Through the eyes of hope in Christ, we can look beyond today and see a bright tomorrow; we can see beyond our current circumstances and gain a sense of what God wants to do in our lives. Romans 5
states:
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
We can think about what or who we place our hope in. There are people that we trust, but there will be times when people will let us down. We can trust in our own strength or wisdom, but we will fall short. But, there is Someone in whom we can place our trust, one who can expand our vision and enlighten our hearts, causing us to be hopeful. Jesus came to give us that hope and He shows us the way we can find Him and come to know Him.
states:
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
We can think about what or who we place our hope in. There are people that we trust, but there will be times when people will let us down. We can trust in our own strength or wisdom, but we will fall short. But, there is Someone in whom we can place our trust, one who can expand our vision and enlighten our hearts, causing us to be hopeful. Jesus came to give us that hope and He shows us the way we can find Him and come to know Him.
+++++
If 1st Corinthians 13 is called the "love chapter" of the Bible, you could say that Romans 15 is at least a "hope chapter." The truth of Christ can elevate our hope and enable us to see beyond our current
situations. Romans 15 states:
3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me."
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,
6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yesterday on The Meeting House, perhaps you heard one of my guests, Deborah Stricklin, as she shared how God had led her to do ministry to the homeless in Nashville. He opened doors for her as she discovered more about what it means to live a surrendered life.
There are numerous ministries and charitable organizations across our land that are involved in doing ministry to the homeless. So often, we look to government to provide for the needs of people, and while there are so many worthwhile agencies that are funded by taxpayers to help people in need, the picture is incomplete.
Consider the overwhelming problem in large California cities. According to an article from The Daily Caller that was posted at The Stream website a couple of weeks ago...
The United States’ homeless population has been called a crisis, as seen in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, where the pollution caused by human waste has garnered the attention of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agency sent a letter to California officials Thursday saying the state is “failing” to meet federal water-quality standards.The article spotlights an organization called Shelters to Shutters and quotes its founder:
“The government is not the provider of all things,” Shelters to Shutters founder and owner of a multifamily real estate company Chris Finlay told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“The current government’s solution to homelessness — and this has been inherited — has been ‘housing first’ for years. What they really mean to say is ‘housing only,’” he added in reference to a government program that “prioritizes providing permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness,” according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.Meanwhile, Finlay's organization claims a 93% success rate in bringing people out of homelessness - the key is helping to find people jobs in the burgeoning apartment industry, in which Finlay says there are 200,000 open positions. The article says:
Shelters to Shutters partners with local nonprofits to find situationally homeless candidates who “had a job, had some sort of crisis, and now find themselves living on the streets or in shelters or in their cars, and they’re trying to find a job, but they don’t have an address, so it’s nearly impossible.”Once identified, the program places people in jobs in one of seven cities, including Atlanta and Nashville. The people chosen demonstrate a willingness to work in various positions in the real estate industry, from leasing agents to maintenance - and they usually receive discounted housing.
Finlay says, "What’s really amazing for me personally is to watch how people flourish and grow and take advantage of the opportunities,” adding, “How difficult it must be to go through the hardship — physically and emotionally — to go from working to living on the street and trying to figure out how you pull yourself out of that."
It is not readily clear if Shelters to Shutters is a Christian ministry, but the act of bringing people out of homelessness, restoring dignity, and building a work ethic are certainly principles that are consistent with the Scriptures.
Ministries that reach out to the homeless provide a variety of valuable services - from food to a place to stay to the development of skills - but, all in all, Christian ministries in this space communicate a message of hope, that there is a better way!
As we enter our considerations for today, first of all, you have to think about what the non-profit leader said, "The government is not the provider of all things." Government does some rather worthwhile things, and we appreciate those who work in the public sector; but there are limits. Private enterprise, which includes privately-funded charity has more unlimited potential to do good in a community. And, that reminds us of the Biblically-infused role of government: limited, with specific functions: to maintain order and punish evil. It has also been pointed out that our government does not extend rights to the citizens, rather, it protects the rights that are granted by God. Socialism, which some are calling for, even though it pretends to be a communal form of governance, depends on a central government that is determining how wealth is to be shared and how rights are to be granted. Our Constitution is devoted to lessening the size and scope of government, as the Founders envisioned.
Moving on, I want to hit the subject of hope. God's Word and His principles can bring hope for the person who is destitute or discouraged - a person in that situation doesn't have to stay there, but he or she may need the strength of the Lord and/or the principles of Scripture to liberate. We can remember that hope, rooted in Christ, can open eyes. If there is no hope, desire is quenched, and there is no room for improvement. But, with hope, which can give rise to faith, a person can see his or her way out of bondage.
That can produce a change in attitude, a change in countenance, and that hope can open doors. Hope, taking root in the soul, can produce a drive, a desire, to motivate someone to see beyond his or her current circumstances.
And, as we see in ministry to those who are homeless and so much of ministry that occurs, hope can open hearts. The Bible is a book of hope, telling the story of a Savior who loved humanity so much that He gave His life. But, death could not hold Him, and He was raised to new life. Now, we, by trusting in Christ, can live a life that reflects His presence, full of hope and anticipation. He died, but He didn't stay there, and He brings life, real and abundant life, to the person who embraces Him.
And, there are homeless ministries are providing more than just food and temporary shelter - CBN recently had a feature on such a ministry in Washington, DC, where there are thousands who live on the streets every day. The article says:
"The gospel is faithfully presented here every day, not only in the shelter but in the family ministry center. The cross of Christ is meeting the needs of the homeless and hurting in this city," Central Union Mission chair Dee Dee Collins told CBN News.The organization's vice-president of development and partnerships said, "We have a restoration and transformation program that's biblically based…we layer that with cognitive programming for those that have addiction issues. We also have education and workforce development opportunities..."
The team here gives the homeless more than just a meal and bed. They provide folks hope and help for transitioning out of their situation.
Ministries that reach out to the homeless provide a variety of valuable services - from food to a place to stay to the development of skills - but, all in all, Christian ministries in this space communicate a message of hope, that there is a better way!
As we enter our considerations for today, first of all, you have to think about what the non-profit leader said, "The government is not the provider of all things." Government does some rather worthwhile things, and we appreciate those who work in the public sector; but there are limits. Private enterprise, which includes privately-funded charity has more unlimited potential to do good in a community. And, that reminds us of the Biblically-infused role of government: limited, with specific functions: to maintain order and punish evil. It has also been pointed out that our government does not extend rights to the citizens, rather, it protects the rights that are granted by God. Socialism, which some are calling for, even though it pretends to be a communal form of governance, depends on a central government that is determining how wealth is to be shared and how rights are to be granted. Our Constitution is devoted to lessening the size and scope of government, as the Founders envisioned.
Moving on, I want to hit the subject of hope. God's Word and His principles can bring hope for the person who is destitute or discouraged - a person in that situation doesn't have to stay there, but he or she may need the strength of the Lord and/or the principles of Scripture to liberate. We can remember that hope, rooted in Christ, can open eyes. If there is no hope, desire is quenched, and there is no room for improvement. But, with hope, which can give rise to faith, a person can see his or her way out of bondage.
That can produce a change in attitude, a change in countenance, and that hope can open doors. Hope, taking root in the soul, can produce a drive, a desire, to motivate someone to see beyond his or her current circumstances.
And, as we see in ministry to those who are homeless and so much of ministry that occurs, hope can open hearts. The Bible is a book of hope, telling the story of a Savior who loved humanity so much that He gave His life. But, death could not hold Him, and He was raised to new life. Now, we, by trusting in Christ, can live a life that reflects His presence, full of hope and anticipation. He died, but He didn't stay there, and He brings life, real and abundant life, to the person who embraces Him.
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