Philippians 3: ¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, ¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

So, again I must ask you, “Wherein lies Your Passion? Is He, Jesus Christ the most important goal in your life? Are you willing to lose every other dream in order to follow Him? Will you diligently study and train so as to move ever closer to His magnificent Glory? I only hope and pray that you realize that to move ever forward in this Christian walk you need to become passionate about this one thing, as Paul the Apostle was,

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“Hope is the thing with feathers 
That perches in the soul 
And sings the tune without the words 
And never stops at all.” 
― Emily Dickinson

On what can we anchor our hope?  Hope is that sensation and desire to keep believing that tomorrow is better no matter what the circumstances are today.  We surge ahead through whatever trials face us, knowing without a doubt that joy resides in us and before us.  It is the force which allows us to endure many hardships because we know that what lies before us is God’s best.  Without hope we would wither and die in despair at the trials that surround us.  Hope gives us the strength to always get up and face each new dawn with a song of praise in our hearts. 

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Have you ever been suddenly gripped with fear? Consider the lilies and the orchids.

You proclaimed to every one that you trusted God even though by worldly standards your world had taken a sudden change.  You had figuratively dove off the bridge, resigning your old position at God’s command before the new one was secured, and with a great leap of faith you stood upon God’s promises and declared it loudly that you are standing on hope, faith, and love (God’s love for you and yours for Him.)  The new job came just as promised, details miraculously began to fall into place, all is well–then suddenly out of nowhere fear grips your heart. All of the what ifs begin to fill your mind.  Now what?

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On what have you rooted your faith?  Is it the sifting sand which changes with every new fad? Or is it rooted and grounded in a faith built upon Jesus Christ, the rock and foundation?

There are many voices that attempt to persuade you that you are wrong to proclaim Christ as your only means of salvation; after all, that is politically incorrect and you mustn’t offend anyone.  Some of those voices come from within our churches.  There are others who proclaim to be Christians; yet, their lives are full of murmuring and complaining with no resemblance of faith or trust in God.  Others make a mockery of grace by living out lives filled with lust, lies and bitterness; proclaiming that grace has covered it all, so what.  We must always remember that as great as is God’s Mercy; also, is His Wrath against unrighteousness and He comes to execute judgment upon all.  Ah, yes; dear tender saint, the thought of His Wrath and anger against our sin and murmuring would cause you and I to tremble.  We who are sensitive to our own ineptness and failures would feel the weight of guilt upon us were it not for the mercy and grace which holds us firm and blameless.  So what is the key to our being rooted securely by faith in salvation?

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I TURNED AND SAW THE FACE OF GOD

I turned and saw the Face of God

His Glory did surround me

He smiled and gave a wink, a nod

No chaos could confound me

His Grace and Mercy were now mine

His Joy was Mine Abounding

That I might then His Glory shine

To shout His praise resounding

Turmoil, strife, stress, criticism, hopelessness, and poverty encircle our lives every day.  You only have to turn on the TV and watch the news for a little while.  Look through the houses on the market and see how many foreclosures there are with a bleeding heart for this had not been the owners desire.   Unemployment numbers remain high and yet those numbers don’t even include all the people who have fallen off the grid for lack of work for so long that no longer can they be counted.  Employers demand more and pay less while the costs of living continue to rise.  Fear could become a way of life for many.  It would appear to all that uncertainty is the only certainty of life. Yet,

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