This is How You Stand Firm

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he shares one thing he does: he forgets everything behind and focuses on what is ahead. That is good advice for all of us because the past often hinders us from going forward. Paul would say to you today: “Forget the past and let Jesus help you move forward!”

Paul encourages these young believers to place all their confidence in Christ rather than in their own strength. The Apostle did that once, believing he was faultless in his obedience to the law, and then he met Jesus. Here is his testimony:

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:7-11).

For Paul is Jesus; focusing on Jesus is his goal, and Christ is the prize Philippians 3:13-17). The Apostle encourages the believers in Philippi to follow his example and that of other mature Christians. Paul makes it clear that he does not consider himself a perfect example, but rather one who is truly committed to Christ.

At the same time, Paul warns these believers that there are enemies of Jesus living around us. They live for the moment because they only think about earthly things. We, however, are citizens of heaven and live in the anticipation of the Second Coming of Christ, who will one day come and transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:17-22).

Then Paul says, “that is how you should stand firm in the Lord” (Philippians 4:1). With all our confidence in Christ—forgetting what is behind; grateful we know him and excited about his coming- we stand firm. This is what we look forward to and wait for. This is what keeps us going. This is what we get up to and start another day. 

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What Has Happened To Me

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we find tenderness: “Every time I think of you,” In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy,” “I have you in my heart,” I love you with the affection of Christ Jesus.” The letter expresses Paul’s love, concern, and encouragement for these believers. But he also answers some questions that these believers had. “Why had God allowed Paul to be in prison instead of out there preaching the gospel?” Paul answers with these words: “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear” (Philippians 1:12-14).

This unfortunate thing of me being arrested and sent to Rome has actually served to advance the Kingdom of God. Can you believe that right here under Caesar’s nose, the Praetorium Guard is receiving the gospel along with many others? Not only that, but because I am here in this prison, it has inspired the brothers and sisters of Rome to share their faith boldly.

Is this not the greatest example of God’s sovereign grace? God was behind the Jewish conspiracy to have Paul arrested and the order to have him sent to Rome to be tried by Caesar—at least God was working in all of it for his glory. Nothing escapes God’s attention. Of course, Paul was a willing vessel for God to work with. This could not have happened if Paul had been wallowing in a sea of self-pity and resentment. But Paul chose to believe God was still directing his life; that is why he says, “I am in chains for Christ.”

What chains do you find around your life? In what prison have you landed? Have you submitted to God’s hand? If you do, he will use your circumstances for his glory and the advance of the gospel.

Paul knows living for God is not easy, but he also knows that having a good attitude helps, so he says: “Let your attitude be the same as Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:5). Then Paul beautifully explains how Christ laid aside his heavenly place of power and majesty to become a servant to save us. So Paul says,

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky” (Philippians 2:14-15). This is not easy, but it is our goal to live each day this way.

Jeremiah’s Complaint

Jeremiah is perplexed. He has some things that are bothering him, and he wants to get them out, so he tells God what is on his mind. The truth is God already knew what was on Jeremiah’s mind. Jeremiah begins by saying that God is always right. Does he really believe that? I think he does, and his life is a testimony to his belief, None-the-less he has a complaint for God:

Jeremiah 12:1-2 You are always righteous, O Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts.

Jeremiah wants to know:

•  How can you let evil people prosper?

•  How is it that you allow them to have it so good?

•  Why are crooks allowed to rip people off and get away with it?

•  Why would you let hypocrites get by with wrong?

Jeremiah believes he deserves an answer to this dilemma. Can you explain this apparent inconsistency to me, God? He expected God to explain how he could be sovereign and holy while human depravity exists side by side and God seems to ignore it. Jeremiah seems to be demanding an answer from God on this subject.

But God’s Answer Was Much Different

Jeremiah 12:5 “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?

God was saying to Jeremiah, "If you can’t handle what is going on now, how do you expect to handle what’s in store for you tomorrow?" If this blows you out of the water, what will you do when greater tests come?

• Have you developed the attitude of complaining instead of trusting God with your burdens?

• Have you fallen into the habit of wanting sympathy instead of facing the challenges that God has sent your way?

• Do you let the little things in life discourage you and keep you from seeing the big picture?

• If you complain about the simple routine God has given you, how do you expect him to give you more important tasks?

• If you stumble with a few ounces of burden, how do you expect him to give you a larger burden of responsibility?

Perseverance in Your Faith

We are pilgrims, much like Christian and Christina in The Pilgrim’s Progress, making our way from our own Egypt to our heavenly reward. The Apostle Paul said to the Philippians: “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:20-21). Likewise, we desire to represent Christ in our daily walk so that we have nothing to be ashamed of. But beyond that, Paul wanted to exalt Christ—that was his primary goal in life. In fact, if he could be with Christ all the time, he would choose that:

Philippians 1:22-25 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

We, too, living in this broken world, would like the Apostle to choose to go home to our heavenly reward, but that is not God’s will for us. So, like Paul, we choose to live for others—to bring them joy and to see them grow in their faith. To bring joy to someone is very gratifying, but to bring the joy of the Gospel is exhilarating.

What does it take to persevere in the face of hardships and not lose our joy? It requires that we keep our focus on Christ, who is the prize. That is what these words from Paul mean. We can’t allow discouragement to stop us. We can’t allow hurts to fester and bring resentment or anger. Then what do we do? How do we keep going? We persevere! We keep on going! We hang on to His Word! We hide it in our hearts! We ask him to comfort us and send relief through the Holy Spirit. When we ask, he hears and responds. He is mindful of our struggles. We must turn to Him and not away from Him.

 

Securely Connected to God

 

Admiral Byrd, the famous explorer, once found himself about 100 yards away from the safety of his South Pole hut when a sudden blizzard hit. With temperatures well below zero, visibility was difficult due to the blinding snow. There were no landmarks in the white expanse that would help him get his bearings. Yet he knew that if he didn’t find the warmth and safety of his hut, he would freeze to death in a matter of minutes. Admiral Byrd could not see his hut in the freezing conditions. He knew that if he struck out blindly, without a central reference point for a sense of direction, he would become hopelessly lost. Refusing to panic, the admiral assessed the situation. In his hand was a 10-foot pole that he carried with him to probe for holes in the ice as he walked. He struck the pole in the snow and tied his bright-colored scarf to it. Then he began looking for the hut, keeping the pole in sight, knowing that he could always return to it if necessary. He struck out, first in one direction, then in another, always keeping the pole and scarf in sight. Three times he returned to his point of reference; on the fourth try, he found his hut. His life was saved because he maintained a point of reference. 

 Such is the case with us when we venture away from God; we get lost in a world that is filled with mine fields of sin and destruction. There are times in our lives when we face heightened anxiety, loss, health and financial problems, and relational breakdowns with those we love. All this can create an emotional blizzard, blinding us to how to proceed in life. It is precisely in this moment that we cannot leave God behind. We must always keep in sight. The writer of Hebrews says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19). Our hope in God always brings us back to Him.

God never gives up on us, even though we give up on ourselves. The Apostle Paul encouraged the Philippians, saying: “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God does not do things halfway. What may seem to be a failure to God is simply a work in progress. Do not give up! Keep God in sight! Let Him be your anchor!

When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

When life doesn’t make sense, we often make foolish and rash decisions. It is in this moment that we begin to doubt what we have always believed. We doubt our worth, our beliefs, our faith in God, and, most detrimental to our well-being, we doubt God’s love for us. We doubt that God is there working in ways that we cannot see. We always believed, but now we doubt. Why not doubt? Things are not adding up. Things are not working out. We are facing dead ends, and we have difficulty finding our way.

However, it is precisely in these moments that we need to trust God--in the very moments when he seems faraway. When he appears to be ignoring our prayers--in these times, we walk by faith and not by sight.

The Old Testament prophet Habakkuk also had questions: Does He really love us? Does he care what happens to us? Is he there? Does He answer prayer, especially our prayers? How can He be holy and tolerate such sin in the world, and especially in his own people? If He is a God of justice, why doesn’t He punish sinners? (Habakkuk 1:1-3).

Habakkuk questioned God’s methods. They certainly made no sense to him. They seemed to conflict with what he knew about God. He asked God, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? (Habakkuk 1:13-14). Habakkuk had the same problem we do. He did not understand God, nor did he comprehend what he was doing. It certainly wasn’t the way he would have done things.

Habakkuk, though he did not understand God’s ways, decided to wait for an answer from God. God did answer, “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay (Habakkuk 2:2-3). This was not what Habakkuk was expecting, but it was an answer. In fact, it was what we are all supposed to do when we are confused or disappointed. We are to wait for God—He will speak. This is faith, and this is what faith does—it waits for God.

Habakkuk tells us the secret of living for God, “but the righteous will live by his faith—“. This phrase inspired the Apostle Paul, who referred to it in his letter to the Romans.  It is the way we live for God day by day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting on God

 

One of the most sinister enemies any of us will encounter is despair. Despair is debilitating in every way. It diminishes our motivation and our self-value. If you can’t see any purpose in going on, you stop living, and that is a dangerous place to be.

It is as if you are forced to enter a dark cave where no sunlight arrives. No feelings of hope can grow in that dark place. Here are a few examples of despair and depression: The teenager asks himself Is this all there is to life? “I’m always struggling to be accepted. I feel I have to prove myself to have friends. I’m getting really tired of living.” The college graduate who hasn’t been able to get a job asks, “Why did I bother to get an education? Why are all the doors closed? A young mother who is overwhelmed with taking care of a baby and two other children says, “I feel like I’m suffocating.” The disillusioned wife who files for divorce confesses, “If it wasn’t for my children, I wouldn’t hesitate to end my life.” The middle-aged man, disappointed with life, says, “I’ve failed at marriage, at business, and just about everything in between.” Now he hopes he won’t fail at this one thing—suicide.

God speaks to those in despair: Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”? (Isaiah 40:27-31). Isn’t it amazing that what Isaiah writes about Israel is as relevant for us today as it was for them? He challenges us: “Why do you say to yourself that God doesn’t care about me?”

Isaiah knows we all falter, and we begin to think thoughts that are harmful to our spiritual life. He challenges those thoughts—even more, he challenges that pattern of thinking in our lives. He knows that the battle is won or lost in the mind. Isaiah has two more questions: “Do you not know?” and “Have you not heard? Judging from our actions, you must not know. From the way that some of us live our lives, we do not know God.

Seeing God from Isaiah’s perspective changes everything about the way we see God. God is Everlasting. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God (Isaiah 40:28). Our perspective of life is contingent on our narrow vision of what is going on. We exaggerate our problems and exhaust our energies on things that don’t matter because we can’t see the difference. Often, we panic when things don’t fall into place on our timetable. From our place in the universe, things look like a disaster, but from God’s eternal perspective, everything is on schedule.

How much of your frustration comes from unmet expectations? Really unimportant expectations. So much of what we worry and fret about is petty.  The one question that has been essential for Isaiah has been not what but who. It’s not what events shape history, but who shapes the events of history. Is the history of our world going toward something or just going in circles? Is the purpose and meaning of our lives totally up to us, or is God involved even in the day-to-day meaning of our lives?

God is the Creator. Do you not know? Have you not heard? Creator of the ends of the earth (Isaiah 40:28). I worked with a master carpenter for a time. It was a comforting thing to know that any question I had about carpentry, he could answer. In any project I was involved in, he was there. Multiply that same thought a trillion times, and you have the idea of Isaiah here. God is the Creator of the ends of the earth; he made everything. There is no place he is not, and no situation beyond the power of his reach. Anywhere life takes us or any situation that confronts us, he knows what we should do if we call on him.

God never grows weary. Do you not know? Have you not heard? He will not grow tired or weary (Isaiah 40:28). It seems like we are tired all the time. We are weary from work and life. We grow faint as our energy is exhausted. We have to rest to be restored. However, God is eternally inexhaustible, and his strength knows no end. His joy never ceases. His love and mercy are unfailing. God is always at work—even while we sleep.

God’s wisdom is unsearchable. Do you not know? Have you not heard? His understanding no one can fathom (Isaiah 40:28). It means that you and I waste our time trying to figure God out, but we will never be able to do that. Life is puzzling to us, often leaving us bewildered, but it never leaves God baffled. If we think we can see God’s hand in some event in our lives, believe me, there are many more ways God was working that we will never know.

God gives power to the weak. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak (Isaiah 40:29). Isaiah wanted Israel to know this God, who gives strength to the weary and power to the weak. Those who are physically weary of life, those who are mentally and emotionally and spiritually fatigued, those who are on the verge of quitting, can expect help from God. God has a way of renewing you that is beyond medical science. God renews our strength. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:30-31).

You and I are not capable of meeting the demands life puts on us. We will stumble and eventually fall in our own strength. Isaiah says God has made provision for our weary souls. God promises the weary that draw close to him strength and renewal in their time of need. “The weak soar like eagles and run without tiring and walk without quitting.” Their confidence in God will not let them lie down and give up. It’s not a matter of willpower but of expectancy.” How does this happen? But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; (Isaiah 40:31). Those who hope in the Lord or those who wait for the Lord.

This waiting is the key. It’s not about killing time; it means living in the expectancy of God with confidence that God will provide. “Be still, and know that I am God; (Psalm 46:10).

Waiting is not wasting time. It is a confident, disciplined, expectant, sometimes painful clinging to God. Waiting requires patient trust. Trapeze artists say the relationship between the flyer and the catcher is that the flyer lets go while the catcher catches. The flyer is told, “You must never try to catch the catcher, just wait to be caught.” That is Isaiah’s description of waiting on God.