Early this week, as I was doing my daily devotions through the book of 1 Chronicles, I was struck with this insight and wanted to share. I will preface this by saying, that as I read, I was having a pretty difficult week, and therefore had a pretty down attitude. We’ve all been there: our week was going alright, and then something happens to make us really get off track. So we get down and start acting and feeling like “Eeyore”, we have the “Pooooor me” syndrome. In the midst of that place, the Lord reminded me of something through two passages of scripture: he reminded me that I need to trust in Him.

Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” -1 Chronicles 19:13 (ESV)

Joab addresses his brother Abishai as they prepare to face a mighty army of men poised to destroy the people of God. Joab and his men are surrounded by thousands of men and over 32,000 chariots of war (both in front and behind them), and are hopelessly overwhelmed, under-equipped, and outnumbered. (Don’t we feel like that sometimes?)

In this statement to his brother, Joab is not ignoring the challenge and obstacle that is before Him, but he is choosing to trust the Lord (by Faith). And it took giant faith to trust God during this battle, but that is exactly what Joab did. Joab understood that his level of faith (or disbelief) would either enable or short-circuit God’s purposes for that battle. As he completely trusted in the sovereign plan of God, and walked by faith, others were encouraged to likewise trust in the Lord. His faith was a catalyst for an entire army of men to trust God. I believe His actions are in-line with David’s psalm:

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. -Psalm 20:7-8 (ESV)

When calamity strikes, I do have a tendency to stand on faith, however there are seasons (like the first part of this week) when I fall into places of hopelessness and quiet desperation because I lack faith. We all have these moments of insecurity: at their root they stem from a lack of faith in God’s purposes and plans for our lives. We must not ignore the situations or battles that rage around us: but we must draw near to God, and trust in His plans for our lives.

Sometimes we will be like Joab, and be a shining example of faith, and other times we will need to borrow some faith from another brother or friend. We must look at our challenges with eyes of faith-filled expectancy that the Lord can bring victory despite what it “looks like” in the natural. We must stand upright on the promises and faithfulness of the Lord and trust completely in His sufficiency and plans. When we stand in that place of faithfulness, others will see and be strengthened in their faith as well.

I choose to stand in faith.

Others may fall, others may collapse, but I will rise and stand upright on the promises and calling of the Lord God Almighty. Amen.

And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.
-1 John 2:28-3:1a

This evening as I read through the above text for this Sunday’s message, I remembered an event that transpired just last week as Rebecca and I visited my parents down in Monterey. I couldn’t help but draw a parallel between the two, and was encouraged as I meditated on this passage.

We drove down to visit with my parents who were down in Monterey for a convention: my dad was working, and mom was just along for the ride. As we went, we ended up having lunch at a table with a bunch of men that are from the same hospital as my father. Specifically, they work for my father as he is their boss. As I sat at the table, I was perfectly comfortable and relaxed: I was dining with my father and mother. These men were dining with their boss. They weren’t living in fear or trembling at His sight (now that would be a funny sight), but they were in a different state of mind than I was. To them, he was their boss. To me, he was my father.

We can walk with Bold Confidence…we are now children of God

So often we approach God with a sense of shame and worry. Am I good enough to come to God with my problems? Am I worthy to approach a Holy and Just God? The truth is, you aren’t. Our sin causes us to be unworthy to approach a Holy God. The good news? God’s fatherly love for us is unquenchable: Though we deserve it not, He provided a way through Jesus for us to be made right. When we abide in Jesus, and are born again (through an act of faith in Jesus), we are made right in the sight of the father. Instantly, we move from a place of sinful and unworthy, to a place of Righteousness and Worth. That is not to say that we won’t need to make some changes to our lifestyles, but in the eyes of our Father, we are now His children.

So many of us walk in timidity. We quake and doubt weather we can be used by God for anything of substance. The truth is spending time with the Father, though it once might have led us to have fear and doubt, should now lead us to have confidence and boldness. In Jesus, we have been made sons and daughters of God. We don’t have to fear His presence, but instead can walk in boldness as we approach our Father God.

We are children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We can walk in boldness: He accepts us not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus did for us. God is for us, and not against us. Let us walk in the boldness of God’s great love for us.

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
-1 John 4:9-10

What a season we have had these past few months!   God has been moving in the life of Lighthouse, and there are many good things to rejoice over.   Good moments and victories, thanks to the Lord’s providential foresight, often come before or during seasons of challenge.   I continually marvel at God’s grace and favor:  at how the Lord in grace gives us moments of rejoicing in the midst of trial and storm.   These past few months have brought the Lighthouse family great victories  and reasons to celebrate and praise God.  As a church we have had members added to our church, men and women give their hearts to Jesus, two beautiful new additions in our nursery, the gift of a new kitchen, and seen God’s hand of restoration in many lives.   Also, in and through our Life Groups, we have witnessed many people’s personal relationship with Jesus be revitalized, strengthened, and ultimately grown.   That is reason to celebrate!
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