Hope Still Flies

Last week I was blessed enough to experience temperatures in the 70's and even 80's, allowing my mind to finally accept that perhaps spring had sprung and winter was over. With thoughts of spring came the idea of green grass, flowers growing and as always happens around this time of year, the return of baseball. Baseball is unique to me, because unlike any other sport that I am aware of it is an everyday event. 162 games, that is almost double the length of a professional basketball or hockey season. The length of the season always leaves me feeling that at the end we will certainly have the best team, who has built together the best body of work throughout the long season of 162 games. Above everything else, what I enjoy about baseball is that on opening day every team has the same thing. After a long cold winter everyone from the Houston Astros to the New York Yankees, they all can cling one thing, hope. They all can begin their season with a sense of hope.

For professional baseball teams their hope can be in the length of a new season or perhaps a new play or two, but as Christian we can rise every morning feeling energized because we also have hope, only our hope comes from the Lord.  Thing do not always go as we plan and at times we might feel lost, at times like this I turn to Psalm 39:7, "And now Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectations are in you." So if we lose a few games and feel knocked down, not sure where to turn, we can always turn to Lord and put our hope in him. Whether we remain aware of it continually or not we can always come back to the truth that God will never leave us nor forsake us and that provides a great deal of hope to us all. We are never alone.

Spring Means Care-a-thon

It’s Care-a-thon time here at the Mars Hill Network. I think this will be the eighth for me and there are a few here at the network that can count twenty-five or more. Care-a-thon is that time of the year, usually landing in March , where we do a concentrated on air appeal to our listeners for financial support. If you listen during our Care-a-thon broadcast we will  share many reasons why we believe this is an investment that pays eternal dividends. There are a couple of things I wanted to mention here that might help you decide that supporting Christian broadcasting on the Mars Hill Network.

The culture in our country is in a state of moral chaos. If you are alive today and watching what is happening in America it it easy to become discouraged and cynical. I love this country and it saddens me to see what we are embracing as right in our land. Every day on the radio and now through the internet Mars Hill is airing programs that are light in a world given over to darkness. We need to continue to make sure that ministries that proclaim the truth of God’s Word and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ are heard in the clutter of the media madness. Secondly, followers of the Jesus Christ need to encouraged in our daily walk with Him. In Hebrews 3:13 it says “but exhort one another daily, while it is called Today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” The word exhort could also be translated encourage. We hear from many listeners all the time who give testimony that they have been encouraged in their walk with God by the many programs heard daily on the Mars Hill Network. Whether it be at home, work, or driving in a vehicle we want to be there when you need the encourage of the Scriptures that we might have hope.

I  trust that we all might consider the value of a financial pledge of support during this important Cara-a-thon 2012. We’ll talk to you there!

Some Reflections on Getting Older

I just celebrated another birthday. I’m not sure when you are considered officially old but for those of us who came of age in the 60’s we thought thirty might be it. Today it may be when you can receive those senior discounts. Which by the way are not really discounts, most of the time they just give you a smaller size and charge you less than the regular. There had never been a generation before in America who so exalted and gloried in their youthfulness then the 60’s generation. Well, here we are, the baby boomers ready to enter in through the old- gate and some of us have already taken up residence. Reality sets in with more aches, pains, and body realignments. For those who have come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we have the assurance of eternal life with a new body and  none of the infirmities that cause us to groan on this side of glory. A birthday is another one of those appropriate times to reflect on our hope, where the Lord has brought us from, and where we are bound. God has been so good to me my whole life . As the song goes…“I’ve seen and experienced a lot of things in my life and times.” God has brought many kinds of people into my path. But, I’m most thankful that He brought me out of my darkness and into the light of His glorious Kingdom. He does the same for any sinner who by faith believes what He accomplished when He went to the cross, shed His precious blood, and rose from the dead. And coming again! Here’s to getting older and closer to going home.