How Many?

I hope everyone had a safe and warm weekend!  We had some snow in the morning on Saturday followed by frigid weather throughout the rest of the weekend.  The weather app on my phone read 11 degrees when I got up this morning although our outside thermometer in the backyard displayed a reading of 20 degrees.  I heard from family and friends on the West Coast that they were inundated with copious amounts of rain.  I guess winter really has come upon us after all! 

Something else that came upon me this weekend was the truth of God’s Word.  I admit that I was a little shell shocked with all the events surrounding the health of my wife over the last week or so and was faced with a lot of real possibilities that could shake my faith for her healing.  Just before I turned out the light for the night on Saturday evening, I read a portion in a book I’ve been reading that discussed the simple truth of Psalm 103 which begins by declaring: “Bless the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” (Psalm 103:2 KJV)

The author of the book was emphasizing the “forget not all his benefits” and then went on to point out the word “ALL” in the very next verse where it says that “He (Jesus) is the one who forgives all your sins, the one who heals all your diseases.” (Psalm 103:3 God’s Word ©)  Once again, the point being the answer to the obvious question of “How many?”  And the answer: “ALL”  Let me repeat that… “The one who forgives ALL your sins, the one who heals ALL your diseases.”  That makes it kind of clear wouldn’t you say?

Well, that is what was on my mind when I turned the light out and slipped into the sleep zone on Saturday night.  On Sunday morning I shared this scripture with my wife and explained to her what I was shown during the previous evening.  Then a few hours later as we participated in our home church’s Sunday morning service, I was set at awe when the Pastor began to talk about the very same thing.  After reviewing Psalm 103 along with many others that confirm the truth of this Word, he began to talk about how important it is to maintain our confession of faith.

He summed it up with a statement that really hit home for me as it was exactly what I needed to hear after all the events we had recently been through.  In conclusion he ended his teaching by encouraging us with the statement: “Don’t allow yourself to be separated from your confession,” which was precisely what I had been very tempted to do after all that I had seen happening to and all we had been through with Piper.  Isn’t God good!

He knows exactly what we need, when we need it, and who or what is the best messenger of His Good News!  So… I’m feeling more re-established in what we are standing for in faith, I know that His Word has the FINAL say-so in our lives and fully expect our circumstances to eventually line up with the Word that we are confessing and standing on… What about you?  Can you say the same thing?  

I encourage you to take a look back through your last few days and call to mind the things that have been coming out of your mouth and running rampant through your thought life.  Exactly what ARE you thinking about and confessing?  Does it point to the hopelessness of life or to the solid expectations of the truth that is contained in God’s Word?

Have a great new week!  Keep your eyes on or get them back on the truth of God’s Word… and as you do… keep asking yourself… “What or Whose expectations am I expecting today?”