And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Rom 8:28

The story started out as sad, but somewhat typical for this time of the year.  My wife mentioned that a mutual friend of ours was having a “tough time” adjusting to the Christmas season.  It moved to intriguing when she told me that he expressed a desire to speak about it with me.  At that point, I wondered what I could possibly say that would help.

My tendency when faced with something like this is to shift into a “seriousness of purpose” mode.  In this case, before I picked up the phone, I prayed that God would guide me to be a wise and wholesome counselor.  I knew that any sort of confusion//anxiety was possible. Once I was in the right mindset, I went ahead with the call. He answered and after we exchanged pleasantries, our conversation soon moved to how he was having a tough go of adjusting to the Christmas season. The reason for his being in a funk was unclear. After a few minutes of trying to pinpoint the underlying problem, the help I had asked God to provide began to unfold.

The line of our communication suddenly lit up when I was led to reflect on John 3:16. This, after all, was the real meaning of Christmas.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

That one scripture rang loudly and effectively with both of us.  If God so loved, that He gave, then wouldn’t it make sense to follow His example? At this special time of the year, we should trade being overwhelmed by confusion and anxiousness with a joyful resolve to love and give.

In short order, our friend was delivered from his nasty seasonal prison. His problem was solved.  It was a matter of becoming a man of blessed action—one who sets his heart to loving and serving others.  What a story, what a call, and what a Christmas gift!

Mark 12: 30-31

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

An inspiring story, relevant to the tormenting pressures of our current day, is told by Henry Ward Beecher, who as a boy, had a teacher named Mr. Moody.  During a geography class, Mr. Moody asked a question of a student named Bob Henderson about the great state of Tennessee.  The boy answered quickly and confidently to what seemed a simple question.  What happened next was puzzling.  Mr. Moody seemed totally annoyed at his answer and yelled at the young man to sit down.  The humiliated student did just that — he sat down.

Other students were asked the same question and they all gave the same apparent answer; they too were yelled at in a disapproving voice by Mr. Moody and also told to sit down.  Like dominoes, they all retreated safely in the fear of their wayward class authority.

Finally, Henry Ward Beecher was called to give the answer and his answer was the same as the other students.  When the teacher screamed at him to sit down like he did with the others, Beecher held his ground and insisted his answer was correct. The teacher stormed at him for what seemed like forever, ranting and raving in the most intimidating and controlling way.  After Mr. Moody was finally convinced that Henry Ward Beecher would not sit down, he smiled and said, “Well, class, you were all correct, but Beecher here was the only one with the courage to stay standing to defend his answer.”  He not only had the right answer but was willing to stick to it through thick and thin.

Well family and friends, we are in more than troubling thick and thin times in our culture. We are facing angry and determined secular voices that are ranting and raving that those of us who believe and declare that Jesus Christ is Truth and God must sit down and be quiet.  Not only must we know that God is real in our head, we must believe and be prepared to courageously represent that eternal truth and act accordingly from the depths of our God-loving heart.

As the great Biblical character Joshua so courageously modeled, let’s determine and resolve right now to answer boldly and stand our ground in the face of all angry and deceived voices that come our way. Remember, remember, remember…………”As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!!”

Eph 6:13; Heb 3:6; Joshua 24:15; Col 1:23; Phil 4:1; 2 Cor 1:24

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Rom 15:13

We are approaching another year of sharing our “Message of Hope.”  Today, we’d like to take a few snapshots of the word “hope” and pass along the one we’ve aimed to capture on a weekly basis.  So, to all our hopeful family and friends, here goes…

Let’s begin with the word “hope” we hear most often–the one that contains the most doubt. It’s the one accompanied with finger crossing.  We hope it won’t rain, we hope we’ll get better, we hope we’ll be able to make it, we hope we’ll win a grand prize and so on.  Then we have the “hope” with a subtle touch of doubt.  It goes something like this…. “I have every hope of attending.  My level of hope is as high as it gets concerning such and such.” The “hope” in our weekly message is different than these.  It is a confident expectation that sheds an absolute certainty; not one based on superstition, luck, or the simple language we use to pass the day.

Preacher Charles Finney had this to say on the subject: “Hope is like the sun which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burdens behind us.  It is like the cork to a net, which keeps the soul from sinking in despair.  Hope is faith holding our hand in the dark, and it’s grief’s best music. Of all the ills that men endure, is the only cheap and universal cure.  It is the last thing ever lost, and it is putting faith to work when doubting would be much easier.  Hope is the major weapon against the suicide impulse.  Hope is the only bee that makes honey without flowers.”

Colossians 1:27 declares, “God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  The message we’ve purposed to share is this brand of hope that is available to each of us. We trust God has imparted this hope on a personal basis to those who are open to His nature.  It means so much more than the plain hope we use in wishful chatter.  God has provided us with His anthem of the future. The victory is ours because we know He lives as the hopeful song in our hearts. Victory is ours because He who gave us a vision of His ultimate power is also present with us to deal with all the forces that will oppose us.

May this Message of Hope be a special gift for you today and always.  The God behind it loves you!

Psalm 31:24; Rom 8:24-25; Rom 12:12  Rom 15:4; Num 23:19

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV

All of us get some sort of image when the word beautiful is mentioned. We can think of physical characteristics as in a person’s facial features, physique, or in the way one gracefully moves. We could think of describing a sunset, a flower, a celestial pattern, a waterfall, or a sunny day. We could get abstract by describing a thought, a plan, or an emotional reaction as beautiful. What about the inspiration that flows from the time-tested classic “America The Beautiful,” written by Katherine Lee Bates in the late 1890’s? We even have the capacity to be “beautifully” sarcastic. Who hasn’t heard, “Beautiful, just beautiful” to convey an inconvenience or something negative.

It has been said that in studying the Scriptures, the word beautiful suggests God’s perfect timing in action. We get a good understanding of what that means by watching a great athlete, politician, dancer, comedian or public speaker. Without appropriate timing, greatness in their performance is impossible. We get further understanding when we enjoy an event that is planned, processed, and produced in excellence. This shines a great light on the performance of the Creator in His creation. Take for example the earth’s gravity and electromagnetics or His recent election-day display of an incredible blood moon shown here. They are mind-boggling enough to yell WOW! and stop us in our humble tracks.

So what does this have to do with us? If we never realized there was another “timing” going on, then to wake up to that reality is a good start. When my wife and I arrive at night to our home and turn on the lights, it’s beautiful to see our way around. In contrast, think about in the beginning when God said to our entire earthly home, “Let there be light!” What could be more beautiful or amazing than that? Eversource, as awesome as that company might be, didn’t exist back then and certainly wasn’t consulted when God decided to give us light in the will of His clock.

We have a natural tendency to limit ourselves by our experiences, backgrounds, emotions, thoughts and cultural influences; but with God, all things are possible. In reading Romans chapter 8, there is an extraordinary insight on being led by God’s Spirit or His way of doing the right thing, at the right time, and in the right way. Apostle Paul suggests to us there is the reality of God’s spiritually influenced timing in our lives to be accessed for our benefit and for the benefit of others.

So, let there be beauty in our lives this week — the kind of beauty that allows God’s influence to shine so we can see and act to please Him. Our light, life, truth, breath, joy, peace, forgiveness, and so much more are just a sample of the characteristics we have and can enjoy from our Father’s loving nature. May His love, light, and timing shine upon our attitudes and activities this week. If we expectantly receive that personally as our hope, what could be more beautiful than that?

Gen 1:1; Matthew 19:26; Romans 8

Lord, You are wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance! Is 28:29

Just imagine being a serious student at a prestigious ivy league-type college. You are majoring in chemistry with access to the school and world’s most renown chemistry professor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and for as long as you are a student. Imagining as we’d like, the reality of that ever happening is not there. In our message of hope this Thanksgiving week, let’s not be let down, but let’s step out in faith and believe an even greater possibility.

In Jeremiah 33:3, the Lord says “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” In Psalm 23, the Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not want. In James 1:5, it says that God’s wisdom is mine for the asking and He’ll give it to me liberally. With these and a host of other scriptures as a frame of reference, I was journaling on July 28, 2015. While writing, I got to a place where I was inspired to test The Professor of professors with a personally vital question. May I share the exchange with you? This is exactly what I asked my Heavenly Father and what I believe His Spirit revealed in response.

Father, please help me right now with my priorities. I need You to list them. Go ahead and I’ll write:

1) Your relationship with Me.

2) Your relationship with yourself – integrated, pure, single-minded – with discipline, direction and determination.

3) Your relationship with your family – Your wife first and in oneness with you. Work from the easiest to the most difficult – but not ignoring any member – Family community.

4) Your relationship with church family, as I bring Spiritual relatives into your life.

5) Your duty as a citizen – first, as a Kingdom citizen, and secondly as one with national, state and local duties to fulfill.

6) Practice the first five faithfully and the social flow to others will be more divinely invested and effective.

7) Rest in knowing I am your helper and change agent – help and change for real, not for show.

8) Nothing like a new beginning in Me!

So family and friends, we are all different, yet all the same when it comes to the One who craves a relationship; the kind that brings His love, light, peace, joy, wisdom, faith and hope to our journey. We may not be a student or have access to any college professor. Most amazingly, what we do have is the thankful opportunity to call upon the One who created and knows all. What other Teacher do we know who can forgive our sinful failure, listen to our cry or questions, and fulfill us with His round-the-clock Professorship? Go ahead, test Him and see for yourself!

1 Cor 2:16; John 16:13; Is 48:17; Prov 23:19; Ps 32:28

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,” II Corinthians 5:18 NKJV

There s a familiar Biblical story in chapter 2 of Luke where Joseph and Mary, the parents of young Jesus, had to return to Jerusalem to collect Him after He was inadvertently left behind.  They found Him in the Temple not only listening to the religious elders of that time but dazzling them with questions and insights of His own.  From a mere 12 year old, His famous line to his earthly parents who were pleased to locate Him, “Didn’t you know I was about My Father’s business?” echoes to this very day.

May we take a closer look at the essence of what Jesus was saying. Simply put, and to our eternal advantage, God (His Father) is in the business of restoring people to Himself. That’s right… He’s all about establishing the best care and wellness in you and me!

Tony Cooke helps us understand our Father’s divine incorporation in chapter 24 of his book “Grace: The DNA of God.”  He shares the following:  “When God created Adam and Eve, He didn’t create them as “worms of the dust.”  He made them just a little lower than Himself and He crowned them with glory and honor!  Of course, mankind lost much in the fall, but Jesus came to deliver us from sin and restore us to God (Father).  When we were reunited with God, we were once again partakers of His glory; His good opinion of us was restored in Christ.”

Isn’t it amazing that the God of Creation, the Father of all, has never given up on any of us? His nature of love is in constant pursuit. The greatest proof of this was in the dedicated activity of that 12 year old boy.  Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, was crucified for the corrupting sin of mankind, and will soon return for us.  Why? Because the souls of all of us (Joseph, Mary, the religious elders, and you and me included) are His highest treasure. Full restoration back to Him and His eternal family is the business of Jesus. Wouldn’t it be something if we could share in so great a pursuit? I’m willing and determined to set my heart in doing just that.  Are you?

Matt 4:19; 1 Thes 5:23; Jer 29:11; Josh 24:15; Prov 3:5-6

God’s ways are not our ways.  His ideas are heaven higher than ours! Is 55:8-9

Did you know that if you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner?  The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet.  Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

An elephant has already been conditioned by large chains around their ankle area to convince him that roaming freely is impossible. Even after the training chains are removed the elephant we get to observe at the circus marches around in a circle as if they were still there.

A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out.  It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

In many ways, there are lots of us acting like the buzzard, elephant, and the bumblebee. We’re frustrated in what seems to be unsolvable problems and challenges. We’re trapped in false beliefs, and imprisoned by old ineffective thoughts, habits, and traditions. The advantage we have that none of these other creations have, however, is the choice to look up to the awesome God who created us; the One who loves us so much he sent His Son into the world to die and free us from our sinful natures.

God declares that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Ps 139:14).  He says we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Phil 4:13).  He’s promised to never leave us or forsake us. (Heb 13:5).  His Word further declares that we can renew our mind and have His knowledge, wisdom, power and presence to be overcomers and victorious in life.

Family and friends, we are crowns of God’s creation.  If we find ourselves imprisoned or limited in our current circumstances, that’s a divine sign for us to stop and reassess.  Freedom and wholesome limitlessness is always rediscovered in the One who lives around and in us to show the way.

 Psalm 123: 1-2; John 8:31-32; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Cor 3:17

Editor’s Note:  A very relevant message. Praise the Mighty King!!

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6)

Recently, I received a copy of the following article while in a one-room Amish school house in Pennsylvania.  The author is unknown but the wholesome wisdom in the hand-out is obvious. I’ve added the scriptural references.  Enjoy!

Do you know how much people are like puzzle pieces? Everyone has a different shape…a different color… a different appearance. But we all fit together in a big picture.  We can all come together to make something complete, to make something beautiful.  Everyone has their own place in this life, a space and a purpose specifically carved out for them by our awesome God.  Some fit in the middle with bright colors, and others on all sides of them. And some are outsiders, joining together with just a couple of other pieces on the edge of the picture. But we still need those so-called outsiders to make the puzzle work.  There is a place for everyone, for every piece in this big world.

You will spend a lot of time trying to find your place in the puzzle.  With each activity that you participate in, each interest you pursue, each subject you study, each friend you make, you will be creating your own path, seeking your place in the puzzle. 

Just remember, friend, that everyone is trying to find their place in the puzzle too.  Some won’t fit into certain parts of the picture that you will, and you won’t fit into certain parts that others will.  And that’s okay. There is a place for everyone, and everyone is important in building the puzzle.

So please know that you don’t need to try to change your shape to fit in. You are who you are, and you are important. You are special, and you are loved. You are you.

I hope you always strive to better yourself as a person, but don’t conform just to try to fit in. Thank God for who you are, what you look like, and all the important things you have to offer the world.  And help others be thankful of these things too, by accepting both their similarities and differences. 

If someone doesn’t fit next to you on the puzzle, that doesn’t mean they don’t belong- everyone will make an important impact on the big picture.

Eph 2:10; Eph. 1:21-22); Rom 8:28

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.  Ecclesiastes 7:8

What does finishing strong mean to you?  Usually, in the context of finishing strong, one may visualize a runner bursting through a finish line with speed and power to spare. The readiness and determination of the participant is typically beyond the effort of an ordinary runner. Such a champion would be undergirded by a greater willingness to be well prepared, endure pain, and function with a never-give-up attitude.

How many of us desire or see ourselves as relentless in that regard? As a confession, part of me raises a hand and says, “I’ll hang in there and never quit—NEVER!”  At first, that stance may seem to be admirable, appropriate, and a sure method for success. What more could we possibly need than our own will power and brawn?

Actually, there is a Biblical perspective that is very different and has much to say on this very subject. It turns out the heart of a genuine champion is one that is willing to give up. Of course, the giving up has nothing to do with quitting the “so called” race; it’s just the opposite. See, the heart of a true champion is willing to forego the strength associated with self for the strength of Jesus Christ—the One, we as Christians, believe  purchased us by His blood and is soon to return. His strength comes in the form of a loving relentlessness that transcends our everyday battles.

To be clear, this is not to say that we should abandon hopeful and effective efforts. The qualifying difference comes in the reality of God’s plan for our life. His agenda is as good as it gets and any relentlessness on our part, aside from His purpose for our life, is simple human pride and costly disobedience. When we choose to abide in Him, the Bible makes it perfectly clear that His Truth sets us free, His Love never fails, and His Grace empowers us with ability beyond our natural ability. On the other hand, should we decide to ignore God’s leading, relentless foolishness is our promised end (Ps 14:1).

Family and friends, let’s catch God’s perspective and refrain from wasted effort.  It’s not how we start, it’s how we finish that matters. Let’s run our race with a vigor that only comes from resting in Him. Let’s complete the journey with speed and power to spare, either at His promised return or at our life’s finish line, where our eternal starting gate begins. Now, that is the way to finish strong!

PS Psalm 127:1; Hebrews 12:1-2; Romans 15:13

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

A life sentence is usually associated with a prison term levied against some deserving criminal. In today’s Message of Hope, we’d like to consider two other kinds of “Life Sentences.”

In John Maxwell’s book, Leadership Gold, he introduces a second take on the meaning of a life sentence. In essence, he says when we take our final breath, people have a tendency to get practical using a snapshot to describe the quality of our lives; one that notes us in nugget form or in one “life sentence.” For examples, when it’s all said and done one might earn ….

• Tony was a fine family man.
• Naomi was a beloved mother.
• Melissa was an influential teacher.
• James was a funny guy.
• Abraham was a great leader.
• Linda was a faithful friend.
• Susan was a real entrepreneur.

And so on….

As we imagine what sort of “life sentence” we’d like to construct in our own life, there is a third type of life sentence to consider that is most profound. As a matter of fact, it’s the only one capable of inspiring even those incarcerated and serving a life sentence.

Just beyond our last breath we get to meet the perfect judge (God). He must be pleased with us beyond our earthly roles to grant us everlasting life. Amazingly, any earthly “life sentence” would be meaningless because we’d be faced with Life Himself, forever.

If you are open to the God who is after your heart, the One who wants a loving and intimate relationship with you, and the One who will come against the forces of evil on your behalf, then accept the following Biblical mandate: Jesus Christ is not a myth or a mere man. He is the revolutionary incarnate Son of God who changed the world by dying for our sins, rising from the dead, and now knocking at the door of our inner Spiritual heart to appreciate and love Him back, forever.

It’s never how we start only; it’s always how we finish that matters. The choice is ours (from the President of the United States to a lifer in the most secure prison) to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives and one day hear beyond man’s acclaim…God’s eternal LIFE SENTENCE: “Well done (Tony, Naomi, Melissa, James, Abraham, Linda or Susan or whoever) my good and faithful servant!”

May the Spirit of God arrest you, bless you, and keep you this week!

Jn 3:36; Jn 14:6; 1Jn 5:20; Matt 25:21