Hope?

(12.10.21– Soul Gazing! –Hebrews 10:23 )

My friend, may I ask you a question? Can we say that an unswerving hope that our knowledge would translate into fulfillment is dependent on our faith?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

What is faith? Although the Bible gives us several good definitions of what faith does, it never really defines its essence. I was reminded of this recently when we ran into some problems with our old truck. The transmission had been slipping for a while but suddenly, one day as I was pulling a small trailer, second gear just completely disappeared. Since the transmission was automatic there was no coaxing it to find that gear; it was no longer a usable gear. I know what a trans- mission does and I had faith that it would shift from first into third by playing a bit with the gas pedal. The essence of that faith was the moment when the engine revved, hesitated for a moment as it searched for second gear, and then clanked into third. I knew it could and believed with all my heart it would.

I guess you could say I had an unswerving hope that my knowledge would translate into fulfillment. So it is with faith.

Here's a story: Helen Roseveare became a medical doctor and in 1953 and left for the Belgian Congo as a missionary. “I wanted people to be passionately in love with Jesus, so that nothing else counts," she said. She met a sixteen year-old boy soon after she first arrived, John Mangadima. He wanted her to teach him how to be a doctor. Helen agreed and in exchange he taught her Swahili. In 1960, the Congo declared its independence and faced a bitter civil war. In the midst of riots and lawlessness, Helen continued to work. In the following years she was beaten, raped, and arrested in held captive by the rebel Simba soldiers. She was freed some five months later and returned to England. Fearful and horrified, she vowed never to return to the Congo. But after two months at home, she received a letter from John Mangadima. He told her that her work was not finished. By faith, Helen returned and in her last years on the mission field, she established the Evangelical Medical Center, which consisted of a hospital, a training college, and four bush clinics. (Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances dictate.)

Our Christian walk will not be easy. But if we hold unswervingly to our hope in Jesus Christ, He will reward us for our faithfulness. Helen found the ability to believe that returning to the Congo was the right thing to do. Her hope propelled her and stepping out in that hope was the measure of her faith. In that sense she was able to redirect her gaze from self- interest to self-sacrifice. Her gaze became fixed in faith on Christ and she was able to overcome her fears. Are you experiencing rough times? Perhaps second gear is missing in your life? Trust me, by faith you will get from first to third. It's just a matter of doing it and moving on.

We pray. Heavenly Father, we know that our Christian walk will not be easy. But if we hold unswervingly to our hope in Jesus Christ, You will reward us for our faithfulness. Help his to find the ability to believe that returning to focus on life’s goals is the right thing to do. Then our hope will propel us as we step out in that hope as a measure of our faith in Jesus Christ. Forgive us Lord when our gaze is self-interested and redirect us to self-sacrifice. Fxed in faith on Christ we will able to overcome all our fears. Get us through the rough times Help us to persevere as we trust by faith You will get us where we need to go in the end. It's just a matter of doing it and moving on. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Hope?

(12.10.21– Soul Gazing! –Hebrews 10:23 )

My friend, may I ask you a question? Can we say that an unswerving hope that our knowledge would translate into fulfillment is dependent on our faith?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

What is faith? Although the Bible gives us several good definitions of what faith does, it never really defines its essence. I was reminded of this recently when we ran into some problems with our old truck. The transmission had been slipping for a while but suddenly, one day as I was pulling a small trailer, second gear just completely disappeared. Since the transmission was automatic there was no coaxing it to find that gear; it was no longer a usable gear. I know what a trans- mission does and I had faith that it would shift from first into third by playing a bit with the gas pedal. The essence of that faith was the moment when the engine revved, hesitated for a moment as it searched for second gear, and then clanked into third. I knew it could and believed with all my heart it would.

I guess you could say I had an unswerving hope that my knowledge would translate into fulfillment. So it is with faith.

Here's a story: Helen Roseveare became a medical doctor and in 1953 and left for the Belgian Congo as a missionary. “I wanted people to be passionately in love with Jesus, so that nothing else counts," she said. She met a sixteen year-old boy soon after she first arrived, John Mangadima. He wanted her to teach him how to be a doctor. Helen agreed and in exchange he taught her Swahili. In 1960, the Congo declared its independence and faced a bitter civil war. In the midst of riots and lawlessness, Helen continued to work. In the following years she was beaten, raped, and arrested in held captive by the rebel Simba soldiers. She was freed some five months later and returned to England. Fearful and horrified, she vowed never to return to the Congo. But after two months at home, she received a letter from John Mangadima. He told her that her work was not finished. By faith, Helen returned and in her last years on the mission field, she established the Evangelical Medical Center, which consisted of a hospital, a training college, and four bush clinics. (Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances dictate.)

Our Christian walk will not be easy. But if we hold unswervingly to our hope in Jesus Christ, He will reward us for our faithfulness. Helen found the ability to believe that returning to the Congo was the right thing to do. Her hope propelled her and stepping out in that hope was the measure of her faith. In that sense she was able to redirect her gaze from self- interest to self-sacrifice. Her gaze became fixed in faith on Christ and she was able to overcome her fears. Are you experiencing rough times? Perhaps second gear is missing in your life? Trust me, by faith you will get from first to third. It's just a matter of doing it and moving on.

We pray. Heavenly Father, we know that our Christian walk will not be easy. But if we hold unswervingly to our hope in Jesus Christ, You will reward us for our faithfulness. Help his to find the ability to believe that returning to focus on life’s goals is the right thing to do. Then our hope will propel us as we step out in that hope as a measure of our faith in Jesus Christ. Forgive us Lord when our gaze is self-interested and redirect us to self-sacrifice. Fxed in faith on Christ we will able to overcome all our fears. Get us through the rough times Help us to persevere as we trust by faith You will get us where we need to go in the end. It's just a matter of doing it and moving on. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.