Spring of Hope

Tests, Trials and Temptations are used close together in various parts of the scripture. Tests have the benevolent purpose of proving or improving the quality of something or someone. Schools test the quality of knowledge of the students. Metals like gold are tested for purity by subjecting through fire. Tests of faith are situations that examine and confirm the faith. "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac." Hebrews 11:17-18. "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves." (2 Corinthians 13:5). Temptations on the other hand have the malicious objective to prove weaknesses or trapping into wrong action through hardship or pain. "God cannot be tempted with evil, neither does He tempt any man." (James 1:13). God does not have malicious objective in His nature and hence He will not and cannot tempt anyone. But within the confines of every temptation there will be a test. Trials are the struggles people go t...

Man has always been curious about the sky and the stars. The Hubble telescope has provided us with dramatic pictures of the farthest regions of the starry heavens. In 2016, the British billionaire Richard Branson’s, second spaceship Unity was unveiled that can take 6 passengers and 2 pilots to the space and back. During during its unveiling ceremony, famed cosmologist and physicist Stephen Hawking said in a recorded voice, “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up.” Mr Hawking, who has been suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease, for more than 50 years and was bound to a wheelchair for most of his life passed away in March of 2018 at the age of 76. He added, "Taking more and more passengers out into space will enable them and us to l...

In 1990, a book came out in the US followed by a movie by the name " I love you to Death ". They are based on a true story about Frances and Tony Toto from Pennsylvannia and their extraordinary love. They were married for over 25 years when troubles started. During the years 1982 and 1983, Frances tried to have Tony killed five times. She almost succeeded in the last one when Tony was shot in the head and chest by hired gunmen. While he lay wounded for five days in bed, Frances tried to poison him. She was charged and sent to prison for attempted murder. While it is not unheard of for husbands and wives to try to kill each other, what makes the Toto case special is that Tony forgave Frances. In fact, he came up with fifty thousand dollars to post the bail for her. They decided to save their marriage after realizing that they went too extreme. He realized she had reason to be angry with him because he was domineering man who was insensitive and unfaithful to her. She ack...

When the roof leaks, most people try to repair it first. Some patches may work for a few days, but in the next heavy rain water pours righ inside through another side. After several efforts and spending money, replacement becomes a necessity. When God promises to put a new heart as promised in Ezekiel 36:26, the people were beyond any form of repairs in their spritual relationship with God. The only way a restoration can be done was by a replacement of the human condition. God's promise to them was to give them new hearts. A surgeon specializing in heart replacement says she gets the people who need to have their heart transplanted because their hearts are beyond repair by medicine or any other procedures. In the operating room surgeons remove the diseased and discolored heart and replace it with vibrant and pink “new” donor heart. She explains that the process for selecting who gets a “new” physical heart is based purely on the need of the patient. A change of heart to...