From The Pastor’s Desk: “Our Hope Is In The Lord”

by | Aug 19, 2021 | The Pastor's Desk | 0 comments

Our Hope Is In The Lord
Psalm 85:4-9 (KJV)

4  Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.

    • God is love, but the sins of humanity can cause God to become angry with people.
    • This world is so corrupt!  As in the days of the Bible, God will display His wrath and punish people when they become too depraved.
    • Looking at the bigger picture, the world could be in trouble with God which could be the reason for all of the problems we are experiencing.
    • If so, we need to entreat God for salvation (deliverance) and repent so that God will relent from His anger.

5  Wilt thou be angry with us forever?  Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?

    • If God is angry with the world, how long?  We can manage to have people angry with us, but we cannot survive having God angry with us.
    • If God is angry with the world, His anger will not cease until the world experience mass repentance.
    • If God is angry with the world, let’s pray for His mercy especially for innocent children—the upcoming generation.

6  Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

    • As believers, we need to be revived, and I am not talking about a few nights in a Church Revival.
    • Our thinking has become divinely misaligned.  God’s thoughts are often far from our thoughts (Is. 55:8-9).
    • Most of us (including me) want to be happy, but we can only rejoice if God revives us.

7  Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.

    • We need God’s mercy!  When we experience God’s mercy, God chooses not to punish us the way we deserve to be punished.
    • Therefore, we should pray and ask God to “show us His mercy.”
    • We also need God’s salvation (deliverance).
    • Our lives are in constant danger.  Only God can save us from the perils of life.

8  I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

    • We need to hear what the Lord is saying.  We are leaning too much unto our own understanding (Prov. 3:5).
    • When we hear and do what the Lord is saying, He will speak peace into our lives.
    • Once we have been delivered, we must make up our minds to never return again to our nefarious status (folly).

9  Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

    • Praise God that we still have hope.  In other words, we are not in a hopeless situation. 
    • If believers would collectively earnestly manifest fear (reverence) for God, God’s salvation is nigh. 
    • Instead of a pandemic or plan-demic, God’s glory may dwell in our land again.

My beloved, I woke up this morning meditating on the above Scriptures, and I felt inspired to inform and encourage each of us with the insight God breathed upon me as I mused on them.  Our hope is not in man or anything that man can do; instead, “Our Hope Is In The Lord,” so let us keep hope alive individually and collectively by adhering and applying Psalm 85:4-9.

Memorandum

Worship Celebrations:  We currently have two Worship Celebrations (each is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes) every Sunday:  9 a.m. at the North Campus and 11 a.m. at the South Campus.  We encourage everyone to arrive at least 10 minutes beforehand to be seated safely and comfortably.  Temperatures are checked, hand sanitizing is urged, social distancing is applied regarding where people shall sit and walk, wearing masks are now mandatory (Contra Costa County requires people to wear masks for indoor gatherings), utilization of restrooms is restricted to 2-4 people at a time (depending on the size of the restroom), and congregating before and after Services is prohibited.  Moreover, our 11:00 a.m. Worship Celebrations are live-streamed (YouTube and Facebook), and a podcast is available each Sunday at 2 p.m. or thereafter via our website (sjmbc.org).

Church School:  We encourage everyone to participate in our Church School which convenes online Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.  For more information, please visit our website at sjmbc.org.

Pastor Edification Month:  August is Pastor Edification Month!  I thank God for the monetary gifts and love expressions (in person, mail, and online) that so many of you have shared with me.

Tithes And Offerings:  Praise God for each of us who have been supporting St. John financially.  We currently give in person during Sunday Morning Worship Celebrations, by mailing or dropping off our Tithes and Offerings at our Administration Building or South Campus, or by giving online through our website (sjmbc.org).  If you are financially able but not supporting St. John financially, allow God to bless you with more by giving today your Tithes and Offerings.

May God bless and sustain each of us.

Your Servant In Christ,

 

Dr. Kevin B. Hall, Pastor

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