GOD’S WORD GIVES US HOPE

 

PSALM 34

I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.
² I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
³ Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together.

⁴ I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him are radiant;
    their faces are never covered with shame.
⁶ This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷ The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers them.

⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
⁹ Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.
¹⁰ The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
¹¹ Come, my children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
¹² Whoever of you loves life
    and desires to see many good days,
¹³ keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.
¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are attentive to their cry;
¹⁶ but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to blot out their name from the earth.

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,
    but the Lord delivers him from them all;
²⁰ he protects all his bones,
    not one of them will be broken.

²¹ Evil will slay the wicked;
    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
²² The Lord will rescue his servants;
    no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. NIV

During these times, when there seems to be no hope and it seems like evil is winning and we are losing hope, we need to trust that God has the final say.  He is in control.  When I say that God is in control, does that mean that we are robots and he is controlling all of us?  No.  One of the greatest gifts God gave to man was free will but God is ultimately in control to the extent that His will and His promises, will be accomplished here on the earth.  Evil can only go so far because, remember, evil has an expiration date! 

There is a pressing, a pressure, occurring now because of the tribulations that people are going through all over the globe.  Just like the olive or the grape needs to be pressed to achieve the ultimate product--- wine and olive oil, so the heart of man needs to come to the end of himself in order to be encouraged to “look up” to His Creator.  The Lord had to discipline the Israelites so many times when they would go astray.  Our world has gone astray and we know that before Jesus returns in His glory, there will be the greatest harvest that ever was and ever will be and God’s glory will be made manifest throughout the earth! Isaiah 60:2 NIV See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.

When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”  Luke 21:28 NIV

THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!  ALLELUIA!!

Marcella Ward    March 23, 2022

Author of “Stolen Identity: Plan of the Evil One”