Hope in the Coming Storm

David gives us a clear picture of Jesus’ attitude in the face of the coming
storm. He speaks prophetically of Christ, saying, “I foresaw the Lord always
before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved” (Acts
2:25). The literal meaning here is, “I was always in his presence, beholding
his face.” David quoted Jesus as saying, “Therefore did my heart rejoice,
and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope” (2:26).

Here is the secret: Jesus kept the Father always before his face! Jesus
continually sought out secret places to be shut in with his Father. And it was
only after being in God’s presence that Christ came forth to minister, fully
persuaded that his Father was always with him. “He’s at my right hand—and
nothing on this earth can move me.” The Greek word for move here means
“agitated or shaken, disturbed.” Jesus was saying, “None of these
problems, evils or coming events can cast me down or shake my confidence. My
Father is in complete control.”

Beloved, if we’re going to face the coming storm, then we need to be prepared
so nothing disturbs our spirit. And the only way to do that is to spend time in
the Father’s presence beholding his face. We have to be shut in with him—on
our knees, practicing his presence, seeking him—until we’re thoroughly
persuaded he’s at our right hand.

God is clearly telling us, “Don’t be moved or agitated by anything you see.
Keep your eyes focused on me and you’ll retain your joy.” And, according to
David, Jesus testified, “Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy
countenance” (Acts 2:28).

It’s as if Christ is telling us, “I faced everything you’re going to face
in the closing days of time. I had the same foreboding feelings, because I saw
the coming storm. But I ran into the presence of my Father, and he lifted all
my concerns. He showed me the outcome to it all. And in his presence I found
all the joy, hope and rest I would ever need—to the very end. I have peace
and joy because I’ve been with him.”

“My flesh shall rest in hope” (2:26).

DISCOURAGEMENT!!!

When we hurt, when we are lonely, afraid, and overwhelmed by circumstances

beyond our control—we quickly turn aside from our true source of peace and

victory and look to human ways and resources. How tragic! We know God is still

on the throne waiting for us to call on him. We know the answer to all our

needs is to be found alone with God, shut in with him. We will even confess to

our spiritual friends, "I know I need to pray! I know God has the answer! I

know I need to cry it all out in his presence!



It is discouragement of the worst kind to give in to fear and despair while

ignoring the majesty and faithfulness of a loving Father. God said to Israel,

"...I have talked with you from heaven…in all places where I record my name I

will come unto thee, and I will bless thee" (Exodus 20:22.24). But Israel

answered, "God hath forgotten to be merciful” (Psalm 10:11). "But Zion said,

The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me" (Isaiah 49:14).



Are you a discouraged Christian? You are if you ignore the Lord's majestic

promises and doubt that he means what he says! He promised, "Can a woman forget

her suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?

Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee

upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me" (Isaiah

49:15-16).



You will be downcast if you go on carrying unnecessary burdens of guilt, fear,

loneliness, anxiety, and turmoil simply because you refuse to rest on the

Lord's great and precious promises.



God is not mocking his children when he promises, "And we know that all things

work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called

according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).



God is not lying when he promises, "The eyes of the Lord are upon the

righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry…. The righteous cry, and the

Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles" (Psalm 34:15 and

17).



Let’s not become impatient and act according to our feelings. When we get

into trouble and cry out to God for mercy and help, all heaven goes into motion

on our behalf. Should the Lord let us see into the spiritual world to behold the

good things he is preparing for those who call on him and trust him, it would be

an incredible sight for our eyes.

PRAISING GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS

“They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing
of thy righteousness” (Psalm 145:7).

We cannot deny God’s claim to praise him in all his excellencies, but we are
especially called to praise him for his goodness.

Note that the Psalmist insists on an abundance of praise in memory of the
Father’s goodness—they sang the Hebrew for abundant utterances: to gush out
like water rushing from a fountain.

In Psalm 107:8-9, David writes, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his
goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth
the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.”

This truth of praising God for his past goodness struck a cord in my heart and
I have been moved upon to do as David did. We are called upon to celebrate his
goodness.

David opens up the goodness he speaks of—God is inclined to use mercy, as he
sympathizes with our affliction and miseries. David borrowed from Exodus 34:6,
where God spoke to Moses: “The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The
Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in
goodness and truth.”

Beloved, look back over the past and remember how good the Lord has been to
you. Remember his compassions that never failed to bring you through. I am
finding pleasure in praising God for all things, but especially for his
goodness. Not only for past goodness, but for those I see daily—the goodness
I see all around me now in the present.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I
will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever” (Psalm 23:6).

Great devo by David Wilkerson

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

PRAISE GOD FOR HIS TENDER MERCIES

I have a short message for those who are experiencing a painful, overwhelming
situation. I am not speaking to those who now enjoy a time of rest from
suffering, who are not in any kind of pain or sorrow. Thank God for those times
of quiet rest.

Rather, I receive so many letters from precious followers of Jesus who are
living with incredible inner sorrow and crisis situations: divorce, children on
drugs or in jail, the death of a spouse. A woman who is so in love with the Lord
grieves over the death of three of her children, who suffocated in a fire. A
pastor grieves for his wife, who left him and his children for a lesbian lover.
It goes on and on, as so many godly people are burdened with grief and pain.

I have a message for you who suffer sorrow, who grieve or live with pain. In
Psalm 40, David cried, “Innumerable evils have compassed me about… Be
pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me” (Psalm
40:12-13). “Let all those that seek you rejoice and be glad in thee… But I
am poor and needy; the Lord thinketh upon me; thou art my help and my
deliverer; do not tarry, O my Lord” (40:16-17).

I have been so blessed and comforted by this one line in verse 17: “The Lord
thinketh upon me.” Imagine that. The Lord God who created all things, the God
of this universe, is thinking about me.

Even now, at this very hour, his thoughts are about you, in your hour of need.

When Israel was captive in Babylon, mourning over the loss of homes and
families, enduring grief and trouble, God sent word to them through Jeremiah:
“For I know my thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of
peace, and not evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11). God said
to his people, “Your nightmare is going to end. I have only good, loving
thoughts toward you, and if you seek me with all your heart, you will find
me” (see Jeremiah 29:11-13).

God is not mad at you. Saintly people do get afflicted, so do not waver in your
trust in him. In times of stress and feelings of loneliness and regrets, go to
prayer. Pour your heart out to the Lord. He is thinking of you – and he is at
work for you.

Do you have room for Jesus this Christmas?

Hope to see everyone this Sunday, Dec. 19th at 10a.m. as Pastor Mike preaches a message on this very subject.

A Powerful Devotional by David Wilkerson

FINISHING THE RACE

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and
counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after
he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it
begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish"
(Luke 14:28-30).

Jesus spoke these words near the close of his ministry on earth with the
purpose of warning followers that good intentions would not be enough to see
them through hard times. Many followers would not have what it took to finish
the race!

I believe the most tragic condition possible is starting out fully intending to
lay hold of Christ and grow into a mature disciple, and instead slowly drift
away, and become cold and indifferent to him. He laid a foundation but could
not finish, because he did not first count the cost. He ran out of resources;
he went so far and then quit.

God, wake us up and make us to understand that we are all changing. There is no
such thing as standing still; you are either changing daily into Christ's image
or you are changing back into your old carnal ways. For those who have
determined to lay hold of Christ at all cost, who are taking up their cross,
denying self, and going on with him, Paul said, "We are all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord"' (2 Corinthians 3:18).

What a joy to meet these who are finishing the race. They are growing in the
wisdom and knowledge of Christ, becoming more distant from this world and its
pleasures, and becoming increasingly heavenly minded. Their spiritual senses
are highly exercised and their discernment of what is of God or the flesh is
ever increasing. The older they get, the hungrier they are for more of Christ.
They cut away all earthly attachments and with growing intensity, they long to
be with him in his glory. For them, to die is gain and the ultimate prize is to
be called into his presence to be at his side forever. It is not heaven they
seek but Christ in glory!

You can be sure that when Christ returns, he will have a glorious church eager
to be with him. It will consist of those who have become so unattached to this
world and so united with him that moving from the corruptible to the
incorruptible state will be but one last love step into his presence!

You may have fallen down in the Christian race, but you can get up and run
again. Jesus will not let you lie down by the track, exhausted, crippled. He
will lift up your weakened knees and give you supernatural strength to finish.

He will not fail you. By grace, you are going to finish the race and the Lord
will be at the finish line to say, “Well done!”

CHASTENING LOVE

Great devotional by David Wilkerson. (ENJOY!)

Because God loves you, he will work to cleanse you. But it is a loving
chastening upon those who repent and return to him. You may feel God’s arrows
in your soul because of your past and present sins, but if you have a repentant
heart and want to turn from error, you can call upon his chastening love. You
will be corrected—but with his great mercy and compassion. You will not feel
his wrath as the heathen do, but rather the rod of his discipline, applied by
his loving hand.

Perhaps your suffering comes from making wrong decisions. How many women are
suffering because they married men whom God warned them not to marry? How many
children are breaking their parents’ hearts, bringing them to the end of
their ropes? Yet many times this happens because of the parents’ own past
years of sin, neglect and compromise.

When you know you have arrived at your lowest point, it is time to seek the
Lord in brokenness, repentance and faith. It is time to receive a new infusion
of Holy Ghost strength. It is time to be renewed and refreshed, to have
spiritual strength overflow within you.

You see, when you cry out to God, he pours his strength into you: “In the day
when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my
soul…. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt
stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand
shall save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O
Lord, endureth for ever” (Psalm 138:3, 7–8).

One of the most difficult things for Christians to accept is the suffering of
the righteous. Up to the time of Christ, the Jews associated prosperity and
good health with godliness. They believed that if you were wealthy, in good
health or otherwise blessed, it was because God was showing that he was pleased
with you. This was why Jesus’ disciples had a hard time understanding his
statement that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). The
disciples asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Likewise today, there is an erroneous doctrine that says if you are in
agreement with God you will never suffer; just call out to God and he will come
running and solve everything immediately. But this is not the gospel! The heroes
of faith listed in Hebrews 11 all walked in close relationship of faith with God
and they suffered stonings, mockings, torture and violent deaths (vv. 36–38).
Paul himself, who walked closely with God, was shipwrecked, stoned, whipped,
left for dead, robbed, jailed and persecuted. He suffered the loss of all
things. Why? These were all testings and purgings, the proving of his faith to
the glory of God.

God wants to plant something in our hearts through our testings and trials. He
wants us to be able to say, “Lord Jesus, you’re my Protector, and I believe
you rule over the events of my life. If anything happens to me, it’s only
because you allowed it, and I trust your purpose in doing it. Help me
understand the lesson you want me to learn from it. If I walk in righteousness
and have your joy in my heart, then my living and dying will bring glory to
you. I trust that you may have some prepared glory, some eternal purpose that
my finite mind doesn’t understand. But either way, I’ll say, ‘Jesus,
whether I live or die, I am yours!’”