Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
1 31 2025

Audio Version

What are you hoping for…When hard times come?

God’s word is our sanctuary.  Have you thought about it that way?  
Like playing tag when we were kids…there was this safe zone where no one could get to you.  
You were safe.  A Sanctuary!

Today, I am going to a celebration of the life of a dear friend, Vicky Slusher. 
I have been working on the eulogy her husband asked me to share. 
On top of that, my 99-year-old mom is back in the hospital for the 2nd time in 8 days with pneumonia and a UTI.  Her body is so wasted…she is so frail, but she has this in-built element,
this will to live,  that doesn’t know how to quit or let go.  
She was literally screaming, “Jesus Help Me,” when two different veins exploded in her arms as they were putting in iodine for a CT Scan with contrast.  When the Doctor was finished,
he kept saying, I am so sorry, I AM SO SORRY.  She looked up at him and said, 
“Thank you, son, God bless you!” 
Then an ER nurse came in, seriously shaken, and said a 1-year-old just had a cardiac arrest!   
Please pray for all of these and remember where our hope comes from.
  
Life is full of pain, uncertainty, and the unexpected.  That’s just the nature of it.
When dealing with immovable obstacles, impossible odds, and uncharted roads,
it’s easy to feel defeated, hopeless, depressed, and overwhelmed by the weight
and responsibility of things clearly out of our control.
What are you hoping for, or praying for?  
Deliverance?  Salvation from something? Or, like my Mom, just peace?

Where do you turn?  What is your normal choice of action, or should I say habitual choice?  You know, that first knee-jerk emotion and reaction?  You know, that response you would prefer that no one else saw? Panic?  Fear?  Anger? Immaturity, Despair? Or just Hurt!

How does hope translate into these types of situations for you?

Hope is a powerful emotion that can help us overcome difficult situations, but it is also a choice that we must make. In times of trial and uncertainty, we have the ability to choose hope over despair by turning to scriptures for guidance and inspiration. The Bible offers numerous verses about hope, such as Psalm 61:2, “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”  or Romans 12:12, which states, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” This verse reminds us that even when we are facing challenges, we can find joy and comfort through our faith.  Psalm 31:24 says, “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” This verse encourages us to remain steadfast in our belief that God will guide us through difficult times. By choosing to hold onto hope and trust in God’s plan for our lives, we can find peace and strength even when circumstances seem bleak.  

Where does your hope come from? What is the basis for your faith?  This is the time that you will know whether it’s hope in God or hope in your ability to fix it.  Your ability to figure this out.  Evidenced by the fact that falling to your knees is not your first resort, or second or maybe not till you have come to that place of complete hopelessness…when there is no other place to turn. .. where you are completely hopeless in the natural.

But God!  “But God” appears 45 times in the Bible, and they verify that circumstances never get the last word. There is always, always, always a “BUT GOD”!   To believe that… really believe that requires faith in what you may not see right then!

PS 34:18 says, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. The Lord plans for your welfare and not destruction.  You must believe that and not the lies of the enemy.  But we must wait for the Lord to act in our life. If you let His righteous right-hand guide you, you will have wings like eagles.  
Is 40:31 

What is the difference between Hope and Faith?

Hope and faith are two important concepts in Christianity, but they have different meanings. Hope is the expectation of good things to come, while faith is the belief in something that cannot be seen or proven. In Hebrews 11:1, it says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” This verse highlights the relationship between hope and faith. Faith gives us the confidence to hope for good things, even if we cannot see them at present. Another difference between hope and faith is their focus. Hope is focused on future outcomes, while faith is focused on God’s promises. In Romans 10:17, it says that “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Faith arises from reading and understanding God’s promises. In conclusion, hope and faith are both essential to the Christian life.

Hope is to trust in God’s promises of exaltation, and faith is the promise that if one acts now, the blessings that will come from hope will be fulfilled in the future.
Hope and faith are intertwined, and each is necessary for exaltation.
Hope corresponds to faith. They are a part of each other.  
Where does your hope come from?
Wherever you are…Whatever you’re up against…You are not alone!

Ps 62: “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from the Lord He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge”.

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Kent Henry  Lead me to the Rock that’s higher than I