Confidence. Great parents seek to instill it in their children, great coaches seek to instill it in their players, and great teachers seek to instill it in their students. I would also add that a pastor should seek to instill it in his congregation. What does that word confidence mean for the Christian? It means they live their lives with assurance, with certainty, with courage, with a bold spirit, and with tenacity. However, we must remember that it isn’t confidence alone but confidence in the right thing. Jeremiah 9:23 admonishes the people of Judah. “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches.” The setting for this admonition is one that is doom and gloom. The Babylonians were coming against Judah but there were those in Judah that had confidence in their own wisdom, along the wise ones in government to keep them safe. Others trusted in the security of the walls of the city, while others that had money thought they could either flee or bribe their way out of trouble. Jeremiah preaches none of those things will stop the destruction. The only hope Judah has is in God. “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord” (9:24).

The nation is falling. Government entities are corrupt, the economy is crashing & enemies are already chomping at the heels.  The descriptive old line “the barbarians are at the gate” was taking place. Am I talking about America? Could be, but no. I’m talking about the old Roman Empire. The time frame is the early 400’s A.D. and the Empire is almost done. Church history tells us about two of the early church fathers that lived during this era. Both are well-known. Jerome was a brilliant young man. He was sent to Rome to study and fell in love with the city. He is most well-known for the Latin Vulgate. This was a translation of the Bible for the common people. The word ‘vulgate’ means common. After really enjoying his early years in the city, 410 A.D. brought great change and his beautiful Rome began to crumble. The barbarians were now at the gate. He left the city and the last ten years of his life he spent living in a cave outside Bethlehem. He died in 420 A.D. The other church father was named Augustine. He was one of the first, if not the first, to use the phrase describing the Holy Spirit as “the hound of Heaven.” As a young man he’d lived a very sinful life, but the prayers of his mother, Monica, were answered and he became one of the most well-known Christians during this time. His most famous work is “The City of God.” It describes two-planes that people live. Those that live in the city of man and those that live in the city of God. Toward the end of his book he makes the statement concerning the Kingdom of God “how great shall be that felicity” (happiness). If you want happiness of the soul live on a higher plane.

The psalmist says, “God is our refuge (fortress) and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Therefor we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High” (46:1-4). Where is your confidence? Are you trusting in others to be your security? Do you see the turmoil in many of the largest cities of our nation and fret? Do you lay awake at night worrying that disease will ravage you or a loved one? Let me stir you to have confidence in your Lord. He never fails. People will fail you and disappoint you. They are frail and sinful just like you. They may do their best to encourage you, but still not give you confidence of soul. When it comes to confidence it is God in whom we are to trust, we are to be certain, we are to be assured, and in our spirit, become tenacious. God is the object of our confidence, not man, government or even ourselves.