Hope

This year has, at times, felt hopeless. The things we knew as normal ceased to be normal, and there seems to be no end in sight. Medical professionals have worked around the clock, putting themselves in harm’s way, parents have become teachers, teachers have had to start from scratch, business owners have closed their doors, churches have sat empty. Loved ones fought illnesses alone in hospitals, and countless people lost their jobs. It is as if the life we once knew ended and a new one began, one that was much harder. Nothing about this last year has been easy, and almost everything has had to be relearned.

But there are a group of believers, God’s people, who lived, about 2,400 years ago, 

through something much worse than Covid and lock downs. These people, who walked before us, 

were taken/torn from their homes and relocated to a foreign and pagan land. They were forced to learn 

a new language, eat new foods, work day and night, be separated from their loved ones, and give up 

everything they knew as normal. And yet, all these hardships were part of God’s plan. He planned for 

His people to endure a time of hopelessness for His purpose. The Jews were forcibly taken in groups 

from Israel to Babylon, and in these groups of captives, we find familiar and important characters like 

Daniel or Jeremiah the prophet. 

 

Nestled into the book of Jeremiah, there is a message to these exiles. What did God want the people

who had no hope to know? Instead of a lecture or a long list of grievances, He surprises them with

the following call in Jeremiah 29: 

4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all 

the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem 

to Babylon:  5 Build houses and live in them; plant 

gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons 

and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your 

daughtersin marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; 

multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the 

welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, 

and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare 

you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the Lord of 

hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and 

your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do 

not listen to the dreams that they dream, 9 for it is a lie 

that they are prophesying to you in my name; 

I did not send them,” declares the Lord. 

God calls the hopeless people to live with hope. 

 

  “Taking wives, having children, and planting gardens” 

 are all actions that take time and would not take place without a hope for the future. So, He called them to live in action of hope regardless of their feelings. Why? Because they were not without hope. No one who knows the Lord is without hope regardless of the circumstances. God’s view of their condition was outside of their condition. He saw how it all fit into His plan, and He did have plans for them, even if it did not feel that way.
 

 

He called them to do happy things, live like joyful people, 

not like people in despair even 

though they really were in despair. 

 

He goes on to say,

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years 

are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, 

and I will fulfill to you my promise 

and bring you back to this place.  

11 For I know the plans I have for you, 

declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not 

for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  

12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, 

and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and 

find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Why be happy? Why make plans? Because God has plans. God’s plans always for a “future and a hope.” 

 

Because even in the darkest of times, 

we have the hope of eternal life, 

the hope of redemption, and that is simply enough.

This year has been challenging, seemingly hopeless. No one would disagree with that. But we have a Savior, who sees outside of time, and He is in control; therefore, we do have hope. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.” Because of this, we can live as those who have hope. We can have times of happiness, times of joy, even in a pandemic. In this new year, 2021, we should plant a garden, marry and have children, but most of all, we should manifest the hope that only comes through the Lord. 

Even If...... Part 1

Last week we learned the steps downward to second best and we saw how to avoid this course away from God’s best.  Yet in these passages, Israel still chooses 2^nd best.  So what now? What does God do with 2^nd best Christians? Is it too late? Let’s just say for a moment that you have found yourself living a 2^nd best life.  Let’s say that you checked into the 2^nd best motel and you really aren’t sure how you got there.  Maybe it happened so fast you didn’t realize it, or maybe it seemed normal until you read these articles.  Maybe seeing the truths of Scripture in Israel’s choices illuminated your own life choices and you see it wasn’t what God really had planned for you.  So let’s look at these texts to see what truths we can learn from Israel’s period of life lived in 2^nd best.  Even if we’ve chosen second best, even if we made poor choices, even if we have veered off the path………

Truth 1: God still sees YOU!

1 Sam. 10:17-21

 

A closer look at these verses show us specific ways God sees us:

1.     He sees you personally- 1 Sam. 10:21

God brought out each tribe, each family until He reached the individual.  Do you feel like you’ve failed in the choices you’ve made? Have you chosen 2^nd best? Even if you have, God still sees YOU.  He knows YOU.  Making wrong choices does not render us invisible to God.  Saul was God’s second choice for Israel and yet He still saw Him personally. God still knew His name.

2.     He sees you privately- 1 Sam. 10:22-23 

       When they called for Saul, he was nowhere to be found so they asked the Lord where they might find him.  God knew exactly where Saul was even though he was hiding.  I’m sure Saul felt safe that no one knew where he was but even in hiding, God saw him.  What I’ve noticed about 2^nd best Christians whether they are there by choice or by accident, they usually decide that what their doing isn’t seen by God anyway so it no longer matters.  May I encourage you that if you have found yourself entrenched in 2^nd best then start obeying right where you are! Start serving in the little things even though they seem hidden. I can assure that God DOES see them and He DOES know!

 

Truth 2: God still helps YOU!

1 Sam. 11

Now Israel is under attack from the Ammonites and they are in grave danger. And even though Israel had chosen 2nd best God still helped them!

1.     God gives you his presence – 1 Sam. 11:6

Even “Second best Saul” was filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to do His work.  If you have found yourself on 2^nd Best Street, God has NOT left you! He will still fill you!

2.     God gives you his power – 1 Sam. 11:11

This battle could not have been won without the Lord’s power.  2^nd best doesn’t equal powerless.  

Please join me again tomorrow for part 2 of "Even if"! 

Second Best part 6

Thank you for sticking with me to the end, however as I was preparing for this week's Bible study, God led me to the sequel to the "Second Best" series.  I'm hoping to get those up soon, so be on the look out for the series entitled "Even if".

In this final step downward towards second best and away from God's perfect will, we see Saul who has been anointed privately as King and he has been given 3 signs that will come to him as he leaves that will show him that all of this is real.  His final sign is where step 6 to second best is found.

Step six: Change is only temporary

(1 Samuel 10:9-16)

God gave Saul a new heart and gave him the gift of the Holy Spirit even though he was 2^nd best.  Before we go any further, let me stop here and point out that God can still use anything to bring Him glory, even if it’s second best.  God still cared for Saul, God still used Saul; it just wasn't what He intended as His best plan for Israel.   This change in Saul was only temporary because when he got home, he didn’t tell his uncle about everything that had happened, and we have no record of whether he went to meet Samuel like Samuel had asked him (I Sam. 10:8).  

Often when believers head down this path to second best, they experience change but it doesn’t last.  God’s best for us, God’s first choice for His people is a heart that is forever changed by presence of the Almighty God.  Who was God’s best choice for Israel? David. What is he called in Scriptures? A man after God’s own heart.  David had a life that was truly changed by God.  His change wasn't temporary, it was lasting!

 

We can look at these 6 steps and that walk downward towards 2^nd best, and we can trust that the opposite to these steps would also be true and we can climb back upward towards His perfect will for our lives.

Step 6: The living God can change us and it allows that change to stick.

Step 5: We can walk by faith and drive out fear with God’s Word.

Step 4: We can be real and genuine to others and to ourselves.  Transparency and keeping a short list of wrongs is vital.

Step 3: We can nourish a relationship with the living God and look not on the appearance of men.

Step 2: We can be faithful in church attendance, to Bible study both at alone and in our groups, and we can seek and listen to those that are our mentors.

Step 1: Finally, we can keep our eyes on Jesus alone no matter the circumstances that pull at our gaze.

In closing let us consider these truths evident in this passage.

Even though Israel chose 2^nd best:

1.     God was still present.

2.     God still heard them.

3.     God still loved them.

4.     God still used them.

5.     God still ultimately called them back to His first choice, back to His best.  

May God give us strength to climb back up to His best! 

Second Best Part 4

Thank you for being patient and hanging on for each of step of this 6 step journey. I hope that you will stay with me to the end and see the big picture that God reveals to us! If you are just now joining us, I invite you to go back and read "Second Best parts 1-3".  They can all be found at: http://www.rebekahshaffer.com/#!blogposts/mainPage.  To quickly recap, Israel made choices that led them off of God's path headed for His very best only to find themselves comfortable with second best.  Each of the previous 3 steps downward built on each other.  Each one naturally led to the next.  Think of it this way; if I am driving my car on a straight road and I let go of the steering wheel and allow the car to be in control, what happens? 9 times out of 10 my car will begin to veer to one side of the road and if left out of control it will eventually crash.  However, if I take the wheel again and physically adjust it in the right direction, the car will return to the road it was supposed to be on.  With each of these steps (I take my gaze of Jesus, I ignore the warning signs and don't heed the advice of the wise, My appearance and the appearance of others becomes the priority) the Nation of Israel veered farther and farther from God's perfect will for them.  Today we will discuss their actions evident in step 4 and step 5.

Step four: Dishonesty is ordinary to myself and to others

(1 Samuel 9:15-27)

Why is it that Saul told Samuel that he was from an insignificant family when in fact he was from a very wealthy and well-known family?  Why begin his relationship with Samuel with dishonesty?  I believe that Saul’s dishonesty is a reflection of his “religious” heart.  Saul wasn't against the things of God, but he did not have a relationship with Him. Saul thought nothing of  "casual dishonesty".  He blurred the lines of truth without any thought to it.  When we live a life where the lines between truth and lies are blurred we are destined for God’s second best.  This is so evident in our culture.  Where is truth today? Truth has become relative and subjective leaving many believers today in a path of second best.  For example, when Science and Scripture appear to disagree, we mold Scripture to fit science instead of re-examining Science to find it's flaws. Isn't God the author of science anyway? Why would He contradict Himself? Christian families don’t teach the absolute truths to their children and what we end up with is a generation of saved men and women who are happy with 2^nd best.  How can we have God's best in our lives if we do not acknowledge the absolute truths of God's Words?  We must choose God's best by being real and genuine with ourselves and to others.  We must also be unashamed of the Truth's in God's Word.  We must consume them and then live them out in our lives.  If we can say Satan is the "father of lies" then we can also say that God is the "author of truth".  If only Israel had taken the wheel and adjusted their lives to again line up with God's path. 

Step five: Faith is weak/Fear Controls

(1 Samuel 10:1-8)

I have found in my Christian life that great faith leads to great triumphs.  In this passage Saul left Samuel and was given 3 signs that would prove to him that God had chosen him to be the king. Can you imagine the fear and uncertainty that Saul would have had? He had been caring for his father’s cattle and did not have any connections with the things of God and now he was going to be the first king of God’s people?  Many times when we are on a path for second best, we need signs from God, just like Saul did, because our faith is weak and we are controlled by fear.  Let me stop here and say that I'm not saying that God does not use specific events, etc. to move us or stop us, it is when we refuse to act in faith because we are controlled by our fear.  When we choose second best, we don’t do the hard things, the big things, and the impossible things because we lack the faith in God to carry us through them.  2^nd best Christians usually avoid things that require faith and trust and when it becomes unavoidable for them because of their circumstances, they begin again seeking God’s best for their lives.  Remember that "God does not give us the spirit of fear".  Fear comes from Satan and we must walk by faith driving out fear with Word of God.  

Have you picked up on the reoccurring theme in this entire series? Time spent in God's Word! It is the foundation to God's best in our lives! I don't know any Christian who neglected His Word that ended up with God's best in their lives.  Daily nourish your soul by reading your Bible and spending time talking to Him in prayer.  

I hope you will be back for the final step in Second best and the final truths that wrap up all of these passages. 

Link to Second Best Part 3

Follow this link to Part 3 in it's NEW home on my web page
http://www.rebekahshaffer.com/#!second-best-part-3/ceb5

Second Best: Part 2

Welcome back for part 2 of "Second Best".  If you read part one then you know that God had a plan for Israel to be ruled by a Monarchy but they didn't want to wait on His best, David, and instead they demanded AND settled for God's second best, Saul.  Have you ever seen in movies a scene where people are on a mountainous trail headed to a destination and they left some sort of marker every few feet so that those behind them might find the way? Well, Israel is on a similar journey in these passages only they are on a path that leads AWAY from God's perfect plan, God's first choice, and instead they are headed to 2nd best.  We are uniquely blessed to have these markings given to us in Scripture as warnings and IF we choose to learn from them, we can avoid the downward path away from God's perfect plan for our lives. 
In part 1 the first and most crucial step was keeping our eyes on Jesus. No matter the disappointments of those around us, no matter the hurts, no matter the jealously, we must not lose focus of Christ! But what if? What if you did lose that focus? Israel did and they DEMANDED a king and they demanded him NOW. So Samuel took their request to God and God told him to allow it, only warn them first of the consequences of getting what they asked for, the consequences of second best.  Here is the marking they left for us, found in 1 Samuel 8:10-22. 

Step two: Ignore any warning signs and don’t heed the advice of the wise

This passage for a long time puzzled me because I was always under the impression that if I was walking along God’s path and making choices within His will and then made a choice against His will that my new path became His will.  I thought that somehow it would all be ok in the long run, that He would change His mind and give me His best anyway.  But from this passage we see that God allowed the Israelites to have what they wanted even though it was NOT His perfect will. 
The new path they were on was NOT His best for them but it was the path they chose in spite of His warnings.  They ignored the words of God through his messenger Samuel.  How many of us have sat and listened to the words of God through His messengers, our pastors, our Bible study leaders, our wise mentors, and yet we still choose wrong or worse completely ignore the warnings?
Can you see the steps downward to second best? First a believer gets hurt or disappointed by someone close to him or her, a pastor, a teacher, or even another church member.  Then, they stop attending church altogether where God’s word is being taught and in doing so they empty their life of godly advice.  Like the plug in a drain that is pulled, so their lives are drained of the input of godly wisdom.  Don’t we all know someone who is caught in this cycle? Haven’t we also been on these steps downward?  Can these believers live a life that appears happy? Yes, but is it truly God’s best for them? No. 
Do you want God's best for your life? For the lives of your children? Then don't ignore the godly counsel of your mentors, your parents, your pastors, your teachers.  Don't let your gaze be pulled off of Jesus and then turn away from the council of God's messengers. 

I have had the opportunity to "audit" the real-life ministry of my parents for 20+ years (better education than a seminary degree;) then I've served in my own ministry for more than 13 years now and do you know what pattern I see? Hold on now, buckle your seat belt lol I see believers, who have MIGHTY potential to be used for God and something happens.  They are hurt, disappointed, blindsided, or they even make a poor choice and it derails them in the blink of an eye. Now, am I making light of hurts and disappointments? Not at all, I understand, believe me I understand! It's in this derailment that their gaze takes a horizontal angle.  The next thing that happens is they stop attending church, any church, or they cut off those who speak the truth of God's Word.  This is the same pattern that Israel found them self in and they were not receiving God's best. 

Friends, keep your eyes on Jesus and faithfully stay in church, in your Bible study (both personal and collective)! Don't settle for 2nd best! Don't let your kids settle for second best in their life! Stay tuned for part 3 of 6, because step 3 is a doozie!

Second Best Part 1

I want God's best for my life. I want His best for my children. I want to live in His perfect will and not outside of it.  I don't want SECOND best, or anything beyond that for that matter.  Unfortunately, we as Christians find ourselves derailed and off the BEST path that God had planned for us and instead we settle for something good, something that just o.k. Are you tired of second best? Maybe you have found yourself far from God's best and you aren't quite sure how you got there.  Did you know that the nation of Israel had this very same problem? They settled for second best when they refused to wait for God to give them David as King, and they demanded Saul be their King.  Fortunately, they left us a trail. In the passages in this account in the book of first Samuel, we see the trail that led them away from God's best for them.  We are left with a choice; learn from the trail they left and stay on God's best path for our lives, or make the same mistakes they did. This will be a 6 part blog series that I hope you will stick with me for each step.  Each step we look at will be a crucial mistake that Israel made on their path away from God's best and we will learn from their mistakes so that we can stay on course to God's BEST in our lives. 
--> It was not that God had not planned for His people to be ruled by a king; it was not that He didn’t love His people with His life; it was all about His timing and His plan.  He had all of these details worked out for their future (See 1 Sam. 2:10) only they could not wait for it, they needed it now and they got exactly what they asked for.  God made allowance for them and stepped aside as they ushered in the rule of the monarchy, unfortunately it was only God’s second best, not His first choice.

-->Step one: My gaze becomes vertical instead of horizontal

(1 Samuel 8:1-9)

Distractions that pull our gaze away:

   

a.     Disappointments and Hurts- 8:1-4

What a bigger disappointment than to  have   your own children make bad choices? Samuel was in that very position.  Looking back at Eli and his sons, Hophni and Phineas (2:22), Eli shared in the blame for the spiritual state of his sons.  He knew of their sin and even participated in it at times, and therefore he bore the responsibility for the rebellion of his sons.  However, in this passage 8:2, it doesn’t say that Samuel was a partaker in the sins of his sons. In fact it says they were NOT like their father.  They made bad choices in spite of what they had been taught.  Can you imagine the disappointment that Samuel felt? The hurt? Because of these disappointments Israel demanded a “new” way to be led.  

They allowed these hurts to pull down their gaze; off of the Lord and onto man.  Can Satan use our own children to cause us to choose second best in life? Can Satan use our closest friends to get our eyes of Christ? Can he use our spouse? The answer is a resounding YES!  If we all could say we have a “panic” button that when pressed we become paralyzed in service for Christ, then that “panic” button would certainly be the hurts and disappointments of those closest to us.  Does it shake your faith when someone you love walks away from it? When your pastor falls into sin? Why does that shake our faith? Is it possible that our faith is not focused on the only one who NEVER disappoints, Jesus Christ?  Don’t allow your disappointments, your hurts to pull your gaze off of the Jesus.

b.     Jealousy and Envy – 8:5

These two ugly monsters are so destructive.  It’s interesting the Jealousy and Envy can pull down your gaze as well as they can be the result of taking our eyes off Jesus. Israel saw the others around them and they wanted what the other nations had.  It’s the “pasture is greener on the other side” mentality.  Unfortunately when we allow Jealousy and Envy to infiltrate our hearts, we always take our eyes off Jesus and choose second best.  When you feel the root of Jealousy growing inside of you, confess it immediately! Ask God to give you strength to keep looking up! Confess it to a mentor if you continue to struggle with it and ask them to be your accountability partner.  Jealousy left unchecked and allowed to grow WILL destroy you!  It will lead you down a path that is not God’s best for you!

The nation of Israel allowed hurts, disappointments, jealousy, and envy to lead them to second best.  The antidote for this is simple: Keep your eyes on Jesus! Even if someone hurts you? Even if your closest loved ones disappoint you? Even if your pastor lets you down? YES! Do not allow anything, and I mean anything to pull your focus off of Jesus because as surely as you do, you will start settling for second best. Stay tuned for step 2 to second best and how we can conquer it!