Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Offer Hope this Advent (12/4/25)

As we enter the Advent season, which literally means "coming," we're reminded that this time of year is all about preparing to celebrate Jesus's arrival on earth. Our church is focusing on passages from Isaiah that speak to both Jesus's first coming and His second coming. This week, with Hope as our theme, we reflected on the hope that Jesus's first coming brought, particularly through His death on the cross, which paid the price for our sins.

This hope not only brings forgiveness but also gives us Jesus's righteousness, allowing us to join Him in Heaven for eternity when He returns.

On Sunday evening, as we enjoyed dinner together, we delved deeper into the concept of Jesus's Hope and lit our own Advent candle (part of a wreath my Mom gave us years ago to help us worship). We read passages from Matthew and Isaiah, including:

Isaiah 9:2    The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.

As we discussed ways to share the light of Jesus with others and offer them hope, Alexis suggested that we could share the gospel with those around us. In God’s perfect timing, my niece and nephew were having a similar conversation about the gospel with their mom (my sister) on the other side of town. They blurted out that they needed to pray and ask Jesus to come into their lives. So, they made the decision to receive Him as their Lord and Savior!!! We all praised God when we heard the wonderful news!

The kids’ Bible study memory verse for this week was:

I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

My niece and nephew’s decision to confess their sins and invite Jesus into their hearts is a powerful reminder of the gift of Hope Jesus offers. They can now look forward to the day when they will be completely purified in Heaven.

Who do you know that needs the Hope of Jesus this Advent Season? Will you pray for opportunities to share Jesus with them?

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Job’s Confidence (9/12/24)

 Job still doesn’t have answers and his friends keep adding heaps of ridicule to his already tormented mental and physical state. He calls them to be silent. He doesn’t need to talk to them, but directly to His Creator!

Job 13:1-5, 15-19 “My eyes have seen all this,
    my ears have heard and understood it.
² What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.
³ But I desire to speak to the Almighty
    and to argue my case with God.
⁴ You, however, smear me with lies;
    you are worthless physicians, all of you!
⁵ If only you would be altogether silent!
    For you, that would be wisdom.

¹⁵  Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
    I will surely defend my ways to his face.
¹⁶ Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,
    for no godless person would dare come before him!
¹⁷ Listen carefully to what I say;
    let my words ring in your ears.
¹⁸ Now that I have prepared my case,
    I know I will be vindicated.
¹⁹ Can anyone bring charges against me?
    If so, I will be silent and die.

I don’t think Job is speaking out of pride. In chapter 9 he declared no one can compare to the Almighty God. I think he knows there is something he doesn’t know. He doesn’t believe God is smiting him for some unknown sin. Even though he feels like God is against him, he confirms that he has no hope in anyone or anything other than God. I think the Holy Spirit is speaking through him prophetically when he says “this will turn out for my deliverance” and “I know I will be vindicated.” Job is confident in who God is.

What is unsettling for you and me right now? Maybe it’s the political climate, a health concern, a family situation, or a rocky relationship – our Almighty God knows all about it and is in control. Like Job, you and I can remain confident in God, while still confused with the circumstances around us. 

Hope Transformed

Have you ever witnessed someone being punished for something, properly, for something they did? How about when it was something you had done as well, only you didn't get caught? If you have, as an adult or even as a child, remember that feeling. Were you afraid? Did you look around to see if anyone knew you were guilty as well? Did you get a feeling in the pit of your stomach that told you that you had been spared, but not why?

I remember learning something, an internal process at work, was wrong by witnessing someone else being punished for it. I remember thinking, "Oops, better not do that again!" And I changed, either what I did, or how I did it. I tried not to follow the path that led to being punished. At least, I usually did, but I confess, not always.

Judah, the favored tribe, did not learn from their brothers to the north. The nation of Israel, living right alongside Judah, was taken by the Assyrians, but Jerusalem was spared. As the major empires of the world formed, and convulsed against each other, Judah sort of was left like an island between two major world powers. They witnessed the destruction of their brothers, the Ten Tribes, being carried off into captivity for their sins of rebellion against God.

And yet, for Jerusalem, for Judah, it was different. They had the favor of God, the promise to David of always having a king, of Jerusalem being where God placed His name. They could not be compared with the North, who never again worshiped in Jerusalem, at the great Temple of Solomon. What happened in the north would never happen to them, God wouldn't let it...

The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim is trodden under foot.

And the fading flower of its glorious beauty,

Which is at the head of the fertile valley,

Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to summer,

Which one sees,

And as soon as it is in his hand,

He swallows it.

In that day the LORD of hosts will become a beautiful crown

And a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people;

A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment,

A strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate. 

(Isaiah 28:3-6 NASB)

When this passage was translated into Greek, about 200 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the translators used "hope" instead of "glorious beauty". It wasn't actual beauty, but beauty expectantly counted on. Only this beauty was not to be. The crown of Ephraim was cast down and trodden under foot by the Assyrians, and the people of Judah saw it. They nearly succumbed themselves, but narrowly dodged the disaster because of the faithfulness of Hezekiah.

Of Israel's prophets, God says this:

For all the tables are full of filthy vomit, without a single clean place.

“To whom would He teach knowledge,

And to whom would He interpret the message?

Those just weaned from milk?

Those just taken from the breast?

“For He says,

‘ Order on order, order on order,

Line on line, line on line,

A little here, a little there.’”

Indeed, He will speak to this people

Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue,

He who said to them, “Here is rest, give rest to the weary,”

And, “Here is repose,” but they would not listen.

So the word of the LORD to them will be,

“Order on order, order on order,

Line on line, line on line,

A little here, a little there,”

That they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snared and taken captive.

(Isaiah 28:8-13 NASB)

Here, again, hope is used, but now for the babbling of the prophet, "order on order, line on line". For the scholars translating the Hebrew, it was "trouble on trouble, hope on hope". The drunken babbling of the prophets in the north were as the gibberish of a baby. But their God turns it back on them, and they are taken away from the Land of Promise.

Judah witnessed, but did not learn. They saw what happened, but trusted in Jerusalem, believed that God would preserve His beautiful temple. So, they filled this temple with the worship of false gods, but still thought Yahweh would protect it...

Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers,

Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,

Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,

And with Sheol we have made a pact.

The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by,

For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception.”

(Isaiah 28:14-15 NASB)

And where is the hope in this passage? Their "refuge" is their "hope". Think about that for a second. Their hope is falsehood. They think it's David's Covenant, they claim it's Jerusalem and the Temple, but it's not. They think they will escape God's judgement because of those things, yet despise the One having given them. God will not see, He will not act, He will not hold us accountable. The deception is ridiculous, like grown man hiding behind a single leaf.

And so, the tables turn, God arrives for judgement, and it's like no one expects, even the prophet, Isaiah:

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone,

A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed.

He who believes in it will not be disturbed.

“I will make justice the measuring line

And righteousness the level;

Then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies

And the waters will overflow the secret place.

“Your covenant with death will be canceled,

And your pact with Sheol will not stand;

When the overwhelming scourge passes through,

Then you become its trampling place.

(Isaiah 28:16-18 NASB)

Does this begin by sounding familiar? A "cornerstone"? That's Jesus! (Romans 9:33 and 1 Peter 2:6) And He is the Cornerstone established by the measuring line of justice and the level of righteousness. And the very next line is where the Greek has "hope": "And I will set judgement as hope and the charity of Me as a standard." The Cornerstone is placed with judgement as our "hope", and love as the standard.

We are constantly tempted to trust in things instead of the One having made all things. We are constantly distracted by things below away from the face of Him above. The Savior of the world, the Creator of the universe, has, indeed, given us promises. We, as disciples of Jesus, have unimaginable blessings, both now, and for the future. But those blessings and promises are never to distract us from the One making the promise and providing the blessing.

Let's be so weird about our focus and our challenge that we will be called to give an account of the obvious, but confusing, hope we have within us. 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation

Terrifying Darkness, Awesome Light

Faith substantiates hope and validates what cannot be seen (Hebrews 11:1), so hope is vital to our faith. Hope is the expectation of a future event or circumstance. All sorts of things are the object of hope: financial security, grand children, a comfortable life, even the lottery can be an object of hope. We can hope in the short-term like the successful completion of a project. We can hope in the long-term like retirement. But not all objects of hope are worthy of faith. 

For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, “IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.” And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.” (Hebrews 12:18-21 NASB)

The holy presence of Yahweh at Mount Sinai required extreme measures by the people, terrifying measures. They heard the voice of the Holy One, and could not endure it. They saw the terrifying cloud, fire, darkness which spread to gloom over them all, and they didn't want to go near it. It was nothing like the gods of Egypt, idols in temples, and statues in the thoroughfares. This was the realm of spiritual realities breaking into the physical realm of their daily lives. It was shocking, so different that they could not wrap their heads around what they saw. It was Yahweh, the Creator of the universe right there before them, physically present on a mountain. Rightly, they were terrified.

But that is a not a comfortable object of hope. To see and experience our Savior that way causes us to tremble, and duck our heads in terror. Yet, it is still our Savior. What the people of Israel saw at Mount Sinai wasn't just a show, it was a revelation. And it's as true about our Savior now as it was then. That's still part of who He is. Still, why would we expect the Creator of this unimaginable universe to fit even on a mountain? Regardless of what they saw, that could not be the whole truth about their Savior. The object of our hope includes a somewhat different view of our Savior:

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:22-24 NASB)

We hope in an eternal life with our Savior in His city. The city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem is our true home, and not this twisted fallen world. In that city are the myriads of angels, the collection of disciples of Jesus called out of the corrupt world. But we also will see God. God, the Judge of all, is the primary resident of that city. It is to His presence we are headed. And there we will join the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and Jesus, the One mediating for us through His perfect blood.

So much of this world cries for our attention. We live on a ship sinking with people going down, never to rise. Of those people, some are called to "jump ship". We are among those with that call, and we have been given the responsibility to sound an alarm, blow a whistle, to point to the salvation of our God, and to the holy city. If all the hate in this world drowns out our message, will they hear? If all the evil darkness encroaches our light, will they see? The response to hate is love, the response to darkness is light, the response to agitation is peace. 

Will we succeed? The way our Savior defines success, yes. Will we see peace in our lifetime? We are eternal, so absolutely we will. Will this world ever heal? Well, not this world, but a new heaven and new earth will (Revelation 21:1). The content of our hope will not fail, will not fade, and will not delay. Faith substantiates this hope, drives us to share this hope, and ensures our connection to this hope. We are saved by grace, and that salvation means we have heaven to look forward to, the very face of our Savior. 

This should change everything. The challenge for us is to be so focused on it that everything does, in fact, change. We are free to love because of this hope. We are free to give away everything because of this hope. We are free to loose everything in this life because what we have in the next is secured by our the Creator of the universe. We are free to live at peace because of this hope. We are free to live every day in joy, blessed joy, because of this hope. And nothing spiritual or material can diminish, tarnish, or remove this hope we have because it is established by the One having spoken matter into existence (Romans 8:38,39).

Enabling All The Rest

I remember, as a kid, going to "camp". It didn't really matter what sort of camp, they all had one thing in common:  a list of what to bring. In a sense, we attempt to do the same thing with our relationship with our Creator, act like there was a list of what to bring. But there isn't. Every bit of our righteousness is like dirty rags. Paul writes of "putting off the old man" and "putting on Christ Jesus". Yet that's a difficult concept to receive and live out.

But here's why that is so crucial, if we bring anything with us in our relationship with Jesus, our hope is divided. We may hope in Jesus, but we also hope in whatever we bring. And hope is essential for faith and love. 

Now faith is the  assurance of things  hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 NASB)

How can faith be assurance of something we don't have? And if we have it, but it isn't entirely in Jesus, then how is our faith in Jesus alone?

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 NASB)

Faith, hope, and love remain, or abide, or dwell, live together. The greatest is love, although they come as a set with the other two, and, as the previous verse makes clear, there's no faith without hope. Hope is essential for faith, and, as it turns out, love.

Think about the idea of hope for a minute. Does it bother you? Is there a little fear, fear that it will not be fulfilled? That's common, and the best indicator that our hope is mixed with Jesus and something else. But what does hope in Jesus look like?

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. (Hebrews 12:14-16 NASB)

Hope in Jesus looks like disciples actively pursuing peace with all men, pursuing the process of being made holy to Jesus, working together to ensure we reach the grace of God together, ensuring roots of bitterness are removed even as they spring up, and not permitting godless or immoral activity among disciples as if it were simply part of our culture. Why? Because we are pursuing something not of this world:

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13-16 NASB)

Paul applies the call to follow the pattern of thinking in Jesus using himself as an example in Philippians 3:7-16. In Philippians 2:5-11, he lays out the pattern of Jesus, in 2:19-23, Paul uses Timothy as an example of Jesus' servanthood. In 2:25-30, he uses Epaphroditus as an example of Jesus' obedience to the point of death. But the emptying of Himself, for that element of Jesus' pattern Paul uses himself as the example in 3:7-16.

It's crucial for the disciple to grasp this, because it is the application of hope. That is the effect on us of having hope. And it is the antithesis of what we are seeing in our nation, in Hong Kong, in Indonesia, in India, and all throughout our world. People, without hope, will follow the pattern of the devil, stealing, killing, and destroying. Only Jesus came that we might have life, and have it to the full.

Next week, I want to share about the "content", or focus of our hope. Stay tuned.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation

Thursday Devotional - Hope for the Helpless

When James was struggling to breathe a few weeks ago, he looked up at me in the middle of one of his steam treatments and asked me if I thought he was going to die. I told him no, I didn’t think so. As concerned as I was for him, I realized he was not only miserable, but scared too. Both feeling helpless, we prayed together. I also heard him pray again by himself when he was in bed.

We can feel helpless, but God is always able to help. In fact, He’s already taken care of our biggest problem – our sin.

Romans 5:5-11  “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”      Romans 5:5-11

Because of Jesus’ death, I am a reconciled child of God; I have been forgiven; my debt has been paid; and my debt was paid in full by someone else (Jesus Christ).  If that was all Jesus did for me, I would have more than enough for which to rejoice.  However, Jesus didn’t just die to pay for our sins, God raised Him from the dead to give us eternal life!!!  We not only receive peace and joy here on earth as a result of our reconciliation, but we will receive everlasting life with God in Heaven because we have been saved through Christ’s life! 

Will you thank God for His love in reconciling and saving you?         

How are you and I extending that same love to others, offering hope to the helpless?    

Alice

Hope For The World

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Never lose hope.  We all encounter situations where things seem hopeless.  You feel like you will never be right again.  The path forward looks dark and filled with dead ends, and every time you do something right, you find a way to do two more things wrong.  Nothing feels either secure or safe, and no matter how you approach a situation or person, you always end up with the same negative result.  This has been me at various points in my life.  However, I have watched God do things that have always proven that no matter what my present circumstance may be, there is always reason to hope.  I can continue to pray knowing that God has got my back, and things will be alright.  Yes, it may be hard right now, but as a sermon I heard once said, sometimes God is using your present circumstances to prepare for His future glory.  Furthermore when all is calm for too long, I need to ask myself if my walk of faith has become too safe.  Is there darkness in my life that I am afraid to face?

Through His spirit, God gives us an infinite supply of hope.  In the fourth chapter of 2^nd Corinthians, Paul speaks of this endless supply of power that is built on our faith.  We are inspired by God daily because of His gift of grace.  We are to look at our current troubles not as obstacles but instead as preparation for God’s glory to be revealed.  And our faith is not to focus on what we see in front of us.  Instead, it is to envision a future where Jesus comes to reign again, and we along with all those who chose to follow Him will live with together serving the one true living God.  From these truths, we should never be a victim of our circumstances.  We are instead fighters trusting in a God who has delivered us time and time again.  This is what hope sounds like.  It never surrenders.  It never relents, and like love, it never fails.

You are the hope of the world.  In saying this, it sounds overreaching or unrealistic, but if Jesus is the light of the world and the Holy Spirit dwells within us, how can one see it any other way?  Phillipians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (NKJV), and later in 2 Corinthians, Paul says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV)  Therefore if we are truly believers, we must believe that we are indeed filled with an unlimited supply of this hope, and thus, we indeed represent hope in a fallen world.  How can you be hopeful today?  Who can you inspire with the hope God instilled in you?  My prayer is that we look beyond our present circumstances and see ourselves for who God see us as; hope for the world.  Amen.

Simply Believe

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  Matthew 16:13-16

I have been a sports fan since I was five years old.  That was when I watched what would become my favorite team win the football championship.  The next year, they would win the championship again.  It has been over forty years since they have won the championship.  One might think that someone would become cynical after all that time passing, and it would be ridiculous to actually believe they would win again.  Others might take the approach that each year is one year close to the year they will win it again.  I tend to believe the latter although many would question my senility for doing so.  If you are a football fan in Detroit, you would probably fall into the former.  However, the best thing about being a fan is that you always have hope that one day and for maybe one magical year, everything will change, and the team you root for will win that final game.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we know that we have victory in the end.  Our goal is to maintain this belief understanding there will be many who will question this.  Today’s verses looks into the discussion between Christ and His disciples as to whom He truly is.  First Jesus asks what others say.  Note that the disciples give various answers as to what others say, but when He asks them directly, only Peter jumps in.  It is fascinating to read this because when asked about what others say, everyone chimes in, but when asked directly, only one is mentioned.  Why?  Could it be that maybe they had the mindset of many of the fans who had doubts their team would ever win?  Maybe they had the approach saying, “You know?  I’ve been hearing about this ‘Messiah’ for so long, and people have waited for years.  In spite of the many miracles I have been witness to, why should I believe this person now?”  Well one of them, Peter, jumped into the pool feet first saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  He left little doubt as to what he believed, and it is no surprise that Jesus stated that He would build His church on Peter.

We too have a choice as to what we believe.  We may not have felt the presence of God in our lives for a bit or maybe we prayed for something that did not go our way.  Neither of these are reasons to have doubts as to who God is or His existence.  In fact, it could be a test where God is helping you grow, a worldly deception you must differentiate, or some combination of both.  No matter the circumstance, our faith must endure.  We must truly walk by faith, and have a never ending belief that God is who He said He is.

It is a comfort to know that Jesus Christ is on our side.  We have blessed assurance that He is forever our protector and defender.  No matter what we may be feeling and enduring, we must never lose faith that He will carry us through our times of struggle.  That’s what our Messiah will do, and if we believe as Peter did, we have nothing to fear.  What doubts do you need God’s assurance in?  How can you reaffirm your belief as to who God is?  My prayer is that we take God’s word and truths to our hearts and plain and as Peter unabashedly did, simply believe.  Amen.

The Power of One

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.  Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.  Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all.  Ephesians 4:1-6

I want to deviate a bit from my series to share something I experienced this weekend.  I was in Charleston, SC visiting family, and had an opportunity to go Emanuel AME Church or as they refer to it there, 'Mother Emanuel.'  In case you have not made the connection, this is the church where nine people were shot and killed during bible study one early summer evening in June.  Even before I sat in the pew and listened to the sermon, I felt the Holy Spirit move within me.  It was stirring deep within connecting with fellow congregants of the church and then seemingly within the church itself.  I know the church building is but a mere assembly of brick and mortar, but to describe it as just that is to be naïve.  It’s one thing to see the church from the outside or the service from afar. However once inside, you knew this was truly a house of God.  From the people to the architecture, I could not help but feel God’s presence in that very place.  I am very happy with my church home and pastor, but as my mother appropriately stated, it felt like home.  My spirit was renewed, and my faith was strengthened.  From the songs of the hymnal praising God from whom all blessings flow to the sermon telling of how to remain faithful even when it is midnight in your journey of faith, I gained greater confidence in God and His plan for my life.  It reaffirmed within me that no matter where we are and what church we call home, we all share the same love for an awesome God.  No matter what country we live in or what color or culture we claim, there is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.

We are united as one church under God.  The words of Paul here are meant to encourage and build up one’s faith.  Much like a great coach, Paul rallied the Ephesians reminding them of their one universal cause: unity with God.  We often get worn down and tired fighting worldly battles, and many times it feels overwhelming.  But God is always there, and the church is where you will find strength!  That is where you huddle with the rest of the team, and gain clarity and instruction to go out into the world and fight the battles as God’s personal advocate.  You are a part of His team with the rest of us, and if you feel a bit distant from God, remember as a preacher once told me.  Don’t lose sight of right and settle for the ‘right now.’  Trust in Him, and remain faithful.

If you are in a place of comfort, perhaps now is the time God needs you to be courageous.  Yes, it is good to rest and enjoy what God has provided, but God does not provide for us to just sit and relax.  He wants bold and active participants in His church.  As I restate a famous quote, “You can choose courage or comfort, but you cannot have both.”  The church needs faithful servants to become active participants in the building of His Kingdom!

No matter where you are or where you need to be, God and His people are with you.  This week reinforced for me that the church is still the hope of the world.  My hope is today’s devotion brings each of you both hope and encouragement for your journey of faith.  You are that light in God’s church!  If there can be an infinite level of Godly love and connection where there once was pain, despair and tragedy, it can be found anywhere.  What is God calling you to do for His church right now?  How will you ‘jump start’ your spirit?  My prayer is that we always remember the words of Paul building our church homes and taking it to the power of one!  Amen.

Always There

Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”

God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.” Exodus 3:10-12

It seems maintaining faithfulness in tough times has become a theme for the New Year as I have been inundated with stories of people dealing with tough times.  Not just your ordinary ‘have a rough week’ tough times. Instead, more of the ‘the husband and pastor of my church was killed by someone he was trying to help and I do not understand why God allowed this to happen’ tough times (not my pastor by the way). These are the times you find out how real God is in your life.  What do you do when you feel all of the prayers are unanswered and the words of friends trying to comfort you fall hollow?  I admit at those times I initially feel lost and a bit alone.  However, this does not send me to a place of blaming God for my woes.  Instead, it becomes a time to exercise patience and trust in His word knowing He is there with me.  Always.

Tough times are when God’s promises will give you comfort.  The story of God revealing Himself to Moses is always encouraging to me. It’s not just the knowledge of God existence as I mentioned last week.  It is Moses’ perspective here that is revealing.  We all have the moment where we look at a task or situation that we are in, and we ask ourselves, “How can we deal with this?”  How do I overcome the pressure where there is no relief? How do I deal with the pain that seems never ending or sorrow that won’t go away?  After being given the directive to lead the people of Israel out from slavery, Moses, understanding how massive an undertaking God was giving to him, asked a similar question; Who am I to do this?  God reassured Moses saying, “I will be with you.”  Thus, Moses’ perspective went from just the average guy to God’s personal messenger.  This would instill all the confidence he needed to follow God’s instruction.  We all have those moments where we are simply overwhelmed.  However, these are the times where we should remain faithful and be filled with the never ending hope as written in Romans 12:12 (Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying).

Our journey of faith is an ongoing story filled with both struggles and successes.  Our goal is not to run from challenges.  It is to continue looking forward and focusing on God. Furthermore, we must maintain our hope that the purpose of our current situation will revealed in the future. So let us remember the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 4 fighting the good fight, finishing the race, and remaining faithful.  How can assurance of God’s presence aide you in your current situation?  What challenge do you need to take to God today? My prayer is that we continue to look forward to God knowing He is always there.  Amen.

Prosperity and Hope

This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.   For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.   In those days when you pray, I will listen.   If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.  I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”  Jeremiah 29:10-14

One of the great debates for the sanity of the church is the idea of the prosperity gospel.  To simply it, let’s talk about Joel Osteen.  Many agree with Joel’s belief that if you trust in God you will prosper beyond what you see today.  Others feel that life is not about prosperity.  It’s about spiritual growth, and growth as any child knows can be painful.  Now to be clear, I fall in the latter ‘spiritual growth’ camp, but many of us in this camp are missing a very significant point about what Joel Osteen has tapped into.  And that is quite simply the word ‘Hope.’

As Christians, we are to always live with the hope in Jesus Christ.  When reading Jeremiah 29:11, many people conclude that it is all about the great things God has planned for them.  Kind of like the prosperity Gospel, right?  But you see when you read the entire context, you realize this is not about some great prosperous unknown.  This about knowing what God has already promised!  These verses speak to a people who have been exiled from their homeland and are enslaved in Babylon.  They are in a situation where they have to feel that they are to never find home or have anything of their own.  But God tells them to not be troubled or dismayed.  He has not forgotten them or His promise to them. They may have to wait a generation, but they will be free and prosperous again.  Thus, they are to live their lives for God with the hope their hearts and minds are connected with Him.  Now if you were middle aged back then, this had to be somewhat discouraging. However if they were to remain faithful, you would rest easy with hope knowing that the future was indeed bright.

Hope is about patience.  Hope is about trust.  Hope is about knowing something that will come to flourish in the face of all signs that say otherwise.  Our hope in Jesus Christ is not for our salvation.  It is rather that we are living a life for Him that when the day is done, we can say in the words of 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.”  How hopeful are you in God’s promises to you?  How can you find hope in times of despair?  My prayer is that we prosper through good times and bad realizing that we always have hope through Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Full Confidence

We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.  In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.  And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.  2 Corinthians 1:8-10

Lately, I feel like my mind is in a maze from which there is no escape.  There are worries about family and work.  Then there has been the massive uproar on spiritual topics ranging from same sex marriages to The Ten Commandments being removed from a courthouse.  All of this comes in the aftermath of a church shooting, and many have said that with all of this happening the end of days is near.  It has left my mind and soul tired and fatigued.  However as I was feeling those things, I was reminded of the words of Isaiah 40:30-31, which says, “Even youths grow tired and wear, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  And as I read those words, my strength and resolve to move forward grew, and the wisdom to find a way through the maze returned.

In times of struggle and turmoil, we must always have full confidence in the Lord because He is without fail.  There are numerous quotes of scripture that we should remember when overcome with fear and anxiety of the happenings in the world.  We need to focus on confidence.  Confidence not in what we see, but rather confidence in what we know.  We know that God is control.  Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)  Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”  Finally, the Psalms of David remind us that “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.  He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” (Psalm 18:2)

God is in always in control.  While much of what happens in the world may bring us grief and disappointment, we must continue to have surety in God to do all things.  So as many will worry about the laws of the land changing, we must remember the words of Jeremiah 31:33b, which says, “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.”  Let the laws of the Lord we live by be forever in our hearts.  How confident are you in God’s righteousness?  What can you do to gain assurance in God’s all-knowing authority?  My prayer is that we, like Paul, have full confidence in God beyond our present circumstances.  Amen.

Stop Whining

“And say to the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow you will have meat to eat. You were whining, and the Lord heard you when you cried, “Oh, for some meat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and  you will have to eat it.  And it won’t be for just a day or two, or for five or ten or even twenty.  You will eat it for a whole month until you gag and are sick of it. For you have rejected the Lord, who is here among you, and you have whined to him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”  Numbers 11:18-20

My mom is an amazing woman.  I watched her struggle through getting a Master’s degree away from home while raising me through my first year in high school.  To make things a little more ‘challenging,’ she would be sick some days to the point that she was hospitalized for multiple days and even weeks.  Through all of this, she never complained.  It left quite the impression on me.  I learned never to complain about my circumstances.  That is not to say that I was always content, but whenever I find myself whining over a situation, I remember the incredible blessings God had given me to end up in that situation.  Then, it becomes easier to manage.

We must always focus on those blessings God has given us rather than the complications that may arise from them.  In today’s verses, God is answering Moses, who went to Him on behalf of the Israelites complaining about their food supply.  Here they were having been slaves for generations and both freed and witness to miracles performed by God, and they are now coming to God with . . . complaints about dinner?  It is amusing to read because it seems silly that the Isralites in essence would rather give up their freedom to have steak every once in a while than eat breaded wafers (manna) every day and be free.  But then I thought about it.  We all complain about some circumstance not realizing how God has blessed us to arrive at that moment (Why do I have to do this task for the job that I love?  Why do I have to go to this function for my spouse who is the love of my life?  Why do I have to forgive this person because God forgave me for far worse?).  This is the point.  We should always focus on God's love, grace, and gifts given above the challenges we are presented with because of those very things.

We serve a God of abundance who promises to provide all that we will ever need.  Sure there are times we have problems that we would rather not deal with, but we should never forget the blessings given us that put us in that very position for as Moses told the Israelites, “You ate no bread and drank no wine or other alcoholic drink, but he provided for you so you would know that he is the Lord your God.”  (Deuteronomy 29:6)  What problem(s) can you embrace today realizing the blessings that brought you to it?  My prayer is that we focus on the blessings we have and simply stop whining.  Amen.

Overflowing Hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13

One of my favorite pastimes is watching the State of the Union address.  You see my family is deeply rooted in politics.  My mother worked heavily in government, and instilled in me both a high level of civic education and a heavy dose of political discussions.  So this has always been a big thing.  Over the years, it has lost a lot of its luster because of the numerous ideas laid out by each President’s agenda rarely ever comes to be reality.  Yet for one night, there is a moment of sincere optimism.  There is dare I say, hope that things will be better in the days to come.  As a follower of Christ, I always have the hope that I serve Him better and for better days to come. 

When we have true belief in God, we are filled with eternal hope.  Before I get into hope, I feel the need to define it better because I struggle distinguishing between hope and faith.  Faith is that which you have certainty of or as the latter portion of Hebrews 11:1 says, “Assurance about what we do not see.”  Hope focuses on the ideal situation or as the definition states, “what is wanted that can be had.”  In using these terms with Christ in mind, we have faith both in Christ as Lord and in our salvation declaring Him Lord over our life, and we have hope that the life we live both righteously and enthusiastically follows Him.  I often refer to a song We Fall Down because that describes what Christ’s hope in us is all about.  The chorus says, “We fall down, but we get up for a saint is but a sinner who fell down and got up.”  Hope says that no matter how far you have fallen and times you have failed, Christ loves and believes in you the one day you will be the person He envisioned.

We should always have hope because Jesus has hope in all of us.  From the story of Peter who denied Him to Paul who persecuted His believers, He always gives us another opportunity to follow Him.  Along those lines, we too should follow His example and have hope not only for God’s favor but also for other to be followers of Christ as well.  Who in your life can you instill hope in?  How can you trust God more to have greater hope?  My prayer is that our spirit overflows with hope.  Amen.

This Changed Everything

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  Luke 2:15:18

My wife and I have known each other for over thirty-one years.  It is crazy to think of the first day that I met her.  She described me as a spoiled kid.  I think she might have been right  J  I thought about our first date, which was thirty-one years ago yesterday, and how much fun we had.  I knew she was different from the other women I had dated, but I had little experience then.  There was no way that I could know then the blessing she would become, but with the context of those thirty plus years, I have a true appreciation for that moment because that changed everything in my life.

Tomorrow, we celebrate the day that really changed everything; the birth of our savior Jesus Christ.  We have heard lots of stories about the importance and stories of Christmas, Our relationship with God, forgiveness of our sins, the gift of eternal life, a love for something greater than ourselves, and an infinite number of blessings from above all come from one source, and none of it would be possible without Jesus Christ.  Few back then could appreciate what the His birth would mean, but over two thousand years later, we can.  Why?  It is because much like the shepherds in today’s verses, we have both the context of history to understand its significance and our own personal moment to know what it meant for our lives.

Yes, Christ Jesus is the reason for the season.  We are assured a place on Mount Zion where He will reign forever.  So many things we have been blessed with, and it all started one day.  Tomorrow, we celebrate His birthday.  Isn’t that just the coolest thing?  What will you give thanks for to Christ?  How can you share the greatest gift of all to those you know?  My prayer is that we appreciate this Christmas knowing on that day, it changed everything.  Amen. 

Ending at Hope

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  Romans 5:1-5

Why do we suffer?  Why must we endure pain even when those around us are seemingly at peace?  I looked to one of my very early devotions dealing with suffering.  The story revolves around one of Major League Baseball's most memorable moments known as "The Shot Heard Round the World."  Bobby Thompson, a New York (now known as San Francisco) Giant hit a home run against Ralph Branca and his Brooklyn (now Los Angeles) Dodgers in the bottom of the 9th inning to win the 1951 National League pennant playoff.  Below are Branca’s comments describing the aftermath of this historic home run:

I drove home that night.  Took Brooklyn with Ann (his wife), and you know.  It was a long lonely ride, and she started to cry because we were going to get married in 17 days.  When I got home, my mother and father of course was disappointed, and I think they bled for me.  My mother got a couple of phone calls.  "Teach your son how to pitch," you know, and they'd hang up.  And that's really vicious.  Brothers and sisters (heard) at work at the time, "Ah, your brother stinks."  You know, "Your brother lost the game."  Ann going to a gas station, and giving her credit card.  And guy says, "Ay, your husband threw the home run pitch, right?"  Shouldn't have to take that nonsense.

My cousin was a dean of Campus Ministries at Fordham, and I said, "Why me?"  And you know I was always in shape.  I didn't drink or smoke, and baseball was my love.  Why me?  And he gave the Jesuit answer.  He said, "God chose you, because he knew your faith would be strong enough to bear this cross."

We all should aspire to have a faith like that; a faith that even in the most trying of circumstances says as Joshua once said, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15b - NKJV)  Paul’s message of hope and glory in the midst of our suffering reminds us that we have the final victory of eternal life with Jesus Christ, and there is a purpose for everything in God’s plan.  What can you learn from your most recent failure?  How will you maintain hope in the midst of suffering?  My prayer is that though we may start at suffering, we end at hope.  Amen.