Here are the words of Hebrews 12:
1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith...
Warren Wiersbie has said, "We need to remind ourselves that God can change things. Outlook determines outcome. If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory."
Romans 7 says this:
22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death ? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord ! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
Some news has emerged recently about a group of people from Kentucky known as the "Blue People of Troublesome Creek". Seems that members of the Fugate family for generations have had this rare blood disorder that results in the skin being blue. The disorder can be inherited, as with the Fugate family, or caused by exposure to certain drugs and chemicals such as anesthetic drugs like benzocaine and xylocaine and certain meat additives or antibiotics.
Apparently, the family has basically scattered, but it is an interesting study. And, it can be instructive about the nature of sin and redemption. You see, we are all born with a certain condition, a spiritual disorder - we are born into sin, and only through a relationship with Christ in salvation can we find an antidote, a treatment for sin. Apparently the Fugate family possessed these characteristics throughout their lives, and we can be reminded that we face the constant struggle with sin and the power of the flesh.
But, while you do have the propensity to sin in general and even to commit certain specific sins are passed down from generation to generations, we can still choose to surrender to Christ and release His power to enable us to overcome, to resist the urges and temptations of the flesh and to experience life transformation in Him. Just because your father or grandmother might have had life-controlling patterns that seem to "run in the family", through the power of the Lord and His Word, you can discover His strength.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Matters of the Heart
Proverbs 4 says, beginning in verse 20:
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
We must be careful to filter what we place into our hearts through the Word of God - our hearts have been redeemed and renewed by the Holy Spirit, but if we are feeding input to our hearts that is not consistent with God's Word and nature, then our spiritual health is adversely affected.
Paul wrote in Romans chapter 10 that 9 ...if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Have your heard about the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas? Yes, it has such scrumptous menu items as the Triple Bypass Burger and the Quadruple Bypass Burger. Well, according to Fox 5 Vegas and amateur video (which seems to always be showing up these days, an unidentified man dining at the establishment suffered from a heart attack at the Heart Attack Grill while feasting on one of those Triple Bypass Burgers. He is reported to be alive and recuperating.
The restaurant's slogan is "Taste Worth Dying For", and this incident comes just a year after the Grill's 575-pound, 29-year-old spokesman died.
The Vegas owner of Heart Attack Grill, "Doctor" Jon Basso -- who is not actually a doctor -- first thought the man's cardiac arrest was a joke, but soon phoned 911. Basso told Fox 5, "I actually felt horrible for the gentleman because the tourists were taking photos of him as if it were some type of stunt. Even with our own morbid sense of humor, we would never pull a stunt like that," he said.
As health and nutrition expert Pam Smith reminded us on Tuesday's program, this is American Heart Month, and while people are focused on a plethora of hearts for Valentine's Day, it can serve as a reminder to take care of our hearts - no laughing matter here! And, we must be careful to take care of not only our physical hearts, but our spiritual hearts, the human spirit, the core of our being. Proverbs says to guard our hearts, because our spirit, our heart, is the wellspring of life. How we behave and respond to God and others is governed by what is in our hearts - at our core. If we are allowing Christ to energize our hearts, then our spiritual life will be healthy, but if we place thoughts and ideas into our hearts that are contrary to God's ways, then we live at a level less than what God intended.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
We must be careful to filter what we place into our hearts through the Word of God - our hearts have been redeemed and renewed by the Holy Spirit, but if we are feeding input to our hearts that is not consistent with God's Word and nature, then our spiritual health is adversely affected.
Paul wrote in Romans chapter 10 that 9 ...if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Have your heard about the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas? Yes, it has such scrumptous menu items as the Triple Bypass Burger and the Quadruple Bypass Burger. Well, according to Fox 5 Vegas and amateur video (which seems to always be showing up these days, an unidentified man dining at the establishment suffered from a heart attack at the Heart Attack Grill while feasting on one of those Triple Bypass Burgers. He is reported to be alive and recuperating.
The restaurant's slogan is "Taste Worth Dying For", and this incident comes just a year after the Grill's 575-pound, 29-year-old spokesman died.
The Vegas owner of Heart Attack Grill, "Doctor" Jon Basso -- who is not actually a doctor -- first thought the man's cardiac arrest was a joke, but soon phoned 911. Basso told Fox 5, "I actually felt horrible for the gentleman because the tourists were taking photos of him as if it were some type of stunt. Even with our own morbid sense of humor, we would never pull a stunt like that," he said.
As health and nutrition expert Pam Smith reminded us on Tuesday's program, this is American Heart Month, and while people are focused on a plethora of hearts for Valentine's Day, it can serve as a reminder to take care of our hearts - no laughing matter here! And, we must be careful to take care of not only our physical hearts, but our spiritual hearts, the human spirit, the core of our being. Proverbs says to guard our hearts, because our spirit, our heart, is the wellspring of life. How we behave and respond to God and others is governed by what is in our hearts - at our core. If we are allowing Christ to energize our hearts, then our spiritual life will be healthy, but if we place thoughts and ideas into our hearts that are contrary to God's ways, then we live at a level less than what God intended.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Identity Crisis
The apostle Paul relates a prayer for the people of God in Ephesians chapter 1, saying that he prays:
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe... We have a new identity in Jesus Christ, recognizing that in Him we are new creations - the old has come, the new has come, and we can open our eyes to the truth of who God is, the relationship He wants to have with us, and the truth about who we are, as redeemed, blood-bought children of God, brought into fellowship with the Father through Christ. In Colossians chapter 1, Paul writes: 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight...
A new report from the Pew Center on the States says that one of every eight voter registrations in the United States is either invalid or inaccurate. That represents some 24 million records. And, there are voters registered in multiple states, approximately 1.8 million dead people are still listed as active voters, and one in four people eligible to vote — some 51 million people — are not registered at all.
This makes the case for stronger voter identification and registration laws, and can serve to encourage us as believers in Christ who want to impact the culture to get involved by registering to vote and casting a ballot, representing a prayerful, informed choice.
But, I think there is also a lesson we can learn from this massive number of inaccurate records - I believe that, as Christians, we have inaccurate information about our identity. We have been called children of God, purchased by the blood of Jesus, but rather than act like people belonging to God, we operate as if we belong to this world. We have been set free from the power of sin, but we so often allow ourselves to be in bondage to habits and activities that keep us from walking in God's best. And, while the Bible tells us we have been forgiven for our past sins, we allow the guilt and shame of our past to cloud our hope for the future. So, we need to feed accurate information to be processed in our minds, and since our true identity is found in Christ, we can discover who were are in Him by reading, studying, and meditating on God's Word.
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe... We have a new identity in Jesus Christ, recognizing that in Him we are new creations - the old has come, the new has come, and we can open our eyes to the truth of who God is, the relationship He wants to have with us, and the truth about who we are, as redeemed, blood-bought children of God, brought into fellowship with the Father through Christ. In Colossians chapter 1, Paul writes: 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight...
A new report from the Pew Center on the States says that one of every eight voter registrations in the United States is either invalid or inaccurate. That represents some 24 million records. And, there are voters registered in multiple states, approximately 1.8 million dead people are still listed as active voters, and one in four people eligible to vote — some 51 million people — are not registered at all.
This makes the case for stronger voter identification and registration laws, and can serve to encourage us as believers in Christ who want to impact the culture to get involved by registering to vote and casting a ballot, representing a prayerful, informed choice.
But, I think there is also a lesson we can learn from this massive number of inaccurate records - I believe that, as Christians, we have inaccurate information about our identity. We have been called children of God, purchased by the blood of Jesus, but rather than act like people belonging to God, we operate as if we belong to this world. We have been set free from the power of sin, but we so often allow ourselves to be in bondage to habits and activities that keep us from walking in God's best. And, while the Bible tells us we have been forgiven for our past sins, we allow the guilt and shame of our past to cloud our hope for the future. So, we need to feed accurate information to be processed in our minds, and since our true identity is found in Christ, we can discover who were are in Him by reading, studying, and meditating on God's Word.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
"Til Death Do Us Part"
1st John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
On this V's Day, when we express our love toward that special person in our lives, we can explore the depths of God's love for us - Jesus gave His life so that we could come to know and love Him, and as we humble ourselves before Him and before one another, we can gain a glimpse into what it really means to love.
In Ephesians 5, husbands are told to love their wives as Christ loved the church, and God's pronouncement on the institution of marriage from Genesis 2 are restated:
31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. When someone makes a vow to God or to another person, as in our marriage vows, this a strong promise, a declaration that you intend to keep. In a culture where marriage has become increasingly expendable, this is a countercultural notion, but marriage represents the best God has to offer and the best that we can offer to one another.
From Deuteronomy 12:
10 But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, 11 then there will be the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the Lord. The concept of a vow is found throughout the Old Testament and I find that there is an element of sacrifice that is associated. Jesus loved us so much that He gave His life, and when we enter into a marriage relationship, or even a relationship that could lead to marriage, we place the needs of the other person above our own, and seek to serve and please that other person! And, no matter what the circumstances, we recognize that marriage is intended to be a lasting relationship, to the glory of God. Kim and Krickett Carpenter had been married for 10 weeks when they experienced a violent car accident, and Krickett lost a portion of her memory, including her relationship with Kim...but because he had taken a vow to stay with her, and because she realized she had taken a vow, as well, he proceeded to woo her, they dated, rediscovered each other, fell in love again, and had another marriage ceremony. Their story is the basis for this past weekend's box office champion, "The Vow", which shares the name with a book containing their story. The plot admittedly had some Hollywood liberties, but the story and the presence of faith found in the book can be inspiring to us today.
This past weekend, almost 500 people attended FamilyLife's Weekend to Remember in Montgomery. 130 people recommitted their lives to Christ and over 100 experienced a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit. Almost 3 dozen accepted Christ as Savior, so that they could experience His love and prepare to love their mate as he loved the church.
Here are some of the comments:This weekend opened our eyes and reiterated the need for us to be God-centered and value each other as the “ultimate gift from the ultimate gift giver”!! How dare I not appreciate or pick apart and complain about such a gift! This was my “Ah ha!” moment!
Reminded us to keep our priorities focused on God first, each other, then children.
Helped us relax and refocus. This was a “Lord help us have an excellent marriage” experience. Our first one was just a “Lord help us” experience. Both hit the mark.
Profound. I never thought of my husband as my perfect gift from God. It rocked my world in regard to how I look at him
We were very distant for months. We had decided almost to be “roommates” because we had committed that divorce is not an option. We leave reconnected with a sense of oneness for God’s plan for our lives and a legacy for our children.
I was reminded “oneness” is the goal and we have accomplished it.
Marriage is God's best, and our spouse is God's gift to us. I rejoice in my marriage, to Beth, 21-1/2 years and growing stronger - in fact, 22 years ago on Valentine's Day, our friends thought we'd get engaged, but I decided to wait 3 days to ask her. I'm so thankful she said "yes!"
On this V's Day, when we express our love toward that special person in our lives, we can explore the depths of God's love for us - Jesus gave His life so that we could come to know and love Him, and as we humble ourselves before Him and before one another, we can gain a glimpse into what it really means to love.
In Ephesians 5, husbands are told to love their wives as Christ loved the church, and God's pronouncement on the institution of marriage from Genesis 2 are restated:
31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. When someone makes a vow to God or to another person, as in our marriage vows, this a strong promise, a declaration that you intend to keep. In a culture where marriage has become increasingly expendable, this is a countercultural notion, but marriage represents the best God has to offer and the best that we can offer to one another.
From Deuteronomy 12:
10 But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, 11 then there will be the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the Lord. The concept of a vow is found throughout the Old Testament and I find that there is an element of sacrifice that is associated. Jesus loved us so much that He gave His life, and when we enter into a marriage relationship, or even a relationship that could lead to marriage, we place the needs of the other person above our own, and seek to serve and please that other person! And, no matter what the circumstances, we recognize that marriage is intended to be a lasting relationship, to the glory of God. Kim and Krickett Carpenter had been married for 10 weeks when they experienced a violent car accident, and Krickett lost a portion of her memory, including her relationship with Kim...but because he had taken a vow to stay with her, and because she realized she had taken a vow, as well, he proceeded to woo her, they dated, rediscovered each other, fell in love again, and had another marriage ceremony. Their story is the basis for this past weekend's box office champion, "The Vow", which shares the name with a book containing their story. The plot admittedly had some Hollywood liberties, but the story and the presence of faith found in the book can be inspiring to us today.
This past weekend, almost 500 people attended FamilyLife's Weekend to Remember in Montgomery. 130 people recommitted their lives to Christ and over 100 experienced a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit. Almost 3 dozen accepted Christ as Savior, so that they could experience His love and prepare to love their mate as he loved the church.
Here are some of the comments:This weekend opened our eyes and reiterated the need for us to be God-centered and value each other as the “ultimate gift from the ultimate gift giver”!! How dare I not appreciate or pick apart and complain about such a gift! This was my “Ah ha!” moment!
Reminded us to keep our priorities focused on God first, each other, then children.
Helped us relax and refocus. This was a “Lord help us have an excellent marriage” experience. Our first one was just a “Lord help us” experience. Both hit the mark.
Profound. I never thought of my husband as my perfect gift from God. It rocked my world in regard to how I look at him
We were very distant for months. We had decided almost to be “roommates” because we had committed that divorce is not an option. We leave reconnected with a sense of oneness for God’s plan for our lives and a legacy for our children.
I was reminded “oneness” is the goal and we have accomplished it.
Marriage is God's best, and our spouse is God's gift to us. I rejoice in my marriage, to Beth, 21-1/2 years and growing stronger - in fact, 22 years ago on Valentine's Day, our friends thought we'd get engaged, but I decided to wait 3 days to ask her. I'm so thankful she said "yes!"
Monday, February 13, 2012
Fighting and Finishing
The apostle Paul referred to the Christian life as a race, and in 2nd Timothy 4, as he neared the end of that race, he reflected, writing these words:
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. Many make what seems to be a good start, growing up in the church, maybe even appearing live a godly life, but never experience the life-transforming power of God through salvation in Christ, and their lives do not reflect the dedication and obedience to Him. Galatians 5:7-9 says: 7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Her life has been described as a cautionary tale, and on the eve of the Grammys, just hours after she had publicly sang "Jesus Loves Me" with a friend at a pre-Grammy party, pop superstar Whitney Houston was found dead in her hotel room. How tragic! The silence of a voice that moved a generation. Whitney grew up in the church - her mom, Cissy Houston, was a famous gospel singer, and indeed the threads of her childhood faith appeared at various times in her career. But, she developed a reputation for too much partying, substance abuse, and a turbulent marriage to someone who had a wild reputation himself. And, while we don't know exactly what happened during those final few moments, we know that her death called attention to how she lived her life. Some random principles we can take away from the life - and death - of Whitney:1 - "except for the grace of God go I." We should never be so proud as to think that our lives are immune from sin and rebellion...except for the power of Christ released in us, because we are born into sin, we have a propensity to displease God. And we don't have the right to judge whether or not someone is saved. 2 - We have to possess our own faith. Whitney grew up in church and her family life had a strong spiritual thread...but just because we have a church background and a believing mom, dad, or grandparents, doesn't mean that their faith will carry us. Each of us has to make that childhood teaching our own...my kids can't ride my faith into heaven.3 - Life is a marathon, not a sprint. The apostle Paul spoke of finishing well. And, we see people who may have attended church regularly years ago who do not sustain that relationship and never capture a passion for living for Christ. And, we have to evaluate our walk with Christ - are we growing in Him, moving forward in Christ, standing still, or even drifting backward? In fact, if we're marking time or treading water, the currents of the culture and the propensity of our flesh will cause us to move backward. So, our challenge today - are we positioning ourselves to finish well?
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. Many make what seems to be a good start, growing up in the church, maybe even appearing live a godly life, but never experience the life-transforming power of God through salvation in Christ, and their lives do not reflect the dedication and obedience to Him. Galatians 5:7-9 says: 7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Her life has been described as a cautionary tale, and on the eve of the Grammys, just hours after she had publicly sang "Jesus Loves Me" with a friend at a pre-Grammy party, pop superstar Whitney Houston was found dead in her hotel room. How tragic! The silence of a voice that moved a generation. Whitney grew up in the church - her mom, Cissy Houston, was a famous gospel singer, and indeed the threads of her childhood faith appeared at various times in her career. But, she developed a reputation for too much partying, substance abuse, and a turbulent marriage to someone who had a wild reputation himself. And, while we don't know exactly what happened during those final few moments, we know that her death called attention to how she lived her life. Some random principles we can take away from the life - and death - of Whitney:1 - "except for the grace of God go I." We should never be so proud as to think that our lives are immune from sin and rebellion...except for the power of Christ released in us, because we are born into sin, we have a propensity to displease God. And we don't have the right to judge whether or not someone is saved. 2 - We have to possess our own faith. Whitney grew up in church and her family life had a strong spiritual thread...but just because we have a church background and a believing mom, dad, or grandparents, doesn't mean that their faith will carry us. Each of us has to make that childhood teaching our own...my kids can't ride my faith into heaven.3 - Life is a marathon, not a sprint. The apostle Paul spoke of finishing well. And, we see people who may have attended church regularly years ago who do not sustain that relationship and never capture a passion for living for Christ. And, we have to evaluate our walk with Christ - are we growing in Him, moving forward in Christ, standing still, or even drifting backward? In fact, if we're marking time or treading water, the currents of the culture and the propensity of our flesh will cause us to move backward. So, our challenge today - are we positioning ourselves to finish well?
Friday, February 10, 2012
It's Halftime
From Romans chapter 5:
(We) rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 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.
As believers in Christ, we may be facing tough times, but through the fuel of the Holy Spirit and the fellowship of our Christian brothers and sisters that can help us make it through, we can experience God's endurance and His joy.
In Colossians 1, the apostle Paul, referring to the saints of God, says:
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The results are in, and the Doritos baby commercial is the winner! That's the one depicting a baby in a seat, held by bungee cords, sent into the air to retrieve the Doritos from the boy in the treehouse. Perhaps the commercial that has received the most attention is the Clint Eastwood monologue for Chrysler - I say monologue because Eastwood reportedly doesn't do commercial endorsements.
It was aired at halftime, and says that its..."It’s halftime in America, too. People are out of work and they’re hurting. And they’re all wondering what they’re going to do to make a comeback. And we’re all scared, because this isn’t a game.
The people of Detroit know a little something about this. They almost lost everything. But we all pulled together, now Motor City is fighting again.
But after those trials, we all rallied around what was right, and acted as one. Because that’s what we do. We find a way through tough times, and if we can’t find a way, then we’ll make one.
This country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again and when we do the world is going to hear the roar of our engines. Yeah, it’s halftime America. And, our second half is about to begin."
Some have regarded this ad as an endorsement for the taxpayer-funded bailout of Chrysler and GM. Eastwood denies that, but I think the critics have a point. But, another message to us can be about the power of HOPE. Just as Jesus, even though crucified on a cross, was raised from the dead, we can have hope that He is with us and that He will be exalted. But, we have to trust Him - we can choose to possess a sense of despair and disappointment, or we can face our future with hope because we serve a risen Lord.
In Independence Hall in Philadelphia, there was a chair used by George Washington during the Constitutional Convention. James Madison reported that Benjamin Franklin had said, "I have often looked at that behind the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now I... know that it is a rising...sun." For the believer today, we can face tomorrow with the assurance that God has a hope and future for us...a rising sun, if you will.
The resurrection is a tangible reminder that in Christ, we can have hope. When we encounter disappointment, we look to a living Lord and can be lifted up in our spirits, knowing that He is in control of the future. He is faithful, and we can face the future with hope because of Jesus.
(We) rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 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.
As believers in Christ, we may be facing tough times, but through the fuel of the Holy Spirit and the fellowship of our Christian brothers and sisters that can help us make it through, we can experience God's endurance and His joy.
In Colossians 1, the apostle Paul, referring to the saints of God, says:
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The results are in, and the Doritos baby commercial is the winner! That's the one depicting a baby in a seat, held by bungee cords, sent into the air to retrieve the Doritos from the boy in the treehouse. Perhaps the commercial that has received the most attention is the Clint Eastwood monologue for Chrysler - I say monologue because Eastwood reportedly doesn't do commercial endorsements.
It was aired at halftime, and says that its..."It’s halftime in America, too. People are out of work and they’re hurting. And they’re all wondering what they’re going to do to make a comeback. And we’re all scared, because this isn’t a game.
The people of Detroit know a little something about this. They almost lost everything. But we all pulled together, now Motor City is fighting again.
But after those trials, we all rallied around what was right, and acted as one. Because that’s what we do. We find a way through tough times, and if we can’t find a way, then we’ll make one.
This country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again and when we do the world is going to hear the roar of our engines. Yeah, it’s halftime America. And, our second half is about to begin."
Some have regarded this ad as an endorsement for the taxpayer-funded bailout of Chrysler and GM. Eastwood denies that, but I think the critics have a point. But, another message to us can be about the power of HOPE. Just as Jesus, even though crucified on a cross, was raised from the dead, we can have hope that He is with us and that He will be exalted. But, we have to trust Him - we can choose to possess a sense of despair and disappointment, or we can face our future with hope because we serve a risen Lord.
In Independence Hall in Philadelphia, there was a chair used by George Washington during the Constitutional Convention. James Madison reported that Benjamin Franklin had said, "I have often looked at that behind the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now I... know that it is a rising...sun." For the believer today, we can face tomorrow with the assurance that God has a hope and future for us...a rising sun, if you will.
The resurrection is a tangible reminder that in Christ, we can have hope. When we encounter disappointment, we look to a living Lord and can be lifted up in our spirits, knowing that He is in control of the future. He is faithful, and we can face the future with hope because of Jesus.
All Scripture Is Inspired...
2nd Timothy 3:16 reminds us of the integrity of God's Word:
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness...
In this culture, when there are policies and philosophies that motivate the decisions of people in power, we as believers in Christ need to have a working knowledge of God's Word, hidden in our hearts, governing our behavior, and expressed with our mouths. He is the one who is our anchor, who provides us a firm foundation, in absolute truth.
In Psalm 1, we see this:
1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers ! 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither ; And in whatever he does, he prospers.
Blogger Tim Challies has developed a chart on the "Books of the Bible" - at first glance, it really looks like the Periodic Table of the Elements - on the left side, the Old Testament books are broken down by type, each one with its own square on the table. Likewise, on the right side, the New Testament books are laid out. Not only do we need to read God's Word, but as God instructed Joshua, it's helpful, really critical to meditate on His truth and to apply His principles. So finding the verses and passages that pertain to issues we are facing can be very instructive and inspiring. The elements comprise our physical environment and God's Word possesses the building blocks for our spiritual growth...His Word will teach us, reprove and correct us, and teach us how to live a life pleasing to Him.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness...
In this culture, when there are policies and philosophies that motivate the decisions of people in power, we as believers in Christ need to have a working knowledge of God's Word, hidden in our hearts, governing our behavior, and expressed with our mouths. He is the one who is our anchor, who provides us a firm foundation, in absolute truth.
In Psalm 1, we see this:
1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers ! 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither ; And in whatever he does, he prospers.
Blogger Tim Challies has developed a chart on the "Books of the Bible" - at first glance, it really looks like the Periodic Table of the Elements - on the left side, the Old Testament books are broken down by type, each one with its own square on the table. Likewise, on the right side, the New Testament books are laid out. Not only do we need to read God's Word, but as God instructed Joshua, it's helpful, really critical to meditate on His truth and to apply His principles. So finding the verses and passages that pertain to issues we are facing can be very instructive and inspiring. The elements comprise our physical environment and God's Word possesses the building blocks for our spiritual growth...His Word will teach us, reprove and correct us, and teach us how to live a life pleasing to Him.
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