Tessa's Testimonies

Tonight I heard a lady with a beautiful voice sing "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus". "Lord", I whispered, "I'll sing like that to You one day!" At once, I heard His voice in my heart saying, "I'm listening right now!"

So, come on folks! Sing! You don't have to have a great voice, just a heart for King Jesus, Lord of ALL!

Psalm 115:1 says Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,

                                But to your name give glory.

Psalm 81:1            Sing aloud to God, 

                                our strength.

                                Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!
1  Chr. 16: 34,35   Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
                                his love endures forever.
                                Cry out, "Save us, O God our Saviour;
                                Gather us and deliver us from the nations,
                                that we may give thanks to your holy name,
                                that we may glory in your praise."      

HOPE

It was in 2003 when we found ourselves, as a family, looking for a house to rent which would see us moving closer to the church fellowship we were attending in Hobart's northern suburbs. We were living at Kingston at the time,a suburb to the south of Hobart City.

While looking at a particular property in Claremont, I happened to open a cupboard in one of the bedrooms, and there inside was a white albino rabbit - a real rabbit, and fortunately still very much alive. We guessed the previous tenants didn't want to take it, or couldn't take it, so left it in this cold dark cupboard with just a little grain to eat, but with no water.

Emily, our youngest daughter, immediately begged my wife and I to keep it so she could have it as a pet. The owner of the house, which, by the way, we did not finish up renting, was happy to have someone remove the rabbit from the house. Emily very quickly settled on a name for him - "HOPE". We were impressed at the time and since then, that Emily, a lover of animals of all shapes, sizes and species, chose a name which represented the promise of freedom and a new life for this rabbit.
The property we were renting at Kingston had a good sized enclosed run for Hope in the back yard, and we believe he had a contented life while he was with us.
When thinking about "Hope" , our white albino rabbit, and his fortuitous rescue from a small, dark cupboard in an empty house, I think about so many people who are blind to the promise of hope for now and for the future, which God the Father holds out to us, on the basis of our reconciliation to Him through the sacrifice of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary, some 2000 years ago.
The prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 59:9-11, says of those still living in the darkness of their sinful state: Therefore justice is far from us,
Nor does righteousness overtake us;
We look for light, but there is darkness!
For brightness, but we walk in blackness!
We grope for the wall like the blind,
And we grope as if we had no eyes;
We stumble at noonday as at twilight;
We are as dead men in desolate places.
We all growl like bears,
And moan sadly like doves;
We look for justice, but there is none;
For salvation, but it is far from us.
The Bible says in Ephesians 2:12 that we were once aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Italics mine)
Rick Joyner, founder and executive director of MorningStar Ministries and Heritage International Ministries, based at Fort Mill, South Carolina, stated recently in one of his "Word for the Week" posts that: Those who do not know the Lord put their trust in government. It is all they have to trust in. Even so, governments are failing and will continue to fail. The Great Commission Jesus gave the Church to go into all the world and preach the gospel is to offer the world a hope that will never disappoint. Those who have hope and give hope are going to be the brightest lights in the times to come. The gospel means "good news", not bad news. The gospel we have been given to preach is the best news this world has ever heard. The King is coming, and His kingdom will be established on earth so that His will is done here just as it is in heaven.
For readers of this blog who live in Australia, this is a timely word, as we have just had a Federal election, with a resulting new government being elected. Earthly governments, no matter how well intentioned they may be in carrying out their promises, usually fall short in, at least some areas, and people in time may become disillusioned with them, their hope in government ending in disappointment.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament says in Chapter 6:19 that we have hope as an anchor of the soul. It stands to reason that an anchor is only as secure as that to which it is attached. The promises of the Word of God are fully reliable. The hope we have for the life we are living now, and for the future - and for eternity is a hope filled with promise as we embrace the Father's love for us and pursue our destiny in obedient devotion to Him and increasing faith in His Word.

If you are reading this and are feeling a sense of hopelessness in your life and for the future, may I direct you to some helpful resources to help you discover a life with real hope and promise for you now and into the future.
www.vision.org.au (Vision Radio Network in Australia)
www.livingwaters.org
www.leadingtheway.org.au