Convergence or Eclipse?
The Sunday Night Check-In for July 6
Hello friends, it’s time for the Sunday Night Update. You may have noticed yesterday that there was a cross-post from The Holy Lens. That newsletter is coming to an end after a special half-year convergence of prayerful writers that resulted in a soon-to-be released book called A Holy Lens: 101 Passages, Prayers, and Prompts Focused on the Word of God. With that milestone, I have decided to let that newsletter rest and to focus my attention here. That is either a convergence or an eclipse, I don’t know. Anyway, that means a few things:
I have merged subscriber lists for both this newsletter and The Holy Lens. Opting out is easy, if you decide not to stay. No hard feelings!
You’ll be seeing more posts here at Hope Remains. I’m hoping to establish a rhythm. So far, this Sunday Night Check-In is the only regular item here.
You’ll be seeing more variety here. Aside from this Sunday night visit, there will be photographs as I visit Black Bayou, prayers, brief devotional articles, and maybe just anything I take a notion to write.
You’ll be amazed, delighted and enchanted by the amount of content I can stir up in this newsletter. Yes, I’m kidding. (I still hesitate to call it a newsletter. For so many years it was a “blog” - a term that I think has fallen out of fashion.) But that’s what Substack is (originally) - a place for writers to write and they are in the format of newsletter. So… really … whatever.
Some of you will exit the newsletter. That happens about every time I post something. I really do get it. Eyes-on-the-screen time is limited and if something doesn’t reach us, then it’s a quick good-bye.
I hasten to point out that there are several benefits to being a subscriber to Hope Remains!
I’m not incredibly intelligent, so none of this is going to be above your head.
Most of my posts are fairly short.
The posts with pictures are enjoyable for a moment’s diversion.
Occasional give-aways!
Oh, who am I kidding? In the realm of the Substack community you find like-minded people you enjoy and with whom you want to stay in touch. That’s why I like to share links to posts I’ve really enjoyed. The people who stay engaged here are simply the brightest people in this corner of the internet. There you go.
FORSYTHE CHURCH
This morning we continued our series SEVEN HOLY HABITS by looking at the list provided in 2 Peter 1:5-7. The subject for today was Self-Control (LINK). I was challenged in preparing that and it helped me to realize that everyone has self-control problems in one way or another, but we are all called to give that control over to God. I covered some ideas about how to do that.
SPEAKING IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK
Wednesday night, Lord willing, I’ll be speaking in North Little Rock, Arkansas at the Levy Church of Christ. My assigned subject is “My Grief Story.” While it is painful to recall the events of our loss, I realize that there are people who are just now going through that storm and I want to reach out and encourage them just the way that others encouraged me. I expect that will be available on their YouTube page. Your prayers are meaningful to me.
PASSAGES: Jimmy Swaggart
When I was a young preacher in college, Jimmy Swaggart’s fiery preaching and singing show came on about an hour before I needed to leave for my Sunday morning appointment. Though I preached in quite a different atmosphere and theological perspective, I liked Swaggart. He was passionate, he offered up great music, and he put on a great show. It was Jimmy Swaggart’s broadcast that introduced me to the hymn called The Haven of Rest (I don’t recall ever singing that in church, but it was in our hymnal!) and the high, crystal clear voice of John Starnes was amazing. Beyond the music, Swaggart based his sermons on a specific text. It wasn’t just a bunch of namby-pamby-cotton-candy-feel-goodism with a verse tossed in every once in a while. He had a text, and he preached through it, making pertinent application. As a young preacher, that is what I wanted to do and was being trained to do by some outstanding teachers. But Swaggart wasn’t calm, cool, and collected. He was on a mission, and he preached like it might be his last time. Yes, sometimes he broke out in “tongues” and he broke out in sweat. He often cried.
Yes, he was caught in infidelity, twice. He was defrocked by the Assemblies of God. Yes, there was always something for sale and ways to give. He was quite a fundraiser. Swaggart was a part of a surge of televangelists, many of whom also fell to scandal. I admit, it’s not all a great story. But he never stopped, even when his denomination asked him to. I admire his tenacity.
This fall, he will be inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Francis, were married for 72 years. He was a native of Ferriday, Louisiana, along with musical cousins Mickey Gilley and Jerry Lee Lewis, all born in the 1930s. Sometimes I take a look at the YouTube channel for SonLife Network (Jimmy Swaggart’s Baton Rouge-based ministry). It’s a family operation. I still enjoy the music, even if I do not always stick around for the message. I have not been able to find an actual obituary written by the family. There are, of course, numerous news stories and perspectives online.
LISTENING
I always enjoy hearing Jimmy Swaggart’s grandson, Joseph Larson, sing. Here he is singing one of my favorite Andre Crouch songs at Swaggart’s Family Worship Center Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
WATCHING
This week we watched some episodes of Tracker. I like the cast, it’s a neat setup for a different story each week. It has some underlying themes that are interesting. I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s still just OK. Sometimes it seems a little hokey - but at the same time, I enjoy it enough to watch the next episode. I do want to keep calling the main character “Kevin” … maybe I haven’t recovered from This Is Us yet. His name on Tracker, however, is Colter Shaw. Pretty cool name.
READING
I finished Matt Haig’s book called The Comfort Book. I bought it back in January at the suggesion of
. I really enjoyed the book. It is not a particularly Christian book but it is full of encouragement. Matt suffered through a breakdown and used that experience to speak to people who are having tough times. I appreciate that. I loved his book The Midnight Library, and this one has a lot to enjoy as well. Goodreads tells me I’ve read 33 of my 100 book goal. In our Bible reading group we are in 1 Chronicles. For a while. My men’s group on YouVersion is reading a devotional called Men of Obedience from Impactus ministries.When things go dark, we can’t see what we have. That doesn’t mean we don’t have those things. Those things remain, right there in front of us. All we need to light a candle or ignite some hope, and we can see what we thought was lost was merely hidden. ~Matt Haig, The Comfort Book
SUBSTACKERY
Carrying the Weight of the World With You? was such a timely post for me from Brian Causer.
Stephanie Loomis wrote about The Goodness of the God that Knows Us. She used an answer to a question I gave as a prompt for an excellent post.
The Holy Lens’ last post is A Community of Prayer. Check out the awesome links there. There will be posts when the new book is released, but the newsletter has come to an end.
We Are At War: And We Always Have Been is a post I shared last week.
This week I discovered Our Night Sky and it is wonderful. I encourage you to take a look at the fantastic interstellar photography and listen to the audio, it is so well done. Thanks Greg!
All of my posts are free. Many of my Substack friends either charge a subscription for posts or have a “buy me a coffee” link. I put together an Amazon wish list, if you’d like to express appreciation in that way. If not, you’ll still get the same high-quality Substackery that you’re used to!
I like being connected to you. That’s why I end every Sunday Night Check-in with this line: Take care, friends. Work hard, rest well, and stay connected. The world needs you.
I mean it.
Glad you liked the devotion!