I want to speak to you about the subject of hope, a subject that's been on my heart lately and I want to get your feedback on. There are three words that are often used in the same sentence- faith, hope and love --the greatest of these three being love. I often speak on the subject of love and many others often speak on the subject of faith, but not many of us are speaking on the subject of hope.
Let's begin with a scripture. Job 15:17 says “Where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?” Pause and think about what you just read. You probably thought of someone or a specific group of people. Jesus says to think of the hungry, the naked, the sick, the poor, those that are in prison and many more.
1] Where then is my hope? Today, I went to the hospital to visit a 15 year old girl who is very dear to my heart. She used to be one of my little helpers on Saturday mornings when she was eleven. Today, she sits in a hospital, depressed and addicted to drugs. She has done more drugs in her precious young life then I did in the 26 years I spent not knowing Christ. Yes, I did was involved with drugs before I knew Christ - I will tell you about it some day. I looked into her eyes and could see no hope at all. She was throwing her life away because she wanted her father to be a part of her life and he wasn't.
2] Four days ago, I was invited to speak to a group of men who are trying to get their lives together in a place called Hope. For two hours, I spoke to these men about life and how it's not too late to allow the Potter to reshape and fix it. A few of these men cried tears, a few of them became angry, a few of them were thrilled and a few of them showed fear. The fear was “Can I overcome my addictions?” Where then is my hope?
3] Its December and Christmas is quickly approaching. What should be a time of celebration, joy and laughter has become worry, pain, depression and no hope for tomorrow. Where will the money come from to buy toys and pay bills and keep a roof over our heads? How can I do it all? Will I let my loved ones down? That's the fear that comes over so many people during the holiday season. Several years ago, I was working with 27 children that came from low income homes. They were all excited about Christmas but none of them were expecting anything. I knew that something had to be done, so I did what I could do. I purchased 27 yo-yos. It may have cost $30 dollars - I don't remember the exact cost - what I do remember is the look on each one of their faces. You would have thought that I had given them each a one hundred dollar bill. They were so happy - all I could see was their teeth! The joy of restoring hope to a hopeless group of people is still one of my greatest memories of ministry today. I can tell you many true stories similar to these…maybe at another time.
The second part of that scripture asks “Who can see any hope for me?” Why? Because I can't see any for myself. She is 15 years old sitting in hospital room and all she can think of is how she can make her daddy pay for not being there. The only payment she can think of is hurting herself. But then, her daddy, her spiritual daddy, showed up and said to her, “I believe in you and I need you to make it.”
For one hour in her room, it was just her and I, someone who believed in her and someone who could hope for her. She laughed and smiled and cried happy tears. She told me, “I was crying out and just needed to be understood. I will come to see you first when I'm released.”
A placed called Hope. Men, I may only be here this morning for one of you. You may be in this place because the court sentenced you to be here, or you may be here because your wife won't allow for you to come home until you prove to her that you're not using. You may be here because the stuff was killing you and you just need to get cleaned up. I don't know, but I am believing in each and every one of you. I used to be you. I sat where you sit once and I know that you can make it. “Who can see any hope for me?”
One by one, they exited the room, but there was one man who wouldn't move. With tears in his eyes, he looked at me and begged me to mentor him.
Two boys, ages twelve and fourteen, were in my meeting one night. I noticed that they were looking at a piece of paper. When I asked them what they were looking at, one of them spoke up and said, “Every night, we go to bed with this picture under our pillow in hopes of getting a bike because we’ve never had one of our own.” I had forgotten about this until just recently, when I was asked to preach at the funeral for their mother. After the service, a handsome young man came to me and reminded me: “When we needed hope, you were there to give it to us. You bought us our first bike and we have not forgotten it.” “Who can see any hope for me?”
Over the last two years, the Lord has blessed me and my church to be able to distribute over 100,000 toys to people who are without hope; to feed over ten thousand people and to give out coats, blankets and love to people who needed someone who could just hope for them. Today, this event is known throughout the city as "Holiday Hope".
You know something? I don't have all the answers when it comes to solving the problems of people who seem to have just given up on life. What I do have is the will to do, to just do something if it's only a hope and a prayer.
Talk to me. Don't tell me that I'm an awesome person and that God is using me, although I do need to hear these things from time to time. Tell me: what do hope mean to you?
Meet me at Kingdom Advance at Redemption World Outreach Center April 30th – May 2nd.
Let's begin with a scripture. Job 15:17 says “Where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?” Pause and think about what you just read. You probably thought of someone or a specific group of people. Jesus says to think of the hungry, the naked, the sick, the poor, those that are in prison and many more.
1] Where then is my hope? Today, I went to the hospital to visit a 15 year old girl who is very dear to my heart. She used to be one of my little helpers on Saturday mornings when she was eleven. Today, she sits in a hospital, depressed and addicted to drugs. She has done more drugs in her precious young life then I did in the 26 years I spent not knowing Christ. Yes, I did was involved with drugs before I knew Christ - I will tell you about it some day. I looked into her eyes and could see no hope at all. She was throwing her life away because she wanted her father to be a part of her life and he wasn't.
2] Four days ago, I was invited to speak to a group of men who are trying to get their lives together in a place called Hope. For two hours, I spoke to these men about life and how it's not too late to allow the Potter to reshape and fix it. A few of these men cried tears, a few of them became angry, a few of them were thrilled and a few of them showed fear. The fear was “Can I overcome my addictions?” Where then is my hope?
3] Its December and Christmas is quickly approaching. What should be a time of celebration, joy and laughter has become worry, pain, depression and no hope for tomorrow. Where will the money come from to buy toys and pay bills and keep a roof over our heads? How can I do it all? Will I let my loved ones down? That's the fear that comes over so many people during the holiday season. Several years ago, I was working with 27 children that came from low income homes. They were all excited about Christmas but none of them were expecting anything. I knew that something had to be done, so I did what I could do. I purchased 27 yo-yos. It may have cost $30 dollars - I don't remember the exact cost - what I do remember is the look on each one of their faces. You would have thought that I had given them each a one hundred dollar bill. They were so happy - all I could see was their teeth! The joy of restoring hope to a hopeless group of people is still one of my greatest memories of ministry today. I can tell you many true stories similar to these…maybe at another time.
The second part of that scripture asks “Who can see any hope for me?” Why? Because I can't see any for myself. She is 15 years old sitting in hospital room and all she can think of is how she can make her daddy pay for not being there. The only payment she can think of is hurting herself. But then, her daddy, her spiritual daddy, showed up and said to her, “I believe in you and I need you to make it.”
For one hour in her room, it was just her and I, someone who believed in her and someone who could hope for her. She laughed and smiled and cried happy tears. She told me, “I was crying out and just needed to be understood. I will come to see you first when I'm released.”
A placed called Hope. Men, I may only be here this morning for one of you. You may be in this place because the court sentenced you to be here, or you may be here because your wife won't allow for you to come home until you prove to her that you're not using. You may be here because the stuff was killing you and you just need to get cleaned up. I don't know, but I am believing in each and every one of you. I used to be you. I sat where you sit once and I know that you can make it. “Who can see any hope for me?”
One by one, they exited the room, but there was one man who wouldn't move. With tears in his eyes, he looked at me and begged me to mentor him.
Two boys, ages twelve and fourteen, were in my meeting one night. I noticed that they were looking at a piece of paper. When I asked them what they were looking at, one of them spoke up and said, “Every night, we go to bed with this picture under our pillow in hopes of getting a bike because we’ve never had one of our own.” I had forgotten about this until just recently, when I was asked to preach at the funeral for their mother. After the service, a handsome young man came to me and reminded me: “When we needed hope, you were there to give it to us. You bought us our first bike and we have not forgotten it.” “Who can see any hope for me?”
Over the last two years, the Lord has blessed me and my church to be able to distribute over 100,000 toys to people who are without hope; to feed over ten thousand people and to give out coats, blankets and love to people who needed someone who could just hope for them. Today, this event is known throughout the city as "Holiday Hope".
You know something? I don't have all the answers when it comes to solving the problems of people who seem to have just given up on life. What I do have is the will to do, to just do something if it's only a hope and a prayer.
Talk to me. Don't tell me that I'm an awesome person and that God is using me, although I do need to hear these things from time to time. Tell me: what do hope mean to you?
Meet me at Kingdom Advance at Redemption World Outreach Center April 30th – May 2nd.
