Encouragement

Favorite Scripture

by Lawrence Walkup 
04/08/14
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FAVORITE SCRIPTURE

by

Lawrence Walkup

Romans 15:13 says: 'May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.'

1 Cor 13:13 says: 'And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.' Love will always exist because the infinite God is love. But for us now on earth we also have faith and hope. Without having a clue what spirit really is, the best that we can do to perceive God is through faith and hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Because we live in a physical world, man tends to think that the physical is more real than the spiritual; and that's if he believes in the spiritual at all. That's why most people will laugh and scoff at the notion of the existence of such creatures as angels and demons. Because the spiritual is more real than the physical, 'we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal' (2 Cor. 4:18). The spiritual created the physical. 1 Cor 13:10, 12 tells us that for now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror, until perfection comes. Life on earth now and in the physical is not true reality. True reality awaits us.

The best and brightest of the lost will argue with you all day about the nonexistence of God because their understanding is limited only up to and within the realm of the physical. John 3: 3 says: 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.' We who have been born again, definitey know we have entered into something not of this world. However as we are still in this world and on this side of heaven, the invisible spiritual God grants us access to him and him to us, by his Spirit testifying with our human spirit. Because these are all things that can't be seen, God requires us to exercise faith and hope; also things that can't be seen. But don't forget, the things of God we can't see are more real than the things we can see.

Everyone has faith and hope in something. Proverbs 12:13 says: 'Hope deferred makes the heart sick.' This means without hope we will become sad or depressed. The lost can only put their faith and hope in what they can see; and according to Rom. 8:24, 'hope that is seen is no hope at all.' In contrast, the hope of God is something entirely different. Whereas the hope of the lost is built on ground without a foundation, the hope of God is built upon a rock. Whereas the hope of the godless perishes, the hope of God greatly encourages us because it is an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

The scripture in Romans tells us that God is the God of hope. And because we put trust in him, he fills us with all joy and peace. From being filled with all joy and peace comes hope that overflows. I don't know about you, but that sounds like heaven on earth to me.

I can't think of a more fitting and appropriate way to end talking about my favorite scripture, than to end with writing down the words to my favorite song: "Christ the solid Rock" by Benny Hester.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness,
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness hides his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace,
Through every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

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