Comforting Hope

Erma Bombeck said, "If life is a bowl of cherries, why am I in the pits?" We all have times or even seasons in our lives when circumstances overwhelm us. For this reason, God has promised to be our Comforter in John 16:7.

Does Jesus cares, when my heart is pained,

Too deeply for mirth and song.

As the burdens press
And the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long

Oh, Yes, He cares, I know He cares,

His heart is touched with my grief;

When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,

I know my Saviour cares.

The shortest verse in the Bible packs a profound statement. John 11:36 – Jesus wept.   He asks us to “cast our cares on Him, for He cares for us".

Days are filled with sorry and care,

Nights are lonely and dear.

Burdens are lifted at Calvary,

Jesus is very near.

We all encounter hard times in our lives. We are either coming out of a trial, in one at the moment, or fixing to go into one. When we look at the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in Daniel, Chapter 3, we see that Jesus was with them in the fiery furnace.  The fire had no power on them and they did not even smell of smoke.

You can have a song in your heart in the night,

After every trial,

After every mile.

Anyone can sing when the sun’s shining bright,

But you can have a song in your heart at night.

How do we do this?

O, soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see.

There’s light in a look at the Savior

And life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim.

In the light of His glory and grace.

Look to Jesus for the comfort He gives and He will renew your hope.

Seeking Hope

Seeking hope requires an action.  We don’t sit still and quietly say, ”I hope everything will turn out OK”.  There are many verses in the Word admonishing us to do our part and seek. As we would sing  in Youth Group:

Seek and ye shall find,

Knock and the door will be opened,

Ask and you shall be given

And the love come trickling down.

An often quoted verse of encouragement is Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have for you, Plans to prosper and give you a future and a hope.”  Verse 13 says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”  God is looking for a seeking heart to instill a future and hope.

Seek ye first, the Kingdom of God,

And His righteousness.

And all these things shall be added unto you.

Allelu, alleluia

How do we seek? In Luke, chapter 15, Jesus tells three parables to answer this question. 
The shepherd left the ninety and nine to seek one little lost sheep. His example shows the importance of sacrificial seeking. He braved the elements, expended time and energy in his quest.
The housewife lit a lamp, swept and searched until she found her lost coin. This lady shows the importance of diligence and using all available resources.
The father, did not give up, but daily scanned the horizon expectantly looking for his lost son. This story shows the importance of waiting and praying for what is sought when only God can work a change in a loved one.

Seek first the Kingdom,

And all things will find their place.

Seek first the Lord and all His righteousness,

And seek His holy face.

And the world,and all its pleasure,

Will just slowly fade and dim.

And you’ll find true peace in Him.

When you seek first the Kingdom.

Matthew 13:44, 45 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, or like a priceless pearl. When a man finds it, he sells everything he has and buys the land or the pearl. May you be willing to  sacrifice and diligently pursue a closer walk with God, expecting a positive outcome as you find your future and hope in the King of Kings.

Renewing Hope

The most effective method to renew hope is to meditate on the love of God. There was a day when I was the lowest I had ever been. I was filled with doubt, blaming myself for a very hurtful situation. As I walked through the woods, I asked the Lord, "How can you love me when I fail You so often?" Sobbing, I sat on a rock and the Lord met me there. Verses filled my mind. "I have loved you from the foundation of the world". "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us."  "Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate you from my love." And this song:

O, the deep, deep love of Jesus,

Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!

Rolling as a mighty ocean

In its fullness over me!

Underneath me, all around me,

Is the current of Thy love.

Leading onward, leading homeward

To Thy glorious rest above.

I felt like I was being immersed in a pool of love.  I could feel it penetrating my pores, cleansing away the negative emotions, revitalizing my spirit. God's love is incredible, so much greater than we can comprehend with our finite minds.

The love of God, is richer far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
He sent His Son to win;
His erring child, He reconciled.
And pardoned from his sin.


Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade.
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry,
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Oh, love of God,
How rich, how pure,
How measureless and strong.
It shalt forevermore endure --
The saints' and angels' song.

So what should be our response to such an incredible love?

Lord, to me Your love is overwhelming.

You're my glory, You're my everything,

Forever You are worthy of my praise,

My heart, my hands to You I raise,

In awe of You I lift my voice and sing.

How I love You, Lord,

You're my all in all.

I can see Your face,

All Your glory and Your grace,

When You speak to me,

You set me spirit free.

Words can never tell just

How I love You, Lord.

May the GREAT LOVE of God renew your hope and keep it ever thriving.

Daily Hope

When Ron and I taught at a Christian School in Anchorage, we would meet as a faculty in the morning for prayer. Often, our principal, Dr. Brock, would lead us in singing this song:

Your problem is a complement

Tailored and just your size.

It really is a heaven sent 

Opportunity in disguise.

Why complain about the problem?

Rejoice in the opportunity.

You have a chance to grow in grace,

Take hold of responsibility.

The reward is worth the suffering,

There's glory some sweet day.

Thank God for your problem everyday.

He challenged us to think about the person, circumstance, or obstacle that was our biggest problem and let the Holy Spirit reveal ungodly attitudes, motives and emotions in our lives. Then ask for God's love, endurance, wisdom, or whatever resource needed for that day. We were encouraged to believe that Romans 8:29 is true and all things do work together for the good of those who love God, those who are called according to His purpose. We serve a Savior who will give us mercy and grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16) These truths gives us the hope we need to face whatever comes our way each day.

Day by day

And with each passing moment.

Strength I find  to meet my trials here.

Trusting in My Father's wise bestowment.

I've no cause for worry or for fear.

He who's heart is kind beyond all measure.

Gives unto each day what He deems best.

Lovingly, it's part of pain and pleasure,

Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Ev'ry day the Lord Himself is near me

With a special mercy for each hour.  

All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,

He whose name is Counselor and Pow'r.

The protection of His child and treasure

Is a charge that on Himself He laid.

"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure."

This the pledge to me He gave.

Help me then in ev'ry tribulation

So to trust Thy promises, O Lord.  

That I lose not faith's sweet consolation

Offered me within thy holy Word.

Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting.

E're to take, as from the Father's hand.

One by one, the days, the moments fleeting.

Till I reach the promised land.

 I also need to remember, as I awaken each morning, that I do not need to live in the past for I have a new day, with new possibilities.  Nor should I live in the future for only God is already there. I need to live today, making the most of every moment, serving my King.

One day at a time, Lord Jesus.

That's all I'm asking of you.

Give me the strength to do every day what I have to do.

Yesterday's gone, Lord Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine.

So for my sake, teach me to take one day at a time.

May you seize each day as an opportunity to live with hope in your heart.

Satisfying Hope

Satisfying hope is only found in Jesus. Blaise Pascal said, "There is a God -shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled  by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus. As this song by Lanny Wolfe states:

The world will try to satisfy
That longing in your soul.

You can search this wide world o're,

But you'll be just as before.

You'll never find true satisfaction
Until you find the Lord.

For only Jesus can satisfy your soul.

Only Jesus can satisfy your soul.
Yes, only He can change your heart
And make you whole.

He'll give you peace you never knew,

Sweet love and joy and heaven, too.

For only Jesus can satisfy your soul.

Isaiah 55:1-3a says, "Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost! Why do you spend money on what is not good, and your wages on what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and you will enjoy the choicest of foods.  Pay attention and come to Me; listen, so that you will live". This is talking about how we spend our money, time and lives striving to find satisfaction. Jesus freely offers satisfaction in the gift of salvation and relationship with Him.

He loves, He saves,
He keeps, He satisfies
This longing heart of mine.

He fills my life to overflowing
With His joy and peace divine.

He guides, He guards,
He watches over me,

He slumbers not nor sleeps.

For He is my glorious Savior.

And He loves, He saves, He keeps.

When we give our lives to follow Jesus and walk in His ways, grounded in the Word, He will satisfy us and meet those deep needs we all have. As Psalms 63:5-8 says, "You satisfy me as with rich food. My mouth will praise you with joyful lips. When I think of you as I lie on by bed, I meditate on You during the night watches because You are my helper; I will rejoice in the shadow of Your wings. I follow close to You; Your right hand holds on to me".

 I am weak but thou art strong.

Jesus keep me from all wrong.

I'll be satisfied as long.

As I walk, let me walk,

Close to Thee.

Just a closer walk with thee.

Grant is Jesus is my plea.

Daily walking close to thee.

Let it be, Dear Lord, let it be.

Stay close to Jesus. Let Him satisfy you with His unlimited riches and you will experience hope beyond measure.

Blooming Hope

Blooming hope is a gift from our Lord as we grow in our faith.

Bloom where you're planted,

Don't wish you could stray

New flowers can keep growing,

No matter where you stay.

Bloom where you're planted,

Hope you will be granted.

Bloom where you're planted today.

We can have a bouquet of blossoms if we follow God's way of gardening.

1. Soil  Hosea 4:3 "Break up the unplowed ground; do not sow among the thorns."
2. Seeds  Hosea 10:12 "Sow seeds of righteousness" 
3. Sustenance  I Peter 2:2 "Like newborn infants, desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby"
4. Sunshine  Psalms 84:11 "For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly"

Something beautiful,

Something good.

All my confusion,

He understood.

All I had to offer Him

Was brokenness and strife.

But He made something 

Beautiful of my life.

Remember that God does the work. Never doubt that He can fill your life with a fragrance of beauty.

Consider the lilies, they don't toil nor spin.

And there's not a king
With more splendor than them.

Consider the sparrows,
They don't plant nor sow,

But they're fed by the Master
Who watches them grow.

We have a heavenly Father above.

With eyes full of mercy 

And a heart full of love.

He really cares
When your head is bent low.

Consider the lilies and then you will know.

"Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18) and you will gather blossoms of hope for eternity.

Victorious Hope

Victorious hope only comes when we draw our strength from our Savior.

Victory in Jesus, My Savior, forever.

He sought me and he bought me,

With His redeeming blood.

He loved me 'ere I knew Him.

And all my love is due Him.

He plunged me to victory.

Beneath His cleansing blood.

When we take our eyes off Christ and look at our circumstances and resources; fear, anxiety, and despair may overwhelm us. At those times, God will remind me of this song:

Are you walking into the enemy's camp,

Laying your weapons down?

Shedding you armor as you go,

Leaving it on the ground?

You've got to be strong
In the power of His might.

Prove to the enemy.

We are the soldiers of the Lord.

And we've won the victory.

To win the victory, we must clothe ourselves with the armor of God as described in Ephesians 6:14-18. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.  In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Pray at all times and stay alert.

Onward Christian Soldiers

Marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus

Going on before.

On every hand the foe we find,

Drawn up in dread array.

Let tents of ease be left behind,

And onward to the fray.

Salvation's helmet on each head,

With truth all girt about.

The earth shall tremble 'neath our tread,

And echo with our shout.

Faith is the victory, 

Faith is the victory.

Oh, glorious victory

That overcomes the world.

Remember, our battle in not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, authorities, world powers of darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. Ephesians 6:12. We need God's resources to win the battle. Clothe yourself daily. Keep hope in your heart for we know the end of the story. The battle is already won. Keep your sword sharp, your armor bright and fight your battles courageously knowing that you are on the winning side.