Tag: Hope

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. ~ Proverbs 13:12

In 1873, German zoologist Karl Möbius placed a Pike (a voracious ambush predator found across the Northern Hemisphere) in a glass tank with a group of schooling fish. Karl Möbius separated the Pike from the group of schooling fish with a transparent glass barrier. The Pike continuously attempted to get to the other fish but kept hitting the glass barrier. After failing over and over again, the predator gave up and retreated to the back corner of the tank. Karl Möbius then removed the glass barrier, but the Pike didn’t attack when the other fish entered his side of the tank. They swam all around him, yet he didn’t move. He didn’t attempt to catch them once. Not long after, the Pike Fish died of starvation in a tank full of food. This experiment later became known as the Pike Effect.

Some of us are like this Pike. We’ve tried so many times, but failure has beaten us down. It puts us in a place of hopelessness. A learned helplessness that keeps us from trying even when the obstacle has been removed. Even when there’s nothing more stopping us, we still refuse to try because our brain has been conditioned to believe that it’s pointless. That family member that we’ve been praying for for so many years has only gotten worse. That cancer diagnosis that we’ve been praying against hasn’t changed. That relationship we’ve set before God seems to have worsened. That sin we’ve been struggling with feels like its grip has only gotten tighter. We feel helpless and broken. But we can’t give in.

We can’t give up. There is a time and season for everything. Sometimes, the enemy puts a barrier between us and what God has for us. We hit that glass so many times that we just feel like there’s no getting through. Like there’s no way around it. But we aren’t that Pike. We are children of God Most High. Sons and daughters of God the Almighty. We are not without hope. Some of us are in a time of testing that feels like it will never end. Some of us are in a Job season, and the whole world is just weighing on our shoulders. But here’s the thing: we aren’t in the tank alone. We aren’t fighting the enemy on our own or in our own power. We fight in the Name and power of our LORD Jesus Christ. And because of Him, we are never without hope. Yes, the fulfillment may be delayed for a time, but not forever. For when we call on Him, He answers. And when we cry out to Him, He runs to our rescue. You are not alone. Never let the enemy convince you otherwise.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Be The Pike.

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. ~ Proverbs 13:12

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ⁸ We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So death is at work in us, but life in you. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

One of the greatest painters of all time is Vincent Van Gogh, yet while he was alive, he sold only a single painting. One single painting. He was depressed. Down on himself. He lost hope. One day, he had a manic episode of sorts that caused him to cut off part of his ear. It was so bad that he had no memory of doing it. He died less than two years later at the age of 37. He struggled with the fact that he had sold only one painting in his 37 years, and he couldn’t find the light at the end of the dark tunnel.

Van Gogh, however, wasn’t alone in this. His brother, Theo, supported him and encouraged him. He believed in him, but it just wasn’t enough for him. Theo died just six months after Vincent Van Gogh. Many believe it was from the heartbreak of losing his brother, who died from a gunshot wound. Theo’s last words were, supposedly, “the sadness will last forever.” Two brothers who died way too young, I believe, suffered from the same pain: hopelessness.

See, without hope, we are consumed by pain. We are consumed by the darkness that surrounds us. Theo believed in his brother. He was his biggest supporter. His biggest cheerleader, but it wasn’t enough for Vincent Van Gogh. This kind of pain is one of the most dangerous holes to fall into because this kind of pain, specifically, feeds off of hopelessness, so it fills you with hopelessness. The immense danger? The only way to overcome it is hope.

If it can remove hope from you, there’s no way out. It’s won. It’s completely consumed you. They did a study on rats on this very thing. They put each rat into a body of water without a way out. They all drowned very quickly. They then did the same study with another group of rats, but this time they saved them before they drowned and put them back in the bucket. This time, they had hope of being saved. So, what happened? They swam. They kept swimming in circles for hours. They refused to give up because they had hope that they would be rescued.

Our lives are filled with moments that feel helpless. That feel like there is no way out. But we have to keep swimming, even if we don’t see a safe haven. Even if all we see is open water surrounding us, we have to keep swimming. We can’t give in to despair.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Keep Swimming In Circles.

¹⁹ If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:19

Paul explicitly says that we have hope not only in this life, with our needs being met, or maybe every now and then God will throw in a little bonus, and we will receive something that we strongly desire, but we also have the Great Hope of living in eternity with Him. For all though we die, we will live again. Although we, or one of our loved ones, may close our eyes to what seems like eternal sleep, it is not forever, because we have hope not only in Jesus for this life alone but also for the life to come. The early believers referred to it as the Blessed Hope.

That is what Paul was endeavoring to get the Corinthian believers to understand. If we hope only in this life, that is futile; it’s pointless. For what will it profit us to work and labor at something that is perishing? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then everything that we’ve slaved for will also perish the moment we die. Or at best, our heirs will inherit. But Paul is saying, “No, we have a greater hope than that. Our hope is in Christ, the giver of life. Therefore, death will not break the bond, nor will it cancel our hope in Him. He will resurrect the dead. In other words, He will raise to life all those who have died knowing Him as LORD and Savior, and they will receive the crown of life that gives them the privilege of living forever with Jesus.

Therefore, know that your labors are not in vain in the LORD. He is coming back for the living and the dead who have accepted His free gift of salvation. So, rest in the assurance that we have more than a mere hope in this life alone, but also in the life to come. Otherwise, we would be people most to be pitied.

Heavenly Father, please increase our faith. Be our stronghold, and our mighty tower. Create in us a heart to worship and a mind to seek first the kingdom of heaven. Be our strength and our shield now, LORD. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen.

¹ The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the people of Simeon, according to their clans, and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the people of Judah. ² And they had for their inheritance Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, ³ Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, ⁴ Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, ⁵ Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, ⁶ Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen—thirteen cities with their villages; ⁷ Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—four cities with their villages, ⁸ together with all the villages around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the Negeb. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Simeon according to their clans. ⁹ The inheritance of the people of Simeon formed part of the territory of the people of Judah. Because the portion of the people of Judah was too large for them, the people of Simeon obtained an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance. ~ Joshua 19:1-9

Psalms 23, written by David, is one of the most recognized verses in the entire Bible. It’s verses that we teach to our children from a young age. One of the greatest examples of this in the Bible is the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon. See, Simeon, because of his fierce anger, deceit, and vengeful behavior, he lost out on his inheritance. The Messiah didn’t come through him. In fact, Jacob prophesies that they would be scattered throughout Israel (Genesis 49:5-7).

Do you know where a good amount of Simeon’s land came from? From the land of Judah. In fact, it says that the portion for Judah was too large for them, so the people of Simeon obtained an inheritance in the midst of the people of Judah’s inheritance. See, Simeon’s heart was unrepentive. His descendants did nothing to repent for his actions. Nothing to make up for the past mistakes and break the generational curse, as the Levites did. Judah, however, repented for his sin (selling his brother into slavery) and did his best to make up for it. Because of this, Judah received a great inheritance, both spiritual and physical. The Messiah came through his bloodline, and his physical inheritance of the land was so large that his brother was allotted some of it.

This is a great example of Psalms 23. See, David said, “My cup runneth over.” His cup ran over, not out of waste. Not for no reason, but so that he might bless others. So that others’ cups might be filled through his overflowing. Through his abundance.

The LORD will always bless His people when His people are faithful to Him. But He will also punish those who are disobedient. The saving grace, however, is that He doesn’t forget them. His anger is just for a moment, but He always makes a way for us to be restored. His love is everlasting, and His mercies are renewed each morning.

You might have a child who has rebelled. You might have a friend or loved one living in sin, but I want you have hope because the LORD hasn’t forgotten them. If you remain faithful in praying for them, placing their name before the Throne of Grace daily, you will see the LORD change them. You’ll see the LORD begin to move their heart and make a way for them. He is a faithful God. We just need to make sure we are faithful to Him. Therefore, make sure your cup is overflowing so that you might be able to bless those people around you, and they might see the goodness of God and His great faithfulness.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Believe In Who He Is.

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. ~ John 10:10

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us, His sheep. Pause and consider this truth: if Jesus willingly sacrificed everything so that we might have eternal life, will He not also provide for our needs? Will He not respond to the desperate cries of our hearts when we cry out in faith? Of course, He will. His sacrifice on the cross wasn’t just to secure our eternal salvation—it was to ensure we could experience life in its fullness, a life marked by His provision, care, and abundance right here and right now in this life. He promises an abundant life.

Let me share a story about a young woman from Iran whose story proves this truth. Her mother was a moderate Christian, and her father was a non-practicing Muslim. After her mother’s death, she veered off course—spiraling out of control, she began drinking and sleeping around. By her early adulthood, she was an unmarried mother of two, burdened by the consequences of her choices. Her reckless lifestyle strained her relationship with her family. Her stepmother eventually gave her father an ultimatum: “It’s her or me.” Her father told her she had to leave. With nowhere to go, she and her children ended up homeless, hungry, and sleeping in a park.

At her lowest point, she felt utterly defeated. She went to her daughter’s grandparents and told them she was considering placing her daughter in an orphanage in hopes that it might give her child a better chance. The girl’s grandparents stepped in and told her she could stay there with them instead.

Eventually, the young woman found a job and rented a small apartment, scraping by to rebuild her life. But food remained scarce, and desperation crept back in. One day, she remembered a Bible she’d been given years earlier—a rare treasure in her country, valuable enough to sell for a decent sum, perhaps enough to buy groceries. Yet she hesitated. The man who had given her the Bible had said, “If you don’t need it, give it away for free, just as you received it for free.” Convicted by those words, she decided to keep it.

Hungry and hopeless, she opened the Bible and read the story about Jesus and His disciples in John 21. The disciples had fished all night but had caught nothing, and now they were returning exhausted. Jesus called out from the shore, “Do you have any fish?” They replied, “No.” Yet when they reached the shore, He had breakfast waiting—broiled fish and bread, a meal prepared by His own hands. A surge of anger and despair welled up in her. “You had Jesus,” she accused the disciples silently, “but who do I have? Who cares for me?”

That same morning, still hungry, she arrived at work. Near her desk sat two potatoes and some food—no one was around. When her coworker arrived, she asked, “Where did this come from?” Her coworker smiled and said, “I put it there. We don’t have much ourselves, but we wanted to share with you.” In that moment, she saw it: Jesus was with her, just as He was with His disciples, providing through unexpected hands.

Jesus came that we might have life—abundant life. He’s our Good Shepherd, our Provider, our unfailing resource. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus offers hope, a future, and provision beyond our imagination. Hebrews 13:5 echoes His promise: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” That woman’s potatoes weren’t just food—they were a sign of His care, a whisper of the abundant life He died to give us. When we’re at our lowest, He’s still near, meeting needs in ways we might miss if we don’t look for Him. So, trust Him today. Ask boldly. The Good Shepherd who gave His life for you won’t hold back what you need to thrive.

Father, thank You that no matter how desperate my life might become, no matter how hopeless my circumstances may seem, You are there with me. You are always by my side. Thank you for giving us life to the full, LORD Jesus. Help me never to lose hope no matter the situation or the circumstance because I know there is a greater reward, an even more abundant life coming in eternity. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ~ John 10:10^NIV

When I watch a TV Show or a Movie, it’s impossible for me to watch them without comparing it to our lives and the Bible. For instance, in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 when Harry Osborn becomes the Green Goblin and he realizes that Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker, he states:

You don’t give people hope. You take it away. I’m gonna take away yours.

Then he goes after Gwen Stacy, Peter’s love. Gwen dies by the end of the scene, and Peter essentially loses all ambition to live. He stops being Spider-Man, so crime increases in the city, and hope decreases. Then he listens to Gwen’s graduation speech that she gave him before she died.

It’s easy to feel hopeful on a beautiful day like today, but there will be dark days ahead of us, too, and there’ll be days where you feel all alone, and that’s when hope is needed most. We have to be greater than what we suffer. My wish for you, is to become hope. People need that.

As Christians, we share hope with others. We lead others to the hope of Eternal Life with Christ Jesus, our LORD and Savior. We bear each other’s burdens and pray for each other’s strength. We lift up, and, in many instances, we are people who others look time, especially in times of trouble, even if we don’t realize it.

The Green Goblin’s goal was to destroy Spider-Man, and by taking away his hope, he did. The Devil’s goal is to destroy the Bride of Christ. He will take away anything and everything he can in order to destroy our hope. Because if he can destroy our hope, then no longer will we be the light of the world. No longer will we be laborers in the field. No longer will we be a beacon of hope for another person. As long as there are Christians on this earth praying, fasting, evangelizing, and discipling, there is hope.

Don’t let the enemy steal your hope. If you weren’t important, he’d never come after you. He’d never attack you. He would just leave you be. But you are important. You’re a threat to the kingdom of darkness because the God of all creation not only knows you by name but dwells in you, with you, and through you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Become A Beacon of Hope.

² And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. ³ And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. ⁵ And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— ¹¹ “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” ¹² And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” ~ Mark 2:2-12

Let me start by setting the scene for you. Jesus had been gone for a while; you could say He was on a preaching tour throughout Galilee and had just gotten back home to Capernaum. No doubt, all the people in His hometown had heard about all the great things He had done on His tour. Lepers were cleansed. The sick were all healed. The demons were cast out. The oppressed were set free. All kinds of various diseases were all healed.

At the very least, their curiosity was piqued, so much so that there was no more room left in the house, not even at the door. The crowd pressed against the door and then stretched out into the yard. Everyone was straining to hear what Jesus was saying.

In other words, the yard was filled with eager listeners. They probably crowded around the windows, if for nothing else but to hear and hopefully get a quick glimpse of Jesus. Jesus was preaching the word to them. Explaining Scripture like no one else did or no one else could. For Jesus taught with authority, not like the Scribes and Pharisees, but like one having authority.

When suddenly, a group of people entered the scene, trying to barge their way in carrying a man lying on his bedroll, but to no avail. The crowd was just too many. Everyone was bunched up together, hanging on every word Jesus said. There was simply no way to get in. They could not even get close to the door.

Then, one of them had a harebrained idea. Let us climb up on the roof, remove all the tiles, and let him down in front of Jesus. What? Are you mad? Climb up on the roof, tear the tiles off, and dig a hole through the roof big enough to let him down through it on his stretcher? Yes, came the reply. Okay, sounds good to me. Let’s do it.

There was no back-and-forth discussion about who’s gonna fix the roof. Or whose expense it will be to fix the roof. Their only thought was to get their friend in front of the only one who gave them hope. That was Jesus.

See, these friends understood that even when everything seems completely hopeless, there’s always hope in Jesus. If you can just get to Jesus, hope can be found. Why? Because Jesus is the God of possible. What seems impossible, He makes possible. Where there is no way, He makes a way. Therefore, no matter what is going on in your life or your loved ones’ lives, if you can just get to Jesus, you will have hope.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek The God of Hope.

¹⁷ For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. ~ Isaiah 65:17

All of this suffering, aches, and pains. The sorrow of death shall not enter into the eternity of those who love God. Why? Because death will be swallowed up with life, and not just life, but abundant, eternal life. It does not matter how much the nations rage, or how its leaders plot and coerce, nothing can change, or disrupt God’s plans for His people, those who call upon His great and mighty Name.

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