Category: hope

For over forty years Jack Hayford has been a pastor, teacher, author, and hymn writer in southern California. He has blessed countless people with a deep love for the Lord and an incredible ability to communicate God’s truths. Recently I heard him teach about the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3. His emphasis was on Jesus’ desire for the churches to be in a right place with God. Who can see our exact spiritual state but the King of kings? Perfect evaluation is a great gift! Any praise or any rebuke from Jesus is rooted in love and is right on the mark. Jack Hayford pointed out two common statements found in each of the seven letters. First, Jesus tells everyone to listen: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear…” Jesus also promises a blessing to everyone that overcomes.

So how do I overcome? Can I overcome sin? Can I overcome disaster? Sickness? Death? The answer is ‘yes,’ but we must know the way. “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.” Our hope centers in the One who overcame. He walked the same earth we do. He confronted evil, disappointment, sickness, and death. His secret was to look with child-like trust to his Father. “My Father will help me overcome.” This is why we read of Jesus getting up early to pray or going to a garden to spend time with his Father or simply looking up for guidance in a particular situation.

The world came against Jesus just as the world comes against us. But Jesus overcame… and we can overcome. “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

“My Savior will help me overcome.” This is the truth we must remember. And if, as in several of the churches in Revelation, the problem is of my own making, a loving God corrects and calls to repentance. “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:19-20)

“A Mighty Fortress” by Martin Luther (verse 2)
“Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right One on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth is His name,
From age to age the same, and He must win the battle.”

“My dear children, you know Me as the Father who has made the way for you. I’ve forgiven your sins through my Son, Jesus. Mature children… those who have experienced the divine life… you know the King who is from the beginning. Younger children… those who have put their faith in the Son… you have overcome the evil one! You are strong and my Word lives in you! Dear children… young and old… you know Me, now live a victorious life!”

The apostle John wrote plainly about living an authentic life of faith. There’s one little section in I John where he addresses fathers and young men. Our son, Taylor, was home from college this past weekend. I look at him and think back to when I was twenty-three years old… then I pray: “Lord, please give him wisdom. Lord, guard him from evil. Lord, make him your man!”

“I write to you fathers, because you have known Him from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one… I write to you fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (I John 2:13-14)

What is John saying here? Why does he repeat himself? Is this the truth?

“Dana, I want you to know what you’ve been given. This is what you have to offer your children: you know Me! You’ve experienced the joy of happy days and you’ve learned to persevere through tougher times. You can encourage the younger to trust the Master every day. You can proclaim my faithfulness. I never forsake my children.”

“Taylor, I want you to know what you’ve been given. You’re a victorious champion… not because of your own doing… but because of Jesus. Because He is strong, you are strong. Because He overcame the evil one, you have overcome the evil one. The chains are broken! Never forget this: My Word lives in you!”

As parents, don’t we repeat what we want our kids to remember? Isn’t this one way we stress the important things? John has shared some pretty blunt things about knowing God (see below), but here he encourages with repetition. “Keep this in mind. Know this is true. Notice what is emphasized. The Holy Spirit wants this to sink in.”

“Lord, help it sink in!”

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for all our sins, and not only for ours but for all the sins of the whole world. We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did…

I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of His name.
I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father.
I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.” (I John 2:3-14)

Sunday, we visited our friend Jim at The Church of the Lepers. The opening prayer went something like this: “Thank you, Lord, that none of us is in jail this morning. Thank you that none of us is on the street. Thank you that none of us is in a hospital awaiting surgery this morning. Thank you that we have a roof over our head and a meal to eat after we worship. Thank you for caring about us. Amen.” You wouldn’t think such a prayer would bring tears, but as I glanced around the room more than one grown man was crying. Jim has been on and off the street the ten years I’ve known him. He’s been in and out of jail, he’s been on and off crack cocaine, but he’s never been out of sight of the God who created him.

I have a good friend who gets to share the Lord in a local prison on a regular basis. He often tells me that such a meeting is the highlight of his week as he teaches God’s Word and worships with men who truly are grateful to be alive and who are hungry to hear of the One who came to rescue sinners.

We’re all in need of two things God offers: grace and truth. The lost need grace and truth; the saved need grace and truth. This week, as Good Friday approaches and Resurrection is anticipated, we all celebrate the One who was full of grace and truth. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling with us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth… From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” (John 1:14-18)

We dare not reject the Father’s grace… or cheapen it. We dare not reject the Father’s truth… for the truth sets us free. When their Rabbi was crucified, the disciples lost all hope. Was he not Messiah? How could he have died on the tree? Their new understandings of grace were shattered and what they thought to be the truth was undone. This is why the original Easter is the greatest day in history. God proved grace was not a dream and truth was really truth. The Resurrection established hope and we all live in hope today. Happy Easter!

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…” Ephesians 1:18-20

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” Romans 8:22-25

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:5

When a brother in Christ recently introduced a new song in worship, it didn’t surprise me that Matt Redman wrote it. God has used this worship leader from England to bless the Body of Christ all over the world. Yesterday, a surprise gift came in the mail from a sister in Christ. It was the latest PASSION cd which contains this song entitled YOU NEVER LET GO:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
Your perfect love is casting out fear.
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life,
I won’t turn back; I know You are near.

CHORUS
And I will fear no evil, for my God is with me.
And if my God is with me, whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
Oh no, You never let go through the calm and through the storm.
Oh no, You never let go, in every high and every low.
Oh no, You never let go, Lord, you never let go of me.

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that hangs on,
A glorious light beyond all compare.
And there will be an end to these troubles, but until that day comes,
We’ll live to know You here on the earth.

CHORUS

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on.
And there will be an end to these troubles, but until that day comes,
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You.

CHORUS

What an anthem for the believer! I always have a hard time focusing while going through chemo. My mind gets fuzzy and I become slower in my thinking. Scientists have concluded that cancer chemotherapy affects the part of the brain that enables a person to do mathematics. This is bad news for a math teacher! We’ve all been taught to do our best and to not make excuses, but what if your best is not too good? At least I can say I have a better understanding of those with learning disabilities… and “Lord, forgive me for ever looking down on someone else’s weakness.”

But this song shifts the emphasis away from self to a better place – He is our hope! If He is with me, what then shall I fear? There is a light coming to the one that hangs on. Can I hang on? “But child, I am hanging on to you.”

A couple of weeks ago, an elder in the church where I grew up in Chattanooga told me how much he prayed for me. I thanked him and told him how humbling it was that so many people cared enough to pray. Then, with tears in his eyes, he shared his experience of going through heart surgery and being totally unable to make any decisions. “But, Dana, when my wife told me of all who were praying for me, I realized I didn’t have to be in control. I actually felt like God was holding me in His hands.”

This is the great truth we all must grasp: God holds on to us! I may be facing unbearable persecution; He is holding on. I may have lost a precious friend; He is holding on. I may be facing a terminal disease; He is holding on. Satan may be coming after me with full force; He is holding on. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

“Oh no, You never let go, Lord, You never let go of me.”

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39

I have a good friend in jail right now. He needs grace and mercy. He would tell you he does not deserve grace or mercy, but this is what he needs.

I needed to write two “thank you” notes this week and the addresses were Gramercy Park Circle and Gracewood Park Drive. I started crying. To tell you the truth I’ve not cried too much lately, but these tears came because I realized something: I need grace and mercy.

One afternoon six years ago, God gave me a Scripture. I know it was God, because I remember it so clearly and because of what has taken place. “My grace is sufficient for you…” That evening I learned I had cancer. The rest of the verse says: “…for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Who can understand God’s ways? Paul continued, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

When we realize we’ve been given grace and mercy there can be no boasting. I hope my friend gets out of jail this weekend. If he does, he’ll say it was by God’s grace and mercy. He won’t boast. He wants to be free from addictions that have nearly destroyed him. If he is weak in his own ability to overcome, he may find God is able to set him free.

I was addicted to tobacco once. I finally concluded there was no hope. Then a Chinese brother explained that when Jesus died, He took sin and my old self with Him. “For we know our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.” (see Rom 6:1-14) This revelation set me free. What mercy God has shown us through the sacrifice of His Son! What grace He offers! It almost sounds too good to be true… but that is what God asks of us – to believe it is true.

I want to thank so many who pray for me as I approach these next weeks. I don’t mind asking friends to pray that I have grace and mercy. Somehow God invites us to participate in His work through prayer. May we all trust His goodness and strength.

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.” Hebrews 11:32-34

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16