Hope Archives - Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel

5 Ways to Seek God with Hope and Assurance

Jaime Wiebel — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 11:00:11 +0000

We may go through life uncertain about many things. Uncertain if we are going to land that job we recently applied for.

Uncertain that our parenting skills will not fail our children. Even uncertain if we are going to come out of the latest health crisis we are facing.

Whatever your current uncertainty is, there is one thing that we can be certain of. That is our salvation in Christ. We can be certain to Seek God with hope and assurance.

The story In Acts 17, has to be one of my favorites because it addresses our frailty as humans to want something greater than what we can see.

The Greeks created gods to explain what they could not understand. They grasped at everything and when they were not certain what it was or how to fix it, they created a new god for it.
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They had it right in looking to the Heavens, but so far off by seeking everything but the True God.

Bottom line was they were looking for hope. They were looking for assurance in this life and they looked in everything they could think of.

In fact, they even left that open for a possibility, the unknown. They had resorted to every god they could think of to fix something but still were left feeling broken.

In Acts 17, Paul visits Athens. What he notices is their city of full of idols. There is one particular altar, however, that is dedicated, “To An Unknown God”. Paul addresses the people who seem to be seeking everything, even the unknown.

Are We Different Today?

Not much is different than today. People are constantly seeking unknown gods. Seeking fulfillment in nearly everything except the source of life.

We try to find it everywhere. In riches, fame, work, hobbies, activities, even family and friends.

Yet, somehow, we are left empty. Seeking more.

There was a time in my life when I lived in complete rebellion against God. I sought fulfillment in everything this world had to offer. When one thing didn’t satisfy me, I moved onto another.

But every time, I came up feeling less and less satisfied. I had worshipped what this world had to offer. I looked for gods to be made out of a career, lifestyle, and even pleasure.

When those things could no longer fulfill my needs, I found myself in the bottom of a pit with only one way out.

Looking Back to Jesus.

Are Christians Exempt?

As Christian people, we can find ourselves doing much of the same things. We are guilty of filling our time gaps with all of these things in pursuit of this one thing.

Maybe it’s not as blatant as worshipping the ways of the world. Maybe is it something we so often do; create our own God to worship.

Maybe it’s the God who only loves or the God of only grace. We create gods out of attending worship service or following the legalistic rules we have created.

Yet, no matter how hard we try and make our own god, the one that may be more palatable to us or to the world, we feel empty.

This purpose, this fulfillment that just can’t seem to be met no matter how hard we try.

In this Seeking God Series, we are going to take in God’s Word. My purpose is this one thing. This thing we seem to be missing. This thing we are in hot pursuit of, only to be left empty-handed.

His name is Jesus.

We are going to be learning and living and breathing Him in. We will be seeking His heart so we can find our identity in Him and not in the unknown.

Getting to know God so we can know who we are in Him will be our great reward.

How are we going to do this? Great Question!

God has left us all He wants us to know about Him, about us, in the pages of Scripture. If we are in Christ, He has given us the Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, convict us, and teach us.

There is one way to know God. We have to dive into His Word! We are going to do just that.

One concept at a time.

Learning and holding tight to scripture to get us through all of our life’s circumstances.

We are going to hide His Word deep in our hearts so when times of uncertainty flow from our lives, we can bathe in the certainty of God’s Word.

We are going to be able to breathe out the truth when we are filled with the unknown and with lies that seem bigger than we are.

5 Ways to Seek God with Hope and Assurance

As believers in Christ, we want to know God personally, intimately, and deeply and the great news is… we can!

Combat the Lies of the enemy

If your anything like me, you want something tangible you can hold onto. Sometimes, our faith feels alone. Even when we have God, He may feel at a distant or silent. I want to seek God with hope and assurance.

Often times that is the lie of the enemy. Telling us God is not here for us or that He leaves us for another more important assignment.

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Psalm 13:2 (NLT)

Let’s not give the enemy the upper hand. Let’s combat him with the Word just as Christ did!

Our feelings don’t get to dictate the truth and reality of God’s Word. To know God is to love His commands and to love His Word and that is exactly where we are going to start.

Being uncertain is okay. We just don’t want to stay there.

If you are here, I know you are seeking. That’s awesome and completely excites me. I am so glad you’re here. Let’s Get started!

Ready to have something to hold onto?

Swords in the Air! (Hebrews 4:12)

Take a look at these verses and pray over them. Let God sink His Words into your heart and to a place where you will begin to have full assurance of Him.

You can start with the assurance of this verse.

ASK. SEEK. KNOCK.

Matthew 7:7-8 (BSB) Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

God says for everyone who asks receives, who seeks finds, and to him who knows He will open the door for you.
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One time, I had a guy online get really mad at me, well honestly, he was mad at God. He said, “I tried to find God and I couldn’t” He felt empty after his pursuit. Friends, let me assure you God is not trying to hide from us.

But He will be hesitant to reveal Himself to us when we don’t really want to find Him. He knows our heart and our motives.

He is not a genie that grants wishes and shows up when it is convenient for us. Honestly seek Him and you will find Him.

RECEIVE. FIND. BE WELCOMED IN.

Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:21 (NASB)

We want to seek God wholeheartedly, just as Hezekiah did. Then we, too, will prosper in the will of God.

Why do we want to seek God? Why do we want to do His will wholeheartedly by faith?

The author of Hebrews tells us without faith it is impossible to please God. We want to please God because we love Him and there we will find our rewards, His blessings.

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

We will find God and we can rest in His hope when we are earnest seekers of His will, not just our own.

Face to Face

I love this next verse. It always reminds me of the hope I have in Christ. To See Him face to face.

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.” Psalm 27:8 (ESV)

The longing that I have for that glorious day wells up inside of me. It is a fresh spring that quenches my soul when my heart grows faint.

I can look forward to the day where my gaze is no longer on the clouds or a hope in the future but on my Father who will someday return in the clouds just as He left.

Our eyes will meet, just as all eyes will see Him in His glory, and I pray for this day when my knees will bow before my King.

Don’t put off till tomorrow what needs to be done today

Finally, David, gave instructions to his son Solomon to serve God wholeheartedly and willfully.

I used to believe that spending time in God’s Word was a task. A to-do. Put it on the list and mark it off.

That didn’t excite me or keep me very dedicated. Especially because I am a procrastinator and my to-do can always wait until to-morrow.

Not my time with God.

Now, I realize this is a relationship I depend so deeply on. This verse reminds me of God’s Authority over my life and King over All.

It puts me in proper placement to Him. It also reminds me that He will be there when I seek Him. I love to know my unchangeable God.

“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (NIV)

We can use these verses as reminders to Seek God. We are reminded that when we do, we will surely find Him and the hope that He offers through His Son Jesus.

Seeking His ways gives us hope and assurance not only in this life but in our eternal life to come.

Knowing God’s Word is key to having this truth reign in our lives.

Do you have other ways or verses that you hold onto that help you seek God with hope and assurance?

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Seek God with Hope and Assurance

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Fear Not – Believe Only – Hope Restored! and Sitting Among Friends #61

Jaime Wiebel — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 08:57:00 +0000

Fear Not – Only Believe – And you will be made whole

Wow! Words that seem so steep to our minds. To our broken hearts. An uphill mountain to climb with peaks beyond our view. The journey of one father at the feet of Jesus may have seem wasted. It may have even seemed ridiculous to the onlookers.

But in his gentleness, Christ tells him, fear not, believe only, and she will be made whole.

We read that and some of us long to know and own those words. Fear Not. But what does it take to be made whole?

There are two stories intertwined in the latter verses of Luke 8. We will look at the story of a desperate father to save the life of his dying daughter as we continue to learn from the people who sought life at the feet of Jesus.

Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds -almost crushed him. Luke 8:41-42

Immediately after this, a very sick woman touches Jesus’ robe and is healed. Jesus stops to take the time to talk with her before He continues onto Jairus’ house.

The people had heard Jesus was coming, so the crowd was ready when he arrived.

Jairus’ daughter, his only daughter, was near death. He comes and the scene is crazy. There are so many people and yet Jairus falls at his feet and begs Jesus to come with him.

There are so many things we can learn from these two verses about Christ but I want to point out two things we can take a hold of right now.

He is a personal God. Each life matters. No matter how many people are around, He cares for each individual case.

He can handle all that is around Him. The day was crazy. Crowds pushing in on Him and He calmly stops to heal and talk to another woman before continuing to the house of Jairus.

While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” (NIV) But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. (KJV) Luke 8: 49-50

I love verse fifty. Fear not! – Believe Only! – And she will be made whole!

First, Christ is telling this father to fear not. When Christ tells us to fear not it is because he is capable of the end result. It may be healing, it may not and while that may seem of no consolation, notice Christ will make her whole. Not just alive, not just well, but whole.

I don’t want us to miss this train of events he is telling this father.

Fear Not – Believe Only – Hope Restored!

In this case, Christ chooses to heal this little girl. He goes into the house with the mother, father, and four of His disciples. He takes the girl by the hand, tells her to rise-up, and restores her spirit to her lifeless body.

Praise the Lord! He has made her whole. He brought hope to a hurting family.

This father, who agonizes over his dying daughter hears in the process of seeking his last bit of hope that she is dead. This was heart-wrenching news and it may appear that all hope was lost.

That moment you hear or see that the life of your loved one is gone. The sinking agonizing feeling is crushing to your soul. For a time, it may seem as if all hope is lost but it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Jesus came that it could be different.

He is not saying, “don’t mourn” to this father. He is telling Him to not fear. Us telling that to a friend or loved one may be of no comfort, but Christ, he is the difference maker here.

He tells the father to not fear because He has the power to restore the hope. That train, he can get it moving. He can move us from fear to hope.

Here is the other difference maker. It is the stop in between the fear and the hope. It is the faith to believe that only He can conquer one to restore the other.

What happens at the feet of Jesus here?

He gives this father a life changing opportunity to lay aside his fear, take ahold of his faith, and let Christ restore his hope.

What does that mean for you? What are you facing right now that you so desperately want to hope that there is a way to feel whole again? How has Christ showed up in your fear or are you still holding onto it not quite sure how to Believe Only?

Is your faith hanging in the balance not sure which way it will fall? Do you know the difference maker? Do you believe he can make a difference in YOU?

I would love to continue this conversation. Leave a comment below.

Email me at youresewtrendy@gmail.com, if you want to know more about the life-changing decision to follow Christ, I would love to talk with you.

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The post Fear Not – Believe Only – Hope Restored! and Sitting Among Friends #61 appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Do You Want Knowledge or Truth & Sitting Among Friends Blog Party #27

Jaime Wiebel — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 07:31:00 +0000

Have you ever heard anyone sing this tune? Of course, I believe in God. No, I don’t read the Bible, it is too complicated, I can’t understand it for myself, and I can’t remember what I have read.

If you have ever said this, there is good news. The good news is, in Christ, you have been given a teacher to teach you.

Coming from a teaching background, I have a tendency for seeking knowledge. In fact, sometimes I wish I could just have my head jammed full of information because I love to learn.

For me personally, there have been times in my walk with Christ when I believed the only way I could be closer to God was to know more about God and understand the Bible. I have also fallen into the trap of believing the only way to understanding was for someone to explain it to me.

I knew the stories. I had heard them a thousand times. As I have grown in Christ, I have realized the importance of being taught straight from His Word.

Growing up, somewhere along the way, I missed the importance of picking up the Bible as part of my daily life. I missed the essential part of walking with Christ was walking through His Word and forming a bond and need for Him.

1 John 2:27 says: But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true–it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. (NLT)

We can quickly get on a journey to know so much about Christ that we miss key elements. Knowing about Christ is not the same as knowing Him. Believing there is a God is not the same as believing and putting our trust and faith in God. Being taught about God is not the same as learning from God.

1 John can give us a confidence in studying God’s Word like never before.

If we want to know what God’s Word says, we have to take the first step in seeking His truth. We have to open the Word that HE has given us. The Holy Spirit will guide us to understand it’s truth. When the time comes for us to recall the truths, the Holy Spirit will put it to our minds.

The Holy Spirit was given as an advocate for us. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come as His representative and teach us all things and remind us of the things He taught us (John 14:26).

Notice 1 John also says the Holy Spirit teaches us everything we need to know and what He teaches is true. We can read all kinds of amazing books that teach about Christ, I know, I have.

One thing we have to be careful of is knowing whether it is truth or one person’s interpretation. We have to be able to discern the truth. We can only do that if we know the truth and we can only know the truth when we go to the source of truth- God’s Word.

There is a lot of information coming at us from all directions, let’s be honest, it is not all truth and some very far from it. In fact, reading this article you can only discern the truth of it by seeking God’s Word. Looking up the verses that I have given and have God teach you for yourself what He wants you to draw from His Word.

What we believe as Christians always has to come down to clinging to the truth of God’s Word. We don’t have to walk around in the dark being led by the knowledge someone else has gained. We only need the Holy Spirit to guide us in our teaching.

Three things to help you begin.

1. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and seek the truth that is laid out before you. Holy Spirit, Teach Us, Remind Us!

2. Open God’s Word and let the Power of the Holy Spirit fill you. May My Cup Run Over!

3. Enjoy the journey! Seek to Know the Truth!

But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29

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