How do we gain back our resilience, have reserves, and live without fear? None of us know what will happen in the future, but one thing we do know is the One who holds the future. We read in Hebrews 3:1 that “He upholds the universe by the word of His power.” When we spend more time watching the news or reading the newspaper than we do reading the Word, our hearts will get fearful and anxious. No matter how dark the times we live in, we don’t have to fear for He is with us. It is good to memorize Psalm 23, remember who our Shepherd is, and to sit beside quiet waters so our souls can be refreshed.

Sadly, the enemy wants us to quit, and he has persuaded many pastors, long-term missionaries and many in public ministries to give up. Jesus warned us in Luke 21 that before He comes again, there will be distress on the earth and people will faint with fear. He warns us to watch ourselves and not to be weighed down, but to stay awake, pray, and stand strong. I think we would all admit we have become a Comfort Culture with kids growing up having everything done for them, but it leaves us all weakened. When trials and hard times come, many give up on God and feel He isn’t coming through.

The choice is ours if we are willing to fight against the enemy and choose to resist the enemy’s tactics. Our trust is to be in our mighty God, as the Psalmist says in Psalm 125:1, “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.” Let us have a single heart for the Lord and ask for His help to stay strong and not moved.

It would seem things in our western culture have become chaotic and hope has been lost. I wonder: what do we have to offer the next generation, as we seem to have lost what once made our country great? But when we know the Lord, we are not to despair for our hope is in the Lord, which is based on certainty and reality. I’d like to share what we learned in Sunday’s class as we understand what is happening around us in light of scripture, seeing four realities:

1. Christ is risen and is the reason we have a living hope. Peter writes in I Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His mercy He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jeus from the dead.” He is writing to those who were exiled and scattered, reminding them of the hope in Christ even as they are persecuted.

2. Christ is Lord and He sees what is going on in our country and the world. He is not wringing His hands, but is sovereign and in control. We are not! Things rise and fall according to His sovereign will.

3. Christ is making all things new and we have much to look forward to, as it says in Rev. 21:5. One day there will be a new heaven and earth, with no more death or mourning, etc.

4. God has determined this moment for us. We live in the exact time God chose for us to live, not centuries before, but now. Al and I were sitting next to the pastor’s young son, and I felt apologetic that we hand him a world so full of chaos and not like the world we had entered. But this is God’s moment for him and for each of us, as He put us in this place and time for His glory.

So let none of us despair, but live in truth and deep hope based on reality of what we have in Christ. Instead of watching hours on TV of what is happening in our country, consider taking time off to spend in prayer and scripture to remember our hope is in Jesus.

Solomon was a very wise king, and he also knew he needed God’s wisdom. Mark Roberts from Fuller Seminary has been writing about Solomon, and I liked what he had to say about Solomon’s request. In I Kings 3, the Lord asks Solomon in a dream, “Ask! What shall I give you?” Solomon is humble and says he is only a child and asks for a discerning heart to distinguish right from wrong. Discerning here comes from the Hebrew term “lev shomea”, which means a hearing heart. That is, a receptive heart so that he can discern and be attentive to God’s guidance. He is aware that he does not have all that it takes to rule justly, but that he needs to listen to God’s voice if he is to rule well.

When we want to do our own thing and go our own way, it is pretty hard to hear the Lord’s voice. Often it takes a challenging situation when we are perplexed and don’t know what to do; then we are more prone to be good listeners. But we need a discerning heart all the time. Sometimes, one small decision opens up the door to something that we have never even dreamed of. Roberts says a discerning heart also includes our mind and our emotions, and shapes our thinking, willing, and feeling. It may also involve active listening, asking questions of others. He suggests repeating in your own words what you feel someone is saying to you. That in itself may clear up things you thought were coming at you from the other person. Let us not miss the ways God would speak to us, whether it be through scripture or through words of others God may use in our lives.

It is not all about spiritual disciplines, reading a chapter a day, or denying ourselves, although these are good practices. The Lord wants us to experience joy in knowing Him and being in fellowship with others who love Him. I read recently from Dallas Willard, “Personalities united can contain more of God and sustain the force of His greater presence much better than scattered individuals.” Gathering in His name helps us go deeper into the Lord, and we don’t feel like we are alone but part of a family who stand together. The enemy wants us to believe we are the only one who follows the Lord, but we stand strong when we stand together.

I love that where we live, we can have a weekly Bible study and pray when we are together, and also pray for the needs when we are apart. Because we are all mostly retired, we find ourselves praying for the grandchildren of many who no longer follow the Lord and are going the way of the world. We need to put on all of the armor of God if we are to stand in this day for it is a spiritual battle: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. (Ephesians 6) Let us not be flippant about the dangers, but know that they are real and we need all of the armor.

Just think of all that we have to look forward to! Even though we may suffer various things in this life, it is nothing compared to all that the Lord has prepared for us to enjoy for all eternity. Let us all seek to finish strong and with excitement for eternity.

A short time later I was reading in a book by Francis Chan, Beloved, and he wrote about how the Lord desires to be with us, to be near us and to eat with us. Not just a rushed meal that we gulp down but a lingering time of fellowshipping with Him. As it says in Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him and he with me.” I think it means a lingering meal like I had with my friend that was not rushed, but a time of enjoyable sharing.

Of course, the Lord likes to hear about our needs as well, but just like our times with friends, it good to both be able to be heard and to have fellowship together. I know I am often found guilty of rushing into my day without spending time really listening to the Lord and simply enjoying His presence. Chan tells about a college professor who asked his class to spend seven minutes silently with the Lord each morning, and nearly the whole class couldn’t do it. They were so used to their music and phones and all the distractions. But how are we going to grow in our love for the Lord if we don’t take time to be with Him? My challenge for you and for me in this New Year is to spend time with the Lord each day, and include five minutes of silence to just enjoy and listen to Him.