Steadfast Hope: Embracing God's Promises Amidst Challenges
Devotional
Sermon Summary
Bible Study Guide
Sermon Clips
We need to be a people that are answering the clarion call to hope, to tell our stories, to pass along the good, the bad, and the ugly, and don't dwell on the bad and the ugly, but dwell on what Jesus did through it all. My people, my people. I like the sound of that. And when I looked that up in Hebrew, I was surprised. I was surprised because the Hebrew word for people signifies a collective group bound together in a covenant relationship with God. And in a broader sense, it can be, it can be applied to all of us who are in a covenant relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, his son, God, the father, God, the son, God, the Holy Spirit. [00:14:49] (71 seconds)
And the temple in Jerusalem was ruined and the presence of the Lord was not there because that's why he had built the temple so that the presence and when the glory of the Lord came in, the people couldn't even, the Levites even had trouble. But what the Lord reminded me is our story is beyond the cross. It's on the other side. we are on the other side of the cross and so the covenant relationship with Jesus Christ who we now know who he is and on the other side of the cross once the apostles got the word out once through the letters the epistles the new testament God the word out and we learned the other side and the significance of the cross in ways that we couldn't even imagine we are on the other side of the cross and when you says he's called by my name my people who are called by my name it underscores an identity and a privilege to be associated with God God's name in Hebrew it implies being summoned or named it signifies ownership and a special relationship with the owner indicating that the people bear his reputation and are representatives here on earth. [00:16:00] (107 seconds)
And we are called to live the kingdom life we are called to live in a manner worthy of the name that is above all names and when he said if my people would pray that's an act of communication with God on the other side of the cross we have direct communication the Lord of Lord the King of Kings and the Holy Spirit once we accepted once we said we want to be we want to be a part of the church we want to be a part of the church we want to be a part of the church we want to be a part of the church we want to have your name as an individual it was sealed inside of each and everybody and the contrary and the presence of god lies within us and the word says that we are the temple so now even though this is a beautiful temple it is part of the collective we are the temple now And in the communities and in our families, we must emanate when they see us. They must see the Holy Spirit and Jesus when you're called by his name, when you're called by his name. [00:17:47] (89 seconds)
And it says to seek my face. It implies that Jesus has an earnest desire for you to discover his presence in your life. The Hebrew word means to strive, to search after, seeking and seeking and not giving up, wanting an intimate relationship, not just a casual glance or not to know of Jesus, but to know Jesus, to have a relationship that when he hears my voice, he knows I know exactly who that is, Michael. I know exactly who that is, Rosie. He knows exactly who that is. And it's a vital component of seeking his face and being in oneness through the Holy Spirit. And when we come together collectively to pray, we collectively become one. My people become one in the spirit of a living God because we are one. We are on the other side of the cross. [00:19:15] (74 seconds)
When I was a little girl, I remember the first time I encountered the Lord, that intimate moment that I didn't know at the time what it was. There was an awful fight in my house. I was about four and I could hear the screams of my mother and I could hear the screaming of my father. And I got so scared that I ran under the bed and I was alone there and I hid. And all of a sudden, I felt these arms. I felt warmth. I felt an assurance. It was like, Mom, Dad, I said, when are you here? You're holding me? I'll never forget that moment. It's been years and I still remember the first encounter. But it wasn't until I was seven that I went to Catholic school and mother thought that would be a good idea in second grade. That's another story. [00:20:29] (79 seconds)
But I remember the nuns were special. special, and they didn't believe in disciplining the one who did. They believed in disciplining everybody, and they weren't nice about it, and so I used to run like I did when I heard the screaming in the house. I ran into the chapel. I would sit in the sanctuary, and there was always a statue of Jesus and a statue of Mary holding Jesus, and I would sit there and sit there and connect and connect, and the same feeling that I had back when I was forced, the same feeling I was getting when I was there, just staring intently, and if my people who are called by my name have an identity and a connection with me, they will always have that feeling. No matter what, all they need to do is to gaze on me because we're on the other side of the cross. [00:21:48] (60 seconds)
And you see, this passage reveals the heart, the heart and the promises that the Lord maintained with his people because, you see, this passage was a response to the prayers that King Solomon sent up to the Lord. He said, Lord, would you be there with our people no matter what? Will your presence always be with them? Will you answer their cries? Would you forgive them when they mess up? Because your word says you were supposed to be obedient. Sometimes that doesn't work out, but when we catch ourselves because we have the Holy Spirit saying, you want to think about that a minute? And we take it to the Lord and we confess. He will forgive, but we have to confess and repent. And it's done out of love because God is love. We learn that more and more on the other side of the cross when we've seen his work in our lives, in our families, in our communities, in our history. [00:22:53] (82 seconds)
Now, let me tell you something about the remnant of the people. In chapter six of Second Chronicles, and leading up, it tells of the celebration that they had of the completion of the temple. It talked about how the people had instruments and they worshiped and they praised instrument. The King David himself had fashioned and passed on to his son Solomon in anticipation that God would keep his promise and his son Solomon would build the temple. And so it was built on the plan with every detail. And the very people, the remnant of the people had forgotten that some of them may even had been involved in that celebration and brought back. How quickly we can forget our history. How quickly we could be there, see it, see it happen, witness it, and yet forget or not testify. [00:24:15] (63 seconds)
That's why when the children of Israel crossed over the river, they were able to see it. They were able to see it. They were able to see it. The children of Israel crossed over the river Jordan. They said, put down these rocks, Joshua 4, 12 rocks representing. And they said, why? So the generations won't forget that I brought you out, that the God of mercy and love and grace brought you out. You have to tell the stories. Because the Lord said, I will hear. I will communicate. I will respond to the prayers of my people. And I will listen with intent and attention. And I will forgive their sins, remove the guilt and restore the relationship. In fact, the willingness to forgive is a central theme in the scripture. It highlights his mercy and his grace, but it's a two -way street. You have to give it up and say, I don't want to go down and do this again, Lord. I've done it once. I don't want to do it again. [00:25:18] (72 seconds)
And it's through the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. It says, in our advocate, Jesus says, he or she's sincere. And the Holy Spirit, then I will help her or him to change. And he says, and I will heal their land. You see, when the Lord heals, he heals not just the land, but spiritually, emotionally, and physically. He's the same God yesterday, today, and he is tomorrow. and so we need to understand we need to encourage because what the writers of chronicle the writer ezra what he wanted to show the people that god has been faithful throughout history to deliver those who cried out to him some of the people in the remnant despaired may have been some of the same people that were crying out to god and don't even realized he had answered because sometimes when god answers prayer you want to call it a coincidence you want to test it out to see if it's really him you want to take ownership well if i was the one i did this i don't touch god's glory because it's not about you and that's why sometimes you'll pray and it takes a while to get it right and it takes a while to get it right and it takes a while to get it right a while because God is working all the details out. [00:26:30] (96 seconds)
So when it comes to pass, it will be without a shadow of a doubt. Who did it? And most importantly, it's because of his love, because of my people who are called on by my name. I will heal him. Has God kept promises to you? Have you cried out to him and he's delivered you? And give him thanks daily. Thanksgiving is not just one day out of the year. It's every day. It's every moment. It's every waking moment. And I know some of my people who are called by my name, even in their sleep, they're praying for you. And I know some of praying thank you. Even their dreams, they're saying thank you. Share your stories. Give your testimonies. My people are perplexed in times of uncertainty. Perplexed. It says in 2 Corinthians, I like the way Paul wrote. He said, we're pressed down on every side by troubles, but we're not crushed. We're perplexed, but not driven to despair. [00:28:06] (91 seconds)
It sounds sweet in my ears and it's a fragrance. And my nostrils. That if my people who are called by my name will sing and worship, trust me brothers and sisters, he hears. And to him is a sweet, sweet sound. And so it doesn't matter if you can't carry a note. I'll share something with you. I played the violin for four years and I was tone deaf. And you said how did you play the violin? I said I was tone deaf. Ow. Did you? I didn't pick up the violin. I said I had the young boys in the class tune it up for me. And then I would watch the girls in the class where they position their fingers and that's how I play for four years. And that's how I played for four years. And despair, despair is an absolute. sense of hope. And that's why God says, my people who are called by my name need to have hope. They can be perplexed in times of certainty, but not discouraged. Can get a little rocky sometimes, but they remain steadfast, anchored in the promises of God. [00:31:09] (94 seconds)
And if you're alone in a hospital room or alone online, know this, that God's love can still flow through you. So whoever enters the room, better watch out because you may be hit by someone who's showing you something you have rarely seen is that unconditional love. And this Thanksgiving, as we go into the holidays, there are people in our lives that are hard. to love. And I'm going to ask you now to pray and to ask the Lord to show them to you as he sees them. Because you see, God's people are seen by God. He sees your potential. He doesn't see you as you are now. He sees how you're evolving more and more and more until you fulfill the likeness of Jesus. It's not a mystery. You have the power through the Holy Spirit that dwells within you. Hope, to find, is a visionary picture of a preferred future that is transformed by the power of God. Transformed by the work of the Lord. [00:34:14] (92 seconds)
You know, hope is the ability to see beyond where you are and to know that God has better for you. Hope is the ability to see yourself as God sees you and to know that God has a better, more perfect picture of you if you trust him. You see, in Romans 8, 24, it says, for we are saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For why does one still hope for what they see? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. So if you don't see yourself in this moment as God sees you, persevere. Persevere. Because he will make the lens clearer and clearer. On who he designed you to be and who you are. Not who your mentors told you you are. Not who your parents told you you are, which are all good if it's positive. But sometimes out of love, people will say some harsh things to you. But the Lord always speaks to you in love. [00:35:45] (82 seconds)
I was wondering at times, why do you love me? Why do you love me? Why do you love me? Why do you love me? Why do I have a pity party? And I turned to Psalms 43, 5, and I saw where the Psalms said the same thing. He was having a pity party. And he says, why, my soul, are you downcast? Why are you so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Sometimes you have to do an introspection. Sometimes you have to remind yourself to put your hope in God. You have to remind yourself to stand firm. Sometimes you have to ask yourself, why am I in despair? Why? And let me tell you something about your why's. The Lord will always answer. And sometimes when you step into a room or step into the presence of someone that you see in their eyes, they seem downcast and you say something that the Lord told you to say. [00:37:11] (68 seconds)
Ask a question about this sermon
And the temple in Jerusalem was ruined and the presence of the Lord was not there because that's why he had built the temple so that the presence and when the glory of the Lord came in, the people couldn't even, the Levites even had trouble. But what the Lord reminded me is our story is beyond the cross. It's on the other side. we are on the other side of the cross and so the covenant relationship with Jesus Christ who we now know who he is and on the other side of the cross once the apostles got the word out once through the letters the epistles the new testament God the word out and we learned the other side and the significance of the cross in ways that we couldn't even imagine we are on the other side of the cross and when you says he's called by my name my people who are called by my name it underscores an identity and a privilege to be associated with God God's name in Hebrew it implies being summoned or named it signifies ownership and a special relationship with the owner indicating that the people bear his reputation and are representatives here on earth. [00:16:00] (107 seconds)
And we are called to live the kingdom life we are called to live in a manner worthy of the name that is above all names and when he said if my people would pray that's an act of communication with God on the other side of the cross we have direct communication the Lord of Lord the King of Kings and the Holy Spirit once we accepted once we said we want to be we want to be a part of the church we want to be a part of the church we want to be a part of the church we want to be a part of the church we want to have your name as an individual it was sealed inside of each and everybody and the contrary and the presence of god lies within us and the word says that we are the temple so now even though this is a beautiful temple it is part of the collective we are the temple now And in the communities and in our families, we must emanate when they see us. They must see the Holy Spirit and Jesus when you're called by his name, when you're called by his name. [00:17:47] (89 seconds)
And it says to seek my face. It implies that Jesus has an earnest desire for you to discover his presence in your life. The Hebrew word means to strive, to search after, seeking and seeking and not giving up, wanting an intimate relationship, not just a casual glance or not to know of Jesus, but to know Jesus, to have a relationship that when he hears my voice, he knows I know exactly who that is, Michael. I know exactly who that is, Rosie. He knows exactly who that is. And it's a vital component of seeking his face and being in oneness through the Holy Spirit. And when we come together collectively to pray, we collectively become one. My people become one in the spirit of a living God because we are one. We are on the other side of the cross. [00:19:15] (74 seconds)
When I was a little girl, I remember the first time I encountered the Lord, that intimate moment that I didn't know at the time what it was. There was an awful fight in my house. I was about four and I could hear the screams of my mother and I could hear the screaming of my father. And I got so scared that I ran under the bed and I was alone there and I hid. And all of a sudden, I felt these arms. I felt warmth. I felt an assurance. It was like, Mom, Dad, I said, when are you here? You're holding me? I'll never forget that moment. It's been years and I still remember the first encounter. But it wasn't until I was seven that I went to Catholic school and mother thought that would be a good idea in second grade. That's another story. [00:20:29] (79 seconds)
But I remember the nuns were special. special, and they didn't believe in disciplining the one who did. They believed in disciplining everybody, and they weren't nice about it, and so I used to run like I did when I heard the screaming in the house. I ran into the chapel. I would sit in the sanctuary, and there was always a statue of Jesus and a statue of Mary holding Jesus, and I would sit there and sit there and connect and connect, and the same feeling that I had back when I was forced, the same feeling I was getting when I was there, just staring intently, and if my people who are called by my name have an identity and a connection with me, they will always have that feeling. No matter what, all they need to do is to gaze on me because we're on the other side of the cross. [00:21:48] (60 seconds)
And you see, this passage reveals the heart, the heart and the promises that the Lord maintained with his people because, you see, this passage was a response to the prayers that King Solomon sent up to the Lord. He said, Lord, would you be there with our people no matter what? Will your presence always be with them? Will you answer their cries? Would you forgive them when they mess up? Because your word says you were supposed to be obedient. Sometimes that doesn't work out, but when we catch ourselves because we have the Holy Spirit saying, you want to think about that a minute? And we take it to the Lord and we confess. He will forgive, but we have to confess and repent. And it's done out of love because God is love. We learn that more and more on the other side of the cross when we've seen his work in our lives, in our families, in our communities, in our history. [00:22:53] (82 seconds)
Now, let me tell you something about the remnant of the people. In chapter six of Second Chronicles, and leading up, it tells of the celebration that they had of the completion of the temple. It talked about how the people had instruments and they worshiped and they praised instrument. The King David himself had fashioned and passed on to his son Solomon in anticipation that God would keep his promise and his son Solomon would build the temple. And so it was built on the plan with every detail. And the very people, the remnant of the people had forgotten that some of them may even had been involved in that celebration and brought back. How quickly we can forget our history. How quickly we could be there, see it, see it happen, witness it, and yet forget or not testify. [00:24:15] (63 seconds)
That's why when the children of Israel crossed over the river, they were able to see it. They were able to see it. They were able to see it. The children of Israel crossed over the river Jordan. They said, put down these rocks, Joshua 4, 12 rocks representing. And they said, why? So the generations won't forget that I brought you out, that the God of mercy and love and grace brought you out. You have to tell the stories. Because the Lord said, I will hear. I will communicate. I will respond to the prayers of my people. And I will listen with intent and attention. And I will forgive their sins, remove the guilt and restore the relationship. In fact, the willingness to forgive is a central theme in the scripture. It highlights his mercy and his grace, but it's a two -way street. You have to give it up and say, I don't want to go down and do this again, Lord. I've done it once. I don't want to do it again. [00:25:18] (72 seconds)
And it's through the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. It says, in our advocate, Jesus says, he or she's sincere. And the Holy Spirit, then I will help her or him to change. And he says, and I will heal their land. You see, when the Lord heals, he heals not just the land, but spiritually, emotionally, and physically. He's the same God yesterday, today, and he is tomorrow. and so we need to understand we need to encourage because what the writers of chronicle the writer ezra what he wanted to show the people that god has been faithful throughout history to deliver those who cried out to him some of the people in the remnant despaired may have been some of the same people that were crying out to god and don't even realized he had answered because sometimes when god answers prayer you want to call it a coincidence you want to test it out to see if it's really him you want to take ownership well if i was the one i did this i don't touch god's glory because it's not about you and that's why sometimes you'll pray and it takes a while to get it right and it takes a while to get it right and it takes a while to get it right a while because God is working all the details out. [00:26:30] (96 seconds)
So when it comes to pass, it will be without a shadow of a doubt. Who did it? And most importantly, it's because of his love, because of my people who are called on by my name. I will heal him. Has God kept promises to you? Have you cried out to him and he's delivered you? And give him thanks daily. Thanksgiving is not just one day out of the year. It's every day. It's every moment. It's every waking moment. And I know some of my people who are called by my name, even in their sleep, they're praying for you. And I know some of praying thank you. Even their dreams, they're saying thank you. Share your stories. Give your testimonies. My people are perplexed in times of uncertainty. Perplexed. It says in 2 Corinthians, I like the way Paul wrote. He said, we're pressed down on every side by troubles, but we're not crushed. We're perplexed, but not driven to despair. [00:28:06] (91 seconds)
It sounds sweet in my ears and it's a fragrance. And my nostrils. That if my people who are called by my name will sing and worship, trust me brothers and sisters, he hears. And to him is a sweet, sweet sound. And so it doesn't matter if you can't carry a note. I'll share something with you. I played the violin for four years and I was tone deaf. And you said how did you play the violin? I said I was tone deaf. Ow. Did you? I didn't pick up the violin. I said I had the young boys in the class tune it up for me. And then I would watch the girls in the class where they position their fingers and that's how I play for four years. And that's how I played for four years. And despair, despair is an absolute. sense of hope. And that's why God says, my people who are called by my name need to have hope. They can be perplexed in times of certainty, but not discouraged. Can get a little rocky sometimes, but they remain steadfast, anchored in the promises of God. [00:31:09] (94 seconds)
And if you're alone in a hospital room or alone online, know this, that God's love can still flow through you. So whoever enters the room, better watch out because you may be hit by someone who's showing you something you have rarely seen is that unconditional love. And this Thanksgiving, as we go into the holidays, there are people in our lives that are hard. to love. And I'm going to ask you now to pray and to ask the Lord to show them to you as he sees them. Because you see, God's people are seen by God. He sees your potential. He doesn't see you as you are now. He sees how you're evolving more and more and more until you fulfill the likeness of Jesus. It's not a mystery. You have the power through the Holy Spirit that dwells within you. Hope, to find, is a visionary picture of a preferred future that is transformed by the power of God. Transformed by the work of the Lord. [00:34:14] (92 seconds)
You know, hope is the ability to see beyond where you are and to know that God has better for you. Hope is the ability to see yourself as God sees you and to know that God has a better, more perfect picture of you if you trust him. You see, in Romans 8, 24, it says, for we are saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For why does one still hope for what they see? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. So if you don't see yourself in this moment as God sees you, persevere. Persevere. Because he will make the lens clearer and clearer. On who he designed you to be and who you are. Not who your mentors told you you are. Not who your parents told you you are, which are all good if it's positive. But sometimes out of love, people will say some harsh things to you. But the Lord always speaks to you in love. [00:35:45] (82 seconds)
I was wondering at times, why do you love me? Why do you love me? Why do you love me? Why do you love me? Why do I have a pity party? And I turned to Psalms 43, 5, and I saw where the Psalms said the same thing. He was having a pity party. And he says, why, my soul, are you downcast? Why are you so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Sometimes you have to do an introspection. Sometimes you have to remind yourself to put your hope in God. You have to remind yourself to stand firm. Sometimes you have to ask yourself, why am I in despair? Why? And let me tell you something about your why's. The Lord will always answer. And sometimes when you step into a room or step into the presence of someone that you see in their eyes, they seem downcast and you say something that the Lord told you to say. [00:37:11] (68 seconds)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Nov 26, 2024. Do you have any questions about it?