Faith Hope and Love - How about using these three to make a difference!

If there is one subject matter I am compelled to write about it would be faith. And not just faith like in a song or a love between two people. Rather faith like in a life style and a relationship with Jesus Christ. I have many times over wondered how people who do not believe in Jesus Christ survive the challenges of medical issues, death, and any different number of crisis events one can experience throughout life. As a Christian the three aspects of my relationship with Jesus Christ are faith, hope and love. These characteristics are the foundation for a Christian life. For me removing one of them from the other two leaves a void that is difficult to fill. Faith occurs when we place our trust in something greater than ourselves. It is when we open our lives to be directed by the instructions of the Holy Spirit. Trusting without seeing or even fully understanding can be a very challenging point in any life, this includes that of those who acknowledge that Jesus is their personal Lord and Savior. Just because we say we have faith doesn’t make it any less difficult to demonstrate our faith. Putting action to our faith is a challenge. Many times people will volunteer to pray, we offer applause to share in a public way our support and our encouragement, but there is a call to action that is more than applause or a kind word. Faith that is demonstrated in action put faith on the move for others to see. Hope is the scripture is describes as a belief and confidence we have in others. There is nothing that will create a broken heart faster than a loss of hope. When we are disappointed by the action of others, or dismayed by a statement of disrespect, this creates a loss of hope. Negative stuff gathers quickly like a snow ball being rolled up…grass and all. Hope is believing. Hope is seeing through the rough, the bad and the ugly. Hope keeps looking, hope keeps seeking to find that which is important and lost. Sometimes when we deal with hope we must understand that we are going to quickly brush by some of the things we find along life’s highway. We must take note of what we see, but we must remain focused to discover the cradle of hope and where it rest waiting for her next believer. Only through believing can we discover hope. Only through confidence in Hope’s return do we find peace to press forward and only through Hope can we resolutely determine that nothing can stop us from succeeding. Love is that third characteristic of these three and it is the most profound. Love is what keeps both faith and hope going. Love is what keeps faith and hope alive. It is love that keeps faith and hope getting up after stumbling and falling, time and time again. Love is an amazing resource. Love is what Jesus demonstrated on the cross by paying our debt because of sin. Love is what Jesus demonstrated when in the garden tomb He arose from the dead demonstrating not only life but most important power over death, hell and the grave. Love is more than a song or an emotion. Love is an action sealed in sacrifice and commitment. Today I challenge Christians to put these three words, faith, hope and love, into the work of their hands, feet, ears, eyes and mouth. When I look out into the world I see many people who appear to just be existing. They have been crushed by one thing or another and without any fight at all appears to have given up quickly and surrendered totally. Christians we have the answer and solution that some in our families are seeking for. We have friends, neighbors, co-workers that we see all the time that have lost not only the smile on their face but the dance for life in their heart. We can help, share Jesus Christ now. Until then