Standing Firm Brings Hope!

Have you ever had to stand up for what you thought was right? I have. Why do we choose to stand up for what we believe is right? How do you decide what makes something right? Do you rely on what others tell you or do you rely on your own thoughts? Have you ever backed down on what you thought was right? I have. If so, why did you backdown? Are there matters you know to be right that you know you will never backdown on? There is for me. Do you believe there is a higher authority that decides what is right? I do. Let me share with you what I learned.

I believe the current world thinking is contrary to many things that I know to be true. I struggle with the direction that my country and the world is headed. It seems to me that several things I know to be true the world says are not. I have based my knowledge on several things. I base it on what science says, which is interesting because the world will say the same thing about what they believe is true. However, it is not science alone that I will stand firm upon. There are also historical facts, like the truth about what has happened in the past such as the death of Jesus of Nazareth on a cross. And my most reliable bases for truth comes from the Word of God. I can rely upon it because of who God is. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6 (ESV) It is upon this that I will stand firm unless I chicken out.

You may ask why is it important that I stand firm on the Word of God. I stand firm on the Word of God over all else because it is the only accurate source of truth. It is completely reliable. It is never wrong even when my feelings do not agree with it, which occurs sometimes with me. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13 (ESV) It is by this standard that I choose to stand. “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 (ESV) See also Ephesians 6:10-18.

As I look at some of the sixty-two verses in the Bible that talk about standing firm, I find hope. I have hope for my future. I have hope for that fallen world. I must stand firm on the Word of God.

Satan and the world however have been trying to discredit the Word of God from the beginning of time It started in Genesis three when Satan said to Eve “Did God really say? Nations and leaders have tried to destroy it. People have tried to discredit it, but today it is still the bestselling book in the world. My Pastor Troy Dobbs from Grace Church Eden Prairie gave a great message last Sunday on the authority of God’s Word. I encourage you to listen to or watch it online. It will give you ways to stand firm. It will help you to understand the importance standing firm and believing there is only one way to eternal life.

I pray you will you join me in standing firm on the Word of God even when you do not feel like it. I know that feelings can often times be deceiving. I would also encourage you to seek Jesus for He is the only option there is to get eternal life. This is to me the greatest possible hope. In doing so, I believe we will have hope and joy during our everyday lives. Understanding that Jesus Christ allows us to access eternal life, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) This will allow us to have hope. At the same time understanding you will live eternally knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ and this will bring you the greatest hope. Because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied the penalty for sins. His payment satisfies all my sins from the past, the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because holiness shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.

If you have not read my previous blogs, you can find them here.

You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here.

eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google.