Hope for Life (Page 2) 2012 Archives

Celebrate Independence

A country's independence day may not last forever. I know one independence day that does.

I celebrate my independence every day. Jesus set me free from my sin.

First Called

Have you been called and did you answer?

Andrew becomes one of the four disciples most closely associated with Jesus, he was a speaker on the Day of Pentecost and then he traveled, mostly by foot. Eventually, to be tortured and crucified in the city of Patras on the Peloponnese peninsula of what

Freedom

Is your freedom enslaving you?

Many people are slaves and don't even know it. They aren't slaves to someone else, but slaves to their own desires. Jesus came to declare and provide FREEDOM.

Kid Games and Jesus

What can watching kid games tell us about Jesus?

Some may think that the kid games Somon Says and Red Light, Green Light show how to live the Christian life. I think Follow the Leader is better.

Death

Who's afraid of the big bad grave?

The fear of death is instinctive, but Jesus came to free us from living as slaves to that fear

I Wish I Didn't Have to Go to Work

Do you ever wonder why you have to go to work? Christians don't.

Christians have three clear reasons to get up and go to work. Provide for our families, show God's glory, and help others.

Observations after a Trip to Africa

What are your observations from traveling outside our country?

During my nine day visit to Africa, I experienced a number of things: policemen in Malawi toting weapons asking for a ride to their headquarters about five miles away, bicycles as transports for almost everything, friendliness of the people, security for

Let There Be Light!

Do you choose darkness or light?

God wants to place his light inside of us. He wants to make us shine brighter than the sun.

My Printer Only Prints in Black and White

Is Christianity really just a matter of learning and following a bunch of rules?

Some people think Christianity is just about following rules written for a time that does not reflect our world today. Not so.

Seeing God

When was the last time you saw God?

Creations shows us God, if we're only willing to look.

It Is as Easy as One, Two, Three

We found out that something free does not mean it is easy.

The gift of Jesus is free to us. That does not mean it is easy.

What Do I Do Now?

Sometimes, clichés aren't enough

And while David says, “My sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:2), he is also attributed as saying, “Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). If you know the story of David, his choices had consequences to the e

After Easter

When Easter is over, it's time to go fishing

Special religious days can be nice for recharging our batteries, but the Christian life is lived out 24/7, both in holy places and on dirty streets. God comes to meet us anywhere and everywhere. He doesn't just wait for us inside a church building on East

Is Your Hospital Room Full?

Who is going to be with you the next time you, or someone you love, goes into the hospital?

In the most painful time of life, Christians are never alone. They have a community, a family to surround them and care for them.

Alone

All hotel rooms look alike

We were made to be in relationship with one another. We were made to be in relationship with God. In fact, God's plan is that we be adopted into His family.

But I Knew all the Words

Knowing what the words mean is not the same as understanding the converstation.

Grace, forgiveness, redemption, and other Christian words can only be understood by non-Christians in the context of how we Christians live.

I Wonder Why...

Why don't we react as they do?

Should we not be more than verbally “outraged” when others burn, mock or destroy elements of faith that are precious to us who claim to follow Christ? In our antichristian world aren’t we expected to stand up and stand firm for what we believe in?

When God Doesn't Make Sense

Logic and common sense want to be our gods

The Old Testament story of Naaman teaches us about trusting God, even when we don't understand what's going on.

Days, Calendars, and Time

Leap year and the Mayan calendar. What do they really say about time... and how we use it?

Leap year appears to have an extra day. The Mayan calendar has some people wondering if time as we know it is about to end. How much time do we have left and how do we use it?

Life on the Ark

Did I just step in something?

Life in the church isn't always easy, just as living on the ark with a bunch of animals wasn't easy for Noah. But what's the alternative?

Auto-Correct Spelling and Life

I wonder if it is possible to live my life on auto-check?

The Christian life is a life of intentional choices made every day. You cannot live that life on auto-check.

Overlooking Nehemiah

God even uses poison detectors

Today we tend to think that only "Spiritual leaders" can talk or tell us about Jesus. That the "professional staff" are the only ones with training and insight to convey the important passages to others. Yet the history of Judeo-Christian faith demonstrat

Looking

It's time to go treasure hunting

If we want to find God, first we have to look for Him

My Cell Phone Doesn't Work

Why do some people think Jesus is like a cell phone?

Cell phones that don't work validate all your fears about technology. Some people have that same thought about Jesus when eveything in life does not work like they want.

Finding God on the Mountain

What will God be like when you find Him?

The story of Eijah helps us understand what finding God can be like