God’s Hope

In God We Trust

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

Lord you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. Psalm 10:17

Here in the United States our national motto is “In God We Trust” and it is interesting that it appears, not on our flag, nor directly in our constitution but on our money. But it was not at the height of our prosperity that we adopted this phrase, but during the dark days of the Civil War. Despite the ultimate victory of the Northern States, the reality was that both sides suffered devastation, death and tragedy on a scale never seen before or since in our history. When our hopes were at their lowest it was introduced on the 2 cent piece in 1864. Maybe that is instructive for our day of social upheaval, violence and division. We must remember that our trust in God is not a bold boast but a cry to Him for help. Today’s verse reminds us that hope is not in victory or success, but in the promise that God will hear our cry. He is our hope this morning and forever. So what is your disappointment? What is your despair? Where are you feeling the weakest? Remember that He has promised to hear, to come and to comfort. If we put our trust in God, we are saying not that things are great but that whatever comes we will fully and only belong to Him!

Hope in the Lord

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments

O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin.
Psalms 130:7‭-‬8 NLT

Life has been so busy here planning for our upcoming trip, finishing and then promoting my book so my wife wholeheartedly agreed for a sunset tour of a nearby park we had never been to. What a blessing to take a little break from our daily routine and spend a few quiet moments watching the sun set over the Gulf. It is as if every evening, Jesus takes His artist’s brush and paints a message of hope just before the darkness settles in.

Maybe He is telling each one of us individually to recall His faithfulness to forgive, by painting the ocean red. There is the place that He has promised to cast our sins if we repent and turn to Him when we stray. There under the waves, all our own actions and anxieties that have robbed the lives of ourselves and our families can be forgotten and forgiven because of the Cross. How glad I am of that new hope available for me!

So here are some photos of last night’s quiet sunset. They are just a few samples of the masterpiece of God’s mercy and hope for anyone who is looking. Where is your hope today?

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Until That Day!

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day 2 Timothy 1:12 KJV

In this letter, Paul wrote to his dearest friend on earth, Timothy, while He was facing almost certain execution. Paul had been in and out of prisons for years and was growing old and maybe a little worn out. The false teachers trying to manipulate the church for financial gain, as well as the hypocritical religious leaders trying to have him killed finally seemed to have him where they wanted him. Yet Paul was able to say with confidence that no matter what, he was not going to be ashamed. Why? Because He knows Jesus and trusts that Jesus will take care both of him and of the things that Paul had been working to do. Isn’t it interesting how a few years earlier in Paul’s letter to the Philippian church, he said that He wanted to know Christ more. Now it appears that God has granted Paul his desire, and he could say, “I’m not worried any more. Jesus has got this! He will take care of me and He will take care of the church when I am gone. He will bring everything to pass that he has promised and I can rest in Him. I know Him and I also know that the day is coming when He will come and make everything right!”

 One day each of us will also face the end of our life. Though right at this moment we may wish we knew Christ better, we can draw courage from today’s verse that if we trust Him completely then on that day He will help us to know Him just as Paul did. Jesus will take over and keep everything we have put in His hands and then He will take our hand and lead us until that day!

We used to sing the hymn with these words and though the melody is old fashioned, the words never go out of style. I pray each of you to know Him fully and to trust Jesus until that day! Have a blessed week.!