GOD OF HOPE

Daily Stop & Thinks

Stop & Think: January 8, 2025

Learning & Humility 2

The knowledge of how little you can do alone teaches you humility. (Eleanor Roosevelt)

Studying with others is a valuable exercise in learning how to work together. It begins when we realize that we don’t and never will know it all. Learning and working together well requires humility. As businessman Robert Kivoski writes: “Humility is the first step towards learning. You can’t learn until you are humble enough to realize there is something for you to learn.”

What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck. (Proverbs 1:9)

Stop & Think: January 7, 2025

Learning & Humility 1

What is most needed for learning is a humble mind. (Confucius, Chinese philosopher)

Have you encountered a “know-it-all”? Whatever you talk about, he or she knows a lot more about it and will correct you without hesitation. Irritating, isn’t it? There are some people who know more than we do, of course, but truly intelligent people recognize that they really don’t know everything, and they continue to learn from a humble attitude of openness.

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)

Stop & Think: January 6, 2025

History

History informs the present and helps us make wise decisions for the future. (Gloria Gaither, gospel song lyricist)

George Santayana famously wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” We have seen that truth played out today, haven’t we? Gaither gives us a great reason to study history. With a good knowledge of the past, we can understand more clearly where we are today and why. That understanding will make planning for the future so much easier.

What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again. (Ecclesiastes 3:15)

Stop & Think: January 5, 2025

Trust

In God we trust. All others pay cash. (Kenneth J. Brown, author)

Brown also wrote, “In God we trust. All others we audit” Without honesty trust is impossible. It might be that counterfeit money is not as great a problem today as it once was. But technology has made it a lot easier to cheat people with scams, stealing titles, and hacking credit card accounts. We all must be diligent to determine whom and what we can trust.

Trust in your money and down you go!  . . . (Proverbs 11:28)
Teach those who are rich in this world … not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God … (1 Timothy 6:17)

Stop & Think: January 4, 2025

Honesty

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. (Thomas Jefferson)

“Thou shalt not lie.” Sounds like one of the Ten Commandments, doesn’t it? It isn’t actually, but it is clearly one of the foundational requirements for having a clear conscience personally and successful community living, too. It just isn’t smart to lie, “fib” or tell so-called “white lies,” to avoid an embarrassing situation. Honesty is always the best policy.

Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people. . . . The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin. (Proverbs 11:3, 5)

Stop & Think: January 3, 2025

Revenge

An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind. (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian lawyer)

That misunderstood Old Testament regulation is the excuse often given when someone has been wronged. Gandhi’s comment is eye-opening, isn’t it (pardon the pun)? Revenge actually accomplishes very little. The OT law was intended to establish limits on retaliation. It’s even better to leave the getting even to God. He does it better.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

Stop & Think: January 2, 2025

Generosity

No one has ever become poor by giving. (Anne Frank, Jewish diarist)

What a startling observation from a young girl who, with her family, had to hide from an enemy who wanted to kill all her ethnic group. Not only were they dependent upon others for their well-being, but they also took in others, giving them a place of refuge, too. It’s a great example for us who should not think we’re losing anything by giving willingly and generously to others.

Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, . . . I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)

Stop & Think: January 1, 2025

A Whole New Calendar

Every time you tear a leaf off a calendar, you present a new place for new ideas. (Charles Kettering, 20th century American inventor)

As you opened your 2025 calendar, what thoughts went through your mind? Was it, “I have lots of time ahead?” or “Wow, where did 2024 go?” Maybe you looked ahead and wrote in a few appointments and scheduled events. In any case, you now have to fill in your log or journal, a day at a time. Look forward with anticipation and live each day to the fullest.

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. (Psalm 39:4)
Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. (Proverbs 9:11)

Stop & Think: December 31, 2024

New Year’s Eve

Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. (Dr. Seuss, pen name for Theodor Seuss Geisel, children’s author and cartoonist)

Even the hard things of last year can be a blessing if we’ve learned from them and grown from the experience. Followers of Almighty God have this encouraging promise, “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Stop & Think: December 30, 2024

The End or the Beginning

Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. (Hal Borland, American naturalist)

We can look to New Year’s Day as the beginning of something new and exciting. But, in reality, of course, it’s only a change in the clock and the calendar, not a significant passage of time. A change of heart and mind may be necessary, but don’t think that some climactic change will occur when 2024 ends. Resolve to live each day of 2025 trusting God for the outcome.

Jesus: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13)

Stop & Think: December 29, 2024

Hope for Next Year

Each year’s regrets are envelopes in which messages of hope are found for the New Year. (John R. Dallas, Jr., author and public speaker)

It’s the last Sunday of the year, a really good time to reflect on what 2024 has brought, and what we’ve learned from the year’s experiences. As Dallas suggests, we can look at our regrets of the last 12 months and regard them as the seeds of hope for the future. We learn best from past disappointments as we evaluate them carefully and move forward for improvement.

Endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. (Romans 5:4-5)

Stop & Think: December 28, 2024

More than a game

The game of golf is a game of accepting failure . . . (Author unknown)

The writer continues “. . . of accepting imperfection; of realizing that the perfect game has never been played . . .  or ever could be played. We’ve all seen that even the best players hit bad shots and make mistakes.” Like life itself, the key is to move on from setbacks and focus on the next challenge. Life may never be perfect, but we must continue to work for excellence.

Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge . . . and patient endurance with godliness. (2 Peter 1:5)