stable with animals.
Hopelessness or Misplaced Trust ; Proverbs 28:26….Amplified
Bible..……He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident of his own mind and heart
is a [self-confident] fool, but he who walks in skillful and godly Wisdom shall
be delivered.
Despair looks at immediate realities; any despair is looking at hopelessness. The long term dilemma could seem never ending. And as difficult as it may appear… we have to know God is telling us what to do in the midst of a troubling state of affairs. He continues to tell us to focus on Him and others; to think about Him, to pray to Him, and to think about Him again. It's not enough to just pray and pray BUT once we have actually prayed, it is Paul Who tells us to think about the things of God and not what's bothering us. It's not easy; that's why it's called a battle. But the way we fight is to change what we're thinking about.
HOPE helps us see from God’s truths. Hebrews 10:35-36…..Amplified Bible…..35 Do not, therefore fling away your fearless confidence, for of it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward. 36 For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised.
HOW will hope BE sustained? It is in trusting— God. Hope believes that God is not done. Romans 5:1-5 Amplified Bible Therefore since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [ the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah the Anointed One. 2 Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we firmly and safely stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. 3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now! Let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.
4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith & tried integrity) and character [of this sort] produces [the habit of joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. 5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts though the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him,
saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind
me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that
be of God, but those that be of men.
The
men of that day were wanting a conquering Messiah and get the Roman government
out of their lives!
John 3 :31-36…………Amplified Bible..….31 He
Who comes from above (heaven) is [far] above all [others]; he who comes from
the earth belongs to the earth, and talks the language of earth [his words are
from an earthly standpoint]. He Who comes from heaven is [far] above all others
[far superior to all others in prominence and in excellence]. 32 It is to what He has [actually] seen
and heard that He bears testimony, and yet no one accepts His testimony [no one
receives His evidence as true].
33 Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal of
approval to this: God is true.
[That man has definitely certified, acknowledged, declared once and for
all, and is himself assured that it
is divine truth that God cannot lie].
34
For since He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God's own
message],
God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit! 35 The Father loves the Son and has given (entrusted, committed) everything into His hand.
36 And he who believes in (has faith in, clings to, relies on) the Son has (now possessed) eternal life. But whoever disobeys (is unbelieving toward, refuses to trust in, disregards, is not subject to) the Son will never see (experience) life, but [instead] the wrath of God abides on him. [God's displeasure remains on him; His indignation hangs over him continually.] [Hab. 2:4.]
WE ARE TO have Our Hope: Our Confession…… 1 Corinthians 1:30….”But of Him I am in Christ Jesus, who became for me wisdom from God----righteousness, and sanctification and redemption. In this hope I go with God and I access His ability. I have accessed His wisdom, His love, His grace and yes His strength to meet everything I meet today. What I must confront, I love no matter what the provocation may be. I am not like the blind walking blindly or the blind leading the blind. Today, I keep pace with God and the momentum created from His Word, His breath in me and prayer. God is my sufficiency. Hallelujah!
Hebrews 3:14…Amplified Bible…14 For we have become fellows with Christ (the Messiah) & share in all He has for us, if only we hold our first newborn confidence & original assured expectation [in virtue of which we are believers] firm and unshaken to the end.
In Closing: God’s thoughts ARE not man’s thoughts….. Matthew 16:22-24…..KJV….22 Then Peter took him, and
began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto
thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto
Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou
savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. ¶ 24 Then
said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
We are to know God’s thoughts for us: WE
are to deny ourselves and take up His cross. We are to deny our own plans and
schemes. Making Jesus Lord of our lives was
a confession of our mouth believing in our heart that God had raised
him from the dead.
While our salvation
is secure through the Savior, that daily walk takes effort. The daily effort
begins as soon as we get out of bed in the early morning hours. We must be
constant on keeping our focus and that is holding God’s thoughts and purposes
in our hearts. And speak as God would speak and hold on with hope in our hearts
firm to the end much like we read of Mary and Elizabeth!
In a recent teaching we saw the word exertion. It is an exertion to seek out the Lord and His ways. It is an exertion to live in truth! Today we are to take it for granted that people giving news are giving truth but in reality, Christ died for us. He died washing away sins not just covering them. Our covenant is solid in Him. He took away the sin and gave us grace. Amen.
Uphill with Jesus Christ: The Witness that Glorifies God
Deceit and Deception
