As I am sitting here today I have had several thoughts about what is going on around us. The more I considered the different thoughts and observations I was having the word hopelessness come to mind.
Hopelessness is defined as a feeling or a sense of despair, a lack of hope. I am not hopeless but I think from what I can see that there are many who are struggling with hopelessness. As I was thinking about this, my thoughts went back as a child to singing in church the hymn entitled "The Solid Rock". I remember those words-
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
Edward Mote penned this wonderful hymn in 1834. He wrote what he knew and it is as real today as it was in 1834. Maybe even more so for so many who are finding themselves wrapped in hopelessness. Jesus has always been the solid rock for anyone who would call upon His name. The Apostle Paul put it this way in Acts 4:12 NLT
"There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved”
Recently we had a time in the church where we prayed for the persecuted church. The point we were making from what we understand about over 360 million Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ is that that they face lostness. Their persecution comes from the lostness of people to whom they encounter each day.
We don't and I hope we never do experience the hostility they suffer. We do need to pray for them. For spiritual and physical strength in the eyes of a world of hatred because of their faith in Christ. Yet, if you will read Matthew 24 as I did earlier today you will see that Jesus even spoke of what it would be like in the days to come.
He said in Matthew 24:9-10 as He was explaining the end to His disciples:
““Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other.”
One of the things I have come to understand about what He was saying and what other Scriptures tell us about the end times is that there is a lot going on over a long period of time. We have a difficult time understanding that today. We live in the instantaneous world of information.
Then Scriptures give us a very wide overview of the end times. Needless to say that we have a very hard time and honestly shouldn't even try to pinpoint some things. We do ourselves a disservice and forget about what we should be about. That is telling others about Jesus Christ.
The only hope for lostness that the persecuted church is suffering from is Jesus Christ. Now I believe that there can, are and will be times of revival. Yet in order for prophecy and the end to come things must and will get worse. There can be and let's pray there is a spiritual revival in our country. Because that is truly the only hope. It comes through us as believers being His witnesses. It also demands that we be good citizens who pray for our country and leaders as the Scriptures require us to do. We also MUST exercise the right the VOTE. Do not become complacent in your Constitutional right to casting your vote on any Election Day.
I do fear that complacency will and can have a affect in how people act. Well, Pastor my vote doesn't mean anything. Dear friend, yes it does. More importantly so do our voices as believers have an affect on those around us and our communities.
Stand firm and strong it what you know and believe.
In God's Grace,
Elbert Nasworthy
