My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
There are a number of ideas and events that can cause us to wonder whether Jesus is more than enough in our lives. Today we will focus on loss. When we lose something or someone, we can get caught in the untruth trap of wondering if Jesus is more than enough to meet us in our place of deepest need because that loss is so great in our lives. I have fallen into this trap on more than one occasion; perhaps you have too. I hope that today’s message will encourage you and empower you to rest in the reality that, no matter what you are going through, Jesus is more than enough for you!
The German hymn writer Catharina Von Schlegel put it this way hundreds of years ago: “Be still my soul, your Jesus can repay from His own fullness all He takes away.” Those words are as lovely as they are true, but the battle to sustain in the midst of loss is as real as it is raw, because we are still in the process of being conformed to the image of Jesus. It is not uncommon for us to ask questions like, “Why did God allow this to happen?” . . . “Why is God allowing this trial to continue?” The pain is all too real, but we must learn to look beyond the pain, where we will find the purpose of God. The cross of Jesus makes it clear that there is purpose in pain — all pain — regardless of how agonizing that pain may be.
Job is a wonderful example of someone who understood this truth. God allowed Satan to test Job, and the test was severe. Job lost his wealth, his health, and all ten of his children. He even lost the respect of his wife, who urged him to “Curse God and die” in the midst of his terrible pain. Job did not understand the reasons why he had suffered all this loss, but he trusted in the fact that God is good and was working all things together for his good. Job blessed God as he rested in the reality that God is in sovereign control of all things, including all his losses and crosses:
Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:20-21)
Through every loss, God proved to be more than enough for Job. God showed Job his hope and his happiness were not to be found in anything smaller than God Himself. And that is exactly what Job was able to do. He trusted God even when he could not trace God, and he was able to see God’s purpose in his pain. Job came to the conclusion that God was more than enough, no matter what he was going through.
The question is, “Do we believe that too?” If we fix our focus on Jesus, we will be able to rise above every wave of challenge, knowing that Jesus is always more than enough . . . no matter what.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. (Psalm 119:1)
Containing 176 verses, Psalm 119 is the longest psalm and the longest single chapter in all of sacred Scripture. Inasmuch as we do not know the identity of the earthly author, we know the heavenly One, and what Psalm 119 contains should arrest our attention and strengthen our resolve. This psalm can be divided into a several themes – such as persecutions, afflictions, and the challenges of daily living – but the theme I would like to focus on today is the importance of the Word of God.
When you read through Psalm 119, take note of the words that are used for the Scriptures: law, precepts, statues, testimonies, judgments, commandments, word, and ordinances. The Word of God is mentioned in nearly every verse; most scholars agree that only five of the 176 verses do not make a direct reference to the Scriptures.
Why should this be a source of eternal encouragement to you today? Because it not only expresses the character of the Scriptures, but the character of our Savior too. Here are just a few verses to consider as a sampling of many throughout this magnificent Psalm:
The Word of God and He who is the living Word of God are both . . .
Wonderful – V. 18
Trustworthy – V. 42
Truthful – V. 43
Righteous – V. 62
Faithful – V. 90
Eternal – V. 89
Immutable – V. 89
Light – V. 105
True – V. 160
The beauty and the blessing of the Word of God as it is set forth in this amazing chapter cannot be overstated. God’s Word is as pure as it is powerful . . . as wise as it is watchful . . . as encouraging as it is equipping . . . as life-giving as it is life-changing. God gave us His Word in a book, not for it to collect dust on a shelf, but to be meditated on and marinated in every day of our lives. The more time you spend in the Word, the better you will be able to live according to God’s perfect plan and purpose for your imperfect life.
The second verse assures us, “Blessed are they who keep his statues and seek him with all their heart.” If that describes you today, praise His mighty name! If not, you can do something about it right now. As James, the brother of our Lord, assured us, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8 ESV).
I’d like to close by encouraging you to memorize verse 75, which I am sure you will find to be most helpful, especially during times of trial: “I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.” In faithfulness – not in anger or disappointment or disgust – does our loving Lord send us storms. Let that truth keep you going, confident that God is using it all to conform you to the image of His beloved Son, Jesus.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
Just like casting a fishing line out onto the water, we are to cast all of our cares on Jesus because He cares for us. Lord knows, none of us can hide our burdens, anxieties, difficulties, and cares; they are published on our face, they are broadcast in the tone of our voice, they are revealed through our eyes. I hope you will let today’s verse encourage you to give all of your cares to the One who cares for you far more than anyone else could possibly care.
Here are a few practical steps to consider:
Step #1 – Acknowledge Your Cares
There is no need to deny the difficulties of daily living. Ever since Adam and Eve’s terrible fall in the Garden of Eden, all of life is marked by “thorns and thistles” – troubles, trials, temptations, and testings. Jesus told us there will be a lifetime of problems: “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). So acknowledge your cares and concerns to Him.
Step #2 – Cast Your Cares
When the waves of challenge wash over you, cast them to Jesus. When the storms winds are howling, cast them to Jesus. When you find yourself in a fire or a flood, cast them to Jesus, because he cares for you. Remember, immediately after Jesus warned that we will have problems, He went on to say, “But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Never forget that the power in you is greater than any power that comes against you. Not only does Jesus care for you, He is the only One who can carry each and every one of your cares. So cast them on Jesus!
Step #3 – Trust Jesus
As it relates to care-casting, experience has taught me two things: Once we have cast our cares, either Jesus will take them completely from us or take us through them. Either way, we must trust that Jesus’ plan our lives is better than our plan. Jesus knows exactly what we need and when we need it, and that includes the cares of life.
In closing, as you continually practice care-casting, keep this little phrase before you: I WILL, THY WILL. This is shorthand for “I want your will for my life because Thy will is better than my will.” When you do that, submitting your life to Him and trusting that He cares for you, you will be reminding yourself that all things are ultimately working together for your good and God’s glory. And that is the essence of care-casting!
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)
When Jesus was being tempted by the devil during His wilderness experience, He quoted Deuteronomy to dispatch the enemy. The Son of God knows that our need for spiritual sustenance (sustenance being something that gives support and strength) is, at the deepest level, far more pressing than our need for the daily bread that sustains physical life on this side of the grave. Clearly, our deep need for God can be compared to the basic needs of both hunger and thirst.
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. (Psalm 42:1)
Just as the life of the deer depends on water, our lives depend totally on God. He is not only the giver of life, He is the sustainer of life too. Those who seek Him will find Him (Matthew 7:7-11; James 4:8), and in finding Him we have everlasting life. Seeking a fresh encounter with the living God each day provides the spiritual sustenance we all need. We must seek God early and often, in His Word, in prayer, and in community.
Remember, just as our physical body requires certain nutrients to sustain life, our spirit also needs nourishment. The consequences of spiritual malnutrition cannot be overstated; when we are not taking in the spiritual nourishment we need, we begin to drift away from God. Drift lapses into distance . . . distance sinks into depression . . . and depression crumbles into despair.
All this can be avoided simply by ingesting the spiritual sustenance we need. How are you doing at feeding on Jesus every day? It was after Jesus fed the 5,000 that He said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48). Everyone within the sound of His voice knew what He was talking about: Physical food is good and necessary to sustain physical life, but Jesus is the better thing and absolutely necessary to sustain spiritual life — right here, right now, and on into eternity.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 