One of the things I was thinking about on my return from Bristol is how absolutely tired I am of negative Christianity. My dad was driving me back to the station and we discussed something quite profound - that the only one thing more contageous than negativity is enthusiasm. The more I thought about it on the train - the more convinced I became this is true. It was so significant then that I received an email from "Enjoying God Ministries" - the site Sam Storms writes.
Within the email he wrote this;
Because of Jesus Christ: the perfection of his life, the sufficiency of his death, the power of his resurrection, the certainty of his return, God’s answer to your questions is always and ever, “Yes!”
“God, will you answer me when I call (Ps. 4:1)?” Yes!
“God, will you be my refuge in the face of my enemies (Ps. 7:1)?” Yes!
“God, can you actually make known to me the pathway of life (Ps. 16:11)?” Yes!
“God, will you be for me fullness of joy and pleasures evermore (Ps. 16:11)?” Yes!
“God, can I count on you to be my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my shield and my stronghold (Ps. 18:2)?” Yes!
“God, will you be there, with me and for me and beside me, as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Ps. 23:4)?” Yes!
“God, will you satisfy my heart with ravishing revelations of your beauty (Ps. 27:4)?” Yes!
“God, if I delight myself in you alone, will you truly grant me the desires of my heart (Ps. 37:4)?” Yes!
“God, does your steadfast love endure all day long (Ps. 52:1)?” Yes!
“God, will you be the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Ps. 73:26)?” Yes!
“God, what of your promise not to deal with me according to my sins or repay me according to my iniquities (Ps. 103:10)? Is that really true?” Yes!
“God, is it true that your mercies never come to an end; are they literally new every morning (Lam. 3:22)?” Yes!
“God, will you continue to sing over me with joy and delight, in spite of my brokenness and weakness and immaturity (Zeph. 3:17)?” Yes!
“God, are you really committed to orchestrating all things in my life for my ultimate spiritual good (Rom. 8:28)?” Yes!
“God, will you always comfort me in my affliction so that I may be equipped and qualified to comfort others in theirs (2 Cor. 1:4)?” Yes!
“God, are all the spiritual blessings in heavenly places already and absolutely mine (Eph. 1:3)?” Yes!
“God, will you always be present to do for me far more abundantly than all I can ask or think (Eph. 3:20)?” Yes!
“God, if I work out my salvation with fear and trembling, can I know with unassailable confidence that it is you who are already at work in me to will and to do for your good pleasure (Phil. 2:12-13)?” Yes!
“God, if I pour out my heart to you with thanksgiving, will your peace guard my heart now and forever (Phil. 4:6-7)?” Yes!
“God, is it still the case that you plan on sanctifying me wholly, in spirit and soul and body (1 Thess. 5:23)?” Yes!
“God, are you actually committed to never leaving me or forsaking me (Heb. 13:5)?” Yes!
“God, if I draw near to you, will you really draw near to me (Js. 4:8)?” Yes!
“God, if I confess my sins, will you forever be faithful and just and forgive me of them (1 John 1:9)?” Yes!
“God, is it still your intent to wipe away every tear from my eyes and to banish pain and sorrow and death (Rev. 21:4)?” Yes!
“God, are you coming soon (Rev. 22:20)?” Yes!
“God, will you answer me when I call (Ps. 4:1)?” Yes!
“God, will you be my refuge in the face of my enemies (Ps. 7:1)?” Yes!
“God, can you actually make known to me the pathway of life (Ps. 16:11)?” Yes!
“God, will you be for me fullness of joy and pleasures evermore (Ps. 16:11)?” Yes!
“God, can I count on you to be my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my shield and my stronghold (Ps. 18:2)?” Yes!
“God, will you be there, with me and for me and beside me, as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Ps. 23:4)?” Yes!
“God, will you satisfy my heart with ravishing revelations of your beauty (Ps. 27:4)?” Yes!
“God, if I delight myself in you alone, will you truly grant me the desires of my heart (Ps. 37:4)?” Yes!
“God, does your steadfast love endure all day long (Ps. 52:1)?” Yes!
“God, will you be the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Ps. 73:26)?” Yes!
“God, what of your promise not to deal with me according to my sins or repay me according to my iniquities (Ps. 103:10)? Is that really true?” Yes!
“God, is it true that your mercies never come to an end; are they literally new every morning (Lam. 3:22)?” Yes!
“God, will you continue to sing over me with joy and delight, in spite of my brokenness and weakness and immaturity (Zeph. 3:17)?” Yes!
“God, are you really committed to orchestrating all things in my life for my ultimate spiritual good (Rom. 8:28)?” Yes!
“God, will you always comfort me in my affliction so that I may be equipped and qualified to comfort others in theirs (2 Cor. 1:4)?” Yes!
“God, are all the spiritual blessings in heavenly places already and absolutely mine (Eph. 1:3)?” Yes!
“God, will you always be present to do for me far more abundantly than all I can ask or think (Eph. 3:20)?” Yes!
“God, if I work out my salvation with fear and trembling, can I know with unassailable confidence that it is you who are already at work in me to will and to do for your good pleasure (Phil. 2:12-13)?” Yes!
“God, if I pour out my heart to you with thanksgiving, will your peace guard my heart now and forever (Phil. 4:6-7)?” Yes!
“God, is it still the case that you plan on sanctifying me wholly, in spirit and soul and body (1 Thess. 5:23)?” Yes!
“God, are you actually committed to never leaving me or forsaking me (Heb. 13:5)?” Yes!
“God, if I draw near to you, will you really draw near to me (Js. 4:8)?” Yes!
“God, if I confess my sins, will you forever be faithful and just and forgive me of them (1 John 1:9)?” Yes!
“God, is it still your intent to wipe away every tear from my eyes and to banish pain and sorrow and death (Rev. 21:4)?” Yes!
“God, are you coming soon (Rev. 22:20)?” Yes!
Let us make a concerted effort this week to make a change in this increasingly negative world by spreading the optimitism and the glory of the Word of God! Why can we be optimistic? Because of the vicarious death - yes, but because of the glorious resurrection, ascension and assured return of the Lord Jesus Christ!
1 comment:
I have been gradually working through the posts you did while I was away. This is awesome stuff. So encouraging - so joy-filling!
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