"Depend on the Lord” – Series Introduction

"Depend on the Lord” – Series Introduction

Written by Eileen R. Jacobs

“For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you!” - Isaiah 41:13 AMPC

It is our Christmas tradition every year to watch "The Polar Express" movie on Christmas Eve. Even though my children have all grown up, everyone still loves to watch this very magical movie. As the story begins, The Polar Express stops to pick up children who are on the verge of not believing in Santa Claus anymore. When they are invited to board the train that is headed to the North Pole, they discover they were given a magical ticket that the conductor comes along to punch a letter into. Every child's ticket is different, of course!

By the end of the movie, the children have all had an incredible experience at the North Pole, and following the lift-off of Santa's sleigh with all his reindeer and the huge, red sack of presents, it is time for the children to load back onto The Polar Express for the ride home. As they board the train, the conductor receives their ticket and continues to punch more letters into it until it spells out a message. This very individual and special message, for each child, is the life lesson each was to learn over the course of their journey on The Polar Express. This is one of the more moving scenes in the movie, as each child discovers that they have faced their fears and insecurities and have come out victorious with this life lesson learned.

One of the children had clearly come from rather humble and disappointing circumstances and had developed a personality of self-pity and lack of trust. Without spoiling the entire movie for those who've never seen it, I'd simply like to share that this sweet young lad learned through the course of friendship that he could trust again. As the conductor hands him back his ticket for the ride home, he reads that it says "Depend On." As he flips the ticket over, it magically changes to read, "Rely On." Finally, the ticket says, "Count On." Through his journey to discover if Santa is real, he discovers the value of friendship and learns to trust again.

This wonderful children's story was the inspiration for our 2019 Family and Ministry Focus:

"DEPEND ON"

The Lord

Some of us have had to navigate difficult and disappointing life circumstances and may have found ourselves on the verge of struggling with trusting and believing again. We all have experienced some unexpected trial or tribulation that has jostled our faith, and we need encouragement from the Word to pick us up and dust us off a bit. I take encouragement from the Apostle Paul’s journey…

“But we have this precious treasure [the good news about salvation] in [unworthy] earthen vessels [of human frailty], so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be [shown to be] from God [His sufficiency] and not from ourselves.

We are pressured in every way [hedged in], but not crushed; perplexed [unsure of finding a way out], but not driven to despair;

hunted down and persecuted, but not deserted [to stand alone]; struck down, but never destroyed;

always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown in our body.

For we who live are constantly [experiencing the threat of] being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be evidenced in our mortal body [which is subject to death].

So physical death is [actively] at work in us, but [spiritual] life [is actively at work] in you.

Yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had, who wrote in Scripture, “I believed, therefore I spoke.” We also believe, therefore we also speak,

knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and will present us [along] with you in His presence.” - 2 Corinthians 4:7-14 AMP

Now this is a man who has experienced more life challenges than I have ever come in contact with, so if he can maintain his faith and dependence on the Lord despite all of his intense life or death struggles to preach the Gospel, then I can make it also. Paul informs us that in Christ we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), the Apostle John tells us multiple times in his letter (epistle) that we are overcomers through Christ, and the Apostle Peter tells us in his letter (epistle) that we “have obtained like precious faith ... through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:1 KJV) Look at the encouragement we receive from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself…

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” - John 16:33 AMPC

Wow! I just love the amplified version of that Scripture. This is such a powerful grouping of truth. These verses declare that I have been given the power of Christ’s faith through His own righteousness that I received in my new birth to have complete confidence that whatever difficulties Christ has overcome and conquered and deprived of power to harm me...I will overcome and conquer in Him. I can rest and have perfect peace and confidence and joy in a finished work. Thank you Jesus!

None of us really wish to go through trials and it is not God’s heart for us either, but we still live in a fallen world and Satan, whom the Bible calls “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) is actively at work, blinding the minds of the unbelieving and trying to thwart the Gospel spreading activity of the children of God. We are called to…

“Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.” - 1 Peter 5:8-10 AMPC

The Lord wants us to be established in Him, and to be grounded in dependence on Him. He wants to personally strengthen us and settle us. However, He also wants us to apply the faith He has given to us to resist all of the devil’s onslaughts. This builds into us strength of character and tremendous perseverance, knowing that we are loved by God and all of His gracious promises belong to us in Christ.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” - Romans 5:1-5 KJV

Walking in dependence upon God is a journey we take through learning the truths He has given us in His Word and acting upon them in faith, in loving relationship and partnership with Him. It is an awesome adventure and we would like to invite you to journey along with us in this series, as we focus on our dependence and trust in the Lord and all of His precious promises. We won't be picking you up in a 1941 Berkshire 2-8-4 N-1 Class Steam Locomotive, but we will be encouraging you with devotions, articles, messages, and meditations to help you...

DEPEND ON

RELY ON

& COUNT ON...

The Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. We are confident that He will bring us all safely and securely into the full measure of grace to receive all of His precious promises. And as we take this awesome journey together, we will certainly discover more grace and the friendship of the Lord. You can "DEPEND ON" that!

"Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. - Psalm 37:3-5 (AMPC)

Now that, dear friends, is grace!

written by

Eileen R. Jacobs (January 2019)

"Depend on the Lord” – Series Introduction