Hope For Living Series

Everyone has faith in something. When we rely upon the promise of others we exercise faith in them. Christians confidently hope in the promises of our God because we have reason to believe He will fulfill every one of them. This is our strength in times of perplexity and trial. It is the reason behind our peace and the source of our joy…

Many people, programs, and organizations are investing enormous amounts of time and money to help those addicted or dependent upon drugs or alcohol. Yet for all the efforts being made, the results are rather disappointing. Some estimate the success rate in general to be less than 2%. This is not good news to people who long to be free from the all-encompassing grip of full-blown addiction or a stubborn habit slowly destroying their lives. In fact, this is precisely why so many who have tried and failed conclude their situation is “hopeless.” Many come to believe they have no way to escape their enormous disappointment, despair, and sorrow except to continue obeying the demands of their particular addiction. Others wrongly conclude the only means of escape available to them is death, and so end their lives. To all who are, as these, discouraged and overwhelmed with sorrow and despair, let me assure you there is a sure way of escape that leads to life abundant and free though few find it.

Over the years, the term “worldliness” has come to mean many things to many different people. For some, it is a reference to behavior they imagine to be sinful…For others, worldliness describes non-negotiable sins…Worldliness has developed a host of definitions, each depending on whose list of worldly behaviors is being discussed and to what degree one excuses or condemns a particular behavior.  Sincere believers deeply desiring a right relationship with God eagerly look for clear, biblical guidelines to help them weigh lifestyle decisions. But sadly, after hearing opinions of fellow believers, many are left scratching their heads and wondering whose opinion is right. Some question how important the concept of worldliness is to their happiness and whether or not it should it be a high priority matter at all. We develop a clear understanding of worldliness when we set aside opinions and examine Scripture to find genuine biblical truth. This helps us wisely navigate life, making a huge impact on our Christian happiness as well.

The last thing we need in seasons of adversity is meaningless advice. Even words meant to comfort and encourage can seem empty and trite when our hearts are heavy and our minds are distracted with mounting perplexities. We want encourage- ment, yet we know encouragement alone is not enough. It is not going to fix the problems we face and it is not going to move us into action until we know what action is needed! There are times when we find ourselves in the midst of a problem that does not go away, seldom lets up, and may have become a permanent part of our lives. The “unchangeables” and long-term challenges are especially taxing and resilient to fleeting words of praise or exhortation. They sound like “tinkling brass,” not loving words that touch the heart where the heart hurts most. If we are going to be encouraged, we need something more than any human being can give to us—we need to experience the listening ear of a God who genuinely cares and thoroughly knows what we are going through. We need to hear words that assure our hearts we are loved and direct our thoughts toward truths that liberate our soul. Then, and only then, will we face our Goliaths with confidence and conquer them in the strength of the Lord. 

New things are exciting. Who of us has not lain awake at night too excited to sleep as we enjoy dreaming, planning, and imagining our lives with some desirable new thing? It is fun to search for a new piece of electronics, a house, or clothes. We love the smell of a brand new car, the sparkle of new jewelry, and the excitement of opening the box of a new computer. These are experiences common to all of us—but we also share the common experience of becoming so accustomed to that new thing that it loses its excitement and turns into another ho-hum part of our lives. All too quickly the house becomes too small, the jewelry looks outdated, the car ends up a donation to charity, and the computer becomes obsolete. What was once highly desirable loses its emotional appeal until it is ready to be tossed out or sold at a garage sale…

The nature of God’s love and forgiveness is unfathomable to the mind of the unbeliever. Perhaps even more difficult to comprehend is God’s requirement for His people to show the same spirit of forgiveness they hav receievd from Him. Many believers are bogged down in bitterness due to their misunderstanding or distrust of God’s view and requirement for forgiveness. With clear Scriptural backing, The Power of Forgiveness gives the guidelines for how one can help shatter the bonds of anger and bitterness in one’s life as they learn to forgive God’s way.

Who of us does not want to be self-disciplined? The benefits of a disciplined life are enormous, even in childhood. It did not take long for us to notice who our disciplined classmates were. They were the ones who always completed their project on time and kept their homework neatly stored in an impeccably clean and organized notebook, ready to turn it in first. They never seemed to lose a library book (let alone pay late fees), forget their lunch, or daydream while the teacher was talking. And they were the students who won the teacher’s smiles, got lots of gold stars, and never suffered the humiliation of having their names written on the blackboard for disrupting class!