Tag: hopelessness

Ephesians 2:12 ” Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.”

The deepest abyss a human can know is to be without hope…and separated from God.  For the unbeliever, all hope ends at death…there is nothing else to cling to.  And fear manages to erode away at what little time they do have here on earth.  Without hope there is only dread and despair…without God there is only emptiness.

James 1: 2-4 ” Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

What exactly is perseverance, and how do we develop it through exercising our faith?  Perseverance is hope under pressure…its not allowing surrender or giving in to trials.  Perseverance is the purpose in which we reach the goal of spiritual maturity.

Psalm 90:8 ” You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.”

This morning I read a very interesting article in the paper about how dark secrets are impacting many Believers, and the lack of responsiveness from the Church. Many are burdened down with shame, guilt, and the feeling of hopelessness for sins and addictions they feel they cannot talk about, especially in Church. Instead, they allow the silence to bind them up, unable to break free of the secret sin that has them in its grip. But sadly, it’s also the lack of addressing real issues, that has the Church falling short. Jesus never skirted issues…He always called them for what they were. We may think our sin is “secret”…But God sees all, and now is the time to bring the light of His truth into the darkness.

II Coronicles 20:15 “…this is what the Lord says to you:’Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.’ “

We look at the insurmountable struggle in front of us with a sense of dread and hopelessness, knowing we’re not up to the battle. But the Lord is not asking us to do the fighting at all. He wants us to simply watch while He contends on our behalf. So, take your eyes off the battle, and put them on Him.