Monthly Archives: November 2010

If you were a notorious criminal in the days of the old west, someone like Billy the Kid or Jessie James, your name and picture might be printed on “Wanted” posters offering a reward for your capture . . . whether you were DEAD or ALIVE.  The law didn’t care if you were brought to the courthouse sitting upright on your horse or lying face down across the saddle.  The proclamation meant that anyone who chose to shoot you in the back without warning, as Robert Ford did to Jesse James in 1882, was entitled to a cash reward for doing so. This was one poster you did not want to see your name on!

Today there is a similar “poster” that you DO want to see your name on—posted not by the law but by our Lord: WANTED DEAD AND ALIVE.  Jesus wants you . . . He wants you both dead and alive! 

The irony of the Christian life—the first shall be last and the last shall be first; you must lose your life in order to find your life—is profoundly proclaimed in this peculiar saying: WANTED DEAD AND ALIVE.  The Christian life is to be marked by the following:

• Dead to sin . . . alive to righteousness
• Dead to evil . . . alive to good
• Dead to self . . . alive to the Savior
• Dead to worldly wisdom . . . alive to God’s wisdom
• Dead to selfish ambition . . . alive to sacrificial service

What a remarkable condition for the blood-bought child of God, to be both dead and alive at the same time!  Scripture instructs Christians to “consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11).  Please understand that this does not mean that believers no longer sin.  To the contrary, 1 John, which was written to those who believe in the name of the Son of God, asserts that “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).  The only Christians who no longer sin are those who are already in glory with Jesus.

Paul’s instruction to the Roman Christians meant that we are to be dying daily to our old, sinful self and becoming increasingly more alive to our new, saintly self.  We are slowly being conformed to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29). You desire less and less of what this world offers and more and more of what Christ offers. 

So . . . does this describe your life today?  To be sure, sin remains in the life of the Christian, but it no longer reigns.  Jesus has taken over the throne of your life; He calls you to die daily to yourself and to live for Him.  When you are living for Jesus, you are able to live above and beyond your little kingdom, the one marked by self-protection, self-absorption, and self-reliance.  The grace of the Gospel frees you to expand the borders of your life past the narrow boundaries of physical comfort and personal concerns.  You begin living in a place where His goals are your goals . . . His plans are your plans . . . His desires are your desires . . . His purposes are your purposes.

This is living for the Kingdom of God; and this is the only place where life is worth living.  This is the gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Isaiah 55:1)

Today is “Black Friday,” the day widely regarded as the first official day of the Christmas shopping season. On a day when many are resting and recovering from massive overindulgence in food and football, retailers open early and stay late, hoping to entice crowds of shoppers to their establishments. It has been suggested that the term “Black Friday” originated from retailers’ hopes that their books will be solidly “in the black” after their registers ring all day.

So . . . as many will spend this day engaging in uncontrolled eating and spending, we might do well to take a moment to consider the words of the prophet: “He who has no money, come, buy and eat!” Here is one of those lovely contradictions between the ways of the world and the ways of God: the world is calling us to come, spend as much money as you possibly can!  And don’t forget the plastic!  Christ calls to those who have nothing to offer. . .

How easy it is to make the stuff of this world more important than our Savior!  You see, the desire for more is not bad; God set this desire in our divine design.  The key, however, is to know where we should be seeking to find “more.”  Adam and Eve were designed by God to seek more of Him.  He was to be the object of their deepest desire.  He was to be their greatest love.  He was to be their first priority.  And they were to seek more and more of this each day.  It was not until Satan slithered into the picture and offered them more outside of their relationship with God that they considered striving for “more” beyond their divine design.
We have been doing the same ever since, and there is no better example than Black Friday.  Now, I am not saying that looking for a bargain is a bad thing.  Taking the time to prayerfully consider and purchasing things on sale is a good thing.  It reflects good stewardship of the resources God has provided.  But as I have said in the past, good things become bad things when we make them ultimate things.  When was the last time you heard about a congregation lining up Saturday night to get a good seat in the sanctuary on Sunday morning?

Because of our sinful nature, we must be careful how we approach the shopping season.  Instead of bigger barns, we need bigger hearts that are sold out for Jesus.  He will tolerate no rival, nor should we.  We are blood-bought and grace-filled, and our lives should shout these facts to the world!

Consider this exhortation: “We ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:1).  Now there is a desire for more that brings joy to the heart of our heavenly Father!

Remember that “You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).  It is my prayer that this “Black Friday” we would all remember the very first black Friday, when darkness covered the land between the sixth and the ninth hour . . . the day when our Lord purchased us with His precious blood.

Let us covenant together, you and I, to spend all that we have in the pursuit of knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10).  This is the gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Sandwiched between ghosts in flight and Silent Night . . . a witch on a broom and an inn with no room . . . is Thanksgiving.  For many, it is a time of fellowship with family and friends, fabulous food, and a little football—OK, in some homes, maybe a lot of football!  The day is marked by hours of preparation, fifteen minutes of eating, and hours of clean-up.  It would be hard for a stranger to our culture to recognize the season of Thanksgiving, because as soon as the Halloween decorations come down, the Christmas decorations go up!  Only grocery stores get excited about Thanksgiving.

Because Thanksgiving is not a major money maker for the department stores, we may not give it the attention we should. If we are not careful, we can confine Thanksgiving to a mere day of feasting, rather than a way of faithful living.  Here are three practical steps to help us move from Thanksgiving to Thanks-living.

LIVE THANKFULLY 

The first key in moving from Thanksgiving to Thanks-living is to live thankfully.  This will only be done when we re-orient our focus from ourselves to our Savior.  With our focus firmly fixed on our Savior, our thoughts will ultimately rest on His cross.  When the crucified Christ is the center of our lives, we can live in no other way than thankfully.

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  (1 Corinthians 2:2)

LIVE WORSHIPFULLY

The second key in moving from Thanksgiving to Thanks-living is to live worshipfully.  Once the cross becomes central in our lives, worship becomes our way of living.  To use a theological term, it is living doxologically before the face of God.  We live grace-filled, Gospel-saturated, God-centered lives.  We worship Jesus—not only on Sunday, but every day, everywhere, and in every way.  We sing His praises in the boardroom, living room, family room, bedroom, schoolroom, lunchroom, and locker room. 

For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.  By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.  Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!  (2 Corinthians 9:12-15)                                                                                                                                                        

LIVE GENEROUSLY

The third key in moving from Thanksgiving to Thanks-living is to live generously.  What do you have that you have not been given? (1 Corinthians 4:7.)  If everything we have is a gift from the hand of God, how can we live in any other way than generously?  The more we have, the more we are in debt to the One who has given it to us, and the more we should be driven to meet the physical needs of others.  It is a mistake to think the Gospel meets only the spiritual needs of the lost.  To be sure, it does that, but it also meets physical needs as well.  If it did not, how would we explain the two loaves and the five fish that fed thousands instead of Jesus sending them away hungry?  How would we explain the miracles of Jesus in making the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the sick well, the dead alive?  When we get the Gospel deep down into the marrow of our bones, we live lives marked by generosity, remembering that God loves a cheerful giver.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  (2 Corinthians 9:7)

As you enjoy your Thanksgiving Day in whatever way you choose to celebrate it, take a moment to reflect on these three keys that will take a day of Thanksgiving and turn it into a life of Thanks-living. 

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

As we enter into the week of thanksgiving it would serve us well to take a moment to reflect on the countless blessings our Lord has given to us throughout this year.  At the Boland home we write down our individual blessings and share them with each other every Thanksgiving season.  Our four children really look forward to doing this, and we are building a wonderful treasure for them, as we file each list away every year so they can be reviewed.

We have a tendency to clearly remember “the bad stuff” that happens throughout the year; it is all too easy to forget about the all the good that God has done for us.  A blessing list helps to bring God’s goodness into focus and provides a great record to look back on in years to come. 

We have a great time reviewing our lists together as a family; when we are done, we always return to what the psalmist said in Psalm 119:57—“The Lord is my portion.” This anchors the key to thanksgiving.  If we are not careful, we can consider God’s blessings to be rooted in possessions rather than a Person . . .

• Family
• Home
• Health
• Job
• Friends

Yet no matter how full our wallets or how large our homestead, when the Lord is our portion, we have everything!  You can have all the gold in the world, but without God you are the poorest person who ever lived. 

Sadly, many Christians seek to find their portion in the things of this world.  They crave the applause of men.  They work for the approval of others.  They long for the affection of another.  And when they get it, they have received their reward in full.  At the end of the day, unless the Lord is your ultimate portion, your life will leave you empty and aching.

May these words from the great Charles Spurgeon inspire you this Thanksgiving season:

But when thou hast God for thy portion, thou hast more than all else put together.  In Him every want is met, whether in life or in death.  With God for thy portion thou are rich indeed, for He will supply thy need, comfort they heart, assuage thy grief, guide thy steps, be with thee in the dark valley, and then take thee home, to enjoy Him as thy portion forever.

I encourage you to take a few moments to prayerfully consider all that God has blessed you with this year.  Write it down and share it with your family.  Make sure that at the very top of your list you have the Master as your portion, because when you have Him, you do indeed have everything.

This is the gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

If a brother or sister in the Lord asked you what they could do to live a life that is pleasing to God, what would you tell them?  For most, the answer would likely be related to behavior: read the Bible more; spend more time in your prayer closet; show up to church every Sunday; increase your service to the church; expand the reach of your fellowship with other believers.  Yet the key in drawing near to the Lord is found not in behavior, but in belief!  So what are you believing about Jesus today?

In a remarkable passage in Scripture, the crowds asked our Lord, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”  Jesus’ answer just might surprise you!  It certainly did me when I first studied this passage years ago.  As a coach for many years, my default mode is to increase my discipline in order to improve my results, whether physical or spiritual.  A runner needs to run more.  A cyclist needs to cycle more.  A swimmer needs to swim more.  When my spiritual gas tank starts running low, the first thing I think of doing is doing . . . not believing. But what do the Scriptures say?

They said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.”  (John 6:28-36)

Notice how Jesus tells the people that living a life that is pleasing to God is not about their behavior but their belief!  It would serve us all well if we understood the Christian life is more about what we believe than what we do.  To be sure, we must actively engage in performing the spiritual disciplines.  The desire to do these things is one of God’s great gifts to His people.  But the key to living a life that is pleasing to God is rooted in what we believe about God.

This is the point of preaching the gospel to ourselves every day.  What we believe about the person and work of Jesus Christ is the key to heart transformation, which ultimately works itself out into living a transformed life that is pleasing to God.  Here are just a few things the gospel promises to those who believe:

• You are loved
• You are forgiven
• You are adopted
• You are set apart

The gospel promises a life of unimaginable joy to those who believe, because everything your heart desires—affection, approval, acceptance—has been given you in Jesus.  You were sought, caught, and bought by the blood of the Lamb, and have been freely welcomed into the family of faith.  Every sin has been nailed to that dirty tree, having been paid for in full by the life and death of Jesus Christ.  Believe it and live a better life.  Believe it and be blessed by God.  Believe it and your behavior will follow. 

This is the gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Physical blindness is a condition that is known to all those who are afflicted by it.  My younger brother Bobby is blind in his right eye from an accident years ago . . . and he knows it.  He has learned to compensate for his blindness.

Spiritual blindness, however, is a condition that is known only to those who are given the grace of supernatural sight to see their own sin.  David was given this great grace: “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51:3).

Isaiah was given this great grace: “Woe is me!  For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5).

Peter was given this great grace, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8).

Do you know this great grace of seeing your own sin?  Or are you blind to your blindness?  How would those closest to you answer this question?

We are blind to our blindness when we cannot or will not see our own sin.  Even worse, we are blind to our blindness and think we see well when we find it much easier to notice the speck in the eye of someone else without ever noticing the plank in our own eye.

King David was blind to his blindness until God graciously sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke David with a word from God.  The story of David really bothered me, especially when I read he was a “man after God’s own heart.”  I mean, come on!  David stayed home when he should have been off to war, slept with another man’s wife, and then sentenced that man to death while he was on the battlefield, honorably defending his nation.

Not until God gave me the grace to see the overarching theme of David’s story as my story did I begin to see just how blind I was to my blindness.  It is only by the grace of God that today I am a gratefully recovering Pharisee, having been given the vision to clearly see my own sin . . . as painful as that is at times! 

So how well do you see your own sin?  Before you answer that question, read and meditate on the following verse.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

   (Jeremiah 17:9)

It never ceases to amaze me just how blind we are to our own sin—and that includes me!  It’s in our DNA to think we are better than we actually are.  This is the deceitfulness and sickness of the heart, even after Jesus raises us from death to life.  To be sure, sin no longer reigns in the life of the believer, but it still remains.  “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want” (Galatians 5:17-18).  And our sinful nature is quick to deflect, defend, and diminish our sin.

 We have become experts at shaping our sin into acceptable shapes. 

• The sin of impatience is shaped into “getting others up to our speed.”
• The sin of immorality is shaped into “personal self expression.”
• The sin of materialism is shaped into “getting my fair share.”
• The sin of legalism is shaped into “a sold-out love of the Law.”
• The sin of a critical spirit is shaped into “discernment.”
• The sin of workaholism is shaped into “providing for my family.”
• The sin of fits of rage is shaped into “righteousness anger.”

Does any of this resonate with you?  Can you think of some others “acceptable” shapes of sin that might be befouling your life right now?  God in Christ has given sight to blind eyes and flesh to hard hearts.  As He reveals more and more of our sin, we are able to receive what we see and cry out to Jesus for healing.

This is the gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

I spent nearly ten years of my early adult life responding to medical emergencies as a firefighter in the Hollywood, FL Fire Rescue Department.  Over that time I encountered many heart attack victims.  Also known as a myocardial infarction or (MI), an attack on the heart muscle is due to the loss of blood supply generally caused by a blockage of a coronary artery.  The death of heart muscle causes shortness of breath, chest pain and electrical instability of the heart muscle tissue.  On scene treatment includes CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), administration of medication, and at times electrical shock.  Over 90% of heart attack victims who reach the hospital survive so a quick response, proper treatment, and transportation are critical.

Did you know that there is another kind of heart attack that we all face every day?  It is an attack on the affections of our heart, also known as heart idolatry.  When Jesus entered into your life and redeemed you through faith, He claimed your heart as His own.  He has claimed the throne of your life and will tolerate no rival.  The problem is we tolerate rivals to our Redeemer and fill our hearts with idols. To name just a few:

• The idols of affection, approval, achievement
• The idols of power, position, prestige
• The idols of security, success, sensuality
• The idols of recognition, respect, reputation
• The idols of comfort, control, calling

How does this list resonate with you?  Is there something we have not mentioned that is attacking your heart right now?  If you are not sure, ask yourself, “What do I love, hope, trust, or fear?”  If you love a structured life without any uncomfortable interruptions, control will be your idol.  If you hope for a pain free providence, living inside zones of comfort will be your idol.  If you trust in financial security, earning as much as you can will be your idol.  If you fear being alone and single, being in a relationship (any relationship) will be your idol.  When you get right down to it, idols of the heart are false saviors, promoting false gospels, promising false hope.  We go to them expecting them to do for us what only Jesus can.

Just as a lack of blood supply causes physical death to your heart, a lack of Jesus causes spiritual death to your life.  It is only by keeping the gospel before us and preaching it to ourselves every day that we are able to forsake all of our idols and turn to Jesus because we realize these idols cannot deliver on their promises.  Jesus not only delivered on His every promise, He continues to deliver daily.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him”

Lamentations 3:22-24

Let me encourage you in closing.  You are not alone in the battle of dismantling your heart idols.  Every Christian is fighting the same battles on different fronts.  Consider it not a strange thing to be in this battle and to be wearied by it.  But remember, Jesus has won your victory on the cross.  The King came for you and purchased you with His precious blood.  And once you are His, nothing can separate you from Him (Rom. 8:39).  Call on Him.  Seek Him.  There is help from the Great Physician for every heart attack.

This is the gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT…AMEN!

When was the last time you wondered, “Do I matter?”  Notice I did not ask, “Have you ever wondered, ‘Do I matter?’”  We have all wondered if we matter, and for many of us it was on more than one occasion . . . and recently!

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Mind over matter; I don’t mind and you don’t matter”?  The world says you matter only to the extent that you have power, position, prestige, prosperity, or pedigree.  We live in a world that judges a man by the size of his bankroll and a woman by her external beauty.  But in God’s economy, the world has been turned upside down. 

The Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him.  For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

(1 Samuel 16:7)

You matter to the only One who truly matters.  You matter to God, not because of what you have or what you have done, but because of who you are.  You are a child of the Most High God.

Let me ask you a question.  What do birds, hairs, and flowers have in common?  They all matter to God and are continually under His divine care.  Because God doesn’t make any junk, everything He has made matters to Him. 

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?  And not one of them is forgotten before God.  (Luke 12:6)

Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered.  (Luke 12:7)

Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds!  (Luke 12:24)

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  (Luke 12:27)

Perhaps you are going through a difficult season right now and feel like you don’t matter much to anyone, including God.  Maybe you feel unimportant, uninvolved, unwanted, under-appreciated, or unloved.  Is it possible you feel like you are only a number at work, a nobody at church, and a knucklehead at home?  Cheer up! 

Birds matter to God.  Flowers matter to God.  If the Creator of the universe takes special care of birds and flowers, how much more will He take care of you, oh you of little faith!  The fact that He knows the number of hairs on your head should be a source of great comfort to you today.  You matter to God more than you could ever imagine!  He knows the nights we toss and turn on our beds; he knows the number of ever tears we’ve shed! (See Psalm 56:8.)

Unlike birds and flowers, you were made in the image of God.  To be sure, since the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden, that image has been marred, twisted, and stained with sin, but still it is the image of God.  As His image bearers, God is infinitely more concerned for you than anything else in the entire cosmos.  So much so, He sent His only Son to the cross to pay the penalty for your sin.  You matter to God, and that should matter to you! 

This is the gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The white flag is an internationally recognized sign used to signify a truce, ceasefire, desire for negotiation, or intention to surrender.  The first mention of the usage of white flags to surrender is made during the Eastern Han dynasty (A.D 25-220).  The white flag was widely used during the Middle Ages in Western Europe to indicate the desire to surrender. 

Can you guess what “white flag faithfulness” is?  It, too, is a sign of the desire to surrender . . . but to whom?  It is surrendering yourself—all of yourself—to your Savior.  “‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble,’” James instructed.  “Submit yourselves therefore to God” (James 4:6-7).

There are numerous examples of white flag faithfulness in sacred Scripture.  Abraham waved the white flag and left everything he knew to faithfully follow God.  Noah waved the white flag and worked for more than 100 years to build a boat, working miles from any body of water.  Gideon waved the white flag and won the day against the Midianite army with only 300 warriors.  Mary waved the white flag when the angel Gabriel announced she was God’s choice to be the mother of the Messiah, knowing full well the scorn and shame she would attract as an unmarried pregnant woman.  John the Baptist waved the white flag and preached the coming Savior, a surrender which ultimately cost him his life.  Paul waved the white flag on the road to Damascus and transformed from persecutor to pastor. 

Prayerfully consider the extent of your sold-out surrender to your Savior in the following areas; are you submitted and waving the white flag in your . . .

• Dating life?
• Married life?
• Finances?
• Professional plans?
• Thought life?
• Prayer life?
• Church service?
• Sharing your faith?
• Forgiving others?
• Rejoicing for the success of others?
• Hurting when others are hurting?
• Removing the plank from your own eye?

In what areas have you totally abandoned yourself to the will of God?  In what areas are you holding back?  What is keeping you from totally surrendering and trusting God in any of these areas?  Whatever rules your heart shapes your life.  Whatever you refuse to surrender to Jesus is serving as your functional savior.

When you wave the white flag and surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, you live for something bigger than your own life.  When you live for the transcendent purposes of God you live a life that truly matters—not just on Sunday, but every day of the week. 

A surrendered life is the fulfillment of the call of Christ, “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.”  This kind of white flag faithfulness is a call to death that leads to life.  It is only by dying to yourself that you can live for your Savior.  Go ahead!  Wave the white flag of faithfulness and live the life you were designed by God to live. 

This is the gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT…AMEN!

Since the beginning of time, mankind has been wrapped up in a hope that disappoints.  Do you know what it is?  It is hope in finding fulfillment, meaning, and significance apart from God.  It started with Adam and Eve when they decided they wanted to live autonomous lives, apart from the grace, goodness, and glory of God.  And men and women have been doing the same thing ever since.  When your hope is in anything smaller than God is will always disappoint.  Self-sufficiency makes a poor savior.  So what is the hope that does not disappoint?  The Apostle Paul tells us.

 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

(Romans 5:1-5)

Make no mistake; if what you have been hoping in is disappointing you, it is the wrong hope.  Nothing in this world can do for you what only Jesus can do.  If your hope is in your career, you have the wrong hope.  If your hope is in your education, you have the wrong hope.  If your hope is in your network, you have the wrong hope.  If your hope is in your next business deal, you have the wrong hope.  If your hope is in your gifting, you have the wrong hope.  If your hope is in the applause of man, you have the wrong hope.  If your hope is in your marriage, you have the wrong hope.  If your hope is in your children, you have the wrong hope.  Hope that created things will do for you what only the Creator can provide is utterly hopeless!

Paul made it crystal clear that when we hope in God we are never disappointed.  You see, when you place your hope in something you are connecting your identity to it.  What you place your hope in provides you with your meaning, significance, purpose, and ultimate identity in life.  Your hope is your savior, regardless of what you are hoping in.  That is why hope in anything smaller than God will always disappoint you.  Only God is big enough to satisfy your deepest needs, meet you in the middle of your darkest night, and deliver you from a meaningless existence from the cradle to the grave. 

To hope is to be human.  We all need hope and we all place our hope in something.  Therefore, we all need to make sure we are hoping in the right thing!

So what have you been hoping in lately?  Has your hope been unable to deliver?  Has your hope been unable to meet you in your place of deepest need? 

Scripture tells us that when our hope is in God, something counterintuitive happens.  Our hope does not disappoint us, even in the middle of a season of suffering.  Most people think hope is connected to painless providences.  Not Paul.  He knew firsthand that his hope would not disappoint, even in the middle of suffering.  Why?  Because His Savior was his hope and his Savior was in the middle of his suffering.  Paul did not need blue skies and sunshiny days to have hope, because his hope was in the only One who is worth hoping in: Jesus Christ.   

This is the gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!