Hope for Life Blog

Money cannot buy peace and joy.  Rich people are often unhappy and stressed.  But life with God always brings joy and peace.  And that is true whether you have a little money, or  a lot.

Being a Christian changes how we treat others.  We treat others as Jesus treats us.  Jesus makes a difference in this world thru us.  The world will notice the difference.

What is the message your feet carry?  What do the people you interact with hear and see by knowing you?  Is is good news?  Is it peace?  Is it good tidings of salvation?  I pray that God gives each of us beautiful feet today.

As believers in Jesus, we are called to live our lives with purpose.  We are living witnesses to the goodness of God.  We are examples of lives called from darkness to light, from death to life.  Our lives reflect the reality of what God has done for us.

What an amazing description of how much God loves you.  Enough to save you, delight in you , and rejoice over you.  God is with you.  Live in that love today.

The Bible is a real book for real people living real life.  Here is insight into the relationship between a man and a woman.  What a great compliment.  And a reminder of how to view our mates.

You find what you look for.  Seek good and God will be with you.  Seek evil and no matter what you claim, he will not be.  It is a choice.

In a hard world of sickness, evil, disaster, and pain… two things I know.  My Redeemer lives.  And when all is said and done, he will stand on the earth.  I want to live with him, and stand with him.

The kingdoms of this world rise and fall. The day is coming when they will be no more. But the kingdom of God — our kingdom — will last for ever and ever. So glad my citizenship is in the kingdom that will never end.

2012 is Leap Year so we have an extra day this year.  My calendar has February 29 on it and that is a day that was not on my last three calendars.  Nor will it be on my next three.  I have read that we really do not have any extra time during the year, since every year has one-fourth of a day that does not show up on paper until Leap Year.  So I guess I do not actually have an extra day this year.  In some ways that is very disappointing.  I was looking forward to the fun things I could do with an extra day off.  Surely no one would have to work, not even on chores at home.  Maybe it would be a designated party day, or national goof-off day.

Or maybe I should do something productive.  How about a day to help the poor and needy in my community?  Maybe it should be a world Armistice Day with no fighting allowed.  But evidently there really is not any extra time.  Of course, some people are saying it does not matter anyway since the world is apparently going to end this year.  The Mayans made a calendar a long time ago that runs out of days this year.  I need to know if that is right.  After all, if this world is about to end there may be some things I would do differently.  Be nicer.  Or maybe be meaner.

It is very confusing.  What do I do with my time?  And how much time exactly do I have?  What would you do if you knew exactly how much time you had left?

The truth is that I do not worry about how much time I have, or what to do with it.  Those questions were answered for me when I became a Christian.  My purpose in life is to use my time to glorify God by doing the good works God has planned for me.  My life matters.  I have a reason to get up and a reason for my life.  I will spend whatever time I have in this life doing that.

So how long will I have to do it?  I don’t know and I really don’t care.  Either Jesus will come back to this world and take me to live with God forever, or I will die and go live with God forever.  So how much time do I have?  Forever.  Some of it here, and the rest of it with God in heaven.  And that is very liberating in terms of how I live my life.

I believe God has planned work for you to do also.  He has a purpose for you time and for your life.

Blessings,

steve