In a world where hope seems to be a scarce commodity, Pastor Jack Hibbs brings a powerful message of God’s faithfulness and control in every situation. He shares the unparalleled honesty of the Bible and its real-life impact on individuals and nations, urging people to find hope and faith in the living Word of God.
“Hope is probably the most precious commodity we can have regarding our soul, our spirit and our thinking,” says Hibbs, the founder and senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, California. “Our very existence in life now … things have been reduced in a post-COVID world to what is simple. All around the world, people lost hope and that should not have happened.
“The Bible says the hope of God is not the hope of man. … Human hope is almost wishful thinking. But God’s hope is a hope that is certain. God’s hope comes to us in ways we do not often recognize. … God gets His hope inside of us by taking the living Word of God that has endured all of these millennia against scrutiny and attack by atheists and those that say they know more. This book continues to bring hope. Why? It’s alive. But it’s honest.”
Hibbs reminds us about God’s sovereignty (or supreme power and authority) in Jeremiah 17:9-10, which reads, “The heart is more deceitful than all things and desperately wicked; who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Instead of being offended by this truth, Hibbs encourages believers to seek God’s help in transforming their hearts and instilling hope within them, no matter what the situation.
No matter who is President of the United States or who has majority in congress. No matter what evil and wickedness is happening around us, or if a pandemic should happen to strike again. No matter if you are persecuted for your faith or ridiculed for your kingdom values.
God is sovereign in every situation, and He is in control. Hibbs says we must come to Him to allow His will to be done.
“God knows your heart and he knows mine,” Hibbs says. “The honest response to that is, ‘Oh God, help me. O Lord, have mercy.’ He knows our hearts are wicked. Don’t be offended by that. By healed by this because God knows, as the great physician, how to touch your life and to instill with you hope.”
To illustrate God’s love and compassion for sinners, Hibbs points to the story of Jesus dining with tax collectors and sinners in Mark 2:15. When questioned by the self-righteous Pharisees and scribes, Jesus responds with a parable, explaining that He came not for the righteous but for the sick, for those who recognize their need for salvation.
By recognizing His sovereignty, believers and the lost can take an honest self-assessment and will come to the conclusion that they need Christ in every situation in daily life instead of their own judgment.
Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.
“Whatever we do, we cannot equate that as righteousness before God,” Hibbs says.
Life is uncertain, and Hibbs stresses the need to place our hope and faith in Jesus Christ. He quotes Jeremiah 29:11, reminding listeners that God’s thoughts toward them are of peace and hope, offering a future filled with His divine purpose.
In his compelling message, Hibbs reminds believers of God’s unwavering faithfulness and control in every circumstance. Through the honesty of the Bible, he encourages individuals to find hope in God’s promises, even in times of uncertainty.
By accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, they can experience the peace and assurance of a future filled with God’s purpose and love.
Discover God’s ways—His sovereignty—through intimacy with Him in R.T. Kendall’s book, The Presence of God. {eoa}
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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.
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