Poem by Chloe Boulier Shaw
Although my heart is broken
In Christ I will abide
For He alone sustains me
As grief and faith collide
Category: Faith
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It Will be Worth it All
Harland David Sanders enjoyed frying chicken. In fact, he loved it so much he wanted to share his creation with the world.
However … he was rejected while attempting to sell his fried chicken recipe … ONE THOUSAND and nine times. But … Colonel Sanders persevered … and today, because he didn’t quit, there are over 24,000 Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets in the world.
Hello friend and welcome to “5 Minutes of Hope”
Today’s topic is: It Will be Worth it All
You may find yourself in the most difficult time of your life and EVERYTHING within you is SCREAMING “quit,” “give up,” “throw in the towel!” “God has abandoned you!” “GIVE … IT … UP!”
The Apostle Paul declared:
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18
♫ It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus. Life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Christ.
♫ One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase. So bravely run the race, till we see Christ.
Andrew Brunson and his sister had hands laid upon them at the age of three and were dedicated to the service of God. In 1993, he and his wife moved to Turkey to serve as missionaries. They faced plenty of challenges and endured many threats, but they also succeeded in starting new churches, training believers, aiding refugees, and ran a house of prayer in Turkey for 23 years.
In 2016, they were arrested, falsely accused, and he was imprisoned for just over two years.
Andrew suffered greatly for his faith.
A portion of his story reads like this:
“I had arrived at Buca (his third prison) a broken man. But now I did something that changed my trajectory.
I realized I could not do much to fight for my freedom, but I could fight for my faith. If I did not survive spiritually, I knew I would lose everything. I had spent so many hours pacing the courtyard or lying on my bunk, accusing God, confused, and often angry and offended at him. But now I made a solemn decision, and announced it to God, almost in defiance: Whatever you do or do not do, I will follow you.
This became the basis of my declaration, and I added to it.
If you do not speak to me, I will follow you.
If you do not let me sense your presence, I will follow you.
If you do not show your gentleness or kindness, I will follow you.
If you allow me to be deceived, I will follow you.
If you leave me in prison, I will follow you!
I had no illusion that I could make it without God’s help. But insofar as it was up to me, I determined to persevere.
I made a decision: I will not give up!
I may be terrified, I may be weak, I may be broken, but I am going to hold on.
I will look to Jesus, not away from him. I will run to Jesus or, if necessary, crawl to Jesus.”
Dear one, hang on! Fight! Your faith will be rewarded!
Mighty God, help us trust you no matter what. In the matchless name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we pray. Amen
Friend, may you be filled with hope today and share it with others.
Anxiety, Calm, Faith, Fear, Heaven, Hope, Keep On, Letting go, Peace, Perseverance, Persistence, Press On, Stress
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Jesus Paid it All
Hey, Doug Dial here with 1 minute of hope.
When he saw the text from his boss … he froze.
Isn’t it amazing how these four words, “We need to talk”, can strike fear in many of us?
“What did I do wrong now?” is often our first response.
Dear one, if we are born again and have an up-to-date experience with Christ, we should fear NO Text!
One of Christ’s cries (or texts, if He had an iPhone) from the cross was, “It … is … finished”!
♫ Jesus paid it ALL
♫ ALL to Him I owe
♫ Sin had left a crimson stain
♫ He washed it white as snow. – Elvina M. Hall
Friend … let’s continually walk away FROM sin and walk WITH our Savior!
We need not fear for Jesus paid it ALL!
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The Many and the One
There is a good-sized diner located in central New Jersey which shall remain nameless … until … I name it. Their menu, about the size AND THICKNESS of a Hagstrom roadmap, boasts of hundreds of choices. Yeah, but do they make Omelettes? Did you say omelettes? Let me tell ya, if there is a food that can be cooked and consumed, they will gladly place it in an omelette for you. Oh yes, my friend, Amy’s Omelette House in Long Branch, New Jersey, has an overabundance and a superfluity of choices on its menu.
Hello friend and welcome to 5 Minutes of Hope.
Today’s topic is: The Many and the One.
SO many concerns for the Christian.
SO many worries for the warrior.
SO many distractions for the disciple.
Things to do.
Things to list.
Things to place on the “to do” list.
Things to “check off” the to do list once they are done.
We are about to investigate a most TELLING story that depicts the:
dilemma of a distracted disciple and the:
delectation of a devoted disciple.
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord‘s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me! “
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed — or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.“
Luke 10:38-42
The poet penned these words:
A quiet Mary sat on the very floor
that a worried Martha was pacing.
A listening Mary chose Christ’s word
while Martha’s troubled heart was racing.
Martha was stressing over many things
while Mary chose but one. Let’s live for what can’t be taken away
the peace of the Word of the Son.
It wasn’t Martha’s DOING that Jesus was pointing out but her spirit and attitude WHILE she was doing WHAT she was doing. We can’t physically sit at Jesus’ feet all day long but … when we rise from our quiet time of devotions, prayer, and worship … let’s maintain that close fellowship with the King throughout our day.
♫ Take time to be holy, the world rushes on; Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be; Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
– William D. Longstaff
Friend, from the time we rise until the time we lay ourselves down … there’s MUCH to DO! It is to the delight of the dedicated disciple to choose what will NEVER be taken away: precious moments in the presence of Jesus.
Mighty God, thank you for the Scriptures that teach us. May we choose, this day, and throughout the day, to lay distractions and worries aside and fellowship with our gracious and loving Master. In the matchless Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we pray. Amen.
Friend, may you be FILLED with hope today and share it with others.
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The Trajectory in the Tragedy
When that dreaded phone call comes in the middle of the night, it can cause your blood to run cold.
When your doctor sits you down with your test results in his hands and tears in his eyes … and tells you it doesn’t look good.
When your unmarried, teenage daughter says to you, “Mom, dad, I’m pregnant”.
These things can knock you off your horse.
SHAKE your faith.
TEST you to the very core.
When one you have known and loved and cherished for years is suddenly SNATCHED from you without warning. You didn’t even have time to say goodbye.
Hello friend and welcome to 5 Minutes of Hope.
Today’s topic is: The Trajectory in the Tragedy
I wish I could tell you that when I received tragic news, I stood tall, firm and … reacted with poise and dignity. Ha!
Faith shaking news is just that. When calamity and misfortune strike, we can easily be caught off guard and momentarily forget … God IS good … ALL the time.
We receive the news and although we can respond in a variety of ways … generally speaking … the trajectory of our faith will fly in one direction or the other: ALWAYS remember: your immediate response may or may not be something you’re proud of … BUT … you don’t have to LIVE there. Let faith arise! Look at Job. He started off with a “woe is me” but ended up with a “God, you are sovereign”. But it DIDN’T happen overnight.
It’s the time in between receiving the news and settling the matter in our minds where the trajectory of our faith in the tragedy can go either way.
♫ Though Satan should buffet, tho’ trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul.
– Horatio G. Spafford
Paul and Silas traveled from city to city … confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Acts 14:22
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
I Peter 1:6,7
Our FAITH, dear one, is the CRUX of the matter! Can He be trusted not only on the mountain tops … but down in the valley? YES!
May the trajectory of our faith in the tragedy look up to Him, our ever present, ever faithful God.
♫ My faith looks up to Thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine! – Ray Palmer
Mighty God, we thank you for your unfailing love. Help us trust you today no matter what the day may bring. In the matchless Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we pray. Amen
May you be filled with hope today and share it with others.
Anxiety, Calm, Faith, Fear, Heaven, Hope, It is well, Lamb of Calvary, Letting go, Peace, Respond, Stress, Tragedy, Trajectory, Tribulation
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But If Not
I CHOOSE to be a ‘but if not’ believer.
My choice is to BELIEVE.
No matter what God DOES or DOESN’T do;
TODAY, my praise, He WILL receive!
“… the God we serve is able to save us … But even if he does not … we will not serve your gods …” Daniel 3:17&18
Anxiety, Bible, Book of Daniel, Calm, Choice, Choose, Faith, God’s Word, Heaven, Hope, Letting go, Life, Peace, Praise, Precious Life, Serve, Stress
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God is Still God
by Pastor Al Robbins
Over forty-two years of preaching this precious Gospel and I’m still learning that He is still sovereign but is also completely loving and knows what’s best. His ways are indeed “higher than ours”!
Sometimes this preacher cries while full of questions but I still can say “He doeth all things well”. I still trust Him and I rest in His love! He is still “good, all the time”!
I am still learning to praise Him through the pain of life situations and to look beyond the tears. My precious friend, can you stay in love with our Father when the outcome isn’t as anticipated?
It’s a precious SACRIFICE OF PRAISE … to say the very least.
*** To learn more about Pastor Al and his ministry visit http://www.christchapelme.org
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Faith & Forgiveness
Faith and forgiveness:
maligned and misunderstood.
Created not from an earthly being;
although, we might think we could.
No friend, faith and forgiveness
did not originate from within.
Sadly, one thing mankind instigated
is the curse of original sin.
So, enter faith and forgiveness,
the conception of a loving Creator.
Never needed in eternity past;
and there will be no need of it in heaven.
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The Faith Life
Faith can see what the eye cannot.
Faith believes what the Master taught.
Faith alone makes the believer stand.
Faith will bring us to the Promised Land.
“By faith we understand …” Hebrews 11:3
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Faith vs Religion
It is IMPOSSIBLE for Biblical faith to harm one single, solitary soul.
It won’t. It don’t. It can’t.
Man-made religion? Religion will deal a death blow to the heart every time. Woe to the poor soul who confuses the two! They are diverse in every conceivable way except for this: They both will come to an end:
Faith will be TRANSFORMED and religion will be DESTROYED.
The believer will behold the One in whom their soul delights. They will gaze upon the splendor and glory of God’s magnificent paradise.
Religion will be exposed for the vain, empty and lifeless system that it is.
The outcomes of these two entities are the precise consequences they bring to every individual who is affected by them.
Kindly allow me to break it down into a simple, straightforward and uncomplicated formula:
Faith — good.
Religion — bad.
Faith — transforms.
Religion — destroys.
5 Minutes of Hope 