Good Morning! My name is Paul Herrold and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from the book of 2 Thessalonians chapters 1-3
KEY VERSE: II Thessalonians 2:16-17 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting comfort and good hope by grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
REFLECTIONS: My friend and I went to a field of ours this week to do some work. The soil was definitely wet, but there was a small layer of frost in the soil. So we decided to drive his pickup out into the field. (Bad move) It didn't take long for us to realize we were in some trouble. Did we give up, are you kidding, NO. My friend had his Duramax Diesel just screaming trying to get out of this mud hole, but we were quickly sinking. Did we give up, no way we kept the pedal to the medal till all hope was gone of getting out on our own. It made it easier to get out of his lifted truck because when we open the doors the ground was right there. (she was buried!!) It was very clear that we would not be getting out on our own, so we called for a "higher power" (245 horses with eight tires and a long chain). Our tractor walked that truck out of that mud hole without as much as breaking a sweat.
Many times in my life I turn to my Heavenly father only after the situation is hopeless. Paul encouraged and comforted the believers in Thessalonica who were faced with persecution, tribulations, and suffering (2 Thes 1:4-5) to put their hope in Jesus Christ who is our comfort for this life and hope for the next. The truth is we are helpless and hopeless without Christ. apart from me you can do nothing John 15:5
I think it would be appropriate to encourage the believers of Valley Baptist and others with a message of Hope. I have talked with many of my friends that are struggling through very tough circumstances. Death, Sickness, Relationship Heartbreaks, Financial Hardships, and Pain of Past Sin. Matter of fact many of these circumstances seem……well in a word……hopeless. Under normal circumstances they would be. But my friends when you have Christ everything is different. ….the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 We serve a God that is a God of hope. HE CAN…….bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:1-3
If our hope is in our circumstances, our family, our occupation, our ability, our money, our name, our church; we will be disappointed, because all these things can and will change. We must place our hope in the one thing that will never change—Jesus Christ.
Let's focus our gaze on Christ, take a deep breath and then SMILE, it's going to be OK, either in this life or the next!! Let me leave you with the words of a song I like that is adapted from Psalms 113 "My hope is in the Lord from this time on and evermore Oh, my hope is in the Lord forevermore"
APPLICATION:
It is so easy for you and I to look at our circumstances and become hopeless. At times the world seems to be crumbling around us, BUT we can hope in the Lord. He will make all things right. Hope means expectation of good. Not all things are good but God can work good through all things. Usually the good that is worked is our challenges deepen us and make us more like Christ; which brings God glory….. and that my friends is why we exist……FOR HIS GLORY!
Thank you for being a part of the 100-Day Challenge. Thanks for reading, and you have a blessed day!
In Christ, Paul Herrold
NAME: Paul Herrold
WHEN YOU GOT SAVED: 1983
FAVORITE BIBLE CHARACTER: Joseph
FAMILY: wife:Sarah kids: Chloe(10) Caleb (7) Carter (5)
OCCUPATION: Christian Farmer
FAVORITE BOOK IN BIBLE: James
MINISTRY INVOLVEMENT AT VBC: Children's Church, Deacon