Yes, "Hope" me rather than help me. More than just help, our spirit needs hope to survive and to thrive. Solomon put the need for hope in this statement found in Proverbs 13:12, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…” Another translation puts it even more to the core of the issue: “When hope is crushed the heart is crushed.”
Does not surprise me...if God created us with this craving for hope, it would make sense that He would serve as our ultimate hope. Did you know there are more than 180 references in the Old and New Testaments referencing to hope? Hope is woven all throughout scripture. One passage challenges us to an anchoring hope rather than a wishful hope: Hebrews 6:19 states, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul firm and secure.” Our hope is only as good as what it is attached to -- as what it is anchored to. Hope in and of itself has no power. We can wish for something; we can hope for something, and we might feel a little better about it. We might fool ourselves into thinking everything’s ok. But the only way hope has any real power is when it’s anchored in the God who has real power -- and not only real power but a real desire out of His love for you to help you. Those who follow Jesus Christ hope in the confident expectation that God is willing and able to fulfill the promises He’s made to us. Hope or help? Give me Hope, God.
You can visit the website www.celebratechurch.org to discover the hope that can be found in God’s Word in the Weekly Workout. Enjoy God’s Word, embrace it and allow it to enrich your life.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
One...
The August calendar is looking packed. Our entire family did an escape for one last time before school starts and all are heading in different directions. Dominick heads for his third time to the Dominican Republic on a global compassion assignment. Mia will be heading to Atlanta with a team of young people and leaders to work on a national compassion assignment. I started thinking about that, and so here is my blog of questions and thoughts. I hope you are encouraged and challenged.
What makes people travel to unknown parts of the globe and serve people they don’t know or may never see again? Why the selfless attitude? Why leave the comforts and security of America to go to unknown environments where it could potentially be dangerous?
Deep inside all of us, there is a passionate desire to make our lives count. We may not realize it, but inside there is a longing to be a hero, a desire to make a contribution with our lives, to leave the world a better place, to say, “YES! I left a mark and the world is a little better because I was here.” Did you know that is deep inside each of us because God wired us that way? God wired you to give yourself away.
So many of us exhaust our lives in frustration, trying to find out what we’re trying to do with this life, and the reason we have not discovered it is because we have not come to realize God wired each of us to give our lives away, and that is where and when fulfillment comes. Rather than thinking fulfillment comes from personal gratification, realize it doesn’t. If that was the case, the wealthiest people would be the happiest people, and we know that is not true.
To all those headed to the Dominican, to Atlanta, to different parts of the world, who serve in a capacity that enriches people lives -- from Pop Warner, little league, sports, etc. to cub scouts, boy scouts, brownies, girl scouts, etc… from the local church usher, kids worker, etc. to the local community relay for life, etc. -- whoever, wherever, whenever...you only live ONE life. Live how God wired you and experience purpose and fulfillment.
What makes people travel to unknown parts of the globe and serve people they don’t know or may never see again? Why the selfless attitude? Why leave the comforts and security of America to go to unknown environments where it could potentially be dangerous?
Deep inside all of us, there is a passionate desire to make our lives count. We may not realize it, but inside there is a longing to be a hero, a desire to make a contribution with our lives, to leave the world a better place, to say, “YES! I left a mark and the world is a little better because I was here.” Did you know that is deep inside each of us because God wired us that way? God wired you to give yourself away.
So many of us exhaust our lives in frustration, trying to find out what we’re trying to do with this life, and the reason we have not discovered it is because we have not come to realize God wired each of us to give our lives away, and that is where and when fulfillment comes. Rather than thinking fulfillment comes from personal gratification, realize it doesn’t. If that was the case, the wealthiest people would be the happiest people, and we know that is not true.
To all those headed to the Dominican, to Atlanta, to different parts of the world, who serve in a capacity that enriches people lives -- from Pop Warner, little league, sports, etc. to cub scouts, boy scouts, brownies, girl scouts, etc… from the local church usher, kids worker, etc. to the local community relay for life, etc. -- whoever, wherever, whenever...you only live ONE life. Live how God wired you and experience purpose and fulfillment.
Friday, July 17, 2009
One Life...
Living a life that impacts and influences... I have always wanted to live a life of influence, a life beyond just existing. The more I talk with people, I find that so many of us have that common desire to live a life that impacts. Even more than our desire to live this kind of life, God wants us, and designed us, to live a life with meaning and will show us how.
How?
At the end of His life, Jesus Christ was able to pray a prayer in John 17 the night before He died on the cross. He stated, "Having finished the work that you gave Me to do, I brought you honor and glory on the earth." Even when He was on the cross with His last dying breath, Christ was able to say, "It's done. It's complete." Wouldn't you like to be able to conclude life that way -- with a real sense of, "I finished it; it's complete"? Here are some things to keep in the forefront about Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ set His goals and went after them. Jesus Christ lived significantly in His relationships with other people. Jesus Christ understood and maximized His time. Knowing those things about Christ…
If we want to improve our impact and influence:
1. Start serving.
2. Stay humble.
3. Stop worrying.
We only live one life, let’s make it count!
How?
At the end of His life, Jesus Christ was able to pray a prayer in John 17 the night before He died on the cross. He stated, "Having finished the work that you gave Me to do, I brought you honor and glory on the earth." Even when He was on the cross with His last dying breath, Christ was able to say, "It's done. It's complete." Wouldn't you like to be able to conclude life that way -- with a real sense of, "I finished it; it's complete"? Here are some things to keep in the forefront about Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ set His goals and went after them. Jesus Christ lived significantly in His relationships with other people. Jesus Christ understood and maximized His time. Knowing those things about Christ…
If we want to improve our impact and influence:
1. Start serving.
2. Stay humble.
3. Stop worrying.
We only live one life, let’s make it count!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Unchanging...
These two things cannot change: God cannot lie when he makes a promise, and he cannot lie when he makes an oath. These things encourage us who came to God for safety. They give us strength to hold on to the hope we have been given.
Hebrews 6:18 (New Century Version)
When God made his promise to Abraham, he backed it to the hilt, putting his own reputation on the line. He said, "I promise that I'll bless you with everything I have—bless and bless and bless!" Abraham stuck it out and got everything that had been promised to him. When people make promises, they guarantee them by appeal to some authority above them so that if there is any question that they'll make good on the promise, the authority will back them up. When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable.
Hebrews 6:18 (Message)
God is the embodiment of all truth; therefore, He cannot lie. Because God is truth, we can be secure in His promises. We don’t need to wonder if He will change His plans. Our hope is secure and immovable, anchored in God, just as a ship anchor holds firmly to the seabed. To those of us who come to God in belief, God gives us His promise. Let us move to taking our belief to action by coming to God with openness, honesty, and sincerity.
I hope today you will receive encouragement, assurance, and confidence in Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 6:18 (New Century Version)
When God made his promise to Abraham, he backed it to the hilt, putting his own reputation on the line. He said, "I promise that I'll bless you with everything I have—bless and bless and bless!" Abraham stuck it out and got everything that had been promised to him. When people make promises, they guarantee them by appeal to some authority above them so that if there is any question that they'll make good on the promise, the authority will back them up. When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable.
Hebrews 6:18 (Message)
God is the embodiment of all truth; therefore, He cannot lie. Because God is truth, we can be secure in His promises. We don’t need to wonder if He will change His plans. Our hope is secure and immovable, anchored in God, just as a ship anchor holds firmly to the seabed. To those of us who come to God in belief, God gives us His promise. Let us move to taking our belief to action by coming to God with openness, honesty, and sincerity.
I hope today you will receive encouragement, assurance, and confidence in Jesus Christ.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Freedom...
Thank you to all who have served in our military. You made this selfless commitment for our freedom, and for that, I am truly grateful every day.
Today we live in a country that is free of tyranny because of the men and women who dedicated their lives to this cause. Today we are spiritually free because, simply put, God paid the price for our sin. We give Him our sin and in return He gives us forgiveness, power, and heaven. What an opportunity. We don’t earn our way to heaven; we don’t barter our way to heaven – we don’t. We don’t pay our way to heaven. It’s just a free gift we're given.
Enjoy this gift from God by not falling into the religious trap of performance and trying to be perfect. Allow the joy of what God has done for us to take your life to new levels of joy. Today, move forward, enjoy God, live courageous, fulfill God’s design as you relax in His love and grow in His grace.
Today we live in a country that is free of tyranny because of the men and women who dedicated their lives to this cause. Today we are spiritually free because, simply put, God paid the price for our sin. We give Him our sin and in return He gives us forgiveness, power, and heaven. What an opportunity. We don’t earn our way to heaven; we don’t barter our way to heaven – we don’t. We don’t pay our way to heaven. It’s just a free gift we're given.
Enjoy this gift from God by not falling into the religious trap of performance and trying to be perfect. Allow the joy of what God has done for us to take your life to new levels of joy. Today, move forward, enjoy God, live courageous, fulfill God’s design as you relax in His love and grow in His grace.
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