Hope for Life Blog

She was about seven years old, in the group of Vacation Bible School kids listening to me tell the story of Joseph.  Joseph was spoiled and clearly the favorite son.  It made his brothers so mad that they wanted to kill him.  So I asked if anyone in the class ever fought with their brothers and sisters.  She held up her hand, then said that her sister was mean to her and never told her she loved her.  The next words are the ones I will always remember:  “…but I love her anyway because she’s still my sister.”

I wonder how long until she grows up and deals with reality.  After all, we adults know better than that, don’t we?  We know that people are mean, you can’t trust anyone, life’s not fair, you can’t be nice to everyone or they’ll take advantage of you.  Pretty dogs sometimes bite, life’s hard, and then you die.  Cynical.  Unhappy.  Selfish.

 So when did we change?  What happened to the pure, innocent hearts we had as children?  Life happened.  People hurt us.  We made poor choices.  We did things we should not have. We did not do things we should have.  And sometimes we wish things could be like they were before we became so cynical. We wish we could be like the child we were:  innocent, loving, pure.     

 Jesus said if we become like little children, we can enter the kingdom of heaven.  He helps us do that.  He came to make all things new, including us.  He makes us pure – innocent again.  He forgives the wrong choices.  He teaches us to see people differently.   He restores our soul.  He gives us hope.  He gives us life.  He makes it possible to be born again.

So if you have ever wished your life could be different, if you have ever wished you could be different, if you ever wished you could be like a little child again… then Jesus is for you.  

What do you think?

steve

Preventative care.  That’s what my dentist calls these every six month visits.  They clean my teeth.  Sometimes they take x-rays to look for problems.  They remind me to floss.  Then I write a check.  I am always tempted to skip these visits.  It is not like I refuse to go to the dentist.  If I get a toothache, or have a problem, I would be there as soon as I could.  He reminds me that if I keep doing preventative care, I won’t have to come see him because something is wrong.  Take care of things now and avoid the major work later.

It makes sense and the smart thing to do is to follow his advice.  In fact, you would think I don’t value my teeth if I neglected them until I had a problem.  So why not apply that same principle to our relationship with God?  Why neglect the everyday care of that relationship, but quickly ask God for help when life gets difficult.  Maybe regular attention to what God says would prevent major problems in my life.   And if I talked to God on a daily basis I would be more equipped to face life’s problems. 

I wonder how God feels when I neglect to regularly put attention on my relationship with Him.  God does not desire our relationship with Him to only be about crisis management.  He wants us in a relationship that includes regular care and maintenance.  He is certainly capable of handling the crisis in my life.  He has proved that.  But that is not the extent of our connection. 

I like my teeth so I will keep up my daily brushing and flossing.   I will continue my regular dental check-ups.  I’ll be healthier and happier for it.  And I am going to give daily attention to my relationship with God.  I’ll be healthier and happier for it … both now and forever.

Blessings,

steve

One of the ladies in my office washed my coffee cup this morning.  And no, I didn’t ask her to do it.  Evidently she was appalled by the fact that sometimes I drink coffee out it, and other times hot chocolate.  I use it to drink diet coke, and for my hot tea.  She was disturbed that I do not wash it each time.  She reminded me that rinsing out a cup is not the same as washing it either.  The condition of my cup never really bothered me before.  I figured I drank enough hot beverages to kill any lingering germs.  Until I saw how clean it was.  I was amazed, happy, and grateful.

For many of us, our life can resemble my cup.  I have stains from things I have done that I should not have.  Then there are those things I should have done but didn’t.  Mix in the poor choices, the bad thoughts, and the judgmental feelings.  Pour in the stress of jobs, the pressure of relationships, and the uncertainty of our world.  And sometimes we try to rinse out the mess of our lives, but we know something is still missing.  We are still not right.

Jesus came to this earth to clean up the mess of our lives.  To forgive the wrongs, to pay the price for our bad choices, and to free us from the addictions and expectations of a culture that just doesn’t really work for our lives.  He offers a clean life of purpose, hope, joy, and peace.  He changes lives – not just a little rinse job so the outside looks better – but real, genuine new life. 

Maybe you have never realized life doesn’t have to continue the way it is now.  You know deep down inside that it has to be better… different somehow.  Jesus can do that for you.  And, if you let him cleanse you, you will be amazed, happy, and grateful.

I know this because he did it for me.  Just like he can do it for you.

Blessings,

steve

Buicks, Cadillacs, Chevys, Fords, Studebakers, and other classic cars from the 50’s were everywhere I looked.   These vehicles were not sitting at a car show, but they were part of the everyday traffic in Havana, Cuba.  I have made several trips there with Herald of Truth Ministries to work with local preachers and churches.  Every time I visit I am astounded at these cars, many of them over fifty years old.  Many of them have been worked over, repaired, and restored.  I saw restored busses that had been cobbled together from four or five different “junked” vehicles. 

The Cubans have a saying for this type of ingenuity:  “old things made new.”  They take old, discarded, seemingly useless vehicles and use them to create new, functional vehicles.  It works.  They make “new” vehicles out of old junk.  Seemly dead cars are reborn to usefulness.  It gave me a new appreciation for the effort and care it takes to restore them.  And they are restored for a purpose.  They are needed, they are useful, and they accomplish their purpose.

That is exactly what God does with people in this world.  People that society might deem worthless are given value in Jesus.  The poor in this world are made rich in Christ.  In Jesus, the blind see, the lame walk, and the dead are given new life.  Hurting people are healed to help others.  In Jesus you are made new.  New because the bad things you have done are dead and buried.  New because you have surrendered to the call of Jesus in your life.  New because you have been crucified with Christ and raised to a new life.  New because you now have purpose in your life – a reason you are in this world.  New because you are now going to live forever.

Repaired restored, made new.  Old things made new.  If you want to know more about this new life, then look around this site… or leave a comment.

Blessings,

steve

Well, it’s actually May 19, but we will have been married thirty seven (37!) years.  We have two grown children who are married and we love being together with them and our grandchildren.  Evidently this is an amazing accomplishment in our society.   I hear neighbors, friends, and people we work with express their congratulations at what to most of them is a rare feat.  Many of them have never known anyone who has been married that long.  Some wonder what the secret is to a long marriage – especially one that is still full of love and joy.  So I am going to share the secret of a long and happy marriage.

It is not what you think.  This is the point where you expect me to give a glowing tribute to my wife Marsha.  I am blessed by her and I did choose well when I asked her to marry me.  But she is not the reason why our marriage is so good.  And I know that I am not the reason.  It is not because we have not had struggles, disappointments, crisis, and trouble.  In fact, there have been many times where we could have given up and quit on our marriage.  In our society, we would have been just like so many other marriages that did not make it.

Jesus.  He is the secret.  He is how we survived tough times.  He is why we have extended forgiveness to each other when one of us said or did hurtful things.  He is why quitting was never an option.  He is why our life together is full of joy, peace, hope, and purpose.  I am not the most important person in my wife’s life.  Jesus is.  And she holds second place in my heart.  We both chose Jesus long before we chose each other.

He is why we are so happy together and with our kids and grandkids. He is the reason both sets of our parents have been married for over sixty years each.  He makes the difference in life, in marriage, in parenting, in work, and in every part of our lives.

He can make the difference for you too.  He can give you joy, peace, hope, and purpose in your marriage, with your children, and in every aspect of your life.  So if you do not know how to let Jesus into your marriage, and into your life, then leave a comment.  Or look around the site. 

Steve

We have a great coffee maker at work.  You make one cup of your personal favorite drink at a time.  You can have any number of different kinds of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.  Even better, you can brew your cup at whatever strength you desire:  weak, medium, or strong.  You can make it caffeinated, or decaf.  And it only takes about one minute to make. 

 If Christians could ever present Christianity like that, we could interest a lot more people.  Christianity in small doses… however you want it at any particular time.  If you are feeling particularly religious, you can get a strong dose of Jesus one day.  If not, go a little weaker.  Jesus to suit your taste – just like you want him to be. 

 Some churches probably do present a “consumer” Jesus.  There seems to be a great deal of emphasis on not offending anyone, on meeting everyone’s perceived or expressed needs.  Messages are tailored to present a Jesus that is not too demanding, comes in small doses, and can fit all your perceptions. 

 Except that is not how Jesus presented himself.  He is offended by religion that had forgotten God.  He calls sinners to repentance.  He calls followers to die with him.  He promises persecution and suffering in this life.  He asks you for a total commitment.  He demands complete obedience. 

 He does this because he has earned that right.  He came to this earth to find you because His Father wants you to live forever in heaven.  He died so unholy people could live forever with a holy God.  He did it because He loves us more than anyone has ever loved us.  He did it so we can live forever.

 I can’t help you find a “coffee maker” Jesus.  But if you want to know more about the real Savior who asks you to die so you can live forever… then write me at steve@hopeforlife.org.  Or join our blog discussion.

steve

I enjoy visiting museums and I like church buildings.  I never realized I could get them confused until a visit to Spain.  I saw amazing church buildings with incredible architecture.  They were old, and their history was incredible.  There were monuments and artifacts from centuries past.  It was overwhelming.  They were featured stops on the city tours.  So I begin asking the guides about attendance today.  Some of them no longer had worship services.  Some of them had small rooms partitioned off for current members.  In most of them, there were more tourists during an average day than worshipers on a given Sunday.

There are a number of lessons to learn about why churches become museums.  Who was it that forgot their purpose?  Who lost sight of the mission?  Who lost sight of Jesus?  Did each new generation fail to make their faith genuine and personal?  Were they more concerned with church buildings than building a church?  Did they church building become the church?  These are valuable questions and worth asking.

But I want to say a word to any of you who may be thinking about Jesus and church.  Do not confuse the building with the church.  Church is people.  It is community.  It is family.  A church may meet in a building large or small.  It may meet in homes.  Or in a coffee shop.  Or a school.  You may visit a church building… but you are invited to become part of a church.

So if you want to visit a church building, I can tell where there are amazing museums.  But if you are interested in being part of a living community as the family of God, then I can help you find that also.  Write me at steve@hopeforlife.org.  Or leave a comment.

Blessings,

Steve

“Don’t come to church!”  That is not something you will usually hear a minister say, but sometimes it is true.  I recently heard someone talking about the troubles currently in their life and they mentioned that maybe going to church would help.  I am not sure it would.  They are looking for a “magic bullet” to make life better.  That is not the purpose of church.  Attending worship services and being involved in a church are outcomes of a decision to follow Jesus.    

Jesus is the answer to the struggles of life.  He is the one that heals, restores, forgives, and gives meaning to life.  He is where hope is found.  He is the way to God.  He is the truth.  He is life.  When you turn your life and heart to Jesus, then church makes sense.  Church is one of the outcomes of following Jesus.  It is a gathering of family members united by faith in the Son of God.  It is where the community of believers gathers to praise the God who loves them.

To hope going to church will help you is getting the cart before the horse.  Jesus is the first decision you must make.  Maybe that is why so many people misunderstand church.  Church is not the answer.  It cannot save you.  It is a fellowship, a community, a gathering, a family… of those who have been saved by Jesus.

So if you are expecting church to be the answer to your problems, don’t come.  You will be disappointed.  But if you are looking for some good news in your life… let me tell you about Jesus.  He is the answer.  Then, and only then, will church make sense.  So write me at steve@hopeforlife.org.  Or look around our website, www.hopeforlife.org.

There have been a number of For Sale signs in my neighborhood over the past year and I have watched them being put up, seen “sold” or “reduced” additions attached, and watched them taken down when off the market.  In talking to people who have recently sold a house, I was struck by the advice given concerning how to do this effectively.  The first thing is to spruce up the outside.  You know – fresh paint, flowers, and a throw rug or two.  This makes an attractive look for a buyer, even though it may not really reflect the condition of the house.  When you show a house, sweep up the trash and hide the dirty clothes.  Answer direct questions, but do not volunteer any information that may detract from the asking price.

Some people might think that is what you need to do in order to become a Christian.  Fix up the outside so it looks nice, even if the rest of you is a mess.  Hide all the trash and dirty laundry.  After all, you don’t want anyone to know the real you.  And do not volunteer any information about yourself that might detract from your image.

Why do people think this way?  Jesus didn’t.  He reached out to the socially disenfranchised, the addicted, the unpopular, and those whose lives where a mess.  He still reaches out for those who don’t have it all together.  He wants us just as we are.  He came for sinners.  He came to find the lost, give life to the dead, and heal the broken.  So maybe the real estate signs of our life should be more like these.

For Sale by Owner:  Jesus calls us to let go of ourselves, our ego, and our lives so that he might own us.  Completely.

Fixer-upper:  We all need Jesus to make right the things that we cannot.  He is the one who can restore the brokenness of our lives.

As Is:  You do not have to have it all together to come to Jesus.  In fact, you only have to know that you do not have it together.

Hidden Value:  God made you, knows you, and has great plans for you.  He values you enough that He sent His only Son to this earth to bring you back to Him.

If you are ready to know the Jesus who loves you just as you are, I can introduce you to him.  Look around this site, www.hopeforlife.org or drop me a note at steve@hopeforlife.org.

Blessings,

Steve

We walked out of a meeting to find one of our vehicles had a flat tire.  All three of us knew how to change a tire.  We were good with our hands.  This would be done in no time.  The only problem was… we could not get the spare tire off.  At different times, all three of us tried and failed.  A fourth friend walked out and offered to help.  You could tell he was amused that we were stymied by a spare tire.  You could tell he had no doubt whatsoever that he would do what we could not.  Until he couldn’t.

It was then that another friend joined us.  “Did you check the owner’s manual?”  Three of us ignored him and continued our futile efforts, but one did get out the instruction manual.  Problem solved.  Ten minutes later the tire was changed.  Why did we not look at the manual sooner?  It was because we did not realize we needed it.  We had all changed many tires in the past.  We were confident we were doing the right thing.  It took someone else to point out what we needed.

This is the same thing that happens to followers of Jesus.  We believe we know exactly how to handle every situation in life.  Because we think things are going well, we may not even realize when we are in trouble.  We need someone to remind us to check out the owner’s manual,  the Bible.  God created us and He gave us a blueprint for life.  It helps when we are in trouble, and it helps prevent trouble and it helps us live the life God desires for us.

So I have now read my vehicle’s owner manual.  I have learned things I did not know about how to maintain my vehicle.  And, more importantly, I will read the owner’s manual written for my life.  After all, my vehicle will not last forever no matter what I do.  But I will.