The Spiritual Hope

” Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10:39

Christians like the rest of man are filled with desires and wants. It is part of who we are in the natural. The free will God has given man allows us to do what we see as best. If man was wiser, we would all be like Jesus and choose God’s perfect will (Matt26:39). But we are not and we don’t. Life decisions should be easy but are often clouded by the love for things we have here that compete for our heart space. If we allow ourselves to get attached to the things here, we will find that our will for God’s things, those things that really matter, is weak and expresses itself in a rather shallow way. This is when the desire for the things and experiences in this life gains greater value than being with and knowing God personally. Lost to us in the pursuit of what we see as important to our natural mind is the simple truth that God is the one who truly can satisfy our souls.

“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” 1 Peter 2:11

Having dreams and desires is not wrong until we put then above God and His perfect will. We have a choice to make. Moses did too.  Moses was confronted by a tremendously difficult choice. Unlike most of us, we won’t ever have to choose between God and riches, fame, unlimited pleasure and power but Moses had this decision to make. Raised as Pharaoh’s son he was heir to part of the empire which at that time meant most of the world. If Moses said yes to the world, he would gain what most people believe are the most important things in life, security, wealth, pleasure, power and fame. He would have the best and be able to reach out and take more if he wanted to. Perhaps he would become famous and have stone monuments craved out in his image. For most people this kind of a choice would be hard to say no to and many would think it would require no thought at all. What could be better than to have all the best of this life? But there must be more to this question than because Moses wasn’t a fool. He grew up in privilege so he was educated and able but he chose not to accept.

From Moses’ example, we can see that the decision to abandon Egypt didn’t happen in a moment but grew out of Moses’ experience with God. Faith is the ingredient that leads us to trust God. Without faith we won’t fully believe in God and what He says. Moses’ life teaches us that we must allow God to grow our faith through trials and His word. God will lead us in to trials so that we are unable to overcome then we will turn to Him in faith. He will use this time to change us for the better (James 1:1-4). If we are to say no to this world, not following in its thinking and actions (Rom 12:2) than we must believe that God is going to do what He says. Therefore, faith is a key ingredient to turning from the world to God. Stop and ask yourself is there an area in your life where you are making the decisions because you want to make sure you get what you want, not what God wants. Have you trusted God 100% and are willing to live by this decision? If not ask God why? Make time to find this search. We often can’t see our own weaknesses, but God knows.

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
Psalms 4:8

Blessed are those who are able to sleep well. God separated daytime from night time; we work during daytime, while we rest and sleep during night time. While resting and sleeping,
we do nothing and it is like switching off the engine of a machine which stops all activities. However, the human body does more than that during the time when we rest and sleep. Our human body recuperates and “repairs” itself. When we wake up, we feel fresh and are ready for the day’s challenges.

Nowadays, more and more people are suffering from insomnia; some do not even know the reason why they cannot sleep. That said, one major reason why people are having sleeplessness is because they have anxiety; they feel insecure as if their lives are being threatened and they have no words to describe the kind of fear they have.

Emotion can affect our sleep; we can have people who lose sleep because they are so worried about the situation they are in and some can be so happy till they forget to sleep. Among all, the most worrying is sleeplessness caused by anxiety and those suffering from it eventually resort to taking sleeping pills to help them make it through the night. However, taking pills does have the side effect and when he wakes up, he does not feel fresh…because it is not a natural form of sleep.

David who was always surrounded by problems, his life once threatened by the invading army of King Saul and was even betrayed by people close to him, said, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep.”, just like the baby falling asleep in his mother’s arms and need not have to worry about anything else. David did not resort to sleeping pills because he knew God, and by having God, he dwelt in safety.

By the same token, we who have Jesus will sleep in peace and can feel the warmth of His embrace even though we are surrounded by all sorts of problems. Jesus is our strength and will grant us peace. He knows our limitation and in petition to Him with thanksgiving, He will see us through all difficulties.

“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”
Philippians 4:4

Having joy is the best medicine for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being physically and mentally strong. People become ill physically because they have problems with their mental health i.e., they are not happy and feel sorry for themselves and need anti depression pills to help them keep going.

Indeed, if there is such a business whose product is “happiness”, then it should be the best selling product in the world. People misunderstand that it is only possible to have joy and happiness if we have a lot of money, and only people who are well accepted and honored by their community can be joyful and happy.

In perspective, there is more happiness in this world that people can consume but that is worldly joy and is unsustainable; people are longing for a kind of happiness which can satisfy their hearts’ desires to replace a sense of emptiness and lost in their life. This is proof that money cannot buy true happiness in life.

Habakkuk, a preacher before the birth of Christ, and Paul a preacher in the New Testament, both have the same thought about happiness. We can be happy even though we are surrounded by unfavorable circumstances. We can be joyful amidst disappointment or things do not go our way. This kind of joy and happiness is heavenly and cannot be bought with all our possessions. This joy is permanent and is from God which is able to replace all our emptiness.

Both Habakkuk and Paul felt the same, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”

Rejoice then in the Lord always and again I say, rejoice. Jesus is the well which springs happiness and is a well which will not go dry. Today, let the joy of God be our strength.

“The waters coming down from above…flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, (the Dead Sea)…” Joshua 3:16

There is a place in Israel which is 15 by 75 square kilometres and 400 metres below sea level, which is called the Dead Sea or the Salt Sea. The content of salt here is very high and the water is saltier than the normal seawater by ten times. The water also contains other kinds of minerals which makes one able to float without much effort.

The reason why the sea is called the Dead Sea is because water that flows into the sea is trapped there and it cannot flow to anywhere else. Today, tourists all over the world come to the Dead Sea because they want a taste of “no-drowning” experience while swimming in the Dead Sea and to purchase items extracted from the sea.

Apart from knowing that this place has the saltiest seawater and being the lowest sea in the world, we should also learn the reason why this place is called the Dead Sea. In perspective, it is very difficult for fish, other living creatures or even plants to survive in water with such high content of salt. In Thailand, we nickname those who are stingy and selfish as “salty”. Those who know how to receive yet refuse to give are like the Dead Sea which is so different from the Jordan River and Sea of Galilee whose water continuously flows and are filled with living creatures.

One who only thinks of taking advantage of another person and does not have compassion for the under privileged will be in sorrow and will not have many friends. Jesus taught us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Therefore if we wish to be blessed, look for opportunities to encourage those who are in need, share with those who are in short supply and grant opportunities to those who deserve it. By doing that, our lives will be “sweet” rather than “salty”.

“A man’s spirit will endure sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?” Proverbs 18:14

When we feel discouraged and our spirit is down, we become physically weak even though we are strong and healthy. To drive our life forward, we need courage. A person who is courageous is daring and is not afraid of being in an unfavorable position.

Children grow up with the encouragement of parents, teachers and peers. We turn to them for guidance especially when we are in despair, disheartened and need advice. We receive encouragement through three different ways.

Firstly, we can be encouraged by certain individuals who care about our well being. In perspective, as human beings, there can be moments when we may be feeling down and out. That said, just about the right time, apart from God, we could have friends who will come forward to offer us much needed encouragement.

Secondly, we receive encouragement from our own self. Do not look down on our own self but be conscious that we may not have utilized our full potential and there are actually a lot more things we can do. It is just that we have not tried it out or dare ourselves to face the challenge. It is important to think and talk positive and not always lament. Otherwise, before we even begin a task, we have already lost the battle.

Thirdly, our encouragement comes from God. God reminds us, “Do not fear, be courageous, for I am with you.” For those who are weak, God gives this promise, “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31)

Today, if you are discouraged, stay positive. In as much as we need encouragement, prepare to offer encouragement to those who need it. For those who give, God will return manifold. God will be with us when we need Him most.

“May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me – may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day! – and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.”
2 Timothy 1:16-18

Paul wrote to Timothy and mentioned to him about this kind-hearted person named Onesiphorus. Paul was impressed by Onisephorus’s good deed and said what he did “often refreshed me”. Imagine after a long day under the hot sun, how refreshing it can be if we have someone bringing us a cold towel to wipe away our sweaty face and cool us down; this is exactly how Paul felt when Onesiphorus helped him each time.

Paul went through hardship, was persecuted, faced false accusation, was imprisoned and sometimes went without food. In the midst of such difficult times in life, Onesiphorus appeared with a cold towel. He came to Paul and offered him words of encouragement and got involved in the works of the ministry. He also visited Paul in prison and was dedicated in everything he did. For all he did, it can only be Jesus who can reward him for all the good deeds he did, and the reward will be handed down during the day of judgement.

We need people like Onesiphorus, people who are not selfish but are willing to dedicate themselves to support the works of good people. Indeed, we should offer our support to our fellow human beings who are doing good for the society by offering words of encouragement, raise their morale so that they can raise their bar and do even better in order to uphold common interest.

As Christians, besides doing good, we should also be supportive of the activities of those who are doing good, especially those working in remote and dangerous areas where volunteers are hard to come by. People may not have recognized what we do but our God certainly has, and on that very day, He will prepare the rightful reward for us.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!” Psalms 139:23

David was not only a mighty king, he was a great spiritual leader too. In this world, we come across many great leaders with good administrative and managerial skill but their spiritual life is in shamble. Indeed, it is a privilege to have someone who is smart and morally strong to guide us and act as our leader.

David knew well that before he could be a good king, he must first guard his thought and be careful of what was conceived in his heart. Those who failed in self-control is unlikely to be successful in managing people.

David diligently searched his heart and made sure that what he was thinking and doing was not against God’s will. He was also mindful about having good governance, so that his people could live a peaceful and progressive life. David did not only do checking by himself, he asked God to search his heart so that his thinking was righteous and he had God’s approval of what he intended to do.

It is because of such humility in David that God was in favor of him. David did not depend solely on his knowledge but he sought God’s counsel before making any decision. As a result, for David, meditating upon God’s word was not a choice but a must.

Our heart should be like a well fertilized bed filled with good soil and every plant that is planted on it will grow well. On the contrary, if we allow bad sapling to be planted in it, what grows out of it will be bad. Indeed, if we meditate upon the word of God, we shall reap righteousness. Let us therefore allow God to search our hearts and instill in us His thought and turn us into His worthy vessels..

“Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” Psalms 139:10

In Psalms 139, David expounded that God is everything to him, omnipotent and omnipresent. God is the Almighty and his protector, never too far away when he is in need of help. David spoke about God’s hands, a symbol of power, love, mercy and grace which were by his side wherever he went and irrespective of the state of condition he was in. David went through a lot, either in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death or by the stream of living water; no matter what, God’s presence was ever with him.

God’s love is manifested through His hand to all who dedicate their lives to Him. He acts on His words and everyone who is in His embrace will feel safe and secure. David referred to God’s hand in two aspects:

• God’s hand leads us. He directs through His teaching so that we shall not deviate from the truth. God leads from the front so that we shall not go astray.
• God’s hand holds us. He makes sure we do not slip while walking on slippery path and handholds us so that we remain on the right path. We are saved today because God’s hands are holding us tightly and when we fall, His outstretched hands will help us back on our feet.

Today God gives us the assurance that His hands are around us and He is there to provide what is best for us. His pair of strong hands will hold on to us whenever we are weak. Indeed, He will never let us slip out of His hands.

Scripture: “Though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.” Proverbs 26:26

Hatred is not evil if we hate the “right” thing such as lies, corruption, covetousness, drunkenness, insincerity, injustice etc. But if we hate doing what we are supposed to do such as performing a good deed and love doing what we are not supposed to do such as instigating racial disharmony, sowing seed of discontent and hatred within a community, using religion as a front to create disturbance, or even hating one own self and blaming his own fate, that kind of hatred is destructive.

Whatever the reason for hating someone, the consequence of it is unfavorable. No one with hatred can have peace of mind. From hatred it develops into bitterness and from there, prompts one to harbor ill intention and a revengeful mindset. Meanwhile, there are people who appear to be doing good but are insincere. Because they just can not let go such bitterness, they live a miserable life.

Hatred is cancerous, it will destroy relationship within family, destroy communal living, destroy unity within a nation and last but not least, destroy own self. The best medicine for curing hatred is love and the source of eternal love is God. Because of God’s love, we can deal with hatred and not let ourselves be overwhelmed by such negative feelings. May God find our hearts filled with love and no hatred for others, thus making us His worthy vessels for building His everlasting kingdom on earth.

“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” Proverbs 25:28

The value of a human is priceless and we should give our utmost in protecting as well as preserving such value. Without a wall, it is difficult for us to resist materialism, worldliness, self-centeredness, indulgence in trend and pattern of the world.

That is why it is important for us to build a wall of self-control and one that will help us preserve human value. Paul said, “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness…” (2 Peter 1:5-7)

If we love our life and preserve our human value, make sure we build a strong wall to fend off what is of the flesh.