Hope is not a feeling.
Jim Wallis editor of Sojourners writes … “Hope is not feeling. It is a decision — a choice you make based on what we call faith or moral conscience, whatever most deeply motivates you. Life tests the hopefulness in our hearts.
The seasons we have and are travelling through have not been a time that many of us are feeling a great deal of hope. In fact, many events, especially pestilence flood and war feel like they have sucked the hope right out of us. Continue reading “Hope is not a feeling. “
The Kingdom of heaven in arms reach
Sometimes I think that we speak of Jesus Christ – Christ being Jesus’ last name. Rather we need to remind ourselves that the word “Christ” means “Anointed One” or “Messiah.” It is a title that points to an experience. It was not sufficient that Jesus be sent from heaven to earth with a title. He had to receive the anointing in an experience to accomplish what the Father desired. It was the anointing of the Holy Spirit that stood him in good stead in the 40 days in the desert and the commencement of his ministry and indeed right through to its fulfilment.
The word ‘anointing’ means “to smear.” The Holy Spirit is the oil of God that was smeared all over Jesus at His water baptism (see Luke 3:21-22). The name Jesus Christ implies that Jesus is the deliverer, the One smeared with the Holy Spirit.
But there is another spirit that works to ambush the Church in every age. This power was identified by the apostle John when he said, “Even now many antichrists have come” (1 John 2:18). The nature of the antichrist spirit is found in its name: anti, “against”; Christ, “Anointed One.” Continue reading “The Kingdom of heaven in arms reach”
