The Anchor Holds!

I've been thinking about Pastor Kennedy's morning message on 'change', and how getting ourselves into the Presence of God and submitting ourselves to Him will help us weather the multitude of changes all of us will face throughout life.


Change is inevitable.

People change. Circumstances of life change. In fact, if we could use just one word to describe this world, 'changing' sort of captures the essence of it all. Think back just a few years and consider the changes that have taken place economically, socially, spiritually and politically. On every front change has and still is occurring. It's like being on one of those contstantly moving walkways in an airport....but this one never ends. You can't get off. And it can feel downright overwhelming at times.

Here's the thing. You can't stop change.

But what you CAN do is anchor yourself to the One who never changes.

Jesus Christ.

Listen to this.....The Biblle tells us in the book of Hebrews that God's counsel...what He says...is immutable. Immutable means NOT SUBJECT TO CHANGE. It is impossibe for God to lie. The promises He gives to us transcend this present world and bring hope. Hebrews 6:19 says, "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast."

Jesus is described as "the forerunner" who has gone behind the veil before us and secured our future.

The winds of change may blow...they may even bend us to the ground....but they will not uproot us if we put our faith, our trust and our hope in Jesus!!

The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

The Greek word for 'forerunner' is found nowhere else in the New Testament. It was used in the second century A.D. for smaller boats that were sent out into the harbor by larger ships unable to enter due to the buffeting of the weather. These small boats carried the anchor through the breakers inside the harbor and dropped it there securing the larger ship. The word 'forerunner' presupposes that others will follow. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us! That where He is we may be also!

Jesus is not only our Anchor-He is also like our runner boat. He has taken our anchor into port and secured it there.

Listen up folks! There is no doubt as to whether the vessel is going into port!! Just so long as you keep yourself anchored in Jesus. There is only one sure thing in this life-

" I the Lord do not change." [Mal.3:6]

You CAN put ALL your eggs in that basket!

If you have a few minutes, take a little walk through Hebrews. Remind yourself who Jesus is and what He has done for you. Pull on the rope a little and make sure you're anchored to Him.

Are you in a storm? Are the winds of change rocking the boat of your life? I dare you to sing these lyrics to the Lord.....hands lifted high...and just see what happens!

Upon life’s boundless ocean where mighty billows roll,
I’ve fixed my hope in Jesus, blest anchor of my soul;
When trials fierce assail me as storms are gathering o’er,
I rest upon His mercy and trust Him more.

I’ve anchored in Jesus, the storms of life I’ll brave,
I’ve anchored in Jesus, I fear no wind or wave.
I’ve anchored in Jesus, for He hath power to save,
I’ve anchored to the Rock of Ages.

All that Really Matters

When a bank is on the verge of going under, wise people do not deposit their money there. When a foundation is tottering and uncertain, intelligent builders do not build on it.

No one would knowingly invest their time, money, or energy on something that isn't going to last-right?

Here's a thought.

God, in HIS infinite wisdom has warned us in His Word not to love this world or the things of this world.

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
[1 John 2:15-16]

Why?

Because God sees the big picture. He not only sees the picture from beginning to end. He IS the beginning and the end. He is Omnicient-all-knowing.

He knows this world isn't gonna last forever. He sees what lies behind and beneath all of the world's appeal.
You can't judge the world's book by its cover. There is something going on....a plan unfolding... that only God can reveal. We need the inside scoop, so to speak.It's right there in His Word.

A while back, a young couple bought a house near ours and flipped it. They moved in-did a bunch of renovations in a short period of time- then sold it for more than they had paid.  The owners before them had lived in that house for almost thirty years. They were an elderly couple who hadn't been able to do much in the way of upkeep. The front deck was on it's last legs when this couple moved in. Unfortunately, the new deck they put on before reselling was only new on the outside. They bought enough pressure treated lumber to cover the bottom part of the deck that was almost rotted through. It looked great on the outside but underneath was another story. It was a hazard. The foundation was unstable.

And so it is with this world.

Sometimes we get so caught up in life here that we forget we are just passing through. We are on our way somewhere else. This is not our home.

Focusing on, investing in and expending all of your energy on this world and the things of this world is kind of like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It doesn't matter. It's going down.

Does this depress you?

It shouldn't.

It should make our hearts infinitely happy that God has given us the heads up. Not only for our benefit but for the benefit of  our family and friends who haven't yet received the inside scoop. It ought to make us sing...

"This world is not my home, I'm just a passing thru,

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue;
The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Just up in gloryland we'll live eternally.

The saints on ev'ry hand are shouting victory.
Their songs of sweetest praise drift back from Heaven's shore.
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore."

I've been thinking more and more as each day goes by that I want to loosen my grip on this world, and its grip on me- and begin to reach like never before for things that are eternal. In the end, it's all that will matter.

The Bible says-"And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." [1 John 2:17]


Only one life, 'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last"

The Divine Sifting

Have you ever heard words that set your knees to knocking?

Try to imagine being in Peter's shoes when Jesus spoke this to him, "Simon, satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat." Now, if those words wouldn't shake a body up, I don't know what would.  But Jesus didn't stop there. He went on to say, "But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail, and when you have returned to me strengthen your brethren." PHEW! Thank goodness for the word BUT! Still...Jesus didn't promise to protect or keep Peter from this 'sifting'. He didn't say He would prevent it from happening. Rather, it was clear the Lord was going to allow it, and that it would ,in fact, come between them-at least for a time. He spoke of Peter returning to Him....and when he did, that he should strengthen His brethren.

The great thing about God's Word is that everything experienced by the people within its pages has a spiritual life application for present day readers.That's you and me.

My attention is first drawn to the term "sift as wheat" because I just happen to believe that every single word, phrase, term, expression in the Bible has been divinely selected for a purpose. So let's try to picture the devil sifting Peter as wheat. Hmmm...well we know he isn't talking about something physical because...well....ya just can't sift a human being the way ya sift wheat...right? Having ruled that possibility out, it's time to pull out the trusty Strongs Concordance and look up the word, "sift". Here's what it says: the Greek word translated sift is 'siniazo' to winnow (a sieve).

My understanding of a sieve is no doubt the same as yours. It is used to separate something useful from something that is not useful. The sieve fetches up what you don't want so that only what is good and of use is strained through.

Ok...now I don't believe for a minute that Satan had any good intentions in this 'sifting'...nope...none at all. But here's the thing. Our enemy can't do anything to a child of God unless the Lord permits it. And if He permits it, there is ALWAYS a purpose and ALWAYS something good. He uses what Satan means for evil for His good intentions. Like Joseph when he was thrown into the pit by his brothers, then sold into slavery. Their intentions were evil toward their brother, but God had other plans. You know the end of that story!

Often, like Peter, we feel like we're ready to take on the world for Jesus.....ready to give up everything for Him-but Jesus, who has a bird's eye view of the most secret places of the human heart, knows better.

Sometimes a divine sifting is in order to fetch up all the 'stuff'...the ideas...the mindsets...the perceptions...things that have not yet been through the filter of truth.When this sifting happens-it seems like everything is tossed up in the air, and while it's spiraling to the ground we sure don't feel like we're going to land on our feet.In fact, it feels like the enemy is running circles around us waving a 'victory is mine' flag.

Satan thought this way when he heard Peter, the faithful disciple-deny his Lord-not once, but three times. BUT....Jesus had prayed for Him that his faith would not fail. And it didn't.

One thing we want to find remaining in the sieve is our faith. Faith in God. Faith in His Word. Faith that no matter what happens....no matter how great or intense the sifting may be in our lives we will be alright. All confidence in self or the world...all thoughts and ideas contaminated by deception must be strained through the sieve...leaving only what is true.We can count on what is true. We can stand on what is true. All of God's words are truth.

Peter found out that Jesus knew him better than he knew himself.

He had to undergo a restoration, so to speak. Stripped down to the framework of who he thought he was so that Jesus could show him who he really is. Only then was he fit for service.