One Hope, Or No Hope?

    The power of hope defines the psychological victim and psychological survivor. If I could find a way to package and dispense hope, I would have a pill more powerful than any antidepressant on the market. Hope is often the only thing between man and the abyss. As long as a patient, individual or victim has hope, they can recover from anything and everything." Those words sound like they were written by a Christian preacher. But they weren’t. They were written by Dale Archer, M.D. in an online blog @ psychologytoday.com. The title of the piece was "The Power of Hope," posted, July 31, 2013. The doctor goes on to say, "However, if they lose hope, unless you can help them get it back, all is lost." I don’t know if Dr. Archer is a Christian. What I know is that the New Testament and the church described in its pages are unrivaled when it comes to hope and the power that comes packaged with it! The apostle Paul referred to God as "the God of hope" who can "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). We are saved in hope that we cannot yet see, even as "we eagerly wait for it with perseverance" (8:24-25). The apostle Peter describes the Christian hope as "a living hope," grounded not on a wish or hunch or luck, but in the bedrock reality that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and walked out of His tomb (1 Peter 1:3)! Hope is "laid up for you in heaven," and we hear about this laid-up hope "in the word of the truth of the gospel" (Colossians 1:5). The Hebrews writer taught Christians to "lay hold of the hope set before us," and that, "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil" (Hebrews 6:18b-19). The hope the gospel brings to our hearts anchors our souls in Heaven even as our ship is battered and tossed about by earthly winds and storms that beat into our souls here on earth. Edward Mote expressed it this way in verses two and three of his powerful 1834 song, "My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less" – "In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the vale ... When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay." We are taught to "put on ... as a helmet the hope of salvation" (1 Thessalonians 5:8b). This verse likens our hope in Jesus to a helmet covering our head, protecting our prone-to-wander minds, helping us to keep our minds "set on things above, not on things on earth" (Colossians 3:2). And when a loved one dies in Christ, Christians sorrow, but "not sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 4:13b-14). No wonder then the apostle Paul referred to "the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope" (1 Timothy 1:1b). A fundamental truth of Scripture is that we are not made solely for this present life. This life was never intended to fully satisfy us. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most to be pitied" (1 Corinthians 15:19). Christians freely admit that when it comes to forgiveness of sin, separation from God, death and getting out of the grave, we have only one hope (Ephesians 4:4). The thing is, that’s one more than the world has, for those without Christ have "no hope" (Ephesians 2:12). Please tell me – why would anybody ever abandon the one hope we have for a world that offers no hope at all? Just asking.
                                       "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He is faithful who promised"    Hebrews 10:23

        by: Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN 

God Wants Good Waiters!

Somebody observed that patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears. Americans don’t like idling. Idling suggests not moving or if moving, moving very, very slowly, as in "just idling along." Americans don’t like idling and we don’t like slow. We like fast. As in fast lanes, fast cars, fast computers, fast food, fast banking, and fast doctor and dental visits. We want "same day delivery" or at least "over night." At the restaurant we want fast service, not waiters (that is "servers") who keep us waiting. We even like things speeded up at church sometimes. Like the song leader who announced, "We will now sing ‘Take Time To Be Holy,’ and for the sake of time let us sing verse 1 and verse 4." There’s no denying we live in a hurry-up, pedal-to-the-metal, on-your-mark, get set, let’s go, warp-speed world! The plain fact of the matter is, "Most Americans can’t bear to wait." Those words were the title of Associated Press article (THE TENNESSEAN, Monday, May 29, 2006, p 1A). The article, by Calvin Woodward, began with these words: "We’ll make this quick. We know you’re busy. An Associated Press poll has found an impatient nation." The nation, of course was – and still is – our nation. The rest of Woodward’s article discussed our impatience when we get put "on hold" on the phone or have to wait in line at a grocery store or other places we go. To quote Woodward again, "In short, Americans want it all NOW. Or awfully close to now." Truly, millions of Americans stink when it comes to waiting.

But wait! God’s word directs Christians to be good "waiters." Psalm 27:13-14 (attributed to David) calls to readers in an "it can’t wait" world – "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" David was dealing with difficult circumstances and people as he penned this psalm. He surely wanted immediate relief, but he had learned to wait on God and to trust the Lord to act in His own time and way. James, considered by many Bible students to be the half-brother of the Lord Jesus, calls on God’s people to be good waiters. In James 5:7-8 he gives this inspired directive to Christian brothers and sisters who were living through very difficult times, suffering injustice and egregious mistreatment at the hands of powerful, rich people – "Therefore, be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." Translation – "Times are tough right now. But trust God. A better time is coming." James urges them to be "good waiters." These words have an important application for us at this present moment. The drastic measures taken to battle the Covid-19 – orders to stay at home, "social distancing," avoiding all non-essential travel, etc. – have left us feeling our very lives are on hold. We are waiting, and waiting – even as we say, "I can’t wait until it’s over and I can (you finish the statement) ..." As we await that time, let us trust that God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. Let us not lose heart. Let us, like David, believe that we will continue to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. And like the farmers Bro. James referred to, let us wait patiently on the Lord. Remember friends – God wants good waiters! Think about it.

      by: Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN

Jesus and Social Distancing!

The phrase "social distancing" is now a part of our vocabulary, and, until the Covid-19 crisis is over, it will be a routine part of daily life. At urmc.rochester.edu the phrase "social distancing" is defined as follows: "Social distancing means not interacting with anyone outside your household, and limiting trips to places where you might interact with other people. It is strongly recommended that you only leave your home for essential travel." You know the drill. Avoid public spaces. Stay away from large social gatherings. Stay six feet apart. Wear a face mask. Wash your hands often. Don’t touch your face. No handshakes, hugs, or friendly kisses on the cheek. If possible, work from home instead of your office or other public workspace. Visit friends and loved ones online instead of in person. Reports indicate the widespread practice of social distancing has been key in slowing the spread of the dreaded virus and will in the end help defeat it. That being true, for the time being, let us stay together on the practice of staying apart! Meanwhile, let us recognize medical professionals and all those who provide other truly "essential" services from day to day. We salute you for your bravery and willingness to stay close and expose yourself to what most of us are working hard to stay away from. Your actions are truly heroic!

Now think about Jesus and social distancing for a moment. In a word – He didn’t practice it! Stay with me here. This is NOT in any way a slam on the wisdom or necessity of the practice as we battle Covid-19. But Jesus didn’t practice it. He was often found smack dab in the middle of crowds of hurting and unhealthy people (read Mark 1:32-34 for one of a number of such instances). The diseases He healed were physical and spiritual in nature. At Mark 1:40-45 Mark reports Jesus doing something absolutely unheard of in His time – He reached out to and touched and cleansed / healed a leper! Leprosy required social distancing. Read Leviticus 13:44-46. The infected person "shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp." As in isolation and quarantine. Leprosy dumped anguish on the leper at all levels – physical, mental, social, and religious. In mark’s account the leper pitifully pleaded with the Lord, "If You are willing, You can make me clean. Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to Him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’ " (verses 40-41). In other cases of healing in the gospel accounts Jesus healed at a distance. But He didn’t practice social distancing in this case. Or in ours. To cure our spiritual leprosy of sin Christ drew near. Scripture says He was "Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us’ " (Matthew 1:23). Jesus was "the Word, and the word was with God, and word was God...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:1, 14). Matthew 8:17 (quoting Isaiah 53:4) says Jesus "took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses." That verse is not talking about Covid-19. First Peter 2:24 declares Jesus "bore our sins in His own body on the tree ... by whose stripes we are healed." Again, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief" (1 Tim.1:15). To cure our disease Jesus exposed Himself to it. Thank God He didn’t practice physical or social or spiritual distancing. Thank God He didn’t stay at home. Thank God He drew near. Say it with me: Praise the Lord!

by: Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN

There is a God – And You’re Not Him!

A Yiddish proverb seeks to impress upon us how little we human beings are able to control the future. The proverb says, "Man plans and God laughs."

 Woody Allen is credited with saying, "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him about your plans." Those sayings seem especially powerful and poignant at the present moment. A tiny, tiny little organism called "Covid-19" – a novel strain of the coronavirus – has abruptly interrupted and drastically altered the plans and lives of 100's of millions of people around the globe. No public gatherings, not even for a funeral service. Masks. Social distancing, Self-quarantining. Public events postponed or canceled. Schools and universities closed. Sports at every level – professional down to the "peewee" league – shut down. Even the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo postponed till 2021. Toilet paper being hoarded! Businesses, bars, companies, and even churches have closed their buildings. Gospel meetings, church seminars and mission trips have been scrubbed. Many preachers have been of necessity become "TV evangelists" via Facebook Live, Youtube, and a host of church web sites. I don’t think God is laughing. Whether He is or not, the coronavirus has blown our plans to pieces. 

 
What can we learn from all of this? One lesson that ought to get through even the hardest heads is that there is a God, and none of us are Him. None of us is in total control. Like the weather, our personal plans and regular routines can change in a hurry, whether we like it or not! Psalm 115:3, "But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases." Blunt words in James 4:13-17 warn not to make plans and attempt to live as though we are in complete control of what happens – "Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit.’ " What’s the problem with that, Brother James? He continues: "Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. There- fore, to him who knows to do do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.' " 

Did you catch the big point in all of that? James was not down on people making plans. He was not down on them because they desired to "make a profit." He was down on them because they didn’t have God anywhere in the plan! They were playing the part of God. But they were under a delusion. They were convinced they were lord of their own lives, that were in charge, calling the shots each day. Without reference to God, they planned to "make a profit." But James jerks the rug out from under their self-confident arrogance – "you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." They forgot two vitally important and fundamental facts about life – it is uncertain, and it is brief! None of us knows what will happen to us in the next 10 minutes, let alone the next year. Here is what is certain – there is a God, and none of us is Him, even though many people act like they are! 

Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:26 continue to challenge each of us – "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his owns soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" No plan will profit us if it doesn’t include God.

  by: Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN

When a Little Means a Lot!

Little things sometimes turn out to be a lot. Years ago I read a story by an unknown author (likely apocryphal) that illustrates how big a little thing can turn out to be. The story is about a physician vacationing in the Cumberland Mountains many years ago. While hiking he happened upon a cabin where a little girl was playing outside. The doctor asked the child for a drink of water. She gave him a glass of water and then said, "Would you like to have a glass of cold milk, too?" The doctor said yes. She retrieved it for him and after drinking it, he offered to pay for it. "The girl said, "No, thank you, sir. We like to share." Two years later the little girl fell dangerously ill and was taken to a hospital in a large city a hundred miles away. She underwent a difficult but successful operation. The parents were very poor and worried about the bill. The day came for their little girl to leave the hospital. They were handed a bill for $3,000 that was marked, ‘PAID IN FULL by a glass of water and a glass of cold milk." Hmm – seems I remember somewhere a Man who was always giving who taught His disciples, "And whoever gives a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." 

One of the biggest lies the devil wants us to believe is that because we can’t so some big thing, then we can’t make a difference. But when God is brought into a situation, even seemingly small things become great big things. An incident in Jesus’ ministry recorded in Matthew 14:13-21 proves the point. There Jesus miraculously fed a vast multitude. According to verse 21, "... about five thousand men, besides women and children." It is not unreasonable to suggest the Lord likely fed around 15,000 people that day! In a "deserted" or remote area (vs 13)! Incredibly, there were leftovers. Verse 20 says, "So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained." Equally amazing, verse 17 states that the multiplied thousands were fed with "only five loaves and two fish." 

John’s account of the incident (John 6:8-9), highlights our slowness to trust Christ’s amazing power to take our little and make a lot. John tells us Andrew, Peter’s brother, told Jesus, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" The key words to the whole incident are in Matthew 14:18 where Jesus said (concerning the little dab of bread and fish they had), "Bring them here to Me." 


Let’s make the application. We are living through a difficult moment. The coronavirus disease requires "social distancing" and a high degree of isolation from each other. But, as one man has said, "Social distance does not have to mean social disengagement." There are "little" things we can do. Practice kindness. Smile. Share. Be patient. Pray for doctors and nurses and first responders and political leaders. 

Practice "spiritual nearness"! In the name of Christ, pick up the phone and call a shut-in or neighbor or elderly person. Send a text. Write a note. Don’t waste energy fearing what is going to happen. Don’t fret about what you can’t do. Determine what you can no matter how small it may seem. Stay busy doing what you can where you are with what you have. And take heart, Christian. God is bigger than the coronavirus. Trust that God is near, and that He will take your little things and make them mean a lot. Think of something little you can do and do it now!

   by: Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN