Hope Archives

A new strategy for ancient truth

My husband and I were walking one morning when our conversation turned into this blog post. He had just returned from speaking to a group of city leaders, all interested in the different directions that our American culture and the city were heading:

Who is going to win this election?
What will the consequences be to our nation?
Is unity possible, or will division eventually divide the nation?
Are there ways to bring such different people and different ideals together?

Christians live with standards and values that no government would adopt. Governments are designed to serve the people. When people divide, so does the government. Christians are called to serve God. He defines our highest values and gives us the standards we need to govern our lives.

I’ve mentioned before an article I read where the author wrote about a future election that is supposed to alter the course of our culture. I can’t link to that article because it was written over a decade ago, and I have exhausted my efforts searching for it. To sum it up, the article said the most important generation of Americans was sitting in the second grade (at the time the article was published). The author said that when that generation reached voting age, it would change the nation.

This election is quite likely that election, which led to Jim and me talking about where we go as a ministry and as teachers/ministers of God’s word.

Ancient truth that is still truth today

Jeremiah 6:16 is a favorite verse that I often quote: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.’ But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”

Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet.” He spoke to the nation of Judah. Some of them remained in the country, and others had already been taken captive by the Assyrians. That verse above was Jeremiah telling his people what God had told Israel, over and over again. God had told them what they would need to do to return to his path of blessing. They were at a crossroads, and they needed to go back to ancient truth, ancient priorities, ancient paths. Those paths were good and the paths that God had told them to walk. Those paths led to the best, most peace-filled life they could have. But the people of God didn’t listen to their prophets. Instead, they heard but then chose not to adjust their lives to walk the ancient paths God had shown them.

Jim and I talked about the need to keep teaching the ancient paths, but possibly with a new strategy. The prophets who wrote to the exiles had a different purpose than the prophets who had written hoping to prevent what was coming.

A new strategy for ancient truth

Jim and I talked about what it’s like to share the gospel to a culture who doesn’t understand that the gospel is “the power of salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). Our culture teaches us to value everyone’s choice to believe if they want to believe it. The tension for Christians is knowing that the outcome and consequences of a person’s beliefs will often inspire their idea of truth.

Jim talked about the divisions and stress that exist among our leaders these days. Every one of them seeks to serve people with opposing values. As Jim was talking, I began to picture the division in our country as a raging wildfire. Some people this week would picture it as a raging hurricane! Is the division in our nation more like a fire or a hurricane? The reason that matters is because the strategies to survive are very different.

If the division is a hurricane, we either move out of the way or hunker down and ride out the storm. That strategy describes a lot of Christians these days. Some don’t put their kids in public schools where they will be exposed to teaching or values they disagree with. Others try to influence the schools or fight the decisions they disagree with. Christians are likely to spend time at church or in social groups that share the same values. A lot of Christians are escaping the storm to protect themselves and their families. Others are boarding up their lives hoping to ride out the storm and just clean things up as they are able.

If the division is a wildfire, the strategy is different. We used to own a piece of property that was out in the country. We had the place insured, but we always knew that our greatest threat was a wildfire driven by strong Texas winds. No one stays home hoping to ride out a wildfire. Ranchers know to free their animals to run and then pack up the things they own that are most valuable, and just get out of the way. The fire that is coming can’t be stopped, it has to be planned for.

There are two ways that a raging wildfire can be controlled. God can send the rain or change the direction of the wind, and that’s what we pray for. At the same time, there is a strategy we might need to plan for. If you know the direction the winds are going and you realize there is no rain in the forecast, you can plan where to place a firebreak.

What will end the fire and stop the damage?

The ancient prophets told the people to repent and they would escape the fire, but the people wouldn’t do it. So, the fire arrived, and the ten northern tribes of Israel were taken captive by the Babylonians and never existed again. Judah, the southern tribes, lasted longer, but eventually, they didn’t choose the ancient paths, and many of them were taken captive, too. God’s people were not teaching and living as his word commanded, and the fires came.

But God planned for and built a firebreak that took eight hundred years to create. God so loved the world he sent his Son (John 3:16). The gospel of Jesus Christ became the firebreak that every wrong way of thinking and all the sinful ways of living could run up against. The gospel truth became the firebreak that removed the lies that fueled the fire. Without the lies, the fire burns itself out.

The people of God can pray for the winds to shift and the rains to come. We should pray without ceasing. God’s miraculous work could be the easiest way to stop the fire. But we should also understand that sometimes God allows the storms to blow and the fires to rage. If that is his will, we must get to work and build a firebreak.

It will take planning and hard work to slowly clear out the ideas, values, and opinions that feed the fire. Some people will think it is odd that we spend our time and efforts working in places that seem far away from the fire. Building a firebreak takes a lot of work, and it is always miles away from where the fire is raging now. When the flames arrive, they will die out without fuel to keep the fire going.

In other words, consequences will likely come. People tend to believe what they want to believe until they have good reasons to know better. As Christians, it’s our job to fight the fires. God will have some on the front lines, fighting the flames, while others will be called to move away or hunker down to ride out the storm. All of us will be called to move to that road of ancient truth and allow it to become the firebreak our culture needs. We need to vote our values, but more importantly, we need to live them each day. The ancient paths of the gospel truth will always be the firebreak the world needs to run up against.

Jeremiah’s words are still our word for today. His question for each of us would be, “Will you walk it?”

Your best help for 2024

It’s a new year! We are getting a lot of emails suggesting they have the corner on the market for shedding those extra holiday pounds. I can sum those emails up in one suggestion: Eat less and exercise more.

We are getting a lot of advice and ads about simplification, de-stressing, getting organized, and living with more physical and mental energy. I would sum up most of those ideas by saying, “Put down the electronics and give yourself more time for chores and sleep.”

My helpful hint for 2024 is a bit different from a lot of those other articles. I would like to suggest that the best thing we can do for our lives in 2024 is to walk more closely with God led by his Holy Spirit. That one decision will do a lot to improve every other area of our lives.

How can we know we are walking with God’s Spirit?

It’s a common goal each January to make our spiritual lives a higher priority. Inevitably, life challenges that high priority. We can make every effort to walk with God’s Spirit, but we can know with certainty that Satan and his crew will be standing around a corner with an evil plan to trip us up.

Our inboxes will be filled each day with helpful “advice” from Internet marketing and AI targeting. How do we discern which advice is consistent with God’s plans and which advice sends us in a different direction?

I had to smile when I heard this from a friend. He was talking to my husband about discerning God’s wisdom when he said, “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting a tomato in your fruit salad.” That’s a good picture for a lesson to remember: Not every word of advice in this world belongs in our lives.

I want to offer you a daily help for discerning God’s wise priorities. I wrote and recorded Wisdom Matters and it is yours, free of charge. You probably won’t get to it every day of the year, but it is available to you each day. I use a verse of wisdom from God’s word to apply it to the various areas of our lives. If you have not signed up for that daily devotional, you can do that today.

Scripture tells us that God’s word “is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, or joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

When we fill our lives with God’s word, the Holy Spirit will make God’s word alive in our lives and give us the wisdom and discernment to know what belongs in our fruit salad and what doesn’t.

What did Jesus promise us for 2024?

I was watching Anne Graham Lotz’s Christmas message and knew I would need to include her thoughts in this first blog post of the new year. I love it when I hear a message from God’s word and gain a new, profound truth!

Anne was talking about the verses in Luke, chapter 1, when Mary learned from the angel Gabriel that the “Holy Spirit would come upon her.” She, a virgin, would conceive and bear God’s Son. From those verses, Anne discussed her own salvation and then said something I had never considered before.

She referred to Jesus’ teaching in John 16 when the Lord told his disciples that he was going away. Jesus could tell the disciples were confused and concerned so he gave them a hope-filled promise. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).

Anne went on to teach that when she became a Christian she, like Mary, conceived the person of Jesus in her life, through his Holy Spirit. That’s why the Bible teaches us we are “born again” or “made new” in Christ. The Spirit came to indwell us, much like Jesus came to indwell Mary. Jesus told his disciples that it was to their advantage that Jesus would be going away. We are better off walking with the Spirit of Jesus within our lives than those in the first century who walked with Jesus physically.

If you are a Christian, you have received the same Holy Spirit that Jesus promised his disciples. The Spirit of Christ has been conceived within you. We who walk in God’s Spirit, walk with a very great advantage in this world.

Hold Jesus close in 2024

Our best help for the coming new year is already living in our lives. We carry the actual voice of Jesus to offer us wisdom and direction. We walk with Jesus within us, which is more powerful to our lives than those who walked beside him on earth. We are God’s child because we have received his Son in our lives.

Jesus indwells our lives, our thoughts, our hearts. 2024 will be our best year if we choose to trust the power and guidance of God’s indwelling Son. Galatians 5:25 says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

I hope you will allow Wisdom Matters to speak God’s word into your lives each day. I hope gaining a message from God’s wisdom will help you “keep in step with the Spirit.”

These are changing times, and this year looks to be volatile, divisive, and could be filled with a lot of unknown dangers. God knows what we can’t and would whisper in our ears, “walk with me and follow my direction.”

Your best help for 2024 is already yours because of Jesus. We can look forward to this new year with his joy, his peace, and his promise of hope. This world may throw a few tomatoes our way, but with God’s help we won’t let them alter the fruits of his Holy Spirit.

Happy New Year!

The gift Jesus gave his mom

Jesus didn’t celebrate Christmas, and neither did the early Christians. Jesus wasn’t born in the winter either. There are several theories as to why we celebrate Christmas on December 25, but the most common belief dates the holiday back to the third century.

The Roman Empire marked the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, by celebrating the “rebirth” of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) on December 25. People feasted, exchanged gifts, and celebrated the birthday of a deity called Mithra, a god of light and loyalty.

The church in Rome began formally celebrating the birth of Christ on December 25 in 336 AD. Rome was ruled by the emperor Constantine, whose mother was a strong Christian. It is believed that Constantine hoped to distract Rome’s citizens from the pagan celebration on that same day. Constantine’s efforts were not widely accepted, and Christmas did not become a major Christian holiday until the ninth century.

How did Jesus celebrate his birthday?

There is an easy answer to that question: he didn’t. Jesus was likely born in the spring, but birthdays weren’t remembered or celebrated by the Jewish people. There was one spring, however, when Jesus gave others, including his mom Mary, gifts for his birthday.

Jesus had been crucified and was near death on the cross when he uttered the words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). I’ve often heard that those words mark the moment when Jesus took on the sins of the world, our sins, and as a result experienced separation from his heavenly Father. But, I also like to consider those words as a gift of hope for his mother Mary and encouragement for his best friend John.

Matthew 27:46 is a direct quote from the first words in the twenty-second psalm, a psalm of David. David’s psalms would have been memorized and sung by the Jewish people of the first century. Jesus would have known this psalm very well. We know Mary and John were at the cross because Jesus instructed John to care for his mother. It is a safe assumption to think that both Mary and John were deeply grieving all they were witnessing. Jesus loved these two people and, even in his own pain, would have felt theirs as well.

So, Jesus gave his mom and his best friend a gift on the cross. He said, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani,” the first line of a well-known psalm. Jesus knew his beloved mom and friend would know the rest of that favorite psalm of King David.

The gift Jesus gave

If you have time, read all of Psalm 22 with this perspective. Consider what these words would have meant to the two people who were sitting at the foot of the cross. Jesus knew he was about to die and gave the gift of hope to these two people he cared about. Psalm 22 is a reminder that God delivers his people and can always be trusted, even in the most difficult of times.

I like to picture Mary reciting that psalm to herself in the days that followed Jesus’ death. What did she feel when she came to the words, “Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God” (Psalm 22:9–10)? Had Jesus thanked Mary from the cross for all she had done to give him life and raise him in the knowledge of God?

I like to picture John as he remembered the psalm Jesus quoted from the cross. How did John feel when he considered the words at the end of the psalm? David’s psalm begins with the words Jesus cried out to Mary and John, but the final stanza of the psalm says, “All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it” (Psalm 22:29–31).

The gift Jesus gave his mom from the cross was the gift of hope and the gift of knowing that both of them had fulfilled their highest purpose on earth. Mary gave birth to Israel’s Messiah.

John had been called to be a follower of Jesus and would ultimately suffer for preaching the gospel. Yet John understood the “rest of the story” could be found in the final words of Psalm 22. “Posterity shall serve him” and “they shall proclaim his righteousness” to all people.

How would Jesus celebrate Christmas?

This is a big, busy, important week of the year. In the busyness let’s remember why we celebrate. Jesus celebrated the season of his birth by accepting a cross for the sins of the world. Jesus gave the gifts of love and hope to those at the cross. Jesus gave Mary and John, and maybe himself, the gift of encouragement as well. There is no greater joy for a child of God than to be blessed and rewarded for fulfilling our eternal, kingdom purpose.

Jesus celebrated the season of his birth by gifting the world with his perfect sacrifice for every sin and the promise of eternal life. We who have received the gift of Christ have received everything Jesus was born to give.

Merry Christmas!

I hope you have a blessed and merry Christmas this year, filled with the joy and laughter of those you love. It is fun to give and fun to receive—but let’s remember to honor the One who gave everything so that we can celebrate with the hope of an eternity filled with everlasting joy, peace, and comfort.

Merry Christmas to all of you, and blessings for the coming year!

Our voices and our choices make a difference

I would like to send out a word of encouragement to all of you.

If you read this blog post each week, you know I believe in “voting our choices” by choosing how we spend our time and money. Our “voices” matter in this culture, even if we choose not to shout.

In fact, our voices matter so much more than we realize.

There is every reason to have hope in the future if we will continue to “vote our message” with our time and our dollars.

Christians should be “proud”

I once wrote a blog post about a high-profile retailer’s choice to allow men to use the dressing room or bathroom of their “choice.” Since that time, there have been multiple reported instances of men being chased out of retail stores by angry parents and customers who saw them illegally and immorally using their cell phones to film young girls trying on clothes, lingerie, and bathing suits. Some women have felt violated by some men who entered the women’s restrooms because they chose to see themselves as women.

Undeterred by these facts, the retailer announced their “Pride Month” campaign back in June.Subsequently an August CNN article reported their quarterly sales fell for the first time in six years. The article blamed “right-wing backlash.”

I’m proud to be part of the group of people who choose to shop elsewhere whenever possible. Obviously, our voice counts at the registers, even if it doesn’t count with those writing the store policies. I’m not really sure what constitutes being part of the “right wing” the article mentioned, but biblically I know I want to live “right with God ” and be consistent with his word.

Do our voices make a difference?

I’ve also been vocal about my disappointment in the obvious changes a major television network has made. A recent CNBC article reported that this channel’s viewership is down 20 percent since 2018. They continue to create movies that celebrate the gay lifestyle.

I have encouraged my readers to check out the Great American Family channel as a good alternative.

This network is listed as “TV’s fastest-growing network for the ninth consecutive month after closing out July up 143% in Total Day Household ratings and leading all networks in year-over-year viewership increases. According to Nielsen Media Research, Great American Family also retained its position as TV’s fastest-growing network in 2023 to-date with the largest gains in Total Day Households (+165%) and Total Viewers (+161%); and Primetime Households (+141%) and Total Viewers (+139%).”

Forgive all the “stats,” but the numbers tell the story. Our voices and our values matter more than we might have realized.

The way we spend our time and our money is something that goes virtually unreported but not unnoticed. We need to continue to live out our values and our choices, quietly proud to live according to God’s truth rather than a cultural opinion.

What can we hope for in the future?

Biblically, “hopes” and “wishes” are two different things. There are those companies who have chosen to take their hits and wait out the so-called “right-wing” values, believing those values will die off in a generation. I hope they are wrong, but I wish more young people were speaking up and voting with their dollars.

Truthfully, our hope is in Christ. He has the power to change a person’s character. God’s word has the power of truth for all who will faithfully believe. The Holy Spirit is at work in the life of every Christian who yields to his leadership. Christians will always have hope for our future, but we can only wish for a better future with our culture. God created people to have free will choices, and we live with the consequences of those who don’t yield their free will to God’s plan and purpose.

Paul taught us how to wait with hope

Paul wrote to Titus, his friend and brother in Christ, saying, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11–14).

I pray the church in America will experience widespread renewal and revival. We need to be about the “good works” God has planned for us to accomplish. We never have to wonder if God can “fix things.” We do need to question if we are allowing God to use our lives to do his good work in the world.

Paul taught that if we want to see God do mighty and great works in our culture then God’s people need to be “zealous for good works.” God’s word teaches us to “renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.” Paul said we are to “live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” while we are “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of” Jesus.

God has given us everything we need to “redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession.”

When Christians see “bad news” on TV, we need to accept the fact that we haven’t been living the “good news” as clearly as we should. We know God saves. We know people are “born again” in Christ Jesus. We know we are called to be “his disciples” everywhere we go. We know we are called to be salt and light in a world that needs both.

What is the hope we can hope for?

The writer of the CNN article would probably label me as “right wing,” but, truthfully, my goal is simply to be “right” with God. Paul told the church in Rome how to live with great hope. He said, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

Our choices do matter. We can see the statistics now, but one day we will live with the eternal rewards our choices have produced. Jesus wants us to live “self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” as we wait for Jesus, “our blessed hope.”

So, enjoy a show on the Great American Family channel and shop your values. We can pray for renewal and revival among God’s children as we wait for our “blessed hope, our Savior,” to return. Our voices and our choices are making a difference.

We should feel proud to live faithfully to the truth of God’s word.

Do you have faith for the future?

I watched the GOP presidential debate last week with hope. After the debate, I realized my hope for our country isn’t based on any certainties. America will always be one election away from better times, worse times, troubling times, or times of peace and satisfaction.

The older I get, the more I realize that my trust isn’t in my government, it is in my Lord. I will always vote my conscience, and I will always try to vote for the person I think is most able to handle the job. I won’t treat the presidential election like a beauty pageant, voting for the person I think “looks” the best. The most important part of a beauty pageant should be the questions asked and answered, not the dance in the evening gowns that starts the show.

I will watch all the debates and vote for the person I think has the best answers. But, I live in a country where the majority of people might vote for the person who was funny on a late-night talk show, or who had the best commercials on TV or social media, or who looks like the most popular person at the moment. We shouldn’t jump on a bandwagon until we know where the wagon intends to go.

How do we have faith for the future if faithful people aren’t deciding the future?

Stick with me on this one and read this blog post all the way to the end.

A Forbes magazine article

I ran across an article in Forbes written in May of 2022. The title caught my eye because it was about key predictions for 2050 (Note: You may need a Forbes subscription to read it.) It was about an interview with a man named Jacques Attali who has written over eighty books and has been involved in several financial and technology companies. He is also seen as someone whose predictions for the future are invaluable to those in business.

To sum it up, Attali was asked to predict what he saw coming for the United States and the world in the coming decades.

It wasn’t encouraging.

Attali predicted the continued decline in America and doubted that the US would remain the world’s dominant superpower. He then said that the decline of this country would be similar to the decline of the Roman Empire. When Rome fell, no “successor” was ready to step in and take its place. He noted that no other nation is able to step into America’s leadership roles.

Attali also noted that when Rome fell the “Dark Ages” followed because there was a “deceleration of human progress, declining living standards, and a bleak period in the development of art, literature, and culture.”

Christians should note that the Dark Ages was also the period of time many in the Catholic church called the “Golden Ages.” The church became the leader in education and the preservation of cultural values. Some historians call this the “Age of Faith.” The Protestant Reformation followed in the sixteenth century.

The thing to remember

I have to admit, I was getting pretty low as I read this article. Attali’s words made perfect sense based on the realities seen in the evening news. Then, I read these statements in the article that gave me pause.

The article said, “It’s no longer inconceivable that we might one day transcend our mortality by overcoming the effects of aging or replacing parts of our bodies with artificial or mechanical components. But if we are heading towards an eternal life (or at least, greatly increased longevity) where we will live as mindless consumers or slaves to a corporate hierarchy, is there any point?”

That is the moment in the article when “man’s truth” denied the truth of God’s word. Man will never be immortal or eternal here on earth. The consequences of the first sin took care of that. We should never read an article like this one in Forbes apart from the light of Scripture. Attali is a brilliant man with a lot of knowledge. His predictions have validity based on the realities in our world.

Christians need to remember this: God is still on his throne. His word is proven truth. Our Creator is always king of his creation.

More things to remember

Most, if not all of my readers are students of God’s word and people of faith. We know what the Bible says God can do, and we know what the Bible says God will do. We know God and we know world history.

The knowledge we have is balanced by this biblical wisdom: God is the king of his creation but honors the free will he created in humankind. We know God is able to change the course of history, but we also know that he allows history to be impacted by the choices and consequences of man’s free will. We know we serve a God of miracles who is above the ways of this world and can intervene at any moment. We also know we serve a God who has promised to intervene at some point as the world fails and comes to its end.

When we read predictions from a man like Attali, we do that remembering to evaluate his words by the truth of God’s word.

What is the point?

Referring to Attali’s predictions, the author of the article rhetorically asked, “Is there any point?”

Attali said, “There is no simple answer to that, but if you want to avoid a life which is absurd, I would suggest it is to say simply and with humility that we don’t know the reason why mankind is here on Earth, we don’t know the reason that a million years ago an entity arose which can ask the question ‘why am I here?’”

He then said, “The only thing we can do here in the middle of the universe is to have a better mankind and to hope one day to find the answers to these questions.”

God gave us the answers to those questions. Christians need to make certain others know how to find the answers they need.

Christians need to view the American culture today like Paul taught the Corinthians to view their Roman culture thousands of years ago. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, an important city in the Roman Empire, saying, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18).

Do you have faith for the future?

Christians need to remember to see our culture like Paul taught the Corinthians to view theirs. We don’t lose heart because we don’t lose our faith. Everything on planet Earth is transient. We are called to live our earthly lives with an eternal perspective.

I will always vote my convictions and place my hope in a president who shares those convictions. I love this country, but my faith is in God. I will serve this country because I feel like America is called to be an example to the world. But I want to be careful not to place my faith or hope in a country instead of in God. This is a democracy and the popular vote, the vote that reflects our citizens’ free will, is going to win.

The decline of the world is the promise of Scripture. My hope for all of us was Paul’s hope for the church in Rome: “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).

Rome did fall. The church did rise up. Eventually, the world improved. That is the pattern of world history. That pattern won’t change until Jesus returns. Until then, we have the power of God’s Holy Spirit and the hope of an eternity in heaven.

I don’t know what will happen in America, but I have great faith for the future. The “God of hope” fills me with “all joy and peace in believing.” Let’s choose to walk in his Spirit and we will “abound in hope.”

Who are your forever friends?

Last week, through tears, I looked at a crowd of women who will be friends forever. I may not see them each week, but I will think of them often on Thursday mornings, knowing they are together for Bible study. As I told them, it isn’t hard to go, it’s just hard to leave.

Life is supposed to move forward with new adventures, new friendships, and new directions from God. We have the opportunity to know a lot of people throughout our lives. Some we call friends and others acquaintances.

For all of us, there are people who will be friends forever.

Who are your forever friends?

The last lesson I taught was from Revelation 1 and 22. I love the book of Revelation, and it is the only book of the Bible that promises to bless the people who read it and “take [it] to heart” (Revelation 1:3 NIV). In other words, those who read the Revelation and “keep what is written in it” (v. 3 ESV) will have a blessed life now and eternally.

Revelation 22 redefines our idea of family. All of us have an earthly family that is precious to us, but we won’t define “family” the same way in heaven. Hopefully, all of our earthly family will be there, but realistically we know that isn’t always true.

Chapter 22 provides a picture of what our lives will be like in heaven and redefines family eternally. The Apostle John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos when Jesus came to him and told him to write these things down and to make them known to the churches. The angel provided this picture of heaven that we, the church, are to think about. Consider the words of Revelation 22:1–5, knowing they will be a blessing to you now and eternally:

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

I pointed out these things to my class last week:

The river of life flows from the “throne” of God and of the Lamb. The triune God, the Holy Trinity, is the source of everything in heaven. There is one throne, one Godhead, One to worship.
The tree of life lives and thrives on both sides of the river and the leaves are for the healing of the nations. There will always be wars and divisions on earth. There will be none in heaven.
Nothing is accursed in heaven. God cursed the land after the Fall and now there are plants like thorns and thistles. We live with storms, droughts, floods, and earthquakes. Our planet is not perfect and never will be. Heaven will be perfect because nothing eternal is “accursed.”
Everyone in heaven will see the face of God. We will see the One we worship and dwell in his Presence. Every moment will be peace, contentment, health, joy, and love.
His “name” will be written on our foreheads. His name, his character, will “mark” every person in heaven. We will be given that “new name” and we will all know we are forever the family of God.

The friends we will have forever are the friends we will call our family in heaven. We will have all of eternity to spend time with them, laugh with them, enjoy their stories, and share eternal joys with one another. Our earthly lives are the way we meet those people now who, someday, we will enjoy in heaven.

An earthly goal with eternal rewards

Jesus taught us how to live on earth so that our eternal life would be rich with reward. His life was our example to follow. Jesus gave his followers an important commandment. Jesus said:

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:12–15).

God provided us our example, his own Son, so we can live our lives on earth with eternal goals. We can look at the life of Christ and know the life that God wants for us as well. When we study the words of Christ, we can’t ignore that God’s children are called to lay down their lives for friends too. In fact, we are commanded to live with that goal.

Each day we share the same earthly goal Christ had when he walked on this earth. Jesus came to help people know God and live eternally in heaven.

Love one another, as Jesus loved us

What is the best way to be like Christ and fulfill his commands?

We need to pray to be filled with the love of God so that we have his love for others. “Greater love” has no one until they are filled with the love of God.

We know what Jesus would do, and those thoughts provide his perspective for the people around us. Jesus didn’t call us “servants;” he called us friends. Jesus said, “I have made known to you all that I have heard from my Father.”

We know our goal in this life is to help people become our forever friends. Those people will not just be our friends in heaven; they will also be our family.

Whom do you love here on earth that needs to become your forever friend in heaven?

We have a higher goal than simply enjoying people’s friendships on earth. If we truly love them, we will want them to belong to our family, forever.

Take a moment and pray by name for those friends who still need salvation in Christ. Jesus will “make known” to you your next steps. He wants those people to be your forever friends too.

The day “Hosanna” changed

It’s Easter week.

Jesus rode victoriously into Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (John 12:13).

Days later, Jesus was led out of Jerusalem, in agony, to the sneers and jeers of people who didn’t know they were slandering God’s holy Son.

How could so much change in just a week’s time?

I saw a recent survey on our local ABC news. It’s expected that only 28 percent of our nation will attend church this Easter Sunday.

A lot has changed about Easter week in my lifetime as well.

AT FIRST, DISILLUSIONED

The people were thrilled to see Jesus arrive in Jerusalem. The crowds incited shouts of joyful praise. They waved palm branches as they hailed their King. But, when he was arrested, they fled, disappointed and disillusioned. They misunderstood God’s plan.

There are a lot of people in our country who will have a difficult time shouting praises to God this Easter. They have lost someone they loved. They have been hurt financially. They are disappointed in the politics of the day. And, the evening news reminds them that those who attend church on Easter are a minority.

All of us have been disillusioned with God at some point. We thought he promised one thing, but he gave us something else. We are like the Easter crowds in Jerusalem. Sometimes we misunderstand God’s plan.

But those who are disillusioned by a tough year should remember that Easter provided God’s eternal plan. We can still misunderstand his higher purpose.

THEN, DISAPPOINTED

The people thought Jesus would become a king. He was supposed to run Rome out of Israel and establish Jewish leaders on their throne. When Rome captured Jesus, the disappointment set in.

It’s remarkable because they had seen his miracles. They had listened to Jesus preach. They had seen that he was no ordinary man. What they didn’t understand was that they wanted the ordinary but got extraordinary instead.

The people wanted a king for their daily lives. God gave them a King for their eternal lives.

It’s easy to be disappointed in God when we want him to fix things on earth. God’s plan has never made what is temporary more important than what is eternal.

NEXT, HOPEFULLY CONFUSED

When they hung Jesus on the cross, the believers were devasted. When they heard the tomb was empty, they were hopefully confused.

Jesus had told them what would happen, and it did. He was raised to life again. The final sacrifice had been made for the sake of every soul that had ever lived or ever would live. They had shouted “Hosanna” and now they were blessed by the One who had come in the name of the Lord. The One who had blessed them was a King. But, Jesus was a King like no other.

Jesus didn’t die so that people could have mansions on earth. He died so people could have mansions in heaven. His promises were filled with eternal hope and eternal priorities.

Yet, many people have been hopefully confused about how it can all be true. Many of the people around you hope the Easter story is true but are confused about why it is true. They lack the faith to believe.

It’s remarkable because there are still miracles. We have a Bible filled with the preaching of Jesus. We know he was no ordinary man. Is it possible people still want Jesus to be a king on earth? His throne has always been, and always will be, in heaven.

Jesus didn’t come to make earth his home; he came to make heaven our hope.

FINALLY, THE ANSWER BECAME CLEAR

The tomb was empty because Jesus didn’t plan to make this earth his home. Jesus made his followers his temporary dwelling on earth.

The disciples had gathered on the Mount of Ascension. They asked Jesus, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

Even after the resurrection, the people still wanted Jesus to come back and be an earthly king.

Jesus answered them with a clear message. He didn’t give his life for the sake of life on earth. Jesus answered his disciples with their new priority. Jesus said, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:7–8).

Jesus spoke to anyone who would be a disciple and told them he would transform their lives to be a witness to the world. The answer became clear. Jesus told his followers that their priorities and abilities would be changed by the coming of the Holy Spirit.

And, for those who were filled by God’s Holy Spirit, that transformation occurred. The disciples had new goals, new priorities, and a new power indwelling their lives.

HOSANNA WAS REDEFINED

Scripture says that, after Jesus had issued their calling, “he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). Jesus, on the Mount of Ascension, redefined “Hosanna”: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Jesus enters every city on earth today as a King through the life of every person who allows him to be King of their life. Hosanna. Blessed are the people who live life on earth, in the name of the Lord—because they will allow Jesus to bless others through their witness.

We stand on the Mount of Ascension with every disciple, from every century. We, like them, still wish Jesus to occasionally be an earthly king and fix things in this world. But, his final answer to his disciples will always be our calling.

Jesus told us to be witnesses through the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Every other priority is something less important.

Only 28 percent of our population plan to attend church on Easter Sunday. How will you shout “Hosanna” to the world this week?

We are called to be a witness to the true priorities of Easter week. Blessed are those who share in the name of the Lord. I hope you and your families have a blessed and holy week!

What do you hope for?

I was able to get my first vaccine, and I drove home with a scheduled date for my second shot—and lots of hope. We have a lot to look forward to in the months ahead—probably. It is a unique joy when an unknowable hope becomes a reality.

I’m thrilled that I will be vaccinated and look forward to better times ahead. However, I am too often concerned about the trajectory of our culture. I can’t tolerate what I see happening on my television that God would never condone. I cringe when I see the abnormal being normalized.

Sometimes hope is waiting for what we know will happen. At other times, we hope for things because we can’t know what the future holds.

DID JESUS HOPE?

I just finished a long conversation with my theologian husband. I was writing this blog post on hope when I wondered, “Did Jesus ever hope for anything?”

That question does not have an easy answer. At the end of a lot of research and a lot of thinking, we could only come up with one moment in Scripture that Jesus might have hoped like we hope.

Jesus was God incarnate. He knew God face-to-face. Jesus knew his purpose and knew God would fulfill that purpose. Jesus didn’t need hope for the future; he knew the future.

Jesus never worried about an early death. Jesus never worried about losing his job. Jesus didn’t worry that his prayers wouldn’t be answered by God. Jesus didn’t ever worry or wonder about the future, so he didn’t spend time hoping.

The only time in Scripture Jesus comes close to hoping and praying like we often do is in the garden of Gethsemane when he prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

Was Jesus hoping God would do something different? Was Jesus hoping those torches he was watching from the garden would turn and go another direction? Was Jesus hoping God would do for him what he had done for Abraham when he provided a ram on Mount Moriah? Did Jesus hope he wouldn’t have to be the sacrificial lamb?

When we considered the entirety of Scripture, as best we can tell, that moment was the only time Jesus hoped for something else, something different.

But, even in that hope, what Jesus most wanted was that God’s will would be accomplished.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAITH AND HOPE

I hung a poster in my room when I was a teenager that read, “‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen’ —Hebrews 11:1.” I remember I liked those words but always knew I didn’t really understand their meaning. I’m not completely sure I do today, but I will try.

I guess you could say I have faith that I will get my second vaccine shot. The evidence is there. But, I hope the vaccine will mean I won’t ever get sick with COVID-19. We don’t have enough evidence yet for us to have complete faith in the shot.

My faith in Christ’s resurrection is the reason I have the assurance of eternal life. Grace and forgiveness are gifts, guaranteed by Christ, because my faith is in him. I trust God’s word on the subject of salvation. But, I hope God gives me a long life and ministry here on earth. I have faith that God will grant me eternal life. I have hope that God will grant me a long life.

WHEN WE HAVE TO SAY “IF”

Jesus prayed in agony to his Father, saying, “If you are willing, remove this cup from me.” Jesus knew what was going to happen. Did he hope God would spare him the agony of physical pain and spiritual separation from God?

When we say to God “if you are willing,” it is a hope, not a promise. Paul understood the difference between hope and faith and explained it by saying, “Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:24–25).

Jesus hoped God would be “willing” but had faith in the perfection of God’s will. That is our example for hope in prayer and faith in God’s answers.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR?

I hope COVID-19 will soon be eradicated. I hope my family will live long, productive lives. I hope that the power grid won’t ever fail again and leave us in the cold. I hope that God gives us cures for cancers and other diseases. I hope that the world will be a kinder, more thoughtful place.

I hope the people I love will all choose Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and I hope that for others as well. And, I hope Jesus returns soon so that I can stop hoping for other things.

But, my faith in God tells me that none of those hopes are promises. I know there is a difference between the things I hope for and the things I hope for in faith. I hope Jesus will come again soon. I have faith that Jesus will come again.

FAITH—UNTIL HOPE ISN’T NEEDED

I don’t know what you are hoping for today. I imagine there are some reading these words who hope the chemo will work or the surgery will be a success. I imagine there are some who have lost hope in God’s promises and others who are comforted by those same words.

Don’t ever allow anyone to tell you that the Christian life is easy. Christ didn’t come to make this life easy; he came to make eternal life possible. He came so that our faith could be more than hope. He came so our faith could become sight. Christians will spend eternity in heaven with hope fulfilled.

Paul wrote, “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).

Never feel bad for hoping and praying that things will be easier. Jesus did that too. But, the next time “easy” isn’t God’s will, walk with faith in Jesus. He remembers his prayer in the garden and understands.

Some hopes are unknowable. Faith knows what hope cannot.

God spoke and everything changed

I peeked out the window and everything was pure white. Snow in Dallas is uncommon. This much snow in Dallas is . . . wait for it . . . unprecedented!

(For those who read my blog each week, that was intended to be a joke!)

Yep, there is that word again.

I am still a California girl at heart. I like it to snow, and then I like the snow to melt off that same afternoon. This long, cold stretch of snow isn’t just unprecedented; it’s unwelcome.

My friend in Houston had a Facebook post about choosing not to “coddle” his outdoor plants by spreading blankets on them. Another friend, who lives in Casper, Wyoming, is probably reading those words, rolling her eyes and laughing. Today’s Dallas weather is her definition of a spring day.

The good news is that a week from now we should see much warmer weather. After all, this is still Texas, and the cold will disappear. Our weather is unpredictable—and a great analogy for God’s voice in our lives: there are moments we expect to hear from him and other times his voice is a surprise.

Either way, when God chooses to speak, we should be quick to listen.

“AND GOD SAID”

“And God said let there be light, and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). Those are familiar words, but they are also incredibly profound. God spoke this world into existence. He said “let there be” light, darkness, oceans, plants, animals, and people. God spoke and everything changed, except him.

God spoke the world into existence and has continued to speak into his creation. Take a moment to consider the fact that the same voice that created our entire world is the same voice that speaks to your soul.

When we consider the full power of his voice, what keeps us from hanging on his every word?

WHAT HAS GOD SPOKEN TO YOU RECENTLY?

Do you know what God recently said to you?

I can ask that question of every Christian because God is in constant communication through his Holy Spirit. Is that why you are reading these words right now? You are God’s child. Never doubt his desire to guide you in his good ways.

Frederick William Faber, a British theologian and hymn writer, said, “There is hardly ever a complete silence in our soul. God is whispering to us well-nigh incessantly. Whenever the sounds of the world die out in the soul, or sink low, then we hear these whisperings of God. He is always whispering to us, only we do not always hear because of the noise, hurry and distraction which life causes as it rushes on.”

God has spoken his word and his will to you. Has the noise and distraction of this culture or even this crazy weather caused you to doubt or ignore his voice?

The same voice that created the world speaks to you “well-nigh incessantly.”

We have to learn to listen devotedly.

JESUS SPOKE WITH GOD’S VOICE

Paul was talking about Jesus when he wrote, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15–17).

The voice of Jesus is the same voice that created all things. When we hear Jesus speak in Scripture, in our hearts and souls, and through our dreams and prayers, we are hearing the same voice that will one day call us home to heaven.

If we learn to listen to the voice of Jesus in our lives today, his voice will be easy to recognize on the day Jesus returns. His should be the voice of a good friend, our counselor, our guide, and, most importantly, it is the voice of someone we love.

WHAT CHANGES WILL GOD SPEAK INTO YOUR LIFE?

I’m wrapped in warm clothes and fur-lined boots, and I’m watching it snow. It is unprecedented cold today, but it won’t be long before this outfit gets packed up and put away. This is Dallas, Texas. The sun will soon melt the snow, the snow will water the earth, and the bluebonnets will blanket the roadways.

God didn’t have to create seasons, but he did. Do you ever wonder why?

I think our changing world has always existed to remind us of our unchanging God. The apostle Peter was quoting from Isaiah when he wrote, “‘The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:24–25).

Throughout our lives, God will speak changes he wants us to make. He will guide us to see things in a new way or follow a new path. If we know God’s word, we should expect change. But, we can also expect his unchanging voice to guide us as we listen.

The world has seen a lot of change since God spoke it into existence. It’s comforting to realize that God is still the same. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

GOD SPEAKS UNCHANGING TRUTH TO OUR CHANGING LIVES

Frederick Faber said that God spoke “well-nigh incessantly” and that we could hear that voice if we don’t allow the noise and distraction of this life to drown out God’s word to us. So why is it that so many people in our world today don’t even consider the voice of the One who spoke all things into existence?

Frederick Faber had that answer as well. He wrote, “There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God.” It will be difficult to hear God’s voice unless we are ready to follow his will. It will be difficult to hear God speak through his word unless we are convinced that his word is truth. And it will be difficult for God to interrupt our plans if he is not Lord of our choices.

God’s will is not hidden, but it is often ignored.

God’s will is spoken, but it is often heard as a suggestion rather than a command.

Remember, God speaks.

But God speaks to servants who listen.

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, EVERYTHING CHANGES

We have been plagued with power outages and freezing temperatures. Those plagues follow the changes that occurred because of a virus. I am so ready for spring!

Everything changes, and it always will, but not God. The voice that created the world continues to speak. His voice is knowable and his truth is unchanging. His voice offers consistent truth, offered in different ways, at different times, to different generations—until one day, this world changes one last time.

One snowstorm will be our last.

One day his voice will call us home.

That day will be unprecedented for us but completely consistent with the truth of God’s word.

From now until then, the goal of every day is to listen for him to speak, ready to walk with his direction.

When God speaks, everything changes—except him.

2021: A parable of hope

Note from Janet

For those of you who have completed the first half of the Foundations of Faith Bible Study, I hope you will join us for the second half of the study.

The first lecture (Abraham & Sarah – Lesson 12) is now available to view on the website.

Each lesson will focus on a person/persons from the Bible who demonstrated faithful obedience to God and will offer insight on how we, too, can live in faithful obedience to Him.

If you haven’t yet registered for the Bible study, now would be a perfect time to join us.

A man was sick and didn’t know if he would get well. He had lived a long life, a prosperous and influential life, but knew that his accomplishments couldn’t provide what he needed most. Healing couldn’t be purchased or acquired by hard work. Healing was a gift and a blessing.

The man lay on his bed, appreciating the fact he could still breathe. He was grateful for those who came and went, trying to help him live. He spent his time thinking because thinking was all he was capable of.

His thoughts naturally turned to the One who had given him life. The One who could give him more. He wanted more. He had lived his life always wanting more.

He pondered all that he would do if he could only get well. He also pondered all he would fix, if he only could. He wished for second chances knowing there was really no such thing. All choices have consequences that live on in the people affected.

“Why, Lord? Why do I always want more? Will I always want more? What is enough? I’ll try to do more for you, Lord, if you will just give me the chance. I know I can do better.”

The man listened to the beeping sound that indicated he was still alive. Each beep was another moment he could have been doing something else.

“Why, Lord? Why am I here? Why is this happening?”

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“Are you there, Lord? Is this my time? Are you coming for me now? Am I ready?”

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“Whatever you are going to do, Lord, will you just do it? I’m tired of waiting. I just want to know.”

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“Lord, I don’t care anymore. Whatever! I don’t even know what to think. I’m weary in well-doing.”

Beep. Beep. “Don’t be.”

“What? What do you mean ‘Don’t be?’”

“When you get well . . . you can look it up.”

“I will, Lord. Thank you so much.”

The man did get better. As soon as he could, he found the verse, then the passage, then the wisdom he knew had been God’s gift to him during his long wait.

Hope was the gift and blessing. Healing was simply an answered prayer.

GALATIANS 6:9 WAS MY ANSWER

Most of us get “thought-filled” at the beginning of a new year. That’s probably especially true this year. 2020 was a year that provided all of us extra time to think. The parable above isn’t anyone’s story. It’s everyone’s story. I don’t know how it is yours, but God would like the chance to tell you.

Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” That part of the parable above is my personal story.

Years ago, I was at a particularly low time in my own life when I prayed, “Whatever, Lord!” I was feeling like so much of what I had worked for was just a “vapor” that had blown away. It was comforting to remember that was how King Solomon felt too.

I was praying to God one morning. Actually, I was whining to God. I poured out a bunch of thoughts, fears, concerns, and frustrations, and I finally told the Lord, “I’m just weary in well-doing!”

Almost instantly, I heard my next thought: “Don’t be.”

I remember laughing out loud! My answer from God was so like God: simple, complex, and always biblical truth.

I heard him that day and knew it was time to move ahead.

This blog post is one result of that prayer time.

GALATIANS 6:1–10 IS OUR WISDOM

Before you read the passage below, stop and pray.

Ask God to speak to you as you read.

There are words in the passage below that apply to your new year. God won’t tell me what he wants to say to you. I will provide his word; God will give you his direction from it.

Pay attention to the verses you need to reread or that seem to be directed to your heart. We call Scripture “God’s word” because it is God’s voice.

Paul closed his letter to the church in Galatia saying:

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:1–10)

YOUR PARABLE OF HOPE FOR A NEW YEAR

2020 authored a lot of thoughts in everyone.

What did God tell you last year?

What did God just tell you as you read his word?

Hope is a powerful comfort while we wait for a chance to get well, get vaccinated, and get on with better days.

I like to think about watching the news and not hearing about the “numbers” for the day. I like to think about going to a baseball game and joining the crowd who jumps to their feet, cheering loudly after a home run. I especially like to think about hugging my family and friends without a thought of reservation.

We will do all of those things. If we stay well, we will be well. We have a lot to hope for in 2021.

But, the real gift and blessing of 2021 will not be a vaccine.

We should spend the rest of our lives knowing that hope is the blessing we have already received.

“The one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good” (Galatians 6:8–9).

The hope of a vaccine is real. The hope of eternal life has always been real for those who have asked for and received God’s salvation through Christ. Let’s not grow weary waiting for hope we already have. Live in, through, and because of God’s hope.

We are already blessed!

“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

May your 2021 be filled with God’s hope.