Heartlight Articles - Hope for Life

Steps to Hope

tim@hopeforlife.org (Tim Archer) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

When we began to work on the website HopeForLife.org, we sat down and talked about what we believe about hope. We decided that we could best communicate our thoughts about hope with the idea of four stages of hope, four steps along the road of having a life with meaning in purpose.

I believe that the first thing we must accept is that hope exists. There is hope. Before we can decide what to believe in, we need to understand that there is something to believe in. Some people look at the world and dismiss hope, choosing to focus on chance and coincidence, chaos and disorder. I've seen enough to know that they are wrong. There is hope. It exists. It can be found. It can be embraced.

I believe that hope is in God. Many of those who have given up on finding hope have done so because they spent their time looking to the wrong things. People place their hope in other people, only to be let down. They place their faith in wealth and possessions, only to have that faith shaken by economic turmoil. Others look to science, but find that the hope science offers is short-term, not reaching beyond the limits of this world. Only God can offer hope for this life by offering a promise of another life to come.

I believe that God offers hope through his son Jesus. There aren't multiple paths to God; there is only Jesus who proclaimed himself to be "the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6). Jesus offers us the way to overcome the things in our life that separate us from God. He doesn't just ask us to live right; he makes it possible for us to do just that. He brings us the hope of mercy and forgiveness, rather than judgment.

I believe that each of us can share in that life of hope. We can come to God in obedient faith, placing our hope in him and becoming part of a large community of people who have chosen his way of life.

All of this is explained in more detail on our website, HopeForLife.org. On this site you can watch videos of people who are living a life of hope, read about what God wants from us and how to live life the way he wants, and learn more about how hope for the future affects our life now. If you have any questions, please write to me at tim@hopeforlife.org or leave a comment on our blog on www.hopeforlife.org. There is hope, and you can have it in your life.

(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article.)

Tim coordinates the Spanish-Speaking Ministries of Herald of Truth and writes for HopeForLife. You can reach him at (866) 814-4673 or (866) 814-HOPE or by writing to tim@hopeforlife.org.

Website: HopeForLife

No Pain, No Gain

steve@hopeforlife.org (Steve Ridgell) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

I am so sore I can hardly move. It sounded so good when I first heard about it. I could lose weight, feel good, and look better. All I had to do was show up a couple of times a week for a new class at the gym. My wife had gone a few times and loved it. And if my sweet wife could do it, just how tough could this class be? They gave me a bar with such small weights on it that I could hold it with one hand. I should have suspected something when the instructor began to scream "no pain, no gain."

After the first class, my wife had to help me to the car. By the next day, I was so sore I could hardly move. What happened? I heard all about how good it was, but I don't remember hearing about the cost. Actually, to be fair, I do remember my wife mentioning that it was a real workout, and that I would have to commit to sticking with it. I just ignored the part about effort, pain, sacrifice, and endurance. All I heard was feel good, look good, and lose weight.

That is exactly how some people try to convince you to follow Jesus. They talk so much about the blessings of Christianity that we do not hear the real message. It is as if becoming a Christian will make you healthy, wealthy, and wise. That is not what Jesus ever said. He spoke of narrow, hard roads. He spoke of denying oneself, of being crucified with him, and of following him. He owned nothing, most people rejected him, and then they executed him like a common criminal.

Yet he lived a life of contentment, purpose, and peace. Then he rose from the dead. And he lives forever. He promises me the same. My life has peace, purpose, joy, and hope. It is not easy, but it is worth it. Even the pain of my life finds meaning and purpose in following Jesus. It takes a real commitment to follow Jesus. Sharing in his pain really does become my gain.

If you want to know about the cost of following Jesus, and the life that lasts forever, then write me at steve@hopeforlife.org. Check out our blog at www.hopeforlife.org.

(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article.

Steve Ridgell serves as the Director of Ministry for Herald of Truth Ministries in Abilene, Texas and writes for Hopeforlife.org. You can reach him by writing to sridgell@heraldoftruth.org.

Website: Hope for Life!

Far from Home

wshutt@heraldoftruth.org (Wesley Shutt) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Do you ever feel out of place? Like you just don't belong? Maybe when you're visiting with a group of acquaintances, and you just can't seem to relate to them? Or in the midst of an evening out with some of your best friends, and you just can't help but wonder if there's something more? You might have even felt it in the company of your own family during a holiday gathering.

Have you been there? You don't have to be a black sheep to feel this way. In fact, I imagine most sheep, despite their color, feel this way from time to time. A good deal of this experience can be accredited to the fact that we simply aren't at home in this world. We just don't belong.

Peter, a follower of Jesus Christ, wrote:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade -- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV).

You see, followers of Christ are anticipating something more, something wonderful. We're aching for a better life! We press on in this world even though we feel out of place. We have every thing to live for because Jesus gives us hope, life in him and a future in heaven!

Jesus has changed my life, and I have found community with others who are living changed lives with hope and purpose.

Have you found this kind of hope? I'd love to hear from you. Send me an email at wshutt@heraldoftruth.org or stop by our blog at www.hopeforlife.org to join the conversation.

(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article. Contact us at info@hopeforlife.org)

Wesley is the Response Coordinator for Herald of Truth Ministries. You can reach him at (866) 814-4673 or (866) 814-HOPE or by writing to wshutt@heraldoftruth.org.

Website: Hope for Life

What's Your Worst Fear?

tim@hopeforlife.org (Tim Archer) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

What's your worst fear? What is it that keeps you awake at night? There are plenty of things to choose from these days. Here in the United States, some people are panicked over the upcoming presidential elections. They just know if their candidate doesn't win, everything is going to fall apart. For many others, the horror du jour is the economy. Banks failing, stocks falling around the world, taxpayer money going to save financial institutions ... the news seems to get bleaker by the day. Many others are still picking up the pieces from recent natural disasters. We've had hurricanes, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and hosts of other catastrophes. For a lot of people, tomorrow isn't the problem; they don't know how to get through today.

Many of us, though, have found our own personal terrors. Health issues. Death of a loved one. Relationship trouble. Addictions. Legal problems. Crises don't have to appear on the national news to have a huge impact on our lives. Some of these problems are self-inflicted; others come to us through no fault of our own.

So, what's your worst fear? What robs you of peace? What clouds your view of the horizon? Whatever it is, wouldn't it be nice to get rid of it? Maybe I can't fix all of your problems, but I can tell you how to recover your peace and maybe even get to where you can sleep at night. Here's what a man named Paul wrote many years ago: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

"Sure," you say. "Easy for this guy Paul. He wasn't facing what I'm facing." While that's probably true, Paul certainly was not living the life of ease when he wrote those words. He was in chains in a Roman jail cell. He wasn't serving out a sentence; he was awaiting a probable execution.

So listen to his words. He knows how to face fear. As Paul said, God can give you a peace that goes beyond what is reasonable, that goes beyond human understanding. He can teach you to take all of those problems, bundle them up, and give them to him. We'd love to tell you more about the God that can do this. Go to our website at www.hopeforlife.org and look at videos of people who have found peace at times when others only find fear. Write to me at tim@hopeforlife.org or leave a comment on our blog and let me help you find peace that passes all understanding.

(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article. Contact us at info@hopeforlife.org)

Tim coordinates the Spanish-Speaking Ministries of Herald of Truth and writes for HopeForLife. You can reach him at (866) 814-4673 or (866) 814-HOPE or by writing to tim@hopeforlife.org.

Website: HopeForLife

White Hats and Cowboys

steve@hopeforlife.org (Steve Ridgell) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

I like watching old Westerns on television. Maybe it is because they are easy to follow. The "Good Guys" always wear white hats, their bullets never hit innocent bystanders, and they treat their women and horses like they should. The "Bad Guys" always wear black, always are deceitful, and never treat anyone the right way. Well ... maybe those old movies are not quite that cut and dried, but they are close. And the Old West was not like that. It was never that easy to tell the good guys from the bad ones.

I suspect they were much like people today: people whose lives are messy, people who sometimes make bad choices and decisions, and people who do not easily fit into stereotypes. I am still surprised at people labeled as "bad" who do nice things. I am still saddened, but not always surprised, when "good" people do bad things.

A long time ago, Jesus made the point that only God is truly good. He was right. God, who is good, wants men -- who are not always good -- to live in relationship with him. In fact, God wanted that so much that he sent his son Jesus to die for the bad in us. So we would be good -- holy -- like God. Not good because of what we do, but in spite of what we do. Good because of what he did for us, not because of what we do.

That is good news. And if they made a film of heaven, it might be like an old western. You will not have any trouble knowing who the good people are: they will be the ones who trusted Jesus.

If this is the good news you have been looking for in your life, visit www.hopeforlife.org and check out our blog. Or contact me at steve@hopeforlife.org.

(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article.

Steve Ridgell serves as the Director of Ministry for Herald of Truth Ministries in Abilene, Texas and writes for Hopeforlife.org. You can reach him by writing to sridgell@heraldoftruth.org.

Website: Hope for Life!

It's a Matter of Perspective

kpresley@heraldoftruth.org (Karen Presley) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

As I was flying out of Abilene this past summer, I looked out the airplane window and admired how green Texas was. From several thousand feet up, the ground looked almost lush. Eight days later I flew back into Abilene. I again looked out the window and my immediate thought was how brown and dried up the ground looked. I had just spent time in Tennessee where the grass was dark green and dense, the flowers were blossoming and the tall trees were abundant. After Tennessee, Texas looked arid and the trees had shrunk to minuscule size. Nothing had really changed except my perception.
My perspective is based on my emotions or personal opinions. I look back over my life and I remember my terrible "F's." I think about my personal failures, family problems, financial concerns, fear for the future and my futility in maintaining a relationship with God.
How does God see us? God looks at His children with pure love. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and His love is not emotionally based depending upon his mood for the day. I don't really understand this but I do know that my name has been engraved on the palm of God's hand (Isaiah 49:16) and that I am the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8). He loved me enough that He sent His only Son to die for my sins so that I can have an eternal relationship with Him.
I can learn from my failures and perhaps even help others facing similar trials. Since my children are adults, I can't make decisions for them but I can take their names before God in prayer, remembering that God loves them even more than I do. I can plan for my future but, since I cannot control it, I can trust God to take care of things. As difficult as it is for me to admit, He doesn't need my help. I can choose to remain faithful and ask for strength and courage from my Father in heaven.
Maybe, just maybe, God looks at my fears and failures as opportunities for me to grow in Him and then He shouts for joy when I fall to my knees in prayer. Do you have similar thoughts and concerns? Do you wonder if God really loves you? Do you perceive that God cannot possibly care for you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, let's discuss it. Write me at kpresley@heraldoftruth.org or join our blog community at hopeforlife.org.

(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article. Contact us at info@hopeforlife.org)

Karen is the Director of Development at Herald of Truth Ministries and helps lead the women's ministry at her local church. You can reach her by writing to kpresley@heraldoftruth.org.

Website: HopeForLife

Faith in the Future

tim@hopeforlife.org (Tim Archer) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Have you heard of Flagstaff, Maine? It's a ghost town now, submerged under the waters of Flagstaff Lake. A dam was built along the Dead River back in 1950, enlarging Flagstaff Lake and burying the town of Flagstaff. In his book "Unfinished Business," Halford Luccock tells this story:

One night at dinner a man, who had spent many summers in Maine, fascinated his companions by telling of his experiences in a little town named Flagstaff. The town was to be flooded, as part of a large lake for which a dam was being built. In the months before it was to be flooded, all improvements and repairs in the whole town were stopped. What was the use of painting a house if it were to be covered with water in six months? Why repair anything when the whole village was to be wiped out? So, week by week, the whole town became more and more bedraggled, more gone to seed, more woebegone. Then he added by way of explanation: "Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present."

"Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present." In his famous song "Imagine," John Lennon wrote, "Imagine there's no heaven. It's easy if you try. No hell below us. Above us only sky. Imagine all the people. Living for today ...." Lennon somehow had the idea that if people would stop thinking about the future, forget about eternity, they would enjoy the present more. He thought they would live better lives. He was wrong. "Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present."
Christians can live the present more fully because we have faith in the future. We know the God that holds the future, and we can face tomorrow without fear. The reality of eternity, the reality of God, the faith we have in the future doesn't diminish our ability to live well in the present. The hope we have fuels our lives now, letting us experience life more completely than if we lacked such hope. "Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present."
If you find yourself without power in your present life, maybe you're running short on hope for the future. I know the God that gives that hope, and I'd love to help you reconnect with him. Write to me at tim@hopeforlife.org or leave a comment on our blog on www.hopeforlife.org.

(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article. Contact us at info@hopeforlife.org)

Tim coordinates the Spanish-Speaking Ministries of Herald of Truth and writes for HopeForLife. You can reach him at (866) 814-4673 or (866) 814-HOPE or by writing to tim@hopeforlife.org.

Website: HopeForLife