HOPE & FAITH 
RISING FROM THE ASHES OF DEFEAT
 Learning from Misfortune 
by Pastor Max Solbrekken

"And he (Prodigal Son) arose, and came to his father.  But while he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." (Luke 15:20)   

Life is like a race, with winners and losers and plenty of obstacles and pitfalls, as well as rewards.

IT TAKES FAITH & HOPE TO WIN

Winning doesn't come easy.  It takes a lot of preparation, discipline and hard work, as well as faith in your own ability and those who work with you.  LOSING - often a bitter disappointment - doesn't need to be the end of a career, business or marriage.  It can be turned into a rich learning experience!

Life is made up of good and bad times with ups, downs and surprises.  Most everyone has gone through some hurtful experience like business failure, marriage breakup or the loss of a loved one.  Trials and testing, however, can be utilized to build our faith in God and strengthen ties with family and friends, rather than destroy and estrange us from one another!

THE PRODIGAL SON:  PICTURE OF SO MANY

Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son has a message for us all, because of the inherent sinful nature, with which we were born.  It's important to know that we were all sinners by birth, by nature and by choice.   

The Bible says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him (Jesus Christ) the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah  53:6)  "All have sinned and come short (fallen) of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23);  "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans  6:23); "As it is written, There is none that is righteous, no, no one." (Romans  3:10)

In Canada's humiliating Ben Johnson Olympic drug scandal, and the bribery scandals that continued for years within the Olympic leadership and the judges, we see a perfect example of the dilemma so many face.  Recently, the criminal activities of dishonest CEOs and accountants involved with the Environ, Worldcom and ImPlone scandals have sent the Corporate World into a serious tailspin.         

CAN ONE LEARN FROM MISTAKES ? IS THERE HOPE FOR CHANGING THINGS

How can one rise from the ashes of shame, disgrace, guilt and failure?  In other words, is there hope beyond defeat?  Does a person deserve another chance?  And what about God's unmerited favor?  Does not his 'prevenient grace', whereby He reached out to us long before we felt the need to reach out to Him, have significant meaning?  Of course it does !

THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST OFFERS HOPE & MERCY

The gospel of Jesus Christ offers mercy, forgiveness and an opportunity to change.  Where would anyone of us be, without an opportunity to rewrite a failed test, break a bad habit, make amends for mistakes or repair broken relationships?

Everyone should be given another chance to right wrongs make amends and try again!  Those who have done the crime, however, must do the time!  Of course, there are those who cannot be allowed back into society because they are incorrigible rapists, pedophiles or murderers!         

They, however, also need an opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and be converted from a life of sin and changed through His death and resurrection.  We must never give up on anyone, regardless of how evil and wicked they are or have been!

St. Peter asked Jesus, how many times a day should he forgive someone who had wronged him and later repented.  Was seven times enough?  Jesus answered, Not seven times, but seventy time seven." (Matthew 18:22)

In dealing with our fellow man, it is easy to judge and hold grudges, but  like the old proverb says: "They that live in glass houses should not throw stones."

It is well to remember the words of Jesus from the 'Sermon on the Mount':  "They that are merciful will obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7)  Again He said, "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged." (Matthew 7:1-2)

Here's a poem that has inspired a great many people.  I hope it blesses you.

DON'T QUIT

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill
When funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don't you QUIT

Life is queer with its twists and turns
As every one of us sometimes learns
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out

Don't give up though the pace seems slow
You may succeed with another blow
Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt

And you never can tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worse, that you must NOT QUIT

GOD'S HAND WAS ON CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS

On Christopher Columbus'  historic voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, he crew rebelled, demanding that he turn back.  But, Columbus rallied the deck hands with his undaunted cries, "Sail on, sail on, sail on."

An amazing fact about Columbus and his times, adds even more suspense to his achievements.  Contrary to public belief, there is strong evidence that Columbus was a Spanish Jew whose family had settled in Genoa.

SAILS OF HOPE      

In his book, 'SAILS OF HOPE: The Secret Mission of Christopher Columbus', Simon Wiesenthal states that Columbus was not a Genoeses patriot, but that he fought with the Portuguese against Genoa in 1476.  He always wrote in Spanish and preferred the Spanish form of his name, Colon, rather than the Italian, Columbus.

It seemed less than coincidental that the year Columbus sailed to discover the new world (1492) was the year that all Jews were expelled from Spain.  According to his journals, however, Christopher Columbus relied on the Holy Scriptures and believed that the Lord led him on his voyage to the new land!

He wrote: "It was the Lord who put it in my mind.  I could feel His hand upon me, the fact that it would be possible to sail from Europe to the Indies.  All who heard of my project rejected it with laughter, ridiculing me.  But there is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because He comforted me with rays of marvelous inspiration from the Holy Scriptures."

Since his first name Christopher means 'bearer of Christ', Columbus was convinced that God had given him that name because he was called to take the gospel of Christ to the heathen he knew he would discover.
           ~~ some of above taken from 'Christ for the Nations' newsletter~~

WINSTON CHURCHILL:  
The Man Who Rallied Britain

On June 4, 1940 at the WSC House of Commons, when Europe was in grave danger due to the victories of Germany's well-oiled and superb Nazi War Machine, Winston Churchill gave a much heralded speech, rallying the British people and much of the world!

President Kennedy said of Churchill: "He mobilized the English language and sent it into battle."  It is not well known that Churchill battled a fear of 'public speaking'.  In 'Churchill and Oratory', Robert Courts states: "That this should be the case is, however, something of a paradox, for the man who has been hailed as the greatest speaker of modern times was anything but a natural orator.  He frankly admitted, ;For many years, I was unable to say anything....I  had not written out and committed to memory beforehand.'

Churchill suffered from a slight lisp and a voice that was not that of a classic orator: rather high pitched and weak in tone, he was not able to blast speeches at audiences the way Gladstone could.

"His inability to speak impromptu was a more serious problem.  His maiden speech took six weeks to prepare and was completely memorized.  However, after a horrific incident in 1904 where he forgot his speech entirely, he was never able to speak in public again, without copious notes.  Although Churchill was brilliant in conversation with small groups, he was so nervous speaking to large audiences that he had to resort to notes."
    Here in part, is the great speech that stirred the free world.

"Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous states have fallen into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of NAZI rule, we shall not flag or fail.

We shall go on to the end;  We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans;  We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds; We shall fight in the fields, and in the streets;  We shall fight in the hills; We shall never surrender.

And even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old."

He challenged his listeners with these powerful words: "I have nothing to offer you but blood...toil....tears...and sweat~"  His famous speech at Harrow School in 1941 carried this powerful admonition:  "Never give in.  NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER....never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense."

England also got help from Almighty God, who miraculously provided 'fog cover' and stilled the rough waters of the English Channel, so that hundreds of thousands of allied soldiers - who were pinned down in Dunkirk - could get back to Britain.  Satan also inadvertently helped the allies, by hooking the German demagogue on occultism and clairvoyants who gave him dumb advice.  It was Hitler's insane pride and demonic recklessness that drove him to invade Russia, at the very time he could have conquered Britain.

Although Winston Churchill was one of England's greatest leaders, soldiers and politicians, we was primarily a writer and historian who won the Nobel Prize in literature and became a millionaire through the use of his pen.  He overcame a major problem, to deliver some of the greatest speeches the world has ever recorded.

DAVID FOUND FORGIVENESS

Kind David found forgiveness for his many sins, and so can you my dear friend.  He prayed: "Have mercy upon me....blot out my transgressions.  Wash me....cleanse me...purge me...create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in me.  Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation...." (Psalms 51:1-12)

That answers some age old questions: "Can a failure make good?  Can a backslider come back?  Can a wicked sinner ever be saved?  Is God still reaching out to the unreachable, the unlovable and the incorrigible?"

The fact that the Holy Spirit was still with David, after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had he husband Uriah murdered, proved God's unfathomable grace and unspeakable love to us all~

Understanding his precarious position, David begged God for forgiveness and mercy: "Don't cast me away from Your presence, and don't take Your Holy Spirit from me."  God answered his prayer in compassion, love, mercy and grace.  And God will do the same for you, my friend.

St. Paul, who had dropped John Mark from his missionary work because he judged him undependable, later requested a visit from him and commended him for his contribution to the ministry. (Acts 15:37-40;  2 Tim. 4:11)  And the great Apostle writing to Philemon on behalf of the runaway slave Onesimus, appeals for mercy and forgiveness, on his behalf.

"I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, which in times pasts was to thee unprofitable, but not profitable for thee and me:  Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is mine own heart.  Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, especially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord?" (Phm. 11)

"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is the root of all evil which some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through was many sorrows."

St. Paul warns, "But thou, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called......" (1 Tim. 6:10-12)"

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner; but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God."  (2 Tim. 1:7-8)