THOU ART MY HOPE!

 

Thursday, November 20, 2025

 

THOU ART MY HOPE!

 

Ps 71:5

5 For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.

 

          Hope looks back! The Psalmist was now an old man. Twice he mentions it (See Psalm 71: 9 and 18). When you are discouraged and worried, look back and count your blessings. Remind yourself of the faithfulness of the Lord.

 

          Hope sings! Verses 22 and 23 indicates that singing is done in spite of the “great and sore troubles” mentioned in verse 20. I am reminded of Paul and Silas singing in the dark dungeon while their hands and feet were fastened on the stocks. What power that produced! Acts 16 tells us that their hands and feet were loosed and there was a great earthquake that opened the prison doors. Ah! Let’s sing!

 

          Hope looks to the future! The psalmist looked to the future and moved from "You are my hope" (v. 8) to "I will hope continually" (v. 14; see Ps 36:5; 47:10 ). The future is secure when Jesus is your Lord. The word translated "hope" in verse 14 means a long and patient waiting in spite of delays and disappointments. If we trust God, then the trials of life will work for us and not against us.

 

         A. W. Tozer once said: “We can look backward in time until the dim past vanishes, then turn and look into the future until thought and imagination collapse from exhaustion and God is at both points, unaffected by either.”

   

Ps 20:7

7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

 

Dear Lord, we have seen your mighty hand in the past and we are given hope for the future. Let us now look up and see your righteousness reaching to the heavens. AMEN

 

TARES AMONG THE WHEAT!

 

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

 

TARES AMONG THE WHEAT!

 

Matt 13:24-25

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

 

          The parable of the tares is found in Matthew 13:25-40. The wheat represents true believers, and the tares represents pretenders. It is most difficult to tell them apart. Their appearance is very similar, but the proof is in the eating.

 

          Dr. Albert Barnes explains: By "tares" is probably meant a degenerate kind of wheat, or the darnel-grass growing in Palestine. In its growth and form it has a strong resemblance to genuine wheat; but it either produces no grain, or that of a very inferior and hurtful kind. Probably it comes near to what we mean by "chess." It was extremely difficult to separate it from the genuine wheat, on account of its similarity while growing.

         

The "taste" is bitter, and when eaten separately, or even when diffused in ordinary bread, it causes dizziness, and often acts as a violent emetic. Barn-door fowls also become dizzy from eating it. In short, it is a strong soporific (a sedative)  poison, and must be carefully winnowed, and picked out of the wheat grain by grain, before grinding, or the flour is not healthy.

 

Grain by grain! That’s how it is with our daily lives, isn’t it? We sow good things into our mind, heart, and lives but later we find things that are bitter and sickening. Where did those things come from? The enemy has sowed tares among our wheat.

 

Sift your life and carefully pluck away those things that are bitter. Better yet, ask God to sift your life and purify it.

 

Luke 22:31-32

31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

 

Dear Lord, within the good wheat of my life grows tares. Despite my best efforts, I find within me things that must make you sick. Pluck them from me grain by grain. Purify me, I pray. AMEN

 

NOT OF THIS WORLD!

 

Monday, November 17, 2025

 

NOT OF THIS WORLD!

 

John 15:17-19

17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

 

          Christianity began as an insignificant baker’s dozen plodding the streets of Jerusalem. As far as the world was concerned, this little band was hardly worth a second glance. Their leader was a poor carpenter of questionable birth who had a strange personal magnetism. He attracted a handful of societal misfits who wandered the streets and generally made themselves a nuisance. The world hated them. Their leader was eventually crucified, one follower committed suicide, and one-by-one the rest were dispatched in order.

 

          The spread of Christianity can only be described as “otherworldly.” Its growth doesn’t make much sense and what was once an obscure cult is now a worldwide force. But the bonding of Christianity and American culture is an uncomfortable alliance where both sides question whether it is appropriate to be part of the other. As long as Christianity doesn’t demand culture to radically change, the alliance is friendly, but when Christianity proves itself to be truly Christian the relationship is strained. The world still hates us!  John Gambold said: "The laws of Christ condemn a vicious world and goad it to revenge!"

 

          Settle it in your heart that the world will continue to resist true Christianity. You will constantly be required to choose between pleasing the world or pleasing God. You will never find a comfortable middle ground. Stop trying to compromise with the culture because the world can offer you nothing beyond this life. Only Jesus can do that.

 

John 16:33

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

Dear Lord, the world is a disappointing place because I am not from here. I don’t belong here, and I’m not staying here! The discomfort that I feel is due to my being displaced from my true home. Come quickly and take me to be with you. AMEN