So what happens when you get to the top of the ladder. What happens once you have hope? What happens when you know that everything will be alright in light of the glory of God? No thing can come upon us that impacts God's glory. I can fall, fail, suffer, succumb, die, deteriorate, waste away, or wake up in glory, and the glory of God is unchanged.
Hope offers freedom to those who are chained to a reality that will never turn out as bright as we would like. Hope offers assurance beyond the unimaginable situations we find ourselves in. Hope offers not a way out but a way through our painful lives.
Hope opens the door to life. Once we realize this life cannot steal what God has given, we are free to live this life with hope.
Hang in there. Hope. Live!
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
HANG IN THERE - From Suffering to Hope - Romans 5:1-5 - a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on August 28, 2016
Suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance produces character. Character produces hope.
Alchemy attempted to produce gold from other common elements. The idea was that if you could produce gold by means of cheap materials you could reap a great reward. Alchemy fell short because the product could not be duplicated by taking a shortcut.
How often do I try to shortcut God's process? How often do I try to attain His character without the requisite suffering and perseverance. How often do I want hope without developing His character deep within me?
Are you suffering? Do not think for one moment that God has forgotten you! He is working with you to develop perseverance, character and hope. If you want hope, do not give up in the midst of suffering.
Giving up has its own special product-despair (the complete loss or absence of hope).
Alchemy attempted to produce gold from other common elements. The idea was that if you could produce gold by means of cheap materials you could reap a great reward. Alchemy fell short because the product could not be duplicated by taking a shortcut.
How often do I try to shortcut God's process? How often do I try to attain His character without the requisite suffering and perseverance. How often do I want hope without developing His character deep within me?
Are you suffering? Do not think for one moment that God has forgotten you! He is working with you to develop perseverance, character and hope. If you want hope, do not give up in the midst of suffering.
Giving up has its own special product-despair (the complete loss or absence of hope).
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
HANG IN THERE - Romans 5:1-5 - a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on August 28, 2016
The progressive steps up the Ladder of Hope (suffering, perseverance, character, hope) take us to the very brink of peril but leave us safe. Join me this week as we climb even higher on the ladder.
"And we boast in the hope of the glory of God." Romans 5:2b
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