The Voice of Hope

The Pursuit of Holiness II Corinthians 6:11-7:1 The United States Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, and that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness…” What does it mean that the pursuit of happiness is an unalienable right? Do you t...

The Paradox of Ministry : Part 2 II Corinthians 6:1-10 Are you protected? You may be asking, “protected from what?” The initial question is somewhat open-ended, it can be answered in quite a few different ways. Some people may be asking whether or not your property is protected by insurance for physical damage. Or maybe it’s liability insurance to protect you from a potential lawsuit if someone is...

The Paradox of Ministry II Corinthians 6:1-10  What do you think about this statement; “the only constant in life is change?” Is that true? Has that been your experience? This is what we call a paradox. A paradox is a statement that seems contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is often true. In the example I mentioned, we have the words constant and change . We see those words by themsel...

The Ministry of Reconciliation II Corinthians 5:17-21 In the mid-1970s, David Berkowitz went on a shooting rampage in New York City that spanned several years. At one of the crime scenes, he left a letter signed, “Son of Sam.” Berkowitz claimed the motive for the killings was Sam , a demonic spirit in his neighbor’s black Labrador. Berkowitz was arrested on August 10, 1977. When police searched hi...

The Constraint of Love II Corinthians 5:11-16 Elijah Cadman was born in England in 1843. He was the youngest of five children and his father died when he was three years old. Six-year-old Elijah was small for his age, and he began to work as a chimney sweep. He continued that job until he was 13. Already, at age 6, Cadman was often drunk, and by the time he was 17 he “fought like a devil and drank...

Looking for a New Home II Corinthians 5:1-10 When our children were younger, there was a neighboring church in our community that hosted an annual “father/son campout.” We were part of it for several years and we always enjoyed it. Everyone, except for a few, slept in tents. We’ll never forget the one weekend because it rained most of the time. Some of you know that water and tents don’t go well t...

Dying to Live II Corinthians 4:13-18 What do you want out of life? Happiness, security, acceptance, pleasure, comfort? What about meaning and purpose? And if you want those things, what are you doing to get them? Is it even possible to get them? How do you go about getting what you want? Isn’t it true that most people try to acquire the things I mentioned by pursuing something tangible? In other w...

Jars Of Clay II Corinthians 4:7-12 In 1947, a Bedouin boy was herding his goats in the Judean wilderness along the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. One of his goats strayed from the flock so, naturally, he went after it. As he searched for the goat, he absentmindedly tossed a stone into one of the caves that dotted the sea cliffs in the area. When the stone disappeared into the dark mouth of the c...

But the god of this age is also a mindset or a worldview. It includes the ideals, opinions, goals, and hopes of the majority of the people in any given culture or people group. It influences their philosophy of life, their religion, their education, the things they buy, and the places they go. If you were to sum it all up, the god of this age focuses mostly on the here and now, not eternity. The t...

The Light of the Gospel: Part 1 II Corinthians 4:1-6 When I was a child, I was afraid of the dark; I was scared of the “boogie man.” I remember not wanting to be the first one to go up the stairs to my bedroom at night. Some of that fear probably stemmed from the scare tactics of my siblings. But even without their teasing, I believe we’re born with a sense of discomfort with darkness. Depending o...

The Glory That Excels II Corinthians 3:7-18 If you’re a married man, think back to when you were dating. Back then, you gave compliments to your girlfriend for her neatness, her quiet spirit, her cooking skills, or some other quality. When was the last time you gave your wife a compliment in any of those areas? And ladies, your man was number one. You complimented him on his spiritual leadership,...

Living Letters II Corinthians 3:1-6 When was the last time you received a handwritten letter? Has it been so long ago you can’t remember? Never? Letter writing is a dying art in our digital age. If you’ve ever received a handwritten letter, you know how special it makes you feel. I’ve received emails and texts that encouraged and blessed me, but not in the same way a handwritten letter does. Maybe...

Diffusing the Aroma of Christ II Corinthians 2:12-17 Most of you have heard of “essential oils.” These oils are compounds that are derived or extracted from plants, especially herbs, and then they’re mixed with a carrier oil to make them usable. Essential oils are used in aromatherapy or applied topically to the skin. While there are some outlandish claims about what essential oils can do for you,...

The Heart of a Godly Leader II Corinthians 1:23-2:11 As we begin our time in the Word today, I have a question for you. What qualities do you think are necessary for a person to exercise godly leadership? A few of the things I think of are integrity, fairness, humility, and the ability to listen well. I’m sure you could add to that list. I believe people today are looking for leaders who are authe...

Established in Christ II Corinthians 1:15-22 A well-known Scottish poet wrote this maxim in one of his poems; “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” You don’t need to live very many years until you know how true that statement is. But this reality isn’t something unique to those who follow Christ; it affects all humanity. So, how do we respond when our plans fail? One response is fat...

Delivered from Death II Corinthians 1:8-14 Back in the late 1970s, I still lived at home with my parents. It was the day before Christmas, and my dad and I had made a trip to a local store to pick up some last-minute items. I remember that as we were driving home, the roads were snow-covered. About a mile or two from home we were rounding a curve when I looked ahead and saw another car coming towa...

How should a leader function? In this recording from our Strategic Partner Breakfast, Delbert Hoover offers several insights on how to serve as a leader.

Abraham—A Model Father Genesis 22:1-19 ‘Twas a sheep, not a lamb, that strayed away in the parable Jesus told. A grown‑up sheep that had gone astray from the ninety and nine in the fold. Out on the hillside, out in the cold, ’twas a sheep the Good Shepherd sought. And back to the flock, safe into the fold, ’twas a sheep the Good Shepherd brought. And why for the sheep should we earnestly long and...

Have you ever wondered why you pursued a “great idea”? Perhaps your plans simply are not working out as you expected. Roy Herr offers some insight in this recording from our Strategic Partnership Breakfast event. Enjoy!

What’s Your Comfort Level? II Cor. 1:3-7 As human beings we find comfort in a variety of things and experiences in life. Comfort can be physical, like relaxing in an easy chair at the end of a hard day’s work or finding that just right mattress for each night’s rest. It can also be emotional, a state of contentment and wellbeing. We’ve all heard the expression, “comfort foods,” particular food ite...

This episode of the Voice of Hope Podcast is a bit different from our normal Bible Study material. We had the opportunity to present a number of businessperson’s breakfasts in April 2022. We felt this material was applicable to business, church, and other organizations. The presentations were recorded and are presented here for your learning. In this presentation Doug Ramer offers insight in findi...

Rightly Dividing the Word II Corinthians 1:1-2 When Heralds of Hope began its Bible teaching ministry more than 50 years ago, the defining feature of that teaching was exposition. One of our core values as an organization is “a focus on the expository teaching of Scripture.” But what does that mean? I’ve discovered that not many people have a good grasp of what expository Bible teaching is. I’ve h...

This episode of the Voice of Hope Podcast is a bit different from our normal Bible Study material. We had the opportunity to present a number of businessperson’s breakfasts in April 2022. In this presentation Mr. Byler takes an in-depth look at what integrity means in life and business. Enjoy! Transcript: Enduring integrity—what’s integrity? In order to talk about it, I had to know exactly what it...

Walking in New Life Romans 6:1-7 Most people like new things; a new dress or an item for the kitchen, a new tool, a new vehicle, or a new house. And then there are new experiences. We join a new church fellowship, or we start a new job. In marriage, we establish a new family unit, which often leads us to welcome a new baby, which leads to a new schedule, new expenses etcetera, etcetera. So, we lik...

This episode of the Voice of Hope Podcast is a bit different from our normal Bible Study material. We had the opportunity to present a number of businessperson’s breakfasts in April 2022. We felt this material was applicable to business, church, and other organizations. The presentations were recorded and are presented here for your learning.