A Reason for Hope

“Well I sure hope so” is an expression of uncertainty.  We have all spoken these words when we were unsure of an outcome.  Our world is full of uncertainty. The politics of our world has us living on the edge.  Is there hope and if there is where can we find it?  The word translated hope in the Bible is not an expression of uncertainty but of expectation.  “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” 1 Peter 3:15   Read this verse again and put expectation where hope is and you will have it right.  The Word of God gives us reason to live in expectation.  Hope is about the future but the history of God’s faithfulness to His Church gives us reason to live in expectation of our future.  The Word of God is full of promises to the faithful.  These promises are seeds to be planted in our hearts and nurtured in expectation until the day they become a reality. Jfs

1Pe 1:13 ¶ Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 

Book Review

I am just finishing a book by Ravi Zacharias. The title is “WHY JESUS?” The sub title is, “Rediscovering His Truth In An Age of Mass Marketed Spirituality.”   If you are like me, very concerned about the Church today and what many consider the departure from the faith, you will enjoy this book.  It is my observation that long before we rewrite our theology we depart from it in our hearts.  Ravi Zacharias is a thinker and he brings keen insight into the subtle mixture of Eastern religions into the Christian Faith.  Below is an example of his observations:

“The Church has forgotten the teachings of quietness, solitude, and meditation that are part of our Judeo-Christian heritage and provide great strength to the soul.  We have moved from silence to noise.  We have moved from reflection to fast-moving programs.  We have moved from quietness to the inability to remain focused on a thought for even a moment, so that the next item on the program has to begin as soon as the previous one has finished.  There is no time in our services anymore for quietness and contemplation.  We have moved from the progression of thought to a repetition of sounds.  We have stolen the bridge between the head and the heart and gone to one of two extremes: either unable to engage the culture or reflecting the culture.  Every need of the soul is met in the gospel, but like an intoxicated person, we swing between two walls without finding balance.”

To understand how the above statement fits into the message of the book you will have to read it.
I hope you will put this book on your reading list.  jfs

Pay Attention

Anybody who tells you they have finished school is not paying attention. We don’t finish school.  If you are breathing you are in school.  School is never out, no spring breaks no summer vacations.  Our Lord is always teaching and His classroom is LIFE.  The question is, “are we paying attention?”  On our journey we encounter moments of frustration, fear, doubt, pain and sorrow and they are all events of learning.

The tools of Christian education are found in our daily journey and some of them are downright messy. The teacher of this EVERYDAY school is the Holy Spirit and school is always in. What is the subject?  It is the same for all of us, CHRISTLIKENESS.  jfs

Joh 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Lu 6:40 "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

John 11

The story of the resurrection of Lazarus is one of my favorites.  I like it because I see myself in it.  At some point in my life I have been most of the characters in the story.  I was dead in trespasses and sins and raised to new life by Jesus--Lazarus.  I have been disappointed that my prayers were not answered the way I expected--Mary and Martha. At times I have misunderstood what I heard my Lord say--the disciples.  I have wept when it was a waste of tears--Mary.  We are all in this chapter somewhere and the best part is so is Jesus.  Jesus is in your story too, and He probably weeps at times when you and I don’t understand how much He loves us.  He wants you to know that He cares and has a plan for your life.  Don’t plot your own life’s course and ask Him to bless it, let Him plot it and He will bless it.

Joh 11:35 “Jesus wept.”

Why Obey?

Obedience puts us on the path to God's blessings and usefulness.  Disobedience opens the door to the enemy.  The choice is ours to obey or disobey, but the consequences come with our choices.  In our choice to obey let us begin with His command to love each other.  It is not an option, when we fail to love each other we disobey and that opens the door to all kinds of trouble.  The command to love is at the top of the list, let's keep it there. jfs

Joh 15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Ruth Paul Caudle

I received this yesterday from my dear friend Ruth. She is part of my Haitian family. I am greatly blessed by her life, her commitment to God and to helping the people of Haiti. Once again we are confronted with the big question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Let’s leave the answer to this question to God and give ourselves to what we do know. God has a plan for all of our lives and we can have faith that He is able to keep us here until He is finished with us. His grace and mercy are more powerful than the evil intents of the enemy. My prayer is: “Oh merciful Heavenly Father, I know it is your will that Ruth finish the race you have set before her. Don’t let the enemy take her out of the race. Keep her for your purpose for this life. We join with the host of heaven and declare in the Name of Jesus that Ruth shall live all the days you have planned for her life. In the Strong name of Jesus we (her brothers and sisters in the Lord) command that the will of God be done.” Amen. Love you Ruth, pastor jim

The following is the letter I received from Ruth. It will bless you to read it. jfs

I need an urgent miracle. I have been experiencing some headaches and went to the doctors. After invasive testing I was told that the cancer is in the spinal fluid, in the covering tissue of the brain and also in the liver. The doctors have never seen my type of cancer go to the head. It is a challenge for them to figure our how best to treat this but not for God. God has taken care of me before and will do in again. Watch him in action and see how he will heal me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I had already purchased tickets to bring my family to visit Haiti to do some work there and gave them a tour of their mother's homeland soon. I do not know how this will happen but I am inviting you to fast and pray with me so that God can move mountains for me to go to Haiti and return safely and in good health. I would like to see my haitian brothers and sister and to see the work we are doing there first hand. I trust in Him and love Him and I refuse to crawl into a little ball, I refuse to go to the closet and cry all day long. I refuse to allow cancer to run my life. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. This too, shall pass. Please pray for strength, peace and hope for my family and for God to put the right words in our mouths as Brian and I tell our 6 year old, 10 year old and 12 year old that their mother's cancer has returned. I need your strength when I am weak. I need to know that you are praying for me when if I ever become too discouraged to do it for myself. God bless you all. Thank you.

Blessed New Year

Thanks to all who have wished me a happy new year but I am not seeking a happy year, I want a blessed year. We have all heard the phrase, “the pursuit of happiness” and it is easy to fall into the trap of reaching for it. Now here is the kicker, happiness should not be our goal. It is a by- product of pursuing more important things. “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” These words of Jesus help us put happiness in its place. “These things” is the key, do these things and the result will be happiness. In most other places in the New Testament the same Greek word for happy is translated blessed. The pursuit of happiness is like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, just when you think you are about there it is gone. Pursue “these things” and you will find happiness without looking for it. jfs