July 2 / Every Day God: Pendulum of Life

2 Kings 18:1-7

Amplified Bible (AMP)

18 In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

2 He was twenty-five years old when he began his twenty-nine-year reign in Jerusalem. His mother was Abi daughter of Zechariah.

3 Hezekiah did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his [forefather] had done.

4 He removed the high places, broke the images, cut down the Asherim, and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until then the Israelites had burned incense to it; but he called it Nehushtan [a bronze trifle].

5 Hezekiah trusted in, leaned on, and was confident in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that neither after him nor before him was any one of all the kings of Judah like him.

6 For he clung and held fast to the Lord and ceased not to follow Him, but kept His commandments, as the Lord commanded Moses.

7a And the Lord was with Hezekiah; he prospered wherever he went. 

A no brainer. When we trust in, lean on, cling to, and hold fast to the Lord, we will prosper everywhere we go.

Oh, this is not always true, you may say. Well, the reason it may not always be true is because sometimes there is a crushing and breaking process we must go through before the Lord can prosper us. 

Hezekiah obviously had a pure heart. He obviously had things in the right order in his life. So he prospered everywhere he went!

Maybe your life is the opposite of prospering. Maybe you are at the lowest point in your life. Maybe your whole life has been one neverending low point. I wish there was a magic way I could get this through your head. Hold on! Cling! Trust in! Lean on! Put your confidence in the God who created you! According to His word, you simply can't lose.

Remember life is a pendulum. When things are at their very worst, there is a 100% chance that the pendulum will swing back the other way. You will be intensely happy again. And then something devastating will happen and the pendulum will swing back the opposite way. You can live your life in constant fear and dread of the sad, upsetting stuff, or you can cling to Jesus Christ. When you put all your confidence in Him, you have a calm assurance that no matter what happens, He will see you through! And the pendulum will swing back to the happy side! And the most exciting part is this. If you cling to Him and simply do the right thing, no matter what side of the pendulum you're on, one day the pendulum is going to swing in your favor once and for all. It will swing you right up to heaven where you will see Jesus face to face. 

Revelation 21

Amplified Bible (AMP)

21 Then I saw a new sky (heaven) and a new earth, for the former sky and the former earth had passed away (vanished), and there no longer existed any sea.

2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, all arrayed like a bride beautified and adorned for her husband;

3 Then I heard a mighty voice from the throne and I perceived its distinct words, saying, See! The abode of God is with men, and He will live (encamp, tent) among them; and they shall be His people, and God shall personally be with them and be their God.

4 God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away.

5 And He Who is seated on the throne said, See! I make all things new. Also He said, Record this, for these sayings are faithful (accurate, incorruptible, and trustworthy) and true (genuine).

6 And He [further] said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I [Myself] will give water without price from the fountain (springs) of the water of Life.

7 He who is victorious shall inherit all these things, and I will be God to him and he shall be My son.

Revelation 1:12-18

Amplified Bible (AMP)

12 Then I turned to see [whose was] the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,

13 And in the midst of the lampstands [One] like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe which reached to His feet and with a girdle of gold about His breast.

14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, [as white] as snow, and His eyes [flashed] like a flame of fire.

15 His feet glowed like burnished (bright) bronze as it is refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.

16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and from His mouth there came forth a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full power at midday.

17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if dead. But He laid His right hand on me and said, Do not be afraid! I am the First and the Last,

18 And the Ever-living One [I am living in the eternity of the eternities]. I died, but see, I am alive forevermore; and I possess the keys of death and Hades (the realm of the dead).

"Dear Jesus, I pray right now for that one who is at the very lowest point in her life. All hope is gone. There is not one ray of light anywhere. Please help her to look up to You. Please help her to cling to You like never before. Please help her to see that she doesn't have to be strong anymore. She can come to You as a little, helpless child and You will reach down and pick her up. And hold her in Your arms. 

Thank You, Jesus! You are our hiding place! You are our Refuge! You Comfort the comfortless. You are a Father to the fatherless. You are Hope to the hopeless. Praise Your Holy name! AMEN"