I hope I hope I hope

I have a friend who wrote to me about our economy and he discussed that he felt that what our nation needs right now is faith rather than hope. He wrote:


“The last sentence of your Word for the Day, (“Hmmm. Do you think our problem is that we do not have enough faith?”), described exactly what I think is the root cause of the problem confronting America today. We’ve been focusing on the need for hope. To me, there’s something hollow about that–a wish that someone will do something or that things will just somehow change. Instead, I think we should be figuring out how to muster and restore our FAITH. You might find this sentiment surprising coming from me, but it is what I believe. Hope doesn’t overcome doubt. But faith can.”


I wrote back and told him that I believe that faith leads to hope which leads to patience just like the Bible teaches. The three are bosom brothers. Most of the problems facing our nation are being created by blind fear that stems directly from a lack of faith. I know of a company that had enormous growth and stupendous record profits last year and this company was positioned to go to the moon, but their stock has plummeted along with everyone else’s for no logical reason. Why? No faith.

My friend made the point that we can’t just jump straight to hope. Hope needs to be rooted in a deep faith. Hope alone isn’t enough. My comment to that is that nothing will begin to jump start until people have hope. I don’t know how deep rooted faith has to be in order to give someone hope, but I agree that without some faith there is no hope.

In writing my book I have been giving my miraculous salvation some very serious thought. As I recount in chapter after chapter how wicked, dangerous, and depraved I was, I remember that I finally reached a point whereby I had completely lost all hope. I was smart enough to recognize exactly what I had become and I did not like myself any more than society liked me. I just did not see a way to change. In essence I had completely given up on myself and all of life. I lost all hope. I honestly felt that there was never going to be any hope for me and I was trying to work up enough courage to just blow my head off and be done with it.

When I read the Bible in the hospital back so long ago, it immediately and miraculously changed all of that and gave me a glimmer of “hope” that even someone like me could be changed through Jesus Christ. I did not have a deep rooted faith at the time, but God stirred me enough to provide that ray of hope that was missing. I knew I could not do it alone, but with God, well that was a different story. Yes I was a terrible sinner, but I learned that God is all powerful and nothing is too difficult for Him. He can forgive sins and repair a broken life, any life, through the blood of Jesus Christ. No matter how badly something is broken, God can fix it. I was born again, through faith, but at that time my faith was small or maybe even tiny. It was enough however to give me hope, and strength enough to allow God’s power to begin its miraculous transformation of me that continues on through today.

Further study of the Bible including attending church, Bible study classes and self study of the Bible through the years, combined with my daily prayer life has strengthened my faith to its current state which I would describe as exceptionally solid. My faith has not only given me hope, but a slew of other things too, like perseverance, courage, strength, and yes even a little patience.

God offers the hope that we all need. What our nation needs more than anything is to once again have faith in God and turn to Him like our forefathers did as testified to by our currency proclaiming, “In God we trust”. When our nation’s faith in Him has been restored, He will in kind restore our land and it will prosper again. If our nation continues on its course of turning from Him, I believe He will continue to turn His back on us.

What our nation needs is what we individually need. Turn to God and you will have all of the hope you need. You will also have the wherewithal to persevere through trials and tribulations and have the strength and patience to wait on the Lord’s return. God will bless you mightily. You will know in your heart of hearts like I do that God will soon be returning for His children and as promised He will make all things right. He will exalt us and we will rule with Him for all eternity. Keep the faith my friends, keep the faith!

1 Peter 5:6
Therefore humble yourselves
Under the mighty hand of God, that He
May exalt you in due time.