"The Destitute Heart" -2

"The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth." (Psalms 34:16) Periodically there are waves of revivals that sweep across the globe; it's as if the blinders are removed from the eyes of the people and they see their actual state they are in, and they awaken from their sleep. The meaning of the word 'destitute' has several different applications, some are applied to those that lack something needed, while others apply to those that are deprived of what they need; in other words, you can be destitute by choice, or you can be forced into that situation; either way, the effect involves a journey or a direction. Okay, I can see this might take a minute, so let me try to explain what I am saying in terms that even a child can comprehend. We that are children of God all have one thing in common when we are walking in the direction towards God, and that is hope; and hope makes us not ashamed of the gospel, because the promises of the goodness of God are revealed in our hearts. Now then; those that walk in the opposite direction all have another thing in common, which is, that they lack hope; not because hope is not available to them, because it is, it's just that the direction they are facing has no hope within it. So what do you suppose is the answer for that? You really don't have to think to hard about the answer, because I have already given it to you; it's all about direction!!! I don't care how destitute you might get in this physical world, as soon as you are headed in the right direction there is hope; it's not because you have arrived, but because you are heading there that gives you hope. When you look up the meaning of the "gospel", you find at the very top of the list the meaning, "a reward for good tidings", which is the meaning that Paul uses in his statement, "for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth". Now, here is the part that involves force, as in being forced into destitution; because there is power in the gospel message, however, if you are not living out that power, because of the direction you have chosen, then you are forced into having a destitute heart, which is void of the hope, not because the hope has been taken, but because the hope has been forced out by unbelief. And why, prey tell, would a believer have unbelief? I just can't remember...
"For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." (Romans 1:20-25)