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.  

Smiling Hope

The hope that Jesus gives will put a smile on our face and a song in our heart. As a child I would sing this song:

Mommy told me something.

A little kid should know.

It's all about the devil,

And I've learned to hate him so.

She said he causes trouble

When you let him in the room.

He will never, ever leave you,

If your heart is filled with gloom.

So let the sunshine in.

Face it with a grin.

Smilers never lose,

And frowners never win.

So let the sunshine in,

Face it with a grin.

Open up your heart,

And let the sunshine in.

I have a precious memory of my dad and youngest son Ryan, age 6, singing this song in church:

There are many troubles,

That will burst like bubbles.

There are many shadows
That will disappear.

When you learn to meet them,

With a smile to greet them,

For a smile is better than a frown or tear.

Though the world forsake you,

Joy will overtake you.

Hope will soon awake you,

If you smile today.

Don't parade your sorrow,

Wait until tomorrow,

For your hope and joy

Will drive the clouds away.

You can smile.

When you can't say a word.

You can smile,

When you cannot be heard.

You can smile,

When it's cloudy or fair.

You can smile anytime, anywhere.

When we live by the maxim "accentuate the positive, decelerate the negative", we are living Philippians 4:8 - "Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lively, admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things".

Get that frown off your face.

Put a smile in it's place.

Let the love of Jesus Christ show through.

Open up; start to sing.

You're a child of the King.

Now go out and change your world.

Here's another song for a happy heart.

Sing and smile and pray.

That's the only way.

When you sing and smile and pray.

You drive the clouds away.

Psychologists tell us that if a person starts smiling, even if the heart is heavy, the inward feelings will begin to change. Place your hope for a positive expected end in God and put a smile on your beautiful face.

Praying Hope

Praying hope is found in communication with our Creator. He knows our inmost hopes and dreams, thoughts and motives. When we pray, we connect with a power that is far greater then we can imagine with our finite minds. Hebrews 4:14 -16 reminds us that because we have a great High Priest (Jesus) in heaven Who is able to empathize with our weaknesses, and has been tempted in very way, yet did not sin, we can approach the throne of grace with confidence.

There's a garden where Jesus is waiting.

It's a place that's so wondrously fair.

And it glows with the light of His presence.

It's the beautiful garden of prayer.

Oh, that beautiful garden,
That garden of prayer.

Oh, that beautiful garden of prayer.

Where my Savior awaits,

And He opens the gates,

To that beautiful garden of prayer.

I come to the garden alone.

While the dew is still on the roses.

And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,

The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me
And He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own.

And the joy we share as we tarry there.

No other has ever known.

Sweet hour of prayer,
Sweet hour of prayer,

That calls me from a world of care,

And bids me at my Father's throne

Make all my wants and wishes known.
.

In seasons of distress and grief,

My soul has often found relief,

And oft escaped the tempter's snare

At thy return, sweet hour of prayer.

I'd stay in the garden with Him
Tho' the night around me be falling.

But He bids me go with a voice of woe.

His voice to me is calling.

Oh, that beautiful garden,
The garden of prayer,

Oh, that beautiful garden of prayer.
Where my Savior awaits,
And He opens the gates,

To that beautiful garden of prayer.

May you spend much time in the garden of prayer with the Source of hope.