Tag: hope

How to Know Hope When Facing Trials in the World

Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. And now will I shew thee the truth. Daniel 11:1-2

The messenger of God is standing before Daniel prepared to give Daniel a detailed account of events that are to come for the nation of Israel. The future includes years of tribulation and sorrow. There will be moments of severe distress for the nation before the time when God establishes His Kingdom on earth. The messenger begins with: 1. God is in control and 2. I will show you truth.

 

When heartbreak, trials, suffering, uncertainty all are before us; we need to know that very same message. We need to know that God is in Control and He will tell us truth. God has never said, “Everything is going to be easy here on earth. Follow me! I will give to you: health, wealth and success.” No, quite the contrary, He has said,

“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. I Peter 4:12-13

Throughout my life, I have learned to hold tight to these two truths with all my heart and soul.

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Can Joy Really Win On the Battlefields of Life?

 

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long; and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. Daniel 10:1-3 NKJV

 

In this life we face struggles, trials and devastating tragedies at times which tear at our hearts. When we look at all the tragedies surrounding us, we weep for those who are hurting. Devastating floods, angry mobs, corruption, terrorist attacks, poverty, cancer, and the unending list of battlefields surrounding our hearts and minds. What can we possibly do? Is joy something we should even hope for? Desire? Can we over shadow all the pain by clinging tight to joys of this world? Can we drown ourselves in success, money, things, friends, pleasures and trivialities to pretend that our heart does not ache? Or is there a different steadfast joy and hope on which we can cling to in the middle of this battlefield called life? An ember of joy that cannot and will not be destroyed. A tiny ember of joy living and abiding deep within the heart of each believer. That ember of joy, anchored tight to Jesus Christ, does not  allow our ship to crash when life’s storms crash around us.

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How to Have Joy and Hope By Understanding Truth

At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore, consider the matter, and understand the vision: “Seventy weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy. Daniel 9: 23-24 NKJV

There are times when we are fervently in prayer that we long to know the answer. We want to know that our feeble cries have been heard. We want to know that God not only hears; but, acts on our behalf. How comforting to read these words, “at the beginning of your supplications the command went out.” There was no delay in God commanding his angel Gabriel to go and reveal to Daniel that his prayers had been heard. There is no delay in God hearing our cries either. What was the first words from his lips, “I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved”. Greatly beloved. Are those not the sweetest words to our ears when we are facing trials? To know that I am greatly beloved by God. I am His Beloved Child! Secondly, the angel said, “consider the matter and understand the vision.” Perhaps the second greatest words when in the middle of the storms of life. God comes to comfort, to guide, and to help us understand the trial. Note, Gabriel did not immediate remove Daniel from captivity nor the people; but, he did come to help Daniel see the bigger picture. The gospel story that would come. He also helped Daniel to see the final victorious end of the story.

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Where Is Hope Found When Darkness Invades Our World?

Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations (deepest thoughts, contemplations) much troubled me, and my countenance (mental composure) changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart. Daniel 7:28

Daniel had been God’s instrument as the interpreter of dreams for Nebuchadnezzar. His faithfulness despite being a captive had lead him to a place of position within the courts of King Nebuchadnezzar, ruler over Babylon. Ultimately, King Nebuchadnezzar worshipped God. Then, came his grandson, Belshazzar, who had no respect for God. During a lavish drunken, sensual party; God wrote upon the walls those fateful words of Weighed, found wanting, and dissected as the army of the Medes easily took over the Babylonian empire fulfilling the next historical phase prophesied to King Nebuchadnezzar in his dream many years before. After Daniel told us of this historical event in Chapter 5 followed by the events in his own life under Darius in Chapter 6 that lead to Darius worshipping God; he now in chapter 7 reflects back to a prophetic dream that God had given to Daniel.

As, Daniel begins chapter 7, he writes “in the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, I had a dream”. He saw the winds blowing over the Mediterranean Sea and beasts that would come out of the sea, each different and each one devouring the one before. Each beast was more frightening and more ferocious  in nature until,

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What is the Only True Hope for Our Nation?

But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written. Daniel 5:22-24 (NKJV)

 

The Mede army was encamped just outside the walls of Babylon; yet, Belshazzar cloaked in his arrogance and false sense of security proclaimed loudly to all the people that there was nothing to fear. “No one could take down their mighty empire,” he declared with confidence. He knew the stories of his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar. He was well aware that Nebuchadnezzar had surrendered his heart to worship God. Yet, he did not take heed. While the Mede army was pressing in, Belshazzar called the people to a lush and extravagant party. This was a party filled with drunkenness, sexual immorality, and blasphemy against God. Indeed, they had all of the sacred golden goblets that had once been in the Temple of Jerusalem brought to the feast that they might drink their wine from them. While they were partying, declaring that all was good; the hand appeared and wrote these words upon the wall. “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN”— “Account, Account, Weighing, and Bisecting”. Belshazzar was suddenly filled with fear. He could not even read the words, nor did they make sense. But how did a large hand with no body appear and write this? What could it mean?

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