I would have despaired had I not believed..........

Dear friends,
Grace and peace to you. As I pondered on whether I should write anything today the verse above came to mind. I felt like there were some people out there who are in a life and death struggle. Some are going through difficult times, going through a crisis of belief and I felt in my heart to write a word of encouragement.
The object of our hope is faithful. The Lord is good and He will perfect that which concerns you. Don't give up.

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalms 27:13.

The Psalmist is saying he would have given up had he not believed he would see the Lord's goodness. There are some in the body of Christ who feel like they have been forgotten. In their mind they ask,"Where is the Lord? " or "How long, O Lord, how long?" Some think that they are not going to make it. As we look at scripture we see many of God's choice servants endured great hardship. Oftentimes, the testing is directly proportionate to the level of authority God chooses to trust one with. Let's look at a few examples:
1. Abraham waited 25 years for the birth of the promised son.
2. Joseph waited at least 23 years for the fulfilling of his dreams and got there by way of the pit, Potiphar's house, and the prison. His family came down in the third year of the famine.
3. David fled for his life living in caves for a number of years (probably about 15 years between his anointing as king and his actual becoming a king). I shared this before, but sometimes we need to revisit these truths. David was probably at his lowest point ever in 1Samuel 30. They were returning to Ziklag because David was not trusted enough by the Philistines to fight the battle against the Israelites. When they got back to Ziklag they found it burned to the ground, their wives, children, and possessions stolen. David's men were so grieved they talked of stoning him. The scripture says that David encouraged himself in the Lord. It very well could have been that at the same time he was encouraging himself in the Lord that Saul was dying in the battle that David was not permitted to fight. The Lord told David to pursue the Amalekites and they would recover all. They did and they recovered all. It was at David's lowest point that events were taking place that would thrust David into his destiny. In a few days he would become king over a large portion of Israel.
4. Zacharias and Elizabeth prayed for years for a child and became parents in their old age to the forerunner of Jesus.

There were others both small and great who were in a life and death crisis who received a 12th hour deliverance.Let's remember a few of them:
1. The widow at Zarephath about to prepare her last meal.
2. Sharach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were delivered not from, but in the fiery furnace.
3. Daniel in the lion's den.
4. Peter in Herod's jail.
5. The Jews in the time of Esther.
There are so many other examples of God's faithfulness, but time will not permit. God was faithful then and He is faithful now. He was faithful to these folks and he'll be faithful to you. Just don't quit; don't give up.

Look at these scriptures:
And He spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Luke 18:1
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance, character, and character, hope. Romans 5:3,4
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, for the testing of your faith worketh patience. James 1: 2,3
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6: 9

Friends, the worst thing we can do is give up. Even if deliverance does not come this side of heaven; it will come. God will deliver us. Believe that you will see the goodness of the Lord. Your deliverance may be close at hand. Encourage yourself in the Lord. It may be that the very moment you choose to praise the Lord in the crisis that events are taking place that will thrust you into your destiny. The difficulties that you face are developing character in you in order that you will be able to handle promotion.
A few years ago I was going through a difficult time. Our church was struggling. We had some very disappointing things happen. Money was tight. My wife had gone down to Atlanta to make connection with her family before coming back to church that morning. That was the plan anyway, but the car broke down in Atlanta. I came down after church with my son-in-law. We rolled the car out on the front lawn of Embassy Suites. He checked it out and determined it was the starter. All the things that were going on were weighing heavily on me and now this. As we stood under the drive up shelter of the hotel calling to find a parts store. A young man came be-bopping down the sidewalk. He looked like he could have been high. He looked directly at me and said, "Hold on brother, change is coming! Don't give up; hold on brother, change is coming." A few minutes later as we were riding down the road to the parts store, I began to think about what the young man had said and the joy of the Lord came on me and I began to laugh. My hope was restored and change did come a short time later. I believe there is someone who needs that word right now. Hold on brother, hold on sister; change is coming. Don't give up, change is coming, hold on!

I pray that this is an encouragement to you. If you have not heard I have entered the blogoshere. It will include these messages as well as short devotions and personal thoughts. The address is:
http://basiliea.blogspot.com
As always if I can be of help to you, let me know. May the Lord richly bless you.
Herb Dean