Is there any hope? Life at times seems to be an endless chain of recurring crises one right after another, and just when we feel we have gotten things under control, we find ourselves facing yet another overwhelming challenge. Amid the disappointments and discouragements that such circumstances bring, we find ourselves often asking the question, “Is there any hope? Is there any hope that we will ever overcome? The good news is, yes, there is hope because there is a God. The Bible says that “God is a God of hope who will fill you with all joy and peace…. that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13) When life seems hard and you don’t know how you’re going to make it, be like David who said, “I hope in your Word o’ God” and “In your Word do I have my hope”(Ps. 119:81, 130:5)
I praise God that amid the storms of life God has given us a hope that is “as an anchor for our soul, both sure and steadfast…” (He. 6:19a) The hope that we have is not a mere wishful thinking kind of hope, but rather an unwavering steadfast hope that will never fail us. This hope that we have is not in man but in God, for the Bible says, “The Lord alone shall be the hope of His people” (Joel 3:16) Perhaps the hymn writer said it best when he penned these well known words,
“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame but will wholly lean on Jesus’ name
On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”
The Bible says that when God told Abraham that he and Sarah were going to have a child, (even though they were long past child-bearing age) that he had a steadfast, unwavering unrelenting hope that if that was what God had spoken, then so shall it be. It certainly didn’t seem likely that they could be new parents of a little baby at that stage of their lives. In fact, the Bible says that when Abraham told Sarah what the Lord had spoken, that she laughed at such a notion and thought Abraham must be joking. But Abraham “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God and was fully pursuaded that whatever God had promised, that He was also able to perform.” (Rom. 4:20-21) Abraham had a unrelenting hope in God. The Bible says “Who against hope believed in hope” or as the Amplified Version puts it, “When all human reason for hope was gone, he hoped on in God.” (Rom. 4:18a)
May God grant us this kind of hope that is not easily shaken, a hope that can withstand every doubful thought, and emerge as the foundation of the miraculous. May God help us to “hope on” in Him. So be it Lord Jesus!
LOVING GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART
On 41 occasions the Bible says that we are to love and serve the Lord our God with “All” of our heart. It is a recurring command of the Lord that calls for an exclusive “whole hearted” surrender. When we choose to love the Lord with “ALL” of our heart that means that there will be nothing left of our heart to love or serve anything or anyone else. The capacity of our hearts to love has been completely consumed with loving the Lord alone. While the devil may try to capture some of our heart’s affection, there will be nothing left of our heart to surrender to him. We will be “surrendered out” as it were, to Jesus. The capacity of our hearts to love will be all used up, loving and serving our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
How much then do we love the Lord our God? If it hasn’t been with all of our heart, the devil will try to capture those unsurrendered areas over to him and his ways. This is why the Lord has commanded us to love the Lord with all of our heart so there will be nothing left for the devil’s choosing.
Deut. 6:5: “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength”.
So be it Lord Jesus!
Evangelist Roger Smets
A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“THE SENT WORD OF GOD”
Psalm 107:20 says that God “sent His Word and healed them and delivered them from all their destructions“. When we were sick, God “sent His Word”. When we were brokenhearted, God “sent His Word”. When we were bound by the stronghold of darkness, God “sent His Word”. The promises of Holy Scripture are the words He sent to miraculously heal and restore us and to cause us to abound.
So, whatever your need may be this day, embrace the “sent” Word” of the Lord and let it restore, renew and release you to overcome.
Evangelist Roger Smets
BESEECHING JESUS!
Chapter 8 of the book of Matthew tells the story of the centurion who came to Jesus in behalf of his sick servant who was in near death. When the centurion heard that Jesus was coming to Capernaum, he left his home and went to find Jesus. The Bible says that when he came to Jesus, he came “beseeching” Him. The word “beseech” is not a commonly used word in modern times, but it was a word that meant to “seek out with all that is within you” or “to passionately pursue with an unrelenting desire”. Beseeching Jesus was not a casual approach to the Master. It wasn’t what I have called, a “bump into God” kind of theology whereas the centurion would have said to his sick servant, “I heard that Jesus is coming to Capernaum, so this is what I’ll do for you. I’ll go to Capernaum and hang out there for a while and if I happen to bump into Jesus or He bumps into me, I’ll put a good word in for you”. No, he went to Capernaum with a strong conviction to find Jesus no matter what and he wouldn’t return home until he did. His was a passionate pursuit, a driving force that would not rest until that which was being pursued was embraced. Such was the heart of this centurion.
Likewise, may we learn what it means to “beseech” Jesus in our lives, knowing He is the Only Answer for every need, the Only One who can save, heal and deliver. May God free us from the casual “bump into God” theology that knows nothing of seeking God with all that is within us.
So be it Lord Jesus!
UPCOMING MINISTRY:
Over the next few weeks we will holding special meetings in:
-Granada Hills, CA -Modesto, CA -Las Vegas, NV -San Diego, CA -Santa Monica, CA
PLEASE PRAY FOR EACH OF THESE CITIES. EACH ONE REPRESENTS PEOPLE WHO NEED JESUS.
REVIVAL MEETINGS THIS WEEK IN LYLE, WASHINGTON!
This week I am holding nightly meetings for a “Revival” at Celebration Christian Center in Lyle, WA. Pray with us that each night when I give the invitation, people will be drawn to the altar to be saved. I believe this will be a season of great spiritual harvest when many will heed to the call of the Master, “Jesus, the Lord of the Harvest” and be saved. (Mt. 9:38) So many people need more than just added knowledge about God they need to know God through faith and trust in Christ alone as their only hope for heaven.
If you have friends or loved ones who need to be saved, go to “Contact” tab on this website and we will pray specifically for them by name.
After a very busy Summer and early Fall we are taking a 2 week break from our traveling and ministry schedule for a needed rest. Pray for this to be a time of great refreshing in body and spirit. Over the course of the past few months I have personally ministered to several hundred people sometimes praying with individuals for more than 2 hours in a service. The Lord has always been so faithful to give us His awesome strength when needed. Jesus said, “Come to me all who are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Mt. 11:28) So be it Lord Jesus!
ILLINOIS REVIVAL REPORT!
We have just returned home from a great series of meetings in Illinois where night by night we ministered the Promises of God to many. Our key verse was Psalm 107:20a) where the Bible says that “He sent His word and healed them and delivered them from all of their diseases.” What a wonderful thing it was to see God heal and deliver His people through the Word that He sent us.
UPCOMING MEETINGS IN PASADENA, CALIFORNIA:
We are expecting a great move of the Holy Spirit in upcoming meetings in Pasadena, CA where we will be holding multiple meetings. I will be speaking on the theme, “Open Our Eyes Lord!”, a call from the Lord for us to see all of His glory and fulness from our lives. Pray for many to see their need for Jesus and trust Him with their lives.
REVIVAL MEETINGS CONTINUE IN ILLINOIS!
DELEVERANCE FROM SMOKING, ALCOHOL & DRUGS
This week we have been having glorious meetings in Milan, Illinois. Each night I have been preaching on “The Power of the name of Jesus”. We have declared His name as an Abiding name, a Trustworthy name, a Healing Name, a Forgiving name, a Saving name, a Praised name and a Delivering name. The altars have been filled with people coming forward to be healed and set free by the power of Jesus’ name! Many have received their deliverance from smoking, alcohol & drugs as they have come forward to be set free by the power of Jesus’ name. Praise God that Jesus came to set the captives free from any and every strong hold! (Lk, 4:18)
Please pray for these Revival Meetings in Illinois. Next Sunday we begin another series of services in one of the largest congregations in Illinois, The Decatur Foursquare Church, where several hundred are expected to attend. I will again be declaring this strong word about the “Power of the Name of Jesus!”
Gwen and I are glad to report that we have both made a full recovery over the physical challenges that we encountered a few months ago. Gwen has remarkably recovered from having a full hip replacement and is freely walking daily without a trace of pain. As for me, the stent that was carefully implanted in my heart to restore blood flow to a 95% blocked artery, was a complete success. I am now free of the chest pains that were so bad that I nearly collapsed at the Sacramento airport. Our thanks to all of our friends and supporters who prayed for us. Also, we are grateful for those who sent in gifts to help us during the time that we withdrew from all public ministry for a season of rest and recuperation. Clearly, the Lord has been good and is not done with us yet.
Thanking God for His healing touch.
Evangelist Roger Smets
