"Better Blessed Than Depressed"

"Again, they are diminished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow."
(Psalms 107:39)

 Unlike the rest of the world, we have the ability to overcome the storms of life, no matter how hard they might pound against us. In those closing verses from Proverbs, there is somewhat of a pattern, a escalating pattern of understanding, encouragement, joy, wisdom, hope, and security; all of which are based on the foundation of God's Word. John starts his Gospel with the revelation of the Word, the eternal Son of God, none other than Jesus Christ. He is the one who we need to keep our focus open, because in Him, we are never "diminished" or "brought low!" It is when we take our eyes off of Jesus that our hope and security fade; and with the fading of hope and security, "oppression, affliction, and sorrow" are magnified in our lives. But, as I stated in the opening this morning, we have the ability to overcome! Unlike the rest of the world that does not know the truth, we know, we have touched, we have tasted and seen, the Living Word of God! And just like Peter did while sinking into the sea, we look upon Jesus and cry out knowing that He alone is the one who not only helps us, but lifts us up when we are unable to get up on our own. Why a child of the King ever needs to be depressed, is beyond my understanding. We do not need to accept defeat and hopelessness; Jesus has overcome everything that could ever make us feel defeated or hopeless. There is nothing in this life that we cannot overcome, because this life is only temporal and cannot contain us. We are currently immortal and have been promised life eternal, which goes far beyond this temporary existence. It is when we get wrapped up and caught up in the cares of this world, that is when we are diminished and brought low. A simple way to look at this, is by the way of the cross. The cross is a beautiful symbol of what a blessing it is to be God's servant and chosen for His purposes. The world looks at the cross and sees a curse and catastrophe; they cannot see the blessing and redemptive power that was put on display, only the carnage and killing of another human being. But Jesus was not just a Man, He was God! The one and only Son of the Living God, brought down to this earth to live and die upon that cross for the sake of you and me. But it did not end there on that cross! He rose! He lives! And He will soon be coming to take His bride from this temporal place of bondage and oppression. This is what hope and security looks like, the world does not offer anything close to that...

"The earth trembles and writhes in pain, for everything the LORD has planned against Babylon stands unchanged. Babylon will be left desolate without a single inhabitant. Her mightiest warriors no longer will fight. They stay in their barracks, their courage gone. They have become like women. The invaders have burned the houses and broken down the city gates. The news is passed from one runner to the next as the messengers hurry to tell that the city has been captured. All escape routes are blocked. The marshes have been set aflame, and the army is in a panic. This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says, "Babylon is like wheat on a threshing floor, about to be trampled. In just a little while her harvest will begin."" (Jeremiah 51:29-33) NLT