Theologian J.I. Packer once said, “The way to be truly happy is to be truly human, and the way to be truly human is to be truly godly.” Though this statement sounds contradictory at first, the truth is that we were made to walk and talk with Jesus, and becoming like Him ensures that we live our most blessed and fulfilled life. However, inherent in the call to Godliness is a process of divine unfolding, which, though painful, sets our hearts free to embrace love fully.
Like flowers that burst open in the presence of the sun or like a blanket that loses its symmetry when unfolded for use, as we allow the Holy Spirit to unfurl our hearts and submit our tidy, controlled, and well-contained lives to His undoing, He takes our mess and turns it into something blessed. But just what does it mean to have an unfolded heart? Here are a few thoughts…
An UNFOLDED HEART…
- Opens Up. While something folded is neat and tidy, it’s also compressed and compact. There’s no way to see the full splendor of a garment, quilt, or tapestry without spreading it out, and though doing so takes up more space, it’s the only way an object can attain its highest purpose. If this is true for “stuff,” how much truer is it for human beings, who are made in the image of God? Though it’s easy to live a safe, neat, and “folded” life, the Lord beckons us to open ourselves up before Him and bring everything — the good, the bad, and the ugly — into the light of His presence. While the journey requires mental, emotional, and spiritual time and space, as we trust His unbreakable love to do its powerful work within our souls, we’ll emerge with an expansive, vibrant, and more glorious existence — one that’s healed from the inside-out.
- Loses Sharp Edges. Folded things have sharp corners and straight edges. And while this serves a purpose when storing items, it doesn’t benefit human beings in quite the same manner. Though the world we live in can be sharp and harsh, as we unfold ourselves before our Savior, He uses the power of grace and humility to soften our rough edges. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” As we allow the Lord’s light to expose our own shortcomings, we can more readily empathize with the struggles of others. While a folded, self-preserving person reacts in order to avoid the pain of exposure, an unfolded heart can “pay forward” the peace that comes from knowing they’re loved just as they are.
- Is Ready to Be Used. That which is folded is typically put on a shelf or in a drawer to be stored, not to be utilized. Unfortunately, the same is true for those who’ve yet to unfold their hearts. When hurts, destructive habits, and hardships remain in the dark, without exposure to the healing love of God, they can render someone ineffective. However, when the deepest parts of a human soul have opened up to the Sonlight of Christ, His total healing propels them to discover their divine purpose. Unfolded lives make a difference in the Kingdom of God, and the peace, love, and transparency they shine forth inevitably causes others to want to know their source!
Friend, my prayer is that the perfect love of God will flood your being with His glorious light. As you dive deep into His truth and allow Him to expose the hidden things within your soul, trust that your temporary pain will be worth the eternal gain. Unfold your heart before your Savior, and His radiance will become you in a way that warms, blesses, and inspires others!
Bobby Schuller
FAITH is Bigger Than Fear!
Our world is permeated by fear. Images of worst-case scenarios dominate our media-saturated culture, and every day, they offer us new things to worry about. Thankfully, as we unfold our hearts before Jesus, He fills us with overcoming faith and reminds us that regardless of what we see with our senses, He is leading us to His very best for our future. We can rejoice in ALL circumstances, because He is using everything we endure to shape our character and make us more like Him!
As a powerful reminder of these truths, we’re thrilled to offer the “Let Your Faith Be Bigger Than Your Fear” gift set with your generous donation of just $40 or more this month. Featuring an elegant ceramic mug embellished with gold accents, eye-catching teal, purple florals, and the phrase “Let Your Faith Be Bigger Than Your Fear,” we hope it inspires you as you enjoy your favorite warm beverage. With the mug, we’ve also included a matching hardcover, wirebound journal that’s filled with 192 lined pages for jotting down thoughts or fears. Both items come packaged in a quality, coordinating box that’s perfect for gifting or repurposing.
With your gift of $60 or more, we’ll also include a copy of God’s Minute IV: 365 Daily Affirmations for Positive Prayer, which contains a year of short devotions compiled from the prayer life of our founder, Dr. Robert H. Schuller. Its compact size is perfect for a pocket or a purse, and we hope it empowers you to consistently choose faith over fear!
Request your set using the reply slip included in this mailing, call us today at (866) GET-HOPE (438-4673), or go online to hourofpower.org/faithoverfear.
Caption: Mug holds 12 oz. of liquid and is hand wash only. Journal measures 8.4″ x 6.4″ x 1″ and the gift box measures 8.9″ x 7″ x 4.5.” God’s Minute measures 3” x 4” x 1”.
Request your gift by calling us today at (866) GET-HOPE (438-4673), or visit here.
Shining God’s Love in Dark Places
Shining God’s Love in Dark Places…
Miracles happen when God unfolds hearts. He can use one word, one song, one sermon, or one smile to lose the divine love that turns a life around. Because He is in the business of rescuing souls, redeeming futures, and delivering chain-breaking truth, He changes the course of people like Maarty, who writes the following:
“I was having a very rough last couple of weeks. Filled with resentment, hatred, and bitterness…I couldn’t find a way out. Things just spiraled out of control, and on Saturday night, I thought about taking my own life. I was ready. I was done. At the same time, in my angst, I was flipping through the TV, looking for anything to distract me from my utter despair. Then I stumbled across Bobby Schuller’s Hour of Power service. And it was Haven’s song early in that broadcast that hit me so hard. I was mentally done. I couldn’t take my circumstances anymore. And her voice — that song — its words just carried me through. I don’t know exactly what it was; perhaps her innocence, the beauty of the song, or just God working through her…but something spoke directly to me in that moment. It had such power and peace and presence compared to my pain, agony, and despair. I just surrendered my will. So, it looks like I’m still here. I want to thank your ENTIRE team, your wonderful music ministry, and Bobby, Hannah, and Haven Schuller for saving my life the other night. I don’t know what the future holds, but I hope I’ve turned the corner on this in some small way. There is hope back in my life now. HOPE, which has just been some random word that I never really understood or had to rely on. But today, I do understand it because I seem to possess it — and there was nothing I did to acquire it! Thank you Hour of Power.”
Maarty’s story is your story, too, because it’s only by your continued support and prayers that we can minister to others. Thank YOU for partnering with us as we share Jesus!
A Legacy of Loving the Lord
A Legacy of Loving the Lord
Legacy gifts are the hallmark of our heritage. Since our founding over half a century ago, we’ve been sustained, in valleys and on mountaintops, by the generosity of faithful viewers who choose to remember us in their will or estate plan — friends like Veronica, who writes the following:
I joined the Hour of Power family less than a decade ago, but I can say with absolute certainty that it has changed my life! The first time I heard Bobby preach, I knew he would be my pastor. Though I’ve had the honor of being taught by some great preachers, including Chuck Smith and Greg Laurie, no one provides the kind of context and history that Bobby does. The background he gives makes the Bible come to life, and I will never be the same for the gift he’s imparted to me. I also enjoy the way that he and Hannah work together as a team. Since I’ve been so blessed by the ministry, I’ve decided to become a legacy donor. I want everyone to benefit from the Scriptural truth that enriches my soul, and remembering the ministry in my will is a wonderful way for me to share it with future generations.
— Veronica Ross, Legacy Donor
To learn more about how you can update or create your Will or Living Trust, we invite you to call us at 714-971-4111 or email livinglegacy@hourofpower.org.
Our God Heals!
By Hannah Schuller
Happy summer! Friend, the Lord has been doing a mighty work in my life this year. Since I’ve been a sincere Christian for the past 27 years, it was hard to imagine experiencing a wave of revelation completely fresh to me. But how spectacular that no matter how long we’ve walked with God, there are always new places to go with Him!
I’ve had the Lord’s healing on my heart since the pandemic started, and I began “asking, seeking, and knocking” in my search to understand His healing promises. I’ve been reading many books written by missionaries and evangelists who regularly saw God’s miraculous healings in people’s physical bodies.
After much study, one of my favorite realizations is that it is 100% God’s will for you or your loved one to be healed. How do I know this? Well, if we believe Jesus represents God’s will on earth, then we can know it is ALWAYS God’s will to heal. Everywhere Jesus went, He healed them all:
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. – Matthew 4:23
Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed. – Acts 5:16
In fact, the only time Jesus did not heal was not because He didn’t want to, it was because of the “unbelief” of the people in His hometown.
And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. – Mark 6:5
Wow! If Jesus is God’s living will on earth, then we know it is ALWAYS God’s will to not just redeem our souls, but to also redeem our physical bodies. The word saved in the Bible is often the Greek word “sozo,” which means physical and spiritual healing. Jesus died on the cross so we can receive FULL deliverance — spiritually, mentally, and physically!
Now that we understand that it’s always God’s will to fully heal us — spiritually, mentally, & physically — we should never pray, “Lord heal me if it’s your will.” We already KNOW it’s His will! Isaiah 53:5 even says, “By his stripes we are healed.” Part of Jesus’s suffering on the cross was for our physical bodies, here and now.
We are supposed to pray and ask God for His will to be done when we don’t know what His will is…such as “Should I take this job?” or “Should I give time to this project?” etc. But never should we ask for God’s will to be done when it comes to healing, because Jesus has already revealed that it is HIS WILL to heal. And not just His will, but His GREAT PURPOSE, so much so that he suffered the cross for us to receive healing in every way!
This revelation of God’s will for us allows us to pray with much more faith. The enemy can no longer make us second guess ourselves when we ask God for full healing. The devil can no longer whisper, “Well, maybe God wants you to suffer or teach you a lesson through this sickness.” NO! That is not how the Holy Spirit teaches. What loving father would make their child purposefully sick to teach them a lesson? My dad would never do that. My dad always helped me get well when I was sick and taught me great lessons when we were hanging out or when I’d come to him with a dilemma. It is the same with our Heavenly Father.
I have so much more I would love to share with you on this topic — and even how this new revelation has enabled me to experience my own physical healing in an area of my life.
The Lord is so good, my friends! Remain steadfast in your faith and keep asking, seeking, and knocking!
God loves you and so do I!
-Hannah Schuller
What’s Happening on Hour of Power?
- Upcoming Sermon Series: This month, Pastor Bobby begins a new series entitled “Live Grateful,” in which he uses Biblical examples to teach that gratitude is wisdom.
- Special Guests: Last month, we welcomed guest preacher Christine Caine to the broadcast, in addition to pastor and author Daniel Fusco and the Voices of Hope Children’s Choir (virtually). If you missed any of them, be sure to catch up at hourofpower.org/episode.
- Upcoming Guests: This month, we will welcome the Voices of Hope Children’s Choir to the broadcast.*
* Programming information is subject to change.
What’s Happening at Shepherd’s Grove?
- Our missions and outreach ministry, in conjunction with the Voices of Hope Children’s Choir, is putting together “birthday boxes” to be delivered to foster care kids in Orange County.
- We’re hosting a shoe drive for our friends at Royal Family Kids’ Camps, so every child has a fresh pair to wear to camp and to keep when they go home.
- Our Children’s Ministry is meeting each Sunday, and it’s been an honor to welcome God’s precious little ones back to church.
