Scripture
Against all odds, when it looked hopeless, Abraham believed the promise and expected God to fulfill it.
Romans 4:18, TPT
Quote
Everyone needs to look forward to something.
~Ya’akov
I think everyone has hope; that it is innate. It is essential to life itself, but only believers in Jesus have a living and lasting hope. Can you imagine hoping in something other than Jesus? What about the Democratic/Marxist party? What about Biden or even Donald Trump? What about your 401-K? What about your mom or dad? What about your pastor? When many of Jesus disciples walked away in John 6, Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you want to leave too?” Peter said, “Lord, where would we go?” This a great question for us to ponder. I have given it a lot of thought this past year. If you don’t trust Jesus, who are you going to trust? Who else can help you with your sin problem? Who else gives you hope of living again? Who else loves you on your bad days? Who else will walk in when the world and everyone else has walked out on you? I will tell you WHO–Jesus!
I don’t know much but there are two things that I know for sure. We are talking zero doubt. One is that I don’t know much. I know that I don’t know. There is infinitely more that I do not know than that which I do. The second thing is that I am a sinner. I have no doubt about it. I am positively convinced that I come short, exceeding short of the perfection I see in Christ. I am also sure that salvation is by grace. For God to be God and get the glory, it can be no other way. What I am saying is that my HOPE is build on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I do not trust my best hour: all my HOPE is in Jesus and yes, I am thankful that yesterday is gone.
Extra
I ran by to see Courtney after the Pastor’s Conference. She was having a good day. Keep praying. Shawna told me that the Baptism had over 2,000 views. Practically everyone I talked to yesterday had seen it. I may go back and watch it myself. Beautiful weather. Thought maybe my potatoes had come up but not yet. A few more days of sunshine and I might be able to plow the garden. Our potatoes are in a combine tire and our turnip greens in an old watering trough.
Extra-Extra
Viktor Emil Frankl (26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997) was an Austrian Jewish psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, who studied the habits of the inmates while he was in two different Nazi concentration camps and documented it in his classic book MAN’S SEARCH FOR MEANING. Every pastor and counselor should read it. Frankl basic conclusion is that man cannot survive without hope. Once a person loses hope, it is just a matter of days if not hours. My friend Kevin says that Frankl was a Christian but I have not found that in what I have read but Kevin has read more and I don’t know enough to argue, plus I hope that he was a believer. I like his book and I agree with most of what he says. Below are some of Frankl’s teachings.
- More prosperity does not lead to more meaning
- Beware of conventional goal setting
- Create with the pure intention to help others
- Embrace the dynamic tension of life rather than searching for peace
- Do not ‘hyper-reflect’ on your thoughts, sensations, or feelings
I am not sure I understand number two. I would say, “Beware of letting the world press you into their mold,” but that may not be what he is saying. I have went back to number five many times. You can not trust your emotions and you cannot dwell upon them.