The Spiritual Hope

“It does not matter! I am happy about it—just so Christ is preached in every way possible, whether from wrong or right motives. And I will continue to be happy.” Philippians 1:18 (GNT)

You can be happy in life if you don’t let other people control your attitude.

In Philippians 1:15-17, Paul talks about different kinds of people who are affecting his ministry while he is a prisoner in Rome. There are some whom he considers comrades and encourage him in his ministry. Others are criticizing, competing with, or conspiring against his ministry.

“Some of them preach Christ because they are jealous and quarrelsome, but others from genuine good will. These do so from love, because they know that God has given me the work of defending the gospel. The others do not proclaim Christ sincerely, but from a spirit of selfish ambition; they think that they will make more trouble for me while I am in prison” (Philippians 1:15-17 GNT).

Few things rob your happiness faster than being criticized or feeling like others are working against you. Why? Because we all want to be loved. We all want approval. We all want people to like us.

Yet even with the negativity toward his ministry, Paul says in Philippians 1:18, “It does not matter! I am happy about it—just so Christ is preached in every way possible, whether from wrong or right motives. And I will continue to be happy” (GNT).

You don’t need other people’s approval to be happy.

You’re as happy as you choose to be! If others are unhappy with you, that’s their choice. If you haven’t earned someone’s approval by now, you’re probably not going to get it—and you’re going to be miserable if you try to live for the approval of everybody else.

Paul later explains in verses 29 and 30 why you can be happy no matter what: “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it” (NLT).

Paul says it is a privilege to suffer when you’re doing the right thing, because that’s when you’re most like Jesus.

Don’t let what other people say or do control your happiness. Your joy comes from the Lord!

That which was from the beginning, That which we have seen and heard, Wrote John in his First Epistle, He was speaking of the Word.

In God there is no darkness, For God is the glorious light, In whom we may have true fellowship, If so be it we walk in the Light.

If we say we have no sin, we are liars, Denying that that we chose to transgress. Yet if we confess and forsake our rebellion, A fresh start, in the Spirit, God grants us no less.

True fellowship with Christ brings joy, Inwardly to our heart and soul, Our past washed away and forgotten, Previously broken we have now been made whole.

John wrote that the love of God is perfected, In those whom keep Jesus’ word, Our deeds must match our profession, Anything less is simply absurd.

For a tree is known by its fruit, An illustration of the truth of the heart, Deeds demonstrate our character, Whether we be with God or set apart.

When in a state of rebellion, We are turned towards that which is dark, And thus, by default, rejecting our Saviour, That which is the life giving spark.

We ought all ponder virtue, It’s something we all ought to muse, Virtue is premised on choice, The clear ability to choose.

For it is in times of temptation, That our real self is made so clear, Do we choose good or evil? Are we far from God or are we near?

For without times of temptation, The opportunity to resist that which is wrong, How would we exercise good character? To be aligned with God being strong.

Man is the pinnacle of Creation, Able to reflect, reason and set goals, Yet, with the ability to make choices, Comes great risk to our souls.

Which is why we must be diligent, That we make choices that are best, Lest we are caught in deception, Walking wrong until the day we rest.

This present world is temporal, Our time here will soon pass away, It’s really a test of what we worship, Whether carnality or God’s holy way.

This life is an opportunity, To have true value set in our heart, Life is a gift not to be squandered, God’s kingdom, we can be a part.

Which brings us back to the beginning, To that which John saw and heard, Life that which is eternal, That one true and living Word.

James wrote that it is the implanted Word that saves us, Should we truly recieve it into our soul, It’s through repentance and faith we may enter in, A union with God, in love, being the goal.

“Few there be that find it,” Jesus warned those willing to hear, The world with all its distractions, Would prevent many from coming near.

Let’s reflect on what is life eternal, To truly know God and His Spirit above, Knowing God and Jesus whom was sent, United with God manifestly in love.

Jesus told his disciples…

Mar 4:11  And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mar 4:12  That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

The parables were a means to both veil and reveal truth. To those whom are given to know, the truth, and to those whom it is not given, mystery. A mystery is less likely to be opposed or manipulated because it is difficult to be offended by that which is vague or unknown. This is one reason that I believe that the Gospel parables we have with us today are accurate representations of those presented 2000 years ago. I also believe that the parables offer us validity that the message of the Gospels is divine in origin because they conceal and reveal deep truths which penetrate to the foundation of our souls.

In Luke we read…

Luk 8:5  A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
Luk 8:6  And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
Luk 8:7  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
Luk 8:8  And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Luk 8:9  And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
Luk 8:10  And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

So we have Jesus presenting a mystery to the hearer, a mystery presented as a parable, a teaching intended to reveal and conceal. Jesus reveals the meaning of this parable to his disciples…

Luk 8:11  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Luk 8:12  Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
Luk 8:13  They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Luk 8:14  And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Luk 8:15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

If we look briefly in Mark we can see how Jesus premised the understanding of all His parables upon an understanding of the parable of the sower.

Mar 4:13  And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

The parable of the sower is therefore very important and here is why. I believe it is because of this one statement…

Luk 8:15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Specifically…

AN HONEST AND GOOD HEART

Notwithstanding that the notion of “an honest and good heart” destroys the false doctrine of “birth depravity” (inability doctrine), but it reveals to us that the Word of God can only take root in those whom have honest and good hearts. Those by the wayside, those upon the rocks, those among the thorns are all representative of those whom have a deceptive and evil heart. Fruit is brought forth by those with an honest and good heart.

Therefore it would be prudent to consider how does one obtain an honest and good heart? It is very simple. We just have to be completely honest with ourselves and let the root of conviction wrought by our conscience take hold. If we do that then we can do this…

Jas 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

An honest and good heart brings forth the desire to abide in the truth. An honest and good heart necessitates the forsaking of all unrighteousness and a recieving of the truth within. Hence we are to lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and recieve meekly the word within which is what saves our souls. We open our hearts to God who then indwells us with His Spirit and energises us to walk in love and purity before Him. This is the new birth and this is real salvation.

The seed, which is the word, can only take root within those who wholeheartedly recieve it. Without a wholehearted reception of the word within it is only a matter of time before either doubt, temptation, or the cares of this world draw us away from God.

This is why Satan attacks the repentance message. This is why all the false religious sects and denominations and the false theological framework which underpins them attack the repentance message. The good and honest heart is a fruit of genuine repentance, a repentance wrought through a godly sorrow which brings such a crisis, such conviction to the soul, wrought through complete honesty as to one’s selfishness before God, an honesty to the true evil of what one has done (to
thesmselves, to others and to God) and how foolish one has been in allowing themselves to be decieved into such a state.

This conviction wrought understanding brings with it a motivation for righteousness, a true purging of iniquity from the heart, bringing with it the possibility to wholeheartedly yield to the grace of God in recieving the word within. This conviction brings us into possession of the good and honest heart, the fertile soul in which the seed of God can grow.

Deceptive theology will always compromise the notion of the honest and good heart, and in so doing an individual can be subtly deceived into a state of assurance whilst they lay by the wayside, upon the rocks, or among the thorns. We have to make sure that we are rooted in both the understanding and possession of an honest and good heart and that we remain diligent that we remain rooted in such. If we do this we will not only live but live abundantly.

“And is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:23-24

Christians believe that there is a god. Therefore, Christian living is not only about living a life according to the teaching of God but is also about having a relationship and close fellowship with Him. The centre of Christian living is to worship God. In worshiping, we give reverence and respect to God by lifting His name above all else. The verse from John 4:23-24 indicates the way we should worship God and we also get to know His desire to seek such worshippers.

The Samaritan woman was confused which was more sacred as a worship place, Samaria or Jerusalem? The debate focused on the place of worship rather than worshiping the one and true God. But she realized that the essence of worship was not about being ceremonially religious but was about worshiping God in spirit and in truth. The Samaritan woman also learnt that God sought those who worshiped Him in earnest.

Whilst it is desirable to have a sanctuary with proper proceeding in worshiping, it does not mean that without these elements, we cannot conduct any worship. Worship is not dictated by place and substance prevails over form. In Romans 12:1-2, “I appeal to you therefore…to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”

Worshiping God is about being submissive to His will. As a result, what matters is what comes out of our heart. Indeed, worship can be in various forms; some have very strict proceeding and some can be very liberal but if we miss the essence of worship, that is to have a contrite heart and subject ourselves to His sovereignty, we are not the kind of worshipers whom God is seeking.

Today is the day of worship. Let us sing praises unto Him and praise His holy name. “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness”. (Psalms 29:2) Ask ourselves if we are one of the worshippers whom God is seeking!

The “heart” is a figurative description of the underlying motivating driving force of a human being, the “real us” so to speak. The “heart” is not a costume, mask, set of bullet points or some other superficial, surface or outwardly manifested thing. The “heart” is the inner core, center of being, foundation and root of a human being.

In Proverbs we read…

Pro 3:1  My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

It is via the “heart” that one is implored to keep God’s commandments. Consider that Jesus taught the first and greatest commandment was to “love the Lord thy God with ALL THY HEART, and with ALL THY SOUL, and with ALL THEY MIND.”

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 

Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment.

The second was then to “love they neighbour as thyself” and it was upon those two commandments which hung “ALL the law and the prophets.”

Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 

In other words, the central theme of the law (ie. God’s rules) and the prophets (ie. admonition to forsake evil and follow God’s rules) is the fundamental principle of the “real us,” being our “inner core, center of being, foundation and root,” TRULY being established in the love of God.

The consequence of this, in the context of “cause and effect,” would be…

Pro 3:2  For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

This is because a life lived in accordance with genuine love produces good fruit. Diligent, productive and responsible living with an eye out for the well being of others. Benefits like optimal health due to responsible self care (ie. healthy diet and exercise). The benefits of good relationships due being patient, honest and caring. The benefits of being a productive member of society due to good work ethic, not injuring others, and always moving forward. The benefits of being a good example to others in that when things go wrong or are difficult one remains positive, hopeful and thus is NEVER defeated by the trials and tribulations of life.

A “long life” is certainly not definitive in the context of every individual (ie. tragedies occur) but it is certainly definitive in context as a general theme. Healthy and responsible living results in better outcomes than unhealthy and irresponsible living. Therefore a life rooted in a foundation of God’s law (genuine love) is profitable.

The Apostle Paul summed it up in these words…

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” Apostle Paul, Philippians 4:4-9

With that in mind contemplate on the wise words of Proverbs chapter 3… 

Pro 3:1  My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 

Pro 3:2  For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. 

Pro 3:3  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 

Pro 3:4  So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 

Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

Pro 3:7  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 

Pro 3:8  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

“I will continue to rejoice. For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.” Philippians 1:18-19 (NLT)

When things are falling apart, don’t try to work it out yourself. Let God put the pieces back together.

If you’re facing a problem, you’ve got two options: You can worship, or you can worry. That’s it! This is what I call the faith factor.

Paul says in Philippians 1:18-19, “I will continue to rejoice. For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance” (NLT).

In that one Scripture passage, Paul reveals several sources of strength for staying positive and happy in tough times. 

First, you have to keep God’s perspective about your problems. Paul says, “For I know . . .” It’s what you know that keeps you going. Paul knows God is working in the midst of his struggle, and he keeps God’s bigger perspective that helps him see past his problems.

Second, Paul has people praying for him, and that keeps him going. Knowing you have the support of other believers is like having wind to fill your sails. It keeps you from giving up.

Then he says, “The Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me.” The Holy Spirit also keeps Paul going. And the same Spirit that keeps Paul going is the Spirit that is working in you and helping you persevere as a follower of Jesus.

Finally, he says, “This will lead to my deliverance.” Paul has faith that God will work his problems for good. God is going to do his good work, no matter what you decide. But he also wants to see you growing in faith and showing him that you believe he can do it.

Because he has God’s perspective, the prayer of friends, the Holy Spirit, and faith, Paul chooses to “continue to rejoice.”

Make the choice to rejoice.

“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”James 5:7-8

We are living in a fast moving world and we always compete with each other and whoever is the fastest wins the race. Today, innovation is evolved around speed:- Our airplane, train and car are faster compared with the past and fast-food restaurants are mushrooming because people are rushing.

We definitely save time if we work fast and we are less tired if we travel by plane than by car. If time is the essence, it will be very productive because we achieve the expected result. On the other hand, from a life development perspective, doing things fast may not always be good. If we are on a fast lane but that happens to be the wrong lane, it can bring us grave consequences.

It can be a painful experience for someone if we asked them to wait and be patient. When we were children, we probably would have been counting the days when we could finish school, becoming adults and starting to earn money. However, there are stages that we need to go through if we are to develop properly as a person. These stages or phases of lifetime development are natural progression if we are to become strong mentally and physically.

Nowadays people prefer shortcut. As a result, a lot of things out there are fake, ostentatious and pretentious; what you see is not really what it is in terms of relationship building. It takes time to build one which is sustainable based on mutual trust and understanding, and getting to know each other well. In perspective, developing true friendship is a long term process. We also need to be patient if we are to aim for personal development. To improve ourselves mentally and spiritually, we need to learn from others and from our own experiences, knowing what our mistakes are and be prepared to make amends.

In doing God’s work, success is not measured by what we see but is about how much we allow God to work in and through us. Success is not only about quantity of work but about how we conduct ourselves as worthy Christians with quality Christian living.
Be patient and persevere! Do not give up but be firm on building sustainable success. By doing so, God will provide us with the rightful reward.

” And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.” And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God. ” Exodus 18:9-12

There are many ways in winning souls; whichever the way, the most important thing is the message and what we say to them. Indeed, faith comes from hearing the message of God but equally important is our deeds, the way we behave and how we act lend credit to the things we say.

This passage is about Moses bringing his father-in-law Jethro before God. Moses did not preach but he was more of a living testimony and he witnessed to his father-in-law in his own natural way. Moses was a humble man and his testimony was meaningful:

• He mentioned about help from the clutch of Pharaoh and the Egyptians
• He spoke about all sorts of help that he had received while journeying

After Jethro heard about what Moses had said, he rejoiced and believed in the God of Moses. He worshipped the Lord by offering sacrifices to Him and said there was no other god mightier than the Lord. Today there is good news for those who wish to win souls but do not know how to preach and feels uncomfortable in public speaking. We can learn from Moses who instead of preaching talked about his experience.

We can relate our experiences with God and how he has freed us from the burden of sin and how His help and guidance have come in time. People who hear what we have to say will therefore praise the Lord. Although there are people who will hesitate to receive the good news, the seed of faith has nevertheless been sown and one fine day when they encounter problems, they will remember what we have told them. Our duty is to speak the truth and God will do the rest. Let us arise today and be His witnesses.

In the Epistle of Jude we find a very prudent statement.

Jud 1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Jude implores the read to “keep themselves” in the “love of God.” The opposite, of course, would be “not keeping ourselves” in the “love of God”

Obviously the “keeping ourselves” is something that we must do, it is not something that another does for us.

Jude connects the “keeping ourselves” to “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Compare that sentiment to the sentiment of Paul in Romans 2 where he speaks how God is going to render to each person according to their deeds…

Rom 2:6  Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Rom 2:9  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Rom 2:10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Rom 2:11  For there is no respect of persons with God.

So with Paul we have “eternal life” to those  who “patiently continue in well doing.” So we know that “well doing” is connected to “remaining in the love of God.” Now take a look at this…

2Th 3:3  But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
2Th 3:4  And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
2Th 3:5  And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

So here we have the Lord faithfully establishing us by directing our hearts into the love of God, something in which we are to keep ourselves. By keeping ourselves, we patiently continue in well doing as we patiently wait upon Christ.

What are we waiting upon Christ for? The answer is His mercy in granting us eternal life, a hope yet to be reaped.

Tit 1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Tit 1:3  But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

Eternal life is for those whom truly love God, those whom endure temptation and yet remain faithful. Very much like a human marriage, faithfulness, fidelity and love.

Jas 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Those whom love God obviously “keep themselves” in the love of God, that love being “manifest righteousness” shed abroad into the heart by the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost given to all those whom obey God.

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Is not the New Covenant a covenant of the love of God written upon our minds and in our hearts?

Heb 10:16  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

…which leads us right back to the mercy of God…

Heb 10:17  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Jud 1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Dear reader, can you see how genuine salvation is a manifest state of having been saved FROM sin, to have been delivered from evil itself, to have been established in the love of God, something in which we keep ourselves in remaining yielded to God’s influence whereby we love both God and our neighbour with all our mind, soul and body.

So let’s all examine ourselves in all honesty and with due diligence. Are we keeping ourselves in the love of God, have we even entered into it to begin with?

Please consider.

” Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ” Philippians 4:6-7

“Don’t worry” may be the most difficult command in the Bible to keep. Every one of us has broken that commandment. We break that commandment all the time, because it’s in our nature to worry.

Jesus said it like this: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34 NIV). The reason why you mess up today is because you spend most of your emotional energy regretting the past and worrying about the future.

But worry has never changed anything. Worry is worthless! It can’t change the past. It can’t control the future. Worry can only make you unhappy today. Every moment of your life you spend worrying is wasted.

Worry is focusing on your fears instead of trusting God. It’s practical atheism. When you worry, you’re acting like an orphan. You’re acting like you don’t have a heavenly Father who’s promised to care for your needs. You’re thinking it’s up to you to take care of your problems. That’s not in the Bible—that’s in self-help books. And it’s just not true.

If you’re going to break that habit of worry in your life, you’re going to have to learn how to focus on something else. Fasting—where you abstain from something for a certain amount of time and let your need draw you closer to God—can help you do that, and so can prayer.

The Bible says in Romans 8:6, “If people’s thinking is controlled by the sinful self, there is death. But if their thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace” (NCV).

You have to choose your focus. If you’re going to think your way, you’re going to get worried, fearful, and anxious. You going to have anxiety because you’re controlled by your sinful nature. When you’re focused on God, and you have God’s Spirit in you, you don’t worry. That leads to life and peace.

The key to overcoming worry is not to say, “I’m not going to worry.” That’s never going to work, because you’re focused on what you don’t want.

The key is to change the channel. Don’t resist it. Refocus. Put your focus on God, and trust in his love and promises for you.