Restored in Him

Hope is usually defined as a desire for something, accompanied by the anticipation of receiving it. If our expectation isn’t fulfilled, it’s easy to become discouraged. We have an enemy who wants to steal our hope. As the father of lies, Satan tries to keep us focused on our circumstances so we will doubt God’s love and care for us. So at times we may feel desperate and abandoned, but emotions are not reliable. As children of the heavenly Father, we&rsquo…

Together, prophecy and history reveal the Lord paved the way from the manger to modern faith, preparing generations to know His Son. Let's rejoice together in anticipation of His return as we celebrate His birth. Simply put, the most significant event in human history. Merry Christmas to our allies, friends, and soon-to-be partners in the faith. Blessings to you all Steve and Colleen Adams

‘Surprised by joy’ is how C.S. Lewis described his conversion from atheism to faith in Jesus Christ. He had never expected that there was any connection between *God* and *joy*. If anything, he had thought it would be the opposite: ‘For all I knew, the total rejection of what I called Joy might be one of the demands.’ Convinced that it was true, Lewis ‘admitted that God was God’. At that moment, he was ‘the most dejected and…

There was a time when I was so disheartened that I wondered whether to remain in the ministry. How could I tell people that Jesus would give them peace and joy when I didn’t feel it myself? God let me stew in my anxiety until I was fully committed to finding out if His Word was true or not. I found my answer in a biography of missionary Hudson Taylor. For a long time he, too, felt that his efforts fell short of the Lord’s expectations. But Taylor realized God…

Michael was diving for lobster when a humpback whale caught him in its mouth. He pushed back in the darkness as the whale’s muscles squeezed against him. He thought he was done. But whales don’t prefer lobstermen, and thirty seconds later the whale spit Michael into the air. Amazingly, Michael had no broken bones—only extensive bruises and one whale of a story. He wasn’t the first. Jonah was swallowed by “a huge fish” (Jonah 1:17), and he…

In 1889, the most ambitious private home construction project in the United States began. On-site manufacturing produced some 32,000 bricks a day. The work continued until the completion of George Vanderbilt II’s “summer house”—six years later. The result was the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. To this day, it remains the largest private residence in America, with 250 rooms (including 35 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms) consuming a staggering 178…

In 1970, a car executive visiting Denmark learned that a 1939 Buick Dual Cowl Phaeton was owned by a local resident. Since the car never actually went into production, it was a rare find—a one-of-kind vehicle. Delighted with the discovery, the executive bought the car and spent his time and money to have it restored. Currently, this unique car is featured in a world-renowned collection of classic vehicles. Hidden treasures can take many forms, and in the book of 2…

Job knew trouble and temptation, but he boldly claimed, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15). He had lost his children, his fortune, and his health, but he didn’t abandon his faith. He was determined to hold on because he trusted God. Unlike Job, we have Scripture, in which God reveals His nature and promises. His Word tells us that our Father is always good, always just, always faithful, and always trustworthy. When we focus on honoring and…

The longing for things to be good again is making us vulnerable to all sorts of compromises. I can help you with this. First, let’s remove the shock and shame of those moments when hard-pressed you suddenly rages, binges, goes faithless, or simply shows up as a very unappealing version of you. Salvation is a process, not an event. Oh yes—salvation is a homecoming to be sure. That is the event. Our salvation begins when we first turn toward Jesus with an open.…