Rays of Hope ~ Tim Stockton

A continuation from the last article that can also be read from the blog timstocktonraysofhope.com is about how it is God who defines us and gives us our identity.  Living in the present people have to be aware of the fact there are dishonest, crooked, and manipulative people who are out to steal as many identities that they can.  The very first identity theft came soon after the beginning and the original two people had their true identities stolen by the “father of lies and deception.”  

When sin came into the world it changed the human relationship to God from that point on.  From even before that point God knew and made a plan to bring restoration.  In a somewhat comical, yet serious explanation Jase Robertson, from the Duck Dynasty family in a YouTube short from Truthimus.com states, “We can know the entire Bible in 60 seconds.  From Genesis to Malachi it tells that Jesus is coming to earth in human form because we humans are flawed.  The four gospels tell of when Jesus; God in human form came to the earth.  Then Acts through Revelation lets us know that Jesus is coming back.”  

Revelation 13:8 states that Jesus is the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth.”  This means God knew what the human race would do to need salvation even before He created them, yet He did anyway and therefore made a plan on how to bring salvation to all those who choose to believe. 

As explained in the Defined study from the Kendrick brothers, “God’s love for us, His desire for a relationship with us, and our identity as His image bearers never changed.”   God is always calling us closer but we have to have “ears to hear.” The deceiver is still out to “steal, kill, and destroy” any and all opportunities that are given to accept and know Truth.  Jesus explained in the parable of the sower about how the same seed (the Word of God) was sown on the different types of soil and how if it doesn’t take root the enemy will “snatch it away.” 

We do all we can to protect our identity from being stolen like hiding our pin numbers, using passwords, securing our devices, and using privacy controls.  Likewise, we need to do all we can to protect our true identities God designed within us and become the Light bearers that we were always meant to be.

11-17-24 ~ TRS

Have you ever thought about if you could have been born in another time and place, when and where would it be? If you put too much thought into it though you will realize that if “you” could be in another time and place you wouldn’t be you.  It took all the ancestors from the parental bloodlines of your parents to make you who you are.  So, if we were born at different times and places we wouldn’t be the persons we are today.  

I recently have been doing a study and then turning it into a preaching series as well based on a book written by the Kendrick brothers called, “Defined; who God says you are.” The first lesson is to focus on how we each are uniquely created and that God knows each one of us from the moment of conception when He gives life to us. 

We are created in His image as it is recorded in Genesis 1:27, “He created them in the image of God; He created them male and female.”  Many believe that God has been from the beginning, because He created time and made the beginning. Psalm 139 lets us know that God has been there since our own individual beginnings as well.  “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You. When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed and in Your book they all were written…How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! (Ps 139:13-17).

To be fearfully made is to be made with respect and reverence.  To be wonderfully made is to be made in a way that it inspires delight and is seen as extremely good. When something is made with skill it is being created with a purpose.  This is how the Creator has masterfully sculpted each person.  For Him to have “precious” thoughts about us means that He sees us as valuable.  

Too often many will discount their beginnings and not realize the value of their life.  We were created with intention and purpose; on purpose to become a light bearer of the One in whose image we are created, yet with our own uniqueness in that no two people have ever been, nor will be completely alike. 

Take time to thank God for your beginning and seek to live for Him on purpose.

~TRS 10-27-24

Rays of Hope ~ Tim Stockton

Some may say that they see the glass half empty while others will say it is half full.  Those who see it almost gone are typically labeled as more pessimistic.  They tend to believe that things will always work out negatively for them.  However, those who see the glass half full are said to be a little more optimistic and hopeful.  They try to see how some good possibly could come out of bad things that have happened. 

In the book of Job we can read about a righteous man that had some very traumatic events happen in his life.  He became very distraught and full of grief, yet he kept his faith and belief in God.  His wife even told him to just “curse God and die,” but he knew that was a foolish statement and he would not give in.  

Another person who suffered horrendous and unfortunate events was Joseph.  He had a belief from a young boy that God would use him in some great way but I’m sure he never thought that he would have to endure terrible things in order to get to the place where God then did use him in mighty and powerful ways.  

His brothers hated him and wanted him gone.  They threw him in a pit and eventually sold him into slavery.  Then he was a slave for a time until he was falsely accused and then thrown in prison for years. Being human there had to be times as he was sitting in his jail cell wondering why such atrocities had happened to him.  

However, even through the bad things he had to endure he realized that God was with him and was blessing him.  The day finally came that the impossible happened.  A former slave and prisoner who had been hated by his brothers and wanted dead was now second in command over all of Egypt.   

When Joseph finally revealed his true identity to his brothers he made a statement that needs to become a perspective we choose to live by.  He explained that what they had meant for evil, God was able to use for the good.  When things don’t seem to be going well in your life, or in the world just continue to trust in God. Realize in His timing we will be able to look back and see how His hand and His will was able to work through all the negative things that others or Satan himself tried to destroy us with.  When we trust in the Lord and place our faith in Him then we will be able to look at life from a Godly perspective that will help us have rays of hope. 

This was true a couple of years ago when I originally wrote this and it is still true today.  A few more positive quotes, “If you don’t like something, change it.  If you can’t change it, change your attitude” (Maya Angelou). “Keep your face always towards the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you” (Walt Whitman).  “I never lose. Either I win or learn” (Nelson Mandela). “Remember, no one can make you feel inferior without consent” (Eleanor Roosevelt). “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you figure out why” (Mark Twain). “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity” (Albert Einstein).  

God explained that when Solomon asked for wisdom when he could have asked for anything  that no one before and no one after him would be as wise as God made him to be and he said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.” These will be the ones who are always pessimistic and never learning, nor making opportunities.

7-24-24 ~TRS