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When
I visit the zoo, it doesn’t surprise me if a camel spits
at me or if monkeys fight over bananas. That’s what
animals do. I expect that. And it should be
no shock when we see the world being the world.
When dictators shout; when stock markets gyrate; when
the newspaper is negative, why are we surprised?
It comes with the territory. It’s the nature of
the natural. Ecclesiastes reminds us that “there is nothing
new under the sun.” The world’s systems have never
offered any stability, sure-footing or certainty to God’s
people.
1 John
5:19 (NIV)
We know that we are
children of God, and that the whole world is under the
control of the evil one.
This
world has been unstable since the original couple chose
calamity over paradise. And it’s been a roller coaster
ever since. One minute circumstances are so bad
that people blame God for abandoning them; then circumstances
get so good that the same people are too successful to
need Him. The human race has seemed
like a demolition derby since the fall of man.
Only God’s Word offers our age the enduring steadiness
that is so sought after.
I’ve been
thinking a lot lately about how stability and certainty
in our lives comes from the truth of God’s Word that we
guard in our minds. The resurrection of Christ and
the hope of his return are among those pivotal realities
upon which everything we believe rests.
Isaiah
33:6 (NAS)
And He shall be
the stability of your times, A wealth
of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; The fear of
[reverence toward] the LORD is his treasure.
2 Thessalonians
2:16-17 (NLT)
Now may our Lord Jesus
Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and
by his grace gave us eternal comfort [or, encouragement]
and a wonderful hope,
17 comfort [or, encourage]
you and strengthen you in every good thing you do
and say.
The
word strengthen in verse 17 is translated from
the Greek, sterizo. It means to make stable,
to place firmly, to set or establish you. It shows
God’s desire to confirm His Word in us and to make it
the invariable constant in our lives.
This
morning, I read in a national newspaper the headline,
Mental Stress Spirals with the Economy. It
reports the results of researchers who have been tracking
a survey of our nation’s mental health and happiness over
several years. They noticed that people’s stress
levels, mental pressure and depression have followed the
same track as the nation’s economy, whether up or down.
Not surprised? Certainly, there are times in anyone’s
life when urgency, responsibilities and issues of survival
increase in intensity. Even Jesus experienced mental
pressure. When life heats up, our adversary likes
to also promote the temptation for us to throw in the
towel. Unstable and confusing circumstances are
an attack on our minds and hearts, trying to cause
us to doubt the promises of God’s Word.
James
4:7
Submit yourselves
therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee
from you.
For
us, anytime conditions worsen, we need to be even more
determined to hold fast to the stability and certainty
of specific truths in Scripture that enable us to
stand against the onslaughts. We need to attack
what is attacking us. We need to lean into the
wind. We need to plant the victory flag.
1 Timothy
6:17 (NAS)
Instruct those who
are rich in this present world not to be conceited or
to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches,
but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to
enjoy.
There
is a certain uncertainty to earthly riches, but
there is an absolute certainty to “God who richly
supplies us with all things to enjoy.” Philippians
4:19 reminds us that God supplies all our needs “according
to His riches in glory.” Jehovah Jireh is our God
who sees and provides. He is the supplier of certainty.
Got some? Want more?
The
systems of this world have always been unstable.
Fear shakes societies. Anxiety breeds volatility.
Dread knocks people off balance. Worry unsteadies
communities. Turmoil is a hallmark of “man’s day.”
Our adversary, acting out the leading role of roaring
lion, does his best to strike at the foundations of cultures
by sowing confusion, uncertainty and fear. People
long for a solid rock to stand on.
Isaiah
26:4 (NAS)
Trust in the LORD forever,
For in God the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock
[or, a rock of ages].
God,
our Rock, always give us hope in life that is sure, steadfast
and absolutely dependable.
Hebrews
6:18b-19 (NAS)
… it is impossible
for God to lie, we may have strong encouragement, we
who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope
set before us.
19 This hope we have as
an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and
steadfast [bebaios, stable, firm, sure,
secure & trustworthy]…
In
the Greek text of this verse, the word “sure” is asphales,
which is defined in Strong’s Concordance as, “firm
(that which can be relied on), certain and true.”
It refers to something that is secure and safe.
From it, we get the word asphalt, which is a solid
bituminous paving material. Let’s stand on the firm
“asphalt” of truth!
Isn’t
everybody searching for something firm and reliable under
their feet these days? Among other truths, here
in Hebrews, the hope of eternity that God sets
before us is not only an anchor to our lives, but is also
the solid “asphalt” beneath our feet! In Adam, we
stand on unstable soil; in Christ, we’re on solid ground.
Especially
with Christ’s resurrection in our minds this month, it’s
interesting to note that the verb form, asphalizo,
is also used in Matthew in reference to how the burial
tomb of Jesus was firmly secured by guards so that
no one could remove the dead body.
Matthew
27:62-66
…the chief
priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
63 Saying, Sir, we remember
that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After
three days I will rise again.
64 Command therefore that
the sepulchre be made sure [asphalizo, to
make firm, secure] until the third day, lest his
disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say
unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last
error shall be worse than the first.
65 Pilate said unto them,
Ye have a watch [a detachment of soldiers]: go
your way, make it as sure [asphalizo] as
ye can.
66 So they went, and made
the sepulchre sure [asphalizo], sealing
the stone, and setting a watch [a detachment of
soldiers].
The
religious and political leaders basically commanded, “Lock
the rock!” By comparison, ironically, the devil’s
forces tried to secure and stabilize
the death of Jesus; we
are given security and stability
by his resurrection
and return!
At
this time of the year, we take time to especially recognize
how we are stabilized by the resurrection
of Jesus Christ. In his own words, he proclaims
that he was literally dead, but is literally alive
today!
Revelation
1:18a (NIV)
I [Jesus] am
the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for
ever and ever!
In
the resurrection of Christ, we, ourselves, have been placed
legally and securely on resurrection ground.
THAT is secure footing. THAT is stability
under our feet in every category of our lives. THAT
is a place where the adversary cannot tread. THAT
gives us a sure-footed firmness that dares the winds to
blow. We carry the power of the resurrection and
Pentecost thumping in our chest! Can you “feel”
the solid rock of resurrection ground under your bare
feet? Let’s hold onto that picture!
In
his resurrection, we have the steadiness of the ages.
We also stand on the firm, assured promise of seeing the
face of Jesus Christ, our hope. He is God’s light
at the end of the world’s tunnel. Our future is
as bright as the promises of God. We’re too blessed
to be depressed.
1 Corinthians
6:14
And God hath
both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by
his own power.
Let’s
remember the simple message of the first-century church
which goes something like this: “God sent His son,
Jesus, to save the sinful world. Jesus gave His
life. He was raised from the dead. He’s coming
back. Invite everybody.” No need to complicate
the message.
1 Peter
5:8-10 (NAS)
Be of sober spirit,
be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about
like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
9 But resist him, firm
[steadfast, strong, immoveable] in your faith,
knowing that the same experiences of suffering [what
we endure in life, both good and bad] are being accomplished
by your brethren who are in the world.
10 And after you have
suffered [what we endure in life, both good and
bad] for a little while, the God of all grace, who
called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself
perfect [katartizo, to restore, equip and
complete], confirm [sterizo, to make
stable, constant], strengthen [sthenoo, to
give bodily vigor] and establish [themelioo,
to establish a stable foundation] you.
By
holding firmly onto God’s great truths like the resurrection
of Christ and the hope of his return, we will remain unwavering
and courageous amidst the instability and uncertainty
around us. Our stand on resurrection ground gives
us the stability of our times.
—Kevin Guigou
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