A review of our world in the year just passed reveals nations in turmoil without and within. Often leadership is more interested in their position and condition than in the needs of their country. They work to provide themselves a “golden parachute” rather than building a sound foundation for those they are suppose to serve.

As we try to view this present world through the eyes of Jesus Christ, we might conclude the world is lost without hope. But that view, though we are trying to have His perspective, is likely generated through earthbound eyes, rather than His all-seeing eyes.

When Jesus first came to this earth, He preached hope and faith, yet the world was in as evil a state, if not worse, as it is today.

Despite all He saw and knew to be true, He nevertheless taught faith, hope and love to 12 disciples and they changed their world.

Today there are approximately one billion plus Christians around the world. You would think that these believers in Christ Jesus, believers who have supposedly learned faith, hope and love, could effectively reach the remaining five billion people.

But we are not! Why? Perhaps it’s because we don’t believe that simple message of Christ’s: faith, hopeand love.

In the past five years I have been in over seven countries taking this message. Everywhere I go this message attracts many to faith in Jesus Christ. Their response is sometimes overwhelming, as it was in the Republic of Georgia in September of last year. In a public park area in the center of the city, our team sought to hand out Bibles in their language. Once the word was out to what was happening, we gave out thousands of Bibles within 30 minutes. People were still coming begging for a Bible, after we had given out all we had. Is the message still vital today? Yes, as demonstrated by those who received a Bible and sat down at the nearest location to read it. Driving by an hour later they were still seated reading the message. So, the real question for each of us regarding the message of faith, hope and love, is this: “Do I believe?”◊◊◊

Jim Duncan is the pastor of Mountain Bible Church, Mountain, Mo. He may be contacted at P.O. Box 146, Pea Ridge, AR 72751;

or by telephone at 417-341-8504; by e-mail at james.

[email protected]. His Web site is www.jamesduncan-writer.net.

Church, Pages 2 on 03/17/2010