God’s Hope

Are your bags packed?

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:18‭-‬19 NKJV

Because we are in the middle of moving our lives are more than a little topsy-turvy. Deciding whether to rent or sell our current home and choosing what to keep and or leave behind is really stressful. As Rex Harrison once sang, “I’ve grown accustomed to her face.. ” we have grown comfortable in the familiar sights and sounds of our home. But nothing really stays the same in life. All things at all times are in flux – except God. He alone is unchanging and if we will follow Him we must always be ready to pack our bags and go where He is calling. He delights in doing new things. He saw darkness and decided to create the light. He saw Adam alone then created Eve. The God who designed planets and filled the oceans is at work in you and I at this very moment. He says through the prophet Isaiah to get ready for change. Stop thinking long melancholy thoughts about the “good old days” and get ready to move forward. No matter how good those days were God is at work on something better. We can either mope in the back seat of the station wagon looking behind as we drive off or we can eagerly examine the road map for our journey ahead. Our destination is God’s choice but our attitude is ours. We need to be sure to pack our bags with everything that He has done in our hearts, then leave behind the keys with Jesus to close and lock the doors!

Our Comforting God

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Do you ever wonder while passing through a night of tears what good could ever come of it? Does it seem that just when you had hopes things would get better – another crisis appeared? Why would a loving God purposely allow us to suffer? I can still remember going to church, the first Sunday after my mother’s death. A well meaning friend simply  asked how I was doing. As I started to answer emotion like a tidal wave overwhelmed me and I sat in the pew weeping. The friend who had asked just put his arm over my shoulder and sat with me till I could catch my breath. I had not known how deep those waters were until I found myself drowning in them and yet they are the waters each of us must cross.

Life’s most important question is not how to avoid pain but who we turn to for comfort at that moment. Are you hurting tonight? Feeling alone or even angry? God has not forgotten you, is not away doing something more important or waiting for you to get back to normal. There is no way to be prepared without Him. He is right at your side ready with His comfort.  God is  in those exact moments giving us not only His comfort but also His gift to carry that comfort to others who wait just down the road in our lives.

Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:4

True Revival

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True revival is not about emotions or even miracles but about a real place on earth where the Father’s will is done. That being said I would ask for prayer for myself and our ministry team this Wednesday. We will be sharing the hope of the gospel in five different nursing home meetings tomorrow. There is no where more needing of transformation encouragement and restoring revival than in these places. People face discrimination, neglect, physical suffering and depression. Only Jesus can and will untie the knots, draw close and bring real spiritual healing. Pray that we will display clearly the amazing love of Jesus Christ and be His hands and feet in these places.