WORRY VS. MEDITATION

Scripture talks about meditating on God’s Word. The psalmist says that godly persons meditate on the Word “day and night” (Psalm 1:2). How much is that?

You may feel that meditation is something only monks and mystics can do. So let me ask you, do you know how to worry? If you can worry, you can meditate. To meditate merely means to think about something over and over. Let it simmer in your mind. Reflect on it from different angles until it becomes part of you…

A friend recently sent me a card that read, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NIV)

When I think about that single statement, I am reminded that…

• GOD is the source of all hope.
• He is even now seeking to fill my body with not just joy and peace, but ALL joy and peace.
• His desire is that I should not just contain hope, but OVERFLOW with hope.
• This process is dependent not on my power, but the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT at work in me.

My mind is having different thoughts than it would be if I were [doomscrolling social media.] With my mind fixed on God, I am ready [for whatever lies ahead today.]  

-- Adapted from John Ortberg in “If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat”

#6319

HOLDING ON TO HOPE

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.’  The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”  (Lamentations 3:21-26 NIV)

Holding on to hope is the challenge of all grief and loss experiences. Finding courage or energy to go on day after day requires hope of healing, hope for future. Holding on to hope is not always easy. Some days it requires all of our energy just to maintain our own lives. On other days, we at least want to believe that "for everything there is a purpose," as we try to find the purpose in our own experience. That requires finding ways to make meaning even out of situations that may seem so meaningless. Those are the days we really struggle to find belief in the unseen.

Many people say those days of struggle are when they lean most heavily on their faith, in order to find the inspiration and comfort they need to be able to go on. After all, Scriptures says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

There are many days, walking through that maze of healing, that require belief in God, hope, and future without seeing any proof of them. Time in prayer, reading His Word, and fellowship with believers can all help in the struggle of holding on.

Holding on to hope requires active participation. It is not a passive process. It requires holding on to faith in the future, at a time when we can barely survive the present. It means clinging to the belief that God is good and will help us when all we can see seems to say that is not true. 

-- From “A Time to Mourn, A Time to Dance: Help for the Losses in Life”   

ADVENT HOPE

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and I wait for His word. My soul waits in hope for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; yes, more than the watchmen for the morning.”  (Psalm 130:5-6)

Sometimes hope feels wishful, like crossing our fingers and dreaming of a better outcome. We might hope for better employment, healed relationships, or a brighter future. But that kind of hope is based on things that may or may not happen. When things don’t go as we hoped, it can be crushing -- our hope disappearing like vapor.

As a season of reflection and contemplation, Advent invites us to imagine a different kind of hope, rooted in the unchanging nature of God and His promise to restore every part of His creation. Advent hope does not minimize pain or difficulty, nor does it assume things will soon get better. Instead, it faces the darkness with courage and chooses to trust that God’s promises will come to pass, guaranteed by His long-proven, faithful character.

In the Hebrew Bible, the words most often used for hope -- qavah and yakhal -- are also translated as “wait.” To hope in God means to wait with patient expectation, trusting that He will fulfill His promises. This kind of waiting leans forward, anticipating the day when Jesus will return to make all things new. Such hope empowers people to persevere, to act justly, and to serve others as a sign of the restoration that will arrive through Jesus.

-- From “The BibleProject Guide to Advent”

#6253

RESTING ON THE HEART OF JESUS

“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord.”  (Psalm 131:1-3 NLT)

If I did not simply live from one moment to the next, it would be impossible for me to keep my patience.

I can see only the present, I forget the past and I take good care not to think about the future.  We get discouraged and feel despair because we brood about the past and future. 

It is such folly to pass one's time fretting, instead of resting quietly on the heart of Jesus. 

-- Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897), quoted in “A Guide to Prayer for All God's People” by Rueben P. Job and Norman Shawchuck

THE HOPE-FILLED PROMISES OF THE FATHER

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

As we journey through Advent, let us be inspired by Christ's boldness in proclaiming the astounding benefits of participating in the Christian faith. Just as Jesus offered the Samaritan woman at the well "living water" that quenches the soul and fills the spirit, we too can confidently share the hope-filled promises of the Father with those we encounter.

To those filled with shame, we can declare, "Grace and forgiveness can come your way." <> To those bound up in destructive habits, we can proclaim, "When the Son sets you free, you'll be free indeed." <> To the weak, we can offer, "Strength from God, the Strength-Giver can be yours for the asking." <> To the weary, we can assure, "Jesus promises rest for your soul." <> To the poor, we can share the richness of spirit. <> To the lacking, we can promise provision in due time. <> To the grieving, we can extend consolation and comfort. <> To the sick and dying, we can offer the hope of eternal life and an eternal home prepared by Christ.

This Advent season, let us be bold in our faith, sharing these limitless offers with confidence and love. May we be vessels of God's promises, bringing hope and joy to all we meet. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources  

#6002

THE THRILL OF HOPE

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  (Romans 15:13)

"A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn."  (from “O Holy Night”)

Does Christmas thrill you?

Children get excited at the coming of the season, and often we might feel a bit of a charge through experiencing their amazement, but the chores we go through to provide that for them are often the very things that rob us from knowing the wonder for ourselves. Plan the party, trim the tree, max out the MasterCard, wrap, ship, take a trip. And that's assuming we aren't one of the multitudes who find themselves with a case of the Holiday Blues.

So if Christ's coming into this world offers hope, and hope, as the song says, provides a thrill, how do we locate that experience amid the distraction and disillusionment of December?...

Might the disconnect have something to do with what we're hoping for or expecting? Max Lucado, in his book “God Came Near,” thinks so: "Hope is not what you'd expect; it is what you would never dream. It is a wild, improbable tale with a pinch-me-I'm-dreaming ending… Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no, it is far greater than that. It is a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks and be there in the flesh to see our reaction."  

--  Excerpted from an Advent Devotional by Shawn McEvoy

#6001

O COME, O COME EMMANUEL

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel."  (Isaiah 7:14 NIV)

The hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is a beautiful and haunting plea for the coming of the Messiah. The word "Emmanuel" means "God with us," and this hymn captures the deep longing of God's people for His presence. As we sing this hymn during Advent, we join in the ancient cry for deliverance and hope.

"O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear." This longing cry of Israel is not just historical but also personal. We all experience times of loneliness, exile, and captivity in our lives. Advent is a time to acknowledge these feelings and to turn our hearts towards the hope of Christ's coming.

"O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan's tyranny; from depths of hell Thy people save, and give them victory o'er the grave." This verse speaks of the victory that Christ brings over sin and death. The "Rod of Jesse" refers to the lineage of David, from which Jesus comes. We are reminded of the power of Christ to save us from the deepest darkness and to give us eternal life.

"O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put to flight." Advent is a season of waiting for the light of Christ to break into the darkness of our world… of our lives. As we sing this verse, we invite Jesus to dispel the darkness within us and to bring His light and joy.

"O come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home; make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery." The ultimate hope of Advent is the promise of eternal life with God. Jesus, the Key of David, opens the way to heaven for us. As we reflect on this verse, we are filled with the hope of our eternal home and the assurance of God's love in Christ.

As we journey through Advent, let the words of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" resonate in our hearts. Whether we sing this Advent carol in worship, or hear it while shopping in the mall, may these words remind us of our deep longing for God's presence and the hope we have in Christ. Let us prepare our hearts to receive Him with joy and anticipation. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources based on selected verses from “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

#6000

THE ROAD OF DISAPPOINTMENT – Part 1 of 2

“Now that same day two of [the disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing Him. He asked them, ‘What are you discussing together as you walk along?’ They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, ‘Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?’”  (Luke 24:13-18 NIV)

Sometimes, life can unravel like an old sweater – quickly and irreversibly. A lifetime of planning can evaporate in one unexpected phone call, letter, or knock at the door. Disappointment with life divulges the true source of our hope, and where we have anchored our confidence. Often, to our dismay, we discover that our security rests in people rather than in God Himself.

Within what would be a long weekend for us, the entire mission of the “supposed Messiah” seemed to crumble and fade before the eyes of those who had forsaken everything to follow Him. Jesus was arrested, falsely accused, and executed like a common criminal. From the intimate Passover feast on Thursday evening to the misty graveside scene on Sunday morning, those who best knew Jesus had their entire world suddenly shattered. But their disillusionment was more than just a personal misunderstanding. It was to become a vital and useful tool in the plan of God to make them more like the One they had hoped in and followed. And His methods are the same today. The radical dependence upon God that characterized the life of Jesus can only be sustained by the deep conviction that God alone is sufficient. And that conviction rarely takes root apart from disenchantment with oneself and others. Disappointment is a frequent bridge we must cross over on the highway of sanctification. 

-- Fran Sciacca in “To Yield with All Your Soul”

#5986

OUR HOPE IS IN CHRIST

Romans 5 begins with these words: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through who we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (vv. 1-2). Paul then explains that the result of experiencing the grace of God is that “we rejoice in the hope of the glory God” (v. 2). For a Christian, no situation is completely hopeless. Christians have hope in Christ…

Many people have hope, but they have not based it on anything solid. It is an artificial, pump-yourself-up hope. And many people base their hope on the wrong things: the stock market, their good looks, a big salary, a nice job, a good family, [the next election]. But all those things are temporary and can be taken away. When they disappear, so does hope. And joy is impossible without hope.

By contrast, Christians have a reason to be positive. We can rejoice because we rejoice in hope. In Romans 12:12 Paul reminds us, “Be joyful in hope.” Paul is talking about our hope in Christ. The hope we have in Christ is the reason we can rejoice, even in difficult situations. 

-- Rick Warren in “God’s Power to Change Your Life”

#5820

HOPE FOR TODAY

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”  (Romans 15:13)

Yes, there is hope.  There is hope for the present because I believe the stage has already been set for a new spirit in our nation.

One of the things we desperately need is a spiritual renewal in this country.   We need a spiritual revival in America.  And God has told us in His Word, time after time, that we are to repent of our sins and we're to turn to Him and He will bless us in a new way… And from the Cross, God declares, "I love you.  I know the heartaches and the sorrows and the pains that you feel.  But I love you."…

But now we have a choice: whether to implode and disintegrate emotionally and spiritually as a people and a nation -- or, whether to choose to become stronger through all of this struggle -- to rebuild on a solid foundation.  And I believe we're in the process of starting to rebuild on that foundation.  That foundation is our trust in God…

My prayer today is that we will feel the loving arms of God wrapped around us, and will know in our hearts that He will never forsake us as we trust in Him. 

-- Reverend Billy Graham

#5815

ADVENT HOPE SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE – Part 2

“The angel answered Mary, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.’ Mary answered, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.’” (Luke 1:35-38)

So often I stand on the edge of the light, afraid to act, afraid that this story is too good to be true. But then in my better moments, when I listen closely to The Story, move close to The Light, my fears seem to evaporate like an early morning mist, and I can believe again. I can believe that God who made all that is became clothed in our human flesh so that we might become clothed in God. I can believe that God claims me as a beloved child. I can believe that all my days are in God’s strong and tender hands. I can believe that life is good, beautiful, and eternal. I can believe that not only my days but all days are in God’s good and able hands. I can believe, rejoice, and wait trustingly and expectantly for the unfolding of God’s promise given in so many ways and most clearly in the Advent Story. Thanks be to God!...

God gives the promise and God keeps the promise. So even though it does sound too good to be true, it is true! Thanks be to God it is true! Two thousand years of Christian experience and testimony declare that the preposterous promise is true. 

-- Rueben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God”

#5745

ADVENT HOPE SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE – Part 1

“Remember Your word to Your servant, in which You have made me hope. This is my comfort in my distress, that Your promise gives me life.”  (Psalm 119:49-50)

“If it sounds too good to be true, it is.” We have all heard this with the warning about scam artists that are waiting to take our money and our property. And it is true that there are those who prey on the naïve, the trusting, and the innocent. Most of us can remember hearing about that seductive bargain that turned out to be a disaster. We have seen it happen and have promised ourselves it will never happen to us.

Because we see such deception in our world, it is not unusual that we guard ourselves against the truth of the gospel story. We are afraid that it is indeed too good to be true. What if we believed and then found out it was only myth and hype? Better to keep our distance. We listen to the gospel story, let it creep into the edges of our lives, but never can bring ourselves to embrace it fully. What if it is just another cheap commercial trick that has nothing to do with our need or destiny and everything to do with the storyteller’s need and fortune? Since it is better to be wise than to be a fool, we stand near the edge of the Advent story and keep all of our options open.

So often I stand on the edge of the light, afraid to act, afraid that this story is too good to be true. But then in my better moments, when I listen closely to The Story, move close to The Light, my fears seem to evaporate like an early morning mist, and I can believe again. 

-- Rueben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God”

#5744

WHERE IS OUR HOPE PLACED?

Have you ever noticed how disappointing placing your faith in human beings can be?  I confess that through the course of my life I have caught myself wrapping my hopes in various professional athletic teams.

When I attended Dallas Seminary, I got caught up in the Dallas Cowboys.  I attended their Tuesday luncheons.  I read every sports page about what was happening with the team.  I knew everything about every player.  I lived and died with the team.

Once they were in a crucial play-off game and, for some reason, the stadium hadn't sold out.  When that happens, the game is not telecast in the city.  Believe it or not, my long-suffering wife and I drove to Oklahoma and checked into a motel so we could watch the game from there.  That's how committed I was!

But it got worse.  In the early days of our family, I took my turn at cradling our small children.  [My wife] finally made me quit holding them during football games because a couple of times I almost used them to throw a touchdown pass.  I was really that wrapped up in the Cowboys!  I followed them all the way to the summit… and then they lost!  I was deeply depressed.  Finally, of course, they won it all.  But you know what?  Their victory left me surprisingly empty.  I was glad they won, but… what now?

It's so easy to get wrapped up in things that can never truly reward our fondest hopes.  Of course, I'm not for a moment suggesting that we shouldn't put our hope and trust in one another, that we should not bond strongly with our families.  But there is a hope beyond that -- and more important than that!  That is the hope we place in the eternal God through His Son, Jesus Christ. 

-- David Jeremiah in “Jesus' Final Warning” 

#5743

THE GOD OF HOPE

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  (Romans 15:13 NIV)

If you have no faith in the future, then you have no power in the present.  If you have no faith in the life beyond this life, then your present life is going to be powerless.  But if you believe in the future and are assured of victory, then there should be a dance in your step and a smile on your face.

-- Max Lucado

#5709

THE ANGUISHED CRY

The prayers of those whose lives are smooth and serene are markedly different from the prayers of those whose lives are ragged and rugged. The prayers of the latter are often anguished entreaties poured from hearts about to break…

God does the extraordinary when people realize their inadequacy and learn to call on Him in anguish of heart and utter dependence…

The pain that prompts the anguished cry does not magically disappear once the cry is uttered. But knowing that the cry has been heard and will be answered alleviates the pain. In the anticipation of the answer, healing has begun.

Then Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the Lord! Oh, how the Lord has blessed me! Now I have an answer for my enemies, as I delight in Your deliverance. No one is Holy like the Lord! There is no one besides You; there is no Rock like our God.”  (1 Samuel 2:1-2 NLT)

-- Excerpted from Stuart Briscoe in “Daily Study Bible for Men”

#5694

AN EVERPRESENT HOPE

“Israel, put your hope in the Lord, both now and forevermore.”  (Psalm 131:3 NIV)

Hope is a response to the future, which has its foundations in the promises of God. But hope is not a doctrine about the future: it is a grace cultivated in the present, it is a stance in the present which deals with the future. As such it is misunderstood if it is valued only for the comfort it brings, as if it should say, “Everything is going to be alright in the future because God is in control of it. Therefore relax and be comforted.” Hope operates differently. Christian hope alerts us to the possibilities of the future as a field of action, and as a consequence, fills the present with energy. 

-- Eugene Peterson

#5651

ENDURANCE, ENCOURAGEMENT AND HOPE

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (Romans 15:4-6 NIV)

Hope is willing to leave unanswered questions unanswered and unknown futures unknown. Hope makes you see God’s guiding hand not only in the gentle and pleasant moments but also in the shadows of disappointment and darkness. 

-- Henri J. M. Nouwen

#5562

THE LIFELINE OF HOPE

“For You, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.”  (Psalm 71:5 ESV)

Hope is the lifeline tossed out to us from God. It sustains us when we feel like we are drowning, and God gently pulls us and the lifeline toward the shores of spiritual growth. With hope we also have faith -- not faith that we will be spared pain and despair but faith in the God who will lead us through the difficult times.

Therefore, in our struggle to understand God’s will, let us not concentrate solely on our pain and despair. Instead, trusting in the Lord, let us look with hope and faith toward attaining new, rich experiences of the abundant life God has given us. 

-- Adapted from John R. Wimmer in “Blessed Endurance: Moving Beyond Despair to Hope” 

#5485

OVERFLOWING WITH HOPE

SPECIAL NOTE: Today, March 29, marks the 23^rd anniversary of this SOUND BITES Ministry in memory of our son, Dustin, who had died on this date the previous year (1998). Over 5300 quotes have been sent out since SOUND BITES began. This past year the Covid-19 pandemic has continued to impact our world, affecting us all in so many varying ways. Over six million have died from it globally. And now the war in Ukraine is taking more lives, and displacing millions. These are tough times, but because Jesus lives, we can have hope -- not just a trickle of hope, but “OVERFLOWING HOPE”; not just for this life, but for our life to come. As we continue through Lent, let today’s SOUND BITES quote speak to you, and then share it with others.  -- DW

 

OVERFLOWING WITH HOPE

A friend recently sent me a card that read, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  (Romans 15:3)

When I think about that single statement, I am reminded that:

          -- God is the source of all hope;

          -- He is even now seeking to fill my body with not just joy and peace, but all joy and peace;

          -- Joy and peace go hand in hand with trusting in God;

          -- His desire is that I should not just contain hope, but overflow with hope to others;

          -- This process is dependent not on my power, but the power of the Holy Spirit at work in me.

There are a lot of distracting thoughts that can occupy my mind these days. Meditating on Scripture is an important part of keeping my mind focused on Christ.  

-- Adapted from John Ortberg in “If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat”

#5317

THE TEMPTATION OF POWER

“But [the Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

What makes the temptation of power so seemingly irresistible?  Maybe it is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love.  It seems easier to be God than to love God, easier to control people than to love people, easier to own life than to love life… The long painful history of the church is the history of people ever and again tempted to choose power over love, control over the cross, being a leader over being led.  Those who resisted this temptation to the end and thereby give us hope are the true saints. 

-- Henri J. M. Nouwen in “In the Name of Jesus” 

#5298