Beth Moore - The Promise of Security

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

HEBREWS 13:8

W E TAKE OUR first breath of terrestrial air in total shock. Christ alone is unchanged and will remain unchanged for all of eternity.

We, on the other hand, are in constant, hair-raising, stomach-turning flux. As the old saying goes, nothing stays the same but change.

The truth is, God uses change to change us. He doesnt use it to destroy us or to distract us but to coax us to the next level of character, experience, compassion, and destiny.

What sorrow awaits you who build big houses with money gained dishonestly! You believe your wealth will buy security, putting your familys nest beyond the reach of danger.

HABAKKUK 2:9

T HOUSANDS OF YEARS ago, an old prophet spoke these words that are frighteningly consistent with many of the headlines were seeing on news magazines during this nations current economic crisis.

No amount of wealth can buy security. Every rich man and woman in the world is squirming in that reality right now. You and I have learned along the way that our need is far deeper than our circumstances and more cavernous than our pockets can plunge. Our world system has made financial promises it cant keep, and though its confessions are made only in whispers, if well listen closely, its finally admitting the lie.

When I was prosperous, I said, Nothing can stop me now! Your favor, O L ORD , made me secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

PSALM 30:6-7

J UST WHEN I M feeling all secure, like Im Gods best friend, an earthquake splits that lofty mountain right down the middle. And boy, am I dismayed. I have a feeling we can never get so secure in ourselves that we cannot be moved. Can a rock ever move forward?

Maybe I just get bored easily. Im forever wanting to go someplace with God. I forget that in order to really want to go, something has to happen to make me want to leave where I am. Maybe were all just sick to death of taking three steps forward and two steps back. Call me a math wizard, but isnt that still one step forward? Isnt that still some pretty big progress as we run against the hurricane winds of a godless culture? And if we dont lose that ground, arent we on our way somewhere new? Willing to take three more steps even if we lose two?

I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

PHILIPPIANS 1:6

I HATE TO display such a firm grasp of the obvious, but how will we ever change if everything around us stays the same? Or what will ever cause us to move on to the next place He has for us if something doesnt happen to change the way we feel about where we are? God is thoroughly committed to finishing the masterpiece He started in us. And that process means one major thing: change.

What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

ROMANS 8:18

T HE FUTURE WE have coming is so glorious that nothing weve suffered will compare to the magnitude and splendor of it. We must not let the enemy of our souls get away with convincing us that anything can utterly destroy us. If we do, we will hand him an engraved invitation to attend our constant torment.

Over and over Jesus implores His followers, Take courage! as if His hand is outstretched and His palm opened with offered treasure. Its time we took Him up on it. Do we really want to spend our time rehearsing deaths of all kinds rather than engaging in the effervescence of life?