The Lord is our strength

Proverbs 16:18 (ESV)

Pride goes before destruction,

    and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Anyone who has traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland has probably seen the Edinburgh castle. It is a tower of seemingly insurmountable strength. However, long ago that castle was attacked and seized.

One place in the fortress was protected by its steepness and impregnability, they thought, so no guards were posted there. But at an obvious weak spot was where the most guards were stationed. Wouldn't you know that at an opportune time, the attacking army sent a small band up that unguarded slope and surprised the garrison into surrender. Where the castle was strong, there it was weak.

In his autobiography, Benjamin Franklin wrote: "There is perhaps no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive. Even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility".

I guess the even best of us struggle with pride in our lives -- wait, come to think of it -- it's most likely the best of us that struggle with pride the most!

The enemy of our souls would like nothing more than to cause us to stumble -- especially in the areas we feel most secure!! We need to be on guard. Let's never put our hope in our own strengths, or anyone else's for that matter. We must remind ourselves continuously that it is the Lord who is our strength, and He alone.

Dear Lord, help us to put our hope in you today.  Help us not try to do it on our own. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Let's say no to fear!

Psalm 27:1 (ESV)

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

    whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

    of whom shall I be afraid?

Two hunters came across a bear so big that they dropped their rifles and ran for cover. One man climbed a tree while the other hid in a nearby cave. The bear was in no hurry to eat, so he sat down between the tree and the cave to reflect upon his good fortune. Suddenly, and for no apparent reason, the hunter in the cave came rushing out, almost ran into the waiting bear, hesitated, and then dashed back in again. The same thing happened a second time. When he emerged for the third time, his companion in the tree frantically called out, "Woody, are you crazy? Stay in the cave till he leaves!" "Can't," panted Woody, "there's another bear in there!"

Ever feel like fear is giving us the run around? Although there are a lot of scary things going on in the world these days and perhaps even in our own personal lives, God has not called us to live in fear. He’s has called us to stand strong in His confidence, knowing that He is in control! He’s called us to live lives full of power, love and a sound mind!

Dr. E. Stanley Jones said “I am inwardly fashioned for faith, not for fear. Fear is not my native land; faith is. I am so made that worry and anxiety are sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil. I live better by faith and confidence than by fear, doubt and anxiety. In anxiety and worry, my being is gasping for breath--these are not my native air. But in faith and confidence, I breathe freely--these are my native air.”

Let's say no to fear! Let’s determine to put our hope in the Lord once again today!

Dear Lord, help us put our hope in You today. Help us say no to fear so we may live the life You have planned for us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Bringing them hope instead of blame.

Romans 2:3-4 (ESV)

3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Have you ever tried to ask for help, only to be thoroughly criticized?

Have you ever tried to reach out in love, only to be rejected?

But then, who among us never criticized someone else behind their back, or avoided people we don't like . . .

Is this the correct thing to do?

It's so easy to see the mistakes of others, and it's so easy to justify avoiding certain people. But does this make it right?

In the late 19th century in certain areas located in the south of Iceland, it was common to see poles erected in the ground in frequently travelling areas, especially areas where cities were far from each other and where travelers would easily get lost.

It sure would be easy to criticize such travelers. "They should have brought better maps with them, and maybe better equipment, too!" Such ramblings of our thoughts could easily justify the idea that these travelers should have to learn a lesson from their mistakes.

But such criticism was never the case in Iceland. If a traveler in one of these regions got lost and needed help, he or she would seek out one of these poles. There would be an oil lamp under each pole, and the lost person would light this lamp and hoist it up on the pole. The light would then be seen from afar, and anyone in the region that noticed it would come to the immediate rescue of that lost person.

In our modern world, there are literally thousands if not millions of people crying out for help. Their lives are far from delightful, and they are totally lost, having no clue how to resolve their dilemmas. I wish they could hoist up a lamp, so we would understand without a doubt that they need our help. Unfortunately, no one notices this fact, and they still hunger for help.

Criticizing these people won't help them. In fact it will only drive them deeper and deeper in complete despair. Only "kindness, tolerance and patience" will open the doors of their hearts, giving us the opportunity to help them, bringing them hope instead of blame.

Will you be the one to bring help to someone in need today?

Dear Lord, thank You that we can always come to You when we need help. Help us be the one that looks for someone in need and go to help them. In the Name, of Jesus, Amen.

Jesus is our hope

Matthew 5:3-10 (ESV) 

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Sooner or later we will all realize the futility of trying to be in control of our circumstances, and we will come to understand that our life has been a total sham. Hopefully it won't be while we are on our deathbed!

God, in His goodness, will give us many opportunities throughout our lives to contemplate real life, real freedom and real love. More often than not, however, we simply shrug our shoulders and go on without a second thought.

Still, only when we are completely broken inside can we truly realize that there is more to life than wildly running around like a chicken with its head cut off. But in all honesty, is our stressful life truly the full life Jesus promises us? "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)

This was a concept the Germans didn't realize during World War I. They wanted complete control, and complete control they had. Or so it seemed to them. They hadn't yet conquered all of Europe, but they had Belgium under their control! And though the Netherlands succeeded in shaking them off their back, the Germans continued to strive for total control.

No communication was allowed between these two countries, and this was easily controlled. Or at least that's what the Germans thought when they erected a three-meter electric fence and sent 2000 volts of current between these two countries. "Ha! That will keep them away!"

However in any plan designed to control someone's behavior, there is always gaps that we never considered. Ingenious Hollanders found a way around this electric fence. Or should I say "through it"! They found out that if they put a wooden barrel between the wires, they could crawl through the barrel to the other side without any consequences. Soon they were regularly smuggling mail between the two countries.

Yes, the Germans thought they had the country completely in control, especially since they had a backup plan. They had German troops patrolling "the wire", or "Het draad", as they called it in Dutch. And yes once, one of these troops caught one of these pundits and shot him on the spot. But it didn't stop the communication between these two countries.

Eventually the Germans realized they could not control all of their conquered countries, and World War I came to an end. They never completely gave up the idea of controlling all of Europe, however, and the entire world as well, and a mere twenty years later Hitler came into power. Fortunately for the world, he, too, had to come to the realization that total control was impossible.

Broken, many of these soldiers, as well as the inhabitants of the European countries who had suffered throughout the wars, discovered a refuge in the One they considered their Shepherd. He was the One they could trust at all times, to Him they surrendered their lives. Through brokenness they discovered there is more to life than just barely living!

If you are facing despair and solitude because of your circumstances, consider the hope Jesus, our Lord, is offering you. Even amidst absolute turmoil, you can experience real living. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Hope is not based on human promises,  Hope based on Jesus.

Dear Lord, we thank You that our hope, the hope of the world is based on You. Help us live our life in a matter that shows this world that You are the true hope for the world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Faith, Hope and Love

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

They had faith. At least we hope so, for they were a company of Benedictine monks in a monastery on Pointe St-Mathieu, France, established in the 6th century.

They brought  hope. At least they did for the many sailors navigating close to where these monks were located. You see, although automated lighthouses did not exist in those days, the maritime dangers certainly did. Especially around la Pointe St-Mathieu, which was littered with shallow reefs and was known to be a real terror for any sailors nearby.

At nightfall the monks living in that windswept abbey would light a fire at the top of the church tower. That light helped sailors navigate safely. Without that fire, the sailors would have been hopeless!

The monks also had love. They must have! For why else would they have taken such precautions to help sailors they had never met!

The monks are now gone, the abbey lies in ruins, and a real lighthouse, built in 1835, currently warns sailors of hidden dangers. Even the mighty church that once stood on the sight has been destroyed. But the legend of the love of these monks remains.

If it wasn't for love, there would be no hope and no real faith. Love after all, is what motivated the Most High to send His own Son to be ridiculed and mocked, and then to die on a cross. But nothing can truly eliminate pure love, and the grave couldn't hold Him. Jesus rose from that grave, and His resurrection assures us that we are truly loved by the Most High Himself. He paid the price for our sins, giving us, all at once, faith, hope and love.

Although it was us who wandered away from God, God didn't want us lost for eternity. He bridged the gap that separated us from Him, the gap that had been created by our own selfish interests. Reconciled, we now can enjoy the full extent of what faith, hope and love means.

When that same love is bestowed on us, it fills us with adrenaline, driving us to love genuinely, just like God loves each one of us. We can't help but reach out towards those in need, towards the hopeless, towards those needing mercy. We can't help but embrace them with love from above and let them know that everything will be all right. The Most High loves them! He truly does!

Love drives us to step out of our comfort zone. Love motivates us to be like Jesus and reach the unreachable. After all, our Dad is the One who demonstrated what real love meant, and once touched by it, we can't remain indifferent. If we do, then we haven't truly grasped what His love truly means! God's love drives us to the most intriguing adventures of faith, hope and love. It energizes us to bring that light into the darkest places, even to the very gates of hell!

Let's all shine, just like we were destined to do. God's love is what makes us shine, causing us to bring forth the necessary love that the world hungers for. A love based on faith. A love founded on hope. A love from God above.

Dear Lord, we thank You for the Love You showed. We pray today that Your love would show through us as a bright light, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Does Your Heart have God's Music?

Hebrews 13:16 (NIV)

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

It was 1994. Daily, the city of Sarajevo was under siege. Mortars and artillery fire instantly transformed once beautiful buildings into rubble. Sarajevo's citizens were frightened, weary and increasingly despondent. Then, one February day, a mortar shell exploded in the market killing 68 civilians. Many more were wounded and maimed from the blast.

A cellist with the Sarajevo symphony could no longer stand the killing. He took his cello to the market, sat down a midst the rubble and played a concert. When he finished, he simply took up his instrument and left.

Every day, for 67 days, he came to the market. Every day he played a concert. It was his gift of love to the city. He did it because he felt his community needed hope.

Hope is music in the heart. It is a gift given to each of us to see us through the night. Once you have lost hope, you have nothing left to lose. Utter hopelessness kills everything it touches. But hope gives us strength to continue, whether it be a marriage that is worth saving, a life that is worth living or a situation that is worth salvaging.

In the end, hope is a spiritual thing. When all is in chaos and ruin, hope is the knowledge that the music still goes on. In this vast and infinite universe, we are not alone.

During those times when all may seem to be crumbling down around you, can you hear the music in your heart -- the song of hope?

Dear Lord, thanks for the hope You give us. We pray today that we would take the time to share that hope to those around us so they might feel Your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Where Do You Find Your Hope?

Matt 5:3-10  (NIV)

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Sooner or later we will all realize the futility of trying to be in control of our circumstances, and we will come to understand that our life has been a total sham. Hopefully it won't be while we are on our deathbed!

God, in His goodness, will give us many opportunities throughout our lives to contemplate real life, real freedom and real love. More often than not, however, we simply shrug our shoulders and go on without a second thought.

Still, only when we are completely broken inside can we truly realize that there is more to life than wildly running around like a chicken with its head cut off. But in all honesty, is our stressful life truly the full life Jesus promises us? "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 NIV

This was a concept the Germans didn't realize during World War I. They wanted complete control, and complete control they had. Or so it seemed to them. They hadn't yet conquered all of Europe, but they had Belgium under their control! And though the Netherlands succeeded in shaking them off their back, the Germans continued to strive for total control.

No communication was allowed between these two countries, and this was easily controlled. Or at least that's what the Germans thought when they erected a three-meter electric fence and sent 2000 volts of current between these two countries. "Ha! That will keep them away!"

However in any plan designed to control someone's behavior, there is always gaps that we never considered. Ingenious Hollanders found a way around this electric fence. Or should we say "through it"! They found out that if they put a wooden barrel between the wires, they could crawl through the barrel to the other side without any consequences. Soon they were regularly smuggling mail between the two countries.

Yes, the Germans thought they had the country completely in control, especially since they had a backup plan. They had German troops patrolling "the wire", or "Het draad", as they called it in Dutch. And yes once, one of these troops caught one of these pundits and shot him on the spot. But it didn't stop the communication between these two countries.

Eventually the Germans realized they could not control all of their conquered countries, and World War I came to an end. They never completely gave up the idea of controlling all of Europe, however, and the entire world as well, and a mere twenty years later Hitler came into power. Fortunately for the world, he, too, had to come to the realization that total control was impossible.

Broken, many of these soldiers, as well as the inhabitants of the European countries who had suffered throughout the wars, discovered a refuge in the One they considered their Shepherd. He was the One they could trust at all times, to Him they surrendered their lives. Through brokenness they discovered there is more to life than just barely living!

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Ps 23:1-3 NIV)

If you are facing despair and solitude because of your circumstances, consider the hope Jesus, our Lord, is offering you. Even a midst absolute turmoil, you can experience real living. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NIV)

Dear Lord, we pray that we wouldn't live in despair but instead in Your great love that gives us each hope. Help us share that hope with someone today. IN Jesus’ Name, Amen.

When the Ship Goes Down What will You be Doing?

Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV)

12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

In the book titled, The Band That Played On, the book asks the question, "Why did the Titanic's band keep playing, while the ship went down?" It's a good question. Since the band had been contracted by a talent agency and was not employed by the Titanic's owners, even the doomed ship's captain couldn't have ordered them to make music to calm troubled hearts.

So, why did they keep playing? Why didn't they try to save their lives?

After extensive research the author concludes the band acted heroically because of the Christian character of the band's leader: Wallace Hartley. Mr. Hartley was a faithful church attendee who had recently become engaged to a Christian girl. They were to be married after he had made a number of Atlantic crossings on the Titanic.

Sometime before, when one of his friends had asked him, "What would you do if you were ever on a ship which was sinking?" Mr. Hartley had replied, "I don't think I would do better than play 'Oh God Our Help in Ages Past' or 'Nearer, My God, to Thee'."

In all likelihood, when Mr. Hartley found the ship was going down, he called together his fellow musicians and encouraged them to begin their concert. The Christian songs they played that night brought peace to the dying and hope to those who survived.

For doing what he did, I would call Wallace Hartley  a hero of faith.

You probably are a hero too. I say that because many Christians don't know how they are going to act, how their faith will show itself, until the time of testing comes.

It is then by the power of the Holy Spirit that they can face those trials and make a witness that will touch others. That's what Wallace Hartley did. It's what you will probably do too. To that end, I encourage you to think about how, at special times and circumstances, your words and actions might glorify the Savior, who gave His life to win your salvation.

Dear Lord, use our words and actions to show those that need You who are lost and frightened toward the Savior. We thank You for the peace, forgiveness and salvation You have given to each of us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Steadfast Hope

Job 13:15 (NIV)

Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;

    I will surely defend my ways to his face.

In May 1998, the Voice of the Martyrs staff carried relief aid to the Sudanese Christians in the village of Ayien. Abraham Yac Deng, a deacon at the Episcopal Church, was overjoyed by the missionaries' gift of 600 Bibles. As the pastor for some 400 people, he owned the only Bible in the congregation. With extreme care, he took it out of his shirt pocket and showed it to the staff. It was a well-worn Bible, with one page in particular that was especially worn away. It was chapter 8 of Romans. The words from verses 35-39 brought Abraham comfort: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." On June 3, 1998, National Islamic Front troops entered the town of Ayien. They assassinated Abraham Yac Deng and then burned the 600 Bibles that had just been delivered. But they could not extinguish the hope of Abraham Yac Deng.

We are more than conquerors through Christ who has loved us. Even death will not separate us from our hope and His love. Today in prayer, pray for Christians in Sudan and other areas of the world that face persecution.

Dear Lord we pray that we would all stay steadfast in our hope in Christ. We thank You that we can put our whole hope in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

William the Conqueror

Titus 3:7 (NIV)

So that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

William the Conqueror was born a long time ago, in 1027, in a town called Falaise, Normandy, which is now a part of France. He was the son of Herleva, the daughter of a local trader, and Robert, the Duke of Normandy. Everything seemed good. Except for the tiny fact that Herleva was not actually Robert's wife. William was an illegitimate child, and this fact didn't go unnoticed by the public.

From very early on, William was teased by seemingly everyone in town, and the nickname, "the Bastard" soon stuck. Though he was rejected and ridiculed, however, he was not without hope. Despite his illegitimate lineage, his father insisted William would be his heir. It's true that William was Robert's only son, but that didn't faze William in the least.

To make matters worse, attempts were made on William's life on two different occasions. At one time, Robert, probably feeling guilty, decided to go on a pilgrimage. While he was away, local Norman lords attacked William's kinsmen. It was bad, so bad that William had to run away to save his life. And he was only eight years old!

The second attempt happened when he was twenty. "The rebelling barons" conspired against him, and if a faithful servant hadn't warned him, he would have been six feet under.

As it turned out, everyone except his own father rejected him, but he never gave up. He kept holding on, for he knew his dad was on his side.

To make a long story short, William eventually became the King of England, a position far higher than what his own father had held. There is hope for the rejected ones!

Most of us can relate to William. We too have been mocked and ridiculed and rejected for various reasons.

Our brothers and sisters in faith in countries where Christianity is taboo have it a thousand times worse, for mockery turns into persecution, and persecution turns into martyrdom. Please do not forget them in our prayers.

It's not an easy world we live in, but one thing we can count on: Jesus is on our side! He boldly declares: "He is mine!" Although we may feel unworthy and undeserving of such a love, He stands by us. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV)

Do we even realize what this means? We were all doomed once. Whether we are illegitimate or legitimate doesn't matter. We were selfish, greedy and self-centered, and we did, indeed sin and break off our engagement with God. We were truly unworthy! We earned the outcome deserved by any rebel!

But Jesus did the unthinkable. He died for our sins, our rebellion against God. He died so that we wouldn't have to die. He died so that we could have hope for a brighter future, a future with the resurrected one. He died so that we could spend eternity with Him as our big brother. Jesus has made the unworthy worthy!

If a king or president would sacrifice himself for someone considered unworthy, it would mean the unworthy one was worthy after all, otherwise why would the king or the president have sacrificed himself? Because we are valuable in God's eyes.

No more rejection! No more insults and mockery! We have become royalty! "In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers." (Heb 2:10-11 NIV)

We can never be hopeless. We have the King of Kings at our side! We are now "heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:7 NIV) 

Let us enjoy the adventures we will experience with Him at our side, and send rejection on its way.

Dear Lord, we thank You that You that no matter what the world thinks we have value in You. Help us not be the one that rejects others but accepts them as You would. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Hope and Lace

Ezekiel 16:49 (NIV)

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.

She was just fifteen and had just graduated from a lace-making school in Brugge, far different from the universities we now know. These schools were more like children's sweat shops, with the emphasis on sweat. She was actually a bit old to be in such a school. 5 years-old girls were attending it, hunching over lace pillows twelve hours a day.

Lace, the latest vogue, had begun to be popular in the 16th century. Even two centuries later, men favored giving lace items to their beloved ones, and it was always being received with sheer admiration. And women weren't the only ones to adorn themselves with lace. Men, especially those in high society, used it to dress up their attire as well!

Unfortunately, those who toiled making these precious gifts were totally ignored. Thousands of girls and women sacrificed their health to make this delicate lace, and despite long hours, they hardly made enough to make ends meet. Why? Because the stores naturally received a decent profit for selling the lace and those who served as the go-betweens between the workers and the merchants also took 15-35% of the profits. In the end, the ones who made the lace, and thus deserved to profit from it, were paid an outrageously small salary. They were generally earning less than half of what a regular factory worker was making.

Think about the poor people we all come into contact with each day, do we have compassion for them.  Are we like the priests and Levites in Jesus' parable "The Good Samaritan" (See Luke 10: 30-35) and just pass them by?

How would Jesus have reacted to such a plea?

If we don't have the luxury of spending time with the poor in order to feed them a decent meal, why not support through monetary means to one of the organizations that feed and house the homeless?  

How many poor have we helped so far? Unless we live on an otherwise uninhabited island, there are poor around us everywhere. They are hungry for relief from their circumstances, and even more so, they hunger for hope. Will we provide them with what they hunger for?

Love is always the answer. If it were not for the fact that love came down from heaven, where would we be? Where would our hope be? If love had not been willingly to die on a cross for each one of us, where would we turn? Love is the answer to all problems, our own included.

Dear Lord, we pray today that we would show Your great love to all those that come into our live. We pray that our eyes would be open to the many needs around us. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Finding Hope

Romans 12:12 (NIV)

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Jean Kerr said, "Hope is the feeling you have, that the feeling you have, isn't permanent." It is what we have when we know that we WILL eventually survive the night and bask in sunshine once again. It does not deny the present darkness, but it reminds us that dawn is coming.

Brigadier General Robinson Risner ("Robbie") spent seven years as a POW at the "Hanoi Hilton," as prisoners of war called their North Viet Nam compound. There he discovered the power of hope. He spent four and a half years of that time in isolation. He endured ten months of total darkness. Those ten months were the longest of his life. When they boarded up his little seven-by-seven foot cell, shutting out the light, he wondered if he was going to make it. He had already been under intense physical and mental duress after years of confinement. And now, not a glimmer of light shone into his cell -- or into his soul.

Robbie spent hours a day exercising and praying. But at times he felt he could nothing but scream. Not wanting to give his captors the satisfaction of knowing they'd broken him, he stuffed clothing into his mouth to muffle the noise as he screamed at the top of his lungs.

One day Robbie got down on the floor and crawled under his bunk. He located a vent that let in outside air. As he pressed against the vent, he saw a faint glimmer of light reflected on the inside wall of the opening. Robbie put his eye next to the cement wall and discovered a minute crack in the construction. It allowed him to glimpse outside, but was so small that all he could see was one blade of grass. A single blade of grass and a faint ray of light. But when he stared at the sight, he felt a surge of joy, excitement and gratitude like he hadn't known in years. "It represented life, growth, and freedom," he later said, "and I knew God had not forgotten me." It was a tiny glimmer hope that sustained Robbie through an unbearable ordeal.

The human spirit is strong. It seems to run forever on nothing but a morsel of hope. Without it, you have nothing. With it, nothing else matters.

Dear Lord, we thank You that our hope is in You. Help us see the things around us that You put in our life as an encouragement. Help Your joy shine through us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Our Life Line

Hebrews 6:19-20 (NIV)

19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

The HCMS Skeena, a Canadian destroyer commissioned on June 10, 1931, was a reliable warship that did its job well. It fought in the Battle of the Atlantic, escorted 88 convoys, defended the Allied landings in France, and hunted numerous German U-boats. It was renowned for its bravery.

But like anyone else, it also had to face heavy storms, and the one of October 24, 1944 was the most memorable of all. The destroyer had sought shelter in the sound between the Icelandic islands of Engey and Videy, where it laid anchor. Unbeknownst to them, the destroyer was dragging its anchor and it was too late to do anything when it ran aground in an inlet close to the island of Videy.

The order was immediately given to put out the lifeboats and abandon ship, and fifteen soldiers were already in the water when the intensity of the storm caused the order to be revoked. A few of these fifteen managed to reach land at Videy, but most of them were dragged across the fjord to Mogilsa, where they were found drenched in oil the next day. Many of them were dead, and the few survivors were in very poor condition.

The remaining crew of 198 stayed aboard the destroyer. They were unsure of their fate, as the storm was creating 50 foot waves (15 meters).

Icelandic Captain Einar Sigardsson was put in charge of rescue operations. Amidst the chaos of the storm, he managed to land on Videy. He then struggled across the island on foot to the spot nearest where the Skeena had ran aground. A lifeline was fired across to the vessel, and Einar stood waist-deep in the icy water as all 198 of the sailors were brought safely ashore. Had the other fifteen sailors remained on board, they would have been saved as well.

In this life we will face many chaotic storms, but as long as we hold on unto our lifeline, we will remain "firm and secure". It's when we wander away and try to save ourselves through our own efforts that we tend to drown amidst our adversities.

Dear Lord, we thank You that You are our life line when all around us is falling apart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Hope That Will Never Fail

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Sarah was a cheerful, pleasant, person, who worked hard to communicate in a culture that was quite foreign to her. She read books to learn the language, watched TV to study the vernacular. She hired out to families, taking care of babies as a newborn-nurse.

This young woman had put all her trust and all her hope in the man she married. She looked to him for her every need. However there were long hours, long nights, long weeks away from her new husband. She was far away from family, friends, and almost anything familiar.

Things seemed as if they were going OK. Then they found her, nearly dead….an attempted suicide with drugs and alcohol.

What really nearly killed her was disillusionment. Her trust and hope had been crushed beyond anything she could cope with. She had made her husband the ‘everything’ in her life; when he left her for someone else her great giant hope for happiness crumbled.

People are just people; not perfect and not God. Sooner or later people will say or do something that doesn't meet our expectations and we will be disappointed. There is only One Hope that will never, ever fail us. We can count on Him. Putting all our eggs in one basket will work only when the basket is the Lord. There will never be a problem with Him not meeting our standards or disappointing us. Jesus is, and will always be, there to trust and lean on.

Dear Lord, help us put our trust completely in You. We thank You for always being there for us for us to trust and lean on. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Nouns and Adverbs Equal Hope

Jeremiah 29:11-12 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

The school system in a large city had a program to help children keep up with their schoolwork during stays in the city's hospitals. One day a teacher who was assigned to the program received a routine call asking her to visit a particular child. She took the child's name and room number and talked briefly with the child's regular class teacher. "We're studying nouns and adverbs in his class now," the teacher said, "and I'd be grateful if you could help him understand them so he doesn't fall too far behind."

The hospital program teacher went to see the boy that afternoon. No one had mentioned to her that the boy had been badly burned and was in great pain. Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as she told him, 'I've been sent by your school to help you with nouns and adverbs." When she left she felt she hadn't accomplished much.

But the next day, a nurse asked her, "What did you DO to that boy?"

The teacher felt she must have done something wrong and began to apologize.

"No, no," said the nurse. "You don't know what I mean. We've been worried about that little boy, but ever since yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He's fighting back, responding to treatment. It's as though he's decided to LIVE!"

Two weeks later the boy explained that he had completely given up hope until the teacher arrived. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. He expressed it this way: "They wouldn't send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a DYING boy, would they?"

What made the difference in this little boy? In a word, "HOPE!" Feeling hopeless and helpless in his badly burned and painful condition, he found HOPE in the presence of the teacher.

What a lesson for US. . .

Due to our sin, WE are also hopeless and helpless! There is nothing that you and I can do in our own power to improve our condition. "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23), and that leaves us with... NO HOPE, for "ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

But then the Teacher, Jesus Christ, came into this world to open a pathway back from sin's dark grip of DEATH. He demonstrated the reality of LIFE beyond the grave by His OWN resurrection from the dead and revealed the WAY to that LIFE giving us HOPE!

He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). We have HOPE because. . . Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins making our forgiveness available. We access that HOPE by. . . Believing in Him (Acts 16:30-31), repenting of our sins (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), being baptized (immersed) for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), and then following Him faithfully (Revelation 2:10).

With the HOPE that Jesus gives, WE have a new lease on LIFE!

Dear Lord, We thank You that we can put our complete trust in You and because if that we have hope. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Where is Your Hope?

Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

Even though I walk

    through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

    for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

    they comfort me.

During World War II, the island of Jersey, along with other Nazi-occupied territories, relied heavily on the radio. Neither the local press nor the Red Cross messaging service were reliable, due to heavy censorship, therefore the radio was their only link to the outside world.

On June 8, 1942, the islanders of Jersey were horrified when they heard the order from the Feldkommandantur that all radios were to be confiscated for "security reasons".

Many islanders decided to hide their radio, as they considered it their only source of hope to freedom.

The Nazis didn't take to this "insubordination" too kindly, however. They continually searched for these illegal devices, and anyone caught would face terrible consequences. Take, for example, Canon Clifford Cohu, rector of St. Savior's church and chaplain at the General Hospital. He couldn't stop himself from openly spreading the hope announced on his radio with his parishioners and patients. He was arrested and sent to a "work education camp" in Germany, where he was subject to continuously beatings and starvation. He never lost hope, however. It was engraved in his heart, even though he died weighing less than 98 pounds. Many others fared the same consequences, all because they had hidden their radios, their only source of hope.

We, as believers, of the Most High, have a hope that goes well beyond the radio. Our hope is anchored deep in the Heavens. Our Heavenly Father is our link to real hope and total freedom. As long as we focus on this hope, nothing will faze us. We discover quite quickly that "Your (God's) rod and your staff, they comfort me." (Ps 23:4b, NIV)

God's rod stands for God's discipline, as illustrated in Psalms 89:32a: "I will punish their sin with the rod . . ." We welcome this discipline, for it proves that God truly loves us and wants what is best for us. Who else would discipline us? Would we ever learn otherwise?

God's staff stands for guidance, as mentioned in Micah 7:14a: "Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance"

Why do these give us such comfort? They give us hope amidst our adversities, as they are proof that God stands with us and for us. It confirms that "The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing." (Ps 23:1, NIV) We truly lack nothing!

With such a hope we can face anything, even the valley of death, as long as we focus on this hope. Hope, after all, is catchy, and we can't help but share the hope that sustains us at all times with others, just like Canon Clifford Cohu, unfazed by what the consequences might be. Only those who have such hope can do this.

We truly have nothing to fear when we rely completely on our Heavenly Father!

Dear Lord, thank you that no matter what we face in live we can completely rely upon You. Thank You that we can place our hpe in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Wonderful Machine

Proverbs 24:14 (NIV)

Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:

    If you find it, there is a future hope for you,

    and your hope will not be cut off.

I found this futuristic parable that shows the critical nature of hope.

Imagine a huge machine, built like a three-story glass building, in the middle of a white desert. In fact, when you first stumble upon it while crossing the desert, you think it is a building. It's black and square, like an office tower. A monolith that looks as though it may have been dropped off on the last alien flyby.

You approach the monstrosity cautiously, and once confident that it's harmless, you try to enter. It's locked tight. Being quite resourceful, you blow the door with some handy TNT. After the smoke clears you enter.

Dark. Pitch-black, in fact. You pull out a large flashlight and flip it on. The beam of light reveals gears and gadgets that fill you with awe. You slowly work your way into the building and discover that every room contains new gadgets, each seeming to have its purpose. If only you could figure out what they were for or, better yet, how to turn them on.

You set up camp outside and begin a careful examination of the building, which you now recognize as a machine of some kind. At the very least a series of machines, all housed in one structure for some apparent reason. For days you fiddle with the gears and toy with the gadgets. You manage to turn a few of them on and are delighted to discover that they actually work.

Others come and begin to explore with you. No one can figure out what the machine is for and how it works, but some of the rooms have small systems that reveal their functions. One produces water and another cranks out gold. There is a huge contraption on the tenth floor that looks like an engine of some kind, but no amount of tinkering can bring it to life.

Soon a town sprouts up around the machine. Each day more discoveries are made. Conflict erupts over who should own the gold and control the water, and the growing community institutes regulations and laws to manage that conflict. Claims are filed, and over time a thriving commerce develops around the machine.

The town becomes a city in the desert. The machine is a wonder to all who enter the doors. A use is eventually made for every gadget and gear. The wonder from the sky is the talk of the world.

Still, no one can figure out how to turn on the machine. Like ants, thousands scurry in and out of the monolith all day, but the structure itself stands in darkness, slumbering. Years go by, and soon any notion of waking the slumbering giant is forgotten.

One night while the city sleeps, you make a fascinating discovery on the tenth floor: a large pearl, roughly the size of your fist, hidden on top of the silent contraption that looks like an engine. The pearl looks priceless, and you're sure this is a treasure that will make you rich beyond measure.

Then it occurs to you that you've seen something like this pearl before. A drawing of a similar pearl in one of the contraption's openings.

You eagerly climb down and pull open the hatch in question. Sure enough, there is a drawing that looks identical to the pearl in your hand. You place the pearl in what appears to be a receptacle made for it.

Nothing happens. Beside the drawing there is a switch. What if...

You flip the switch.

In an instant your world changes. Blinding light floods the room and a whirl deafens your ears. The floor begins to hum loudly and you think the whole contraption might blow up.

Terrified, you tear down the stairs as the building comes to life around you. Gears spin and gadgets roar to life, breaking any clumsy, man-made construction built to harness their power.

By the time you break through the front door, midnight has been turned to day. Light streams from the glass building and floods the surrounding desert.

You stand in awe at a safe distance now, watching with a thousand others. Without a shred of doubt, the spectacle unfolding before your eyes is something that could come only from heaven itself.

The next day you brave your way back into the glowing machine. The wonders you discover inside are indescribable.

The glory of this machine makes all the efforts of many technicians, who've spent years putting the machine to good use, seem juvenile and silly by comparison. The path of wondrous discovery that lies ahead of you is surely mind-bending. What mystery does the machine really hold? How can such a great power be contained by glass? What kind of being made such a magnificent machine?

And to think you once tried to make bread with this thing.

The end.

The machine is the heart of happiness, placed in every man and woman and child by God himself. Though it once was full of life, it has slipped into a slumber and sits in darkness.

The pearl is the hope of eternity, which fuels the machine and brings it to life. No matter how man will find pleasure within its gears an" - contrive usefulness from its gadgets, the machine of life is destined to lie in darkness unless fuelled by the pearl of great hope. But powered by that fuel, the great machine will awaken with a thunder and fill the heart with an inexhaustible awe.

Happy is the man who finds this pearl of great price.

Dear Lord, we thank You for all You do for us. We thank You that our hope is in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.