30 results for tag: hope
December 2024
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Brad Jersak Sometimes, Waiting Is Hard – pg. 2
Laura Urista Great Gifts in Small Packages – pg. 4
Greg Albrecht Believe Him & Receive Him – pg. 5
October 2024
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Brad Jersak Simone Weil: An Astonishing Life – pg. 2
Greg Albrecht "Everyone Is Forgiven" – pg. 5
Q&R: The “Free Will Defense” & the “Freed Will Response” – Brad Jersak
Question:
I have been reviewing PTM's summary of the dozens of Scriptures that dare us to hope. Among these, I see Jesus' stated intention to draw ALL people to himself, along with Paul's prophecy that "EVERY knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord," not to mention Peter's expectation in the "restoration of ALL things," or John's testimony of Jesus saying, "I am making ALL things new." On the other hand, I'm also aware of Jesus' deep commitment to our freedom, including the freedom to turn from him and say no to God's grace. In fact, he laid his life down for that freedom, even when we misused it to crucify the Lord of Glory. I ...
Finding Hope – by Kimalee Finelli
Follow Up Post to February 4, 2024:
Growing up in a legalistic church, I was unable to think for myself. Words like obey, repent, and submit were a part of our daily life. The pastor preached that he was not to be questioned. Church leaders were instructed to carry out the pastor’s agenda. Members were informed that disobedience would be dealt with swiftly. Those who dared to rebel were labeled as “backslidden” or “living in sin” and church disciplined. Most of us learned to be silent so we would go unnoticed by the preacher.
Except for me. I had questions. I noticed everything and knew in my heart that something was not right. I ...
June 2024
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Ed Dunn 8 Decades Later – pg. 2
Steve Brown The Father Never Leaves Us – pg. 5
Stuart Segall Navigating Grief – pg. 6
Hope In Christ
What are your hopes? Does your future look bleak? It was that way for the disciples for awhile. Their hopes were dashed after Jesus' crucifixion but intensely re-ignited after his resurrection. Similarly the only real hope for our future is in Christ and his resurrection.
https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0189.mp3
May 2024
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Articles:
Is everything in the world getting worse and worse? – pg. 1
School Is Out! – pg. 2
God Knows Your Name – pg. 5
Grandma Said So – pg. 7
Quotes & Connections – pg. 8
“HOW could this happen?” Brad Jersak
"HOW could this happen?"
The first words that burst from a traumatized heart are often either "Why?!" or "How?!" How could such a thing happen?! To us, to me, to my family, to my city?! When we witness devastating events or receive devastating news, the how and the why give voice to our shock. When we cannot get our heads around the tragedies and evils we experience, even second-hand, our hearts cry out, "How could this happen?"
We call these howls of the afflicted "lament." And I take some comfort that the Hebrew Scriptures have a book titled "Lamentations" that give voice to those in misery. In fact, the Hebrew title comes from the ...
Doubt, Faith and Hope – by Greg Albrecht
According to an old story, years ago there was a severe drought in the farm country of Texas. The people were in despair, so they asked the pastor of their little church to pray for rain. The pastor decided to have a town-wide meeting and invite everyone – even people who were not members of his church – to come and pray for rain.
On the day of the prayer service the little church building was packed to the rafters with desperate people. The pastor climbed into the pulpit and looked out on the assembly.
He asked, “Why are we all here today?”
A woman cried out, “We’ve come to pray for rain.” Another person said, ...
March 2024
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Articles:
New Birth Through the Resurrection – pg. 1
What's in an Anniversary? – pg. 2
Prophecy Pays: The Gospel Frees – pg. 5
Inside and Out – pg. 6
Sidewalk Wrinkles – pg. 7
Quotes & Connections – pg. 8
A Tiny Ripple of Hope – Greg Albrecht
Each time a human being stands up for an idea… or acts to improve the lot of others… or strikes out against injustice… he or she sends out a tiny ripple of hope. In crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a mighty current which can sweep down the most terrible walls of oppression and injustice.—June 1966
On June 6, 1966, Robert F. Kennedy (RFK), then the Attorney-General of the United States, gave a speech at the University of Cape Town which has since become known as the Ripple of Hope speech. RFK encouraged students who were mired in hatred and apartheid—trapped in an abyss of ...
Overcoming the Overwhelming: Rest in Jesus – by Greg Albrecht
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.(Matthew 11:28 – NIV).
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.(Matthew 11:28 – The Message Bible).
The invitation to rest in Jesus is a call to accept our limitations and cast ourselves at the feet of our Savior who is without limitations and with whom nothing is impossible.
When we accept the invitation to rest in Jesus, God’s grace mercifully relieves us of the impossible expectations that would require us to fix and solve all ...
January 2024
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Articles:
A Tiny Ripple of Hope – pg. 1
Four No's of Our Lives in Christ – pg. 2
Ageism: Prejudice Against Our Future Selves – pg. 4
What's New? – pg. 6
Eden as a Metaphor – pg. 7
Quotes & Connections – pg. 8
Hope – Even in Desperate Times
The real Christmas story is not a Pollyanna escape from the real world. The birth of Jesus takes place against the backdrop of politics and intrigue, pride, hatred, violence, taxes and poverty. It all sounds like the evening news or the morning paper!
https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/RCWR199.mp3
October 2023
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Greg Albrecht: For Those Who Are a Little Banged Up – pg. 2
Richard Rohr: Adopting a Beginner’s Mind – pg. 6
Brad Jersak "What is God Teaching Me?" – pg. 7
Without Hope, What’s the Use?
Without hope we are spiritually empty. Without hope, what's the use of living? Today Greg talks about the hope that God gives us and how it sustains us in difficult times.
https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0033.mp3
Hope – A Gift of God
Dostoyevsky said that man cannot live without hope. Join Greg for the first of two programs on the Godly virtue of hope.
https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0032.mp3
The Hope of New Life – by Laura Urista
“Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).
My husband and I (also known as “Pops” and “Gaga”) are celebrating the recent birth of our daughter Tawny’s (and son-in-law James’) first child – our third grand-daughter! We’ve previously been blessed with two grand-daughters (ages seven and two-and-a-half) from our son and daughter-in-law. Pardon my personal reflection, but of course the addition of a new baby to a family brings so much joy and hopeful anticipation! I am sure many of you have experienced your own times of joy, hope and new birth!
New life is ...
Calvary: Crucifixion as Torture, Cross as Hope – Brad Jersak
Trite or true, we're each and all on a journey, not quite sure whether any given year, week or moment is really ascent or descent -- the calm before a storm or the dark before dawn.
I see this tension in the biblical story of Calvary, at once a crucifixion and a Cross, the intersection of goodness and affliction, of torture and hope. At Calvary, we see the violence of religious fanaticism married to national security ... and we see the humility, forgiveness and self-giving love of God.
I hear this tension in Augustine, who is quoted in the movie, Calvary, as saying, "Do not despair; one of the thieves was saved. Do not presume; one of the thieves ...
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