Dear SCC & Friends,
Do not throw away your confidence… ~Hebrews 10:35
Reflection #164
We are exhorted not to throw away our confidence, which means that we are very capable of doing just that. The Greek word for confidence is hupostasis which literally means what we stand under or our understanding. Confidence in God ignites our faith beyond ourselves. Think of David and Goliath… So often it is darkest before the dawn. The Philistine giant was an intimidating presence of overwhelming size, spewing daily taunts against Saul and his army. The Philistines could see Israel’s fear and sense that victory was at hand… David arrives on the scene, and at first glance, his confidence against the giant seemed arrogant, irrational and even suicidal… Why and how was he so confident? David’s testimony preceded his confidence… The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine… ~1 Sam. 17:37 David’s confidence in God made Goliath the “underdog”… This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you …that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” ~1 Sam. 17:46-47 God’s will and David’s will were intertwined…
If God is for us, who is against us? ~Rom. 8:31 We are never defeated unless we give up on God. The circumstances we ask God to change are often the very circumstances God uses to change us. The Lord gives us all we need for the moment. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. ~2 Tim. 1:7 Timidity erodes courage, lacks conviction and stifles confidence. The three-fold cord of power, love and discipline are a gift from God to apply in any and every circumstance. We will never know God’s strength until He brings us through deep waters. ~Spurgeon~ Through our God we shall do valiantly, and it is He who will defeat our adversaries. ~Ps. 60:12 We do not control the future, but we know the One to whom the future belongs… The Lord does all things well and our confidence can rest in Him both now and forever. Made for these challenging days… Keep up the good work!
Jesus is forever faithful,
Kevin