Only True Hope – Page 2

Book Review: When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

July 12, 2023 by Roger E. BayramianNo Comments

I recently read a book on poverty with some of my coworkers. I work at Children's Hunger Fund, a nonprofit organization that addresses poverty. The mission of Children's Hunger Fund is "Delivering hope to suffering children by equipping local churches for gospel-centered mercy ministry." We read and discussed the book "When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor...And Yourself" by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. The book was first released in 2009 and has influenced many on how to address poverty. The title of the book is intriguing because it poses a question that I had not thought about, can helping those in poverty hurt others and oneself? The book begins with a story from one of the authors, Brian. Brian traveled with his family to do mission work in Uganda. While in Uganda, he taught a biblically based small-business curriculum at St. Luke's Church. He met Elizabeth, the women's ministries director for one of the local denominations....

Hiking and God’s Glory

June 28, 2023June 28, 2023 by Roger E. BayramianNo Comments

Yesterday, I completed another hike on my bucket list, Mt. San Jacinto. The peak is 10,834 ft above sea level and is the second-highest mountain range in Southern California. From the top, you can see the highest peak in Southern California, Mt. San Gorgonio, along with another famous peak, Mt. Baldy. You can hike this mountain from a handful of different trails. One of the more popular starting points is from the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The tramway takes you from 2,643 to 8,516 ft, a gain of almost 6,000 ft of elevation in ten minutes. The hike from the tramway is then 11 miles, with an elevation gain of approximately 2,300 ft. I hiked this peak alone, although I am never alone (Psalm 139:9-10). Two thoughts came to my mind during this hike. My brain has too many tabs open The wilderness is good for the soul. It allows me time to think without the daily distractions of life, closing the tabs...

Book Review: The Heart of Anger by Christopher Ash and Steve Midgley

May 22, 2023May 22, 2023 by Roger E. Bayramian Comment Closed

I have a confession; I did not want to read another book on anger. I bought the book "The Heart of Anger: How the Bible Transforms Anger in Our Understanding and Experience" by Christopher Ash and Steve Midgley on Kindle and hesitated to read it. My resistance was that I had read many books on anger and thought, how can another book help me? Eventually, I decided it was time to start reading this book, and I was pleasantly surprised (and humbled) at how much I had to learn about anger. The book is broken up into four parts. First, the authors look at the biblical portraits of human anger. Second, they look at the characteristic of God's anger, and thirdly, they talk about how to defuse human anger. Lastly, they address finding joy in the peace of Christ. If you have read a biblical counseling book, you will recognize the focus of this book on the heart. The heart represents...

Books, Books, and More Books

May 12, 2023May 12, 2023 by Roger E. BayramianNo Comments

There are endless books that I want to read, but limited time each day. Often, I want to escape the rat race of life to sit for an extended period of time, getting lost in a book. In the meantime, I find that I need to use the margins of time to get some reading done. There is an interesting verse in the Bible regarding books. Ecclesiastes 12:12 "My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh." Solomon, who penned these words, was an interesting character. He was known as the wisest man ever to live, yet, even with all that wisdom, he pursued the desires of his flesh and married many wives along with a harem of concubines. Wisdom and foolishness can exist alongside each other in the same person. Regardless, Solomon wrote these words at the end of the book of Ecclesiastes, one...

Book Review: It Will Cost You Everything

January 23, 2023January 23, 2023 by Roger E. BayramianNo Comments

When I was in seminary many years ago, there was often a critique of churches that taught "cheap grace" or "easy believism." The claim was that some were teaching that the only thing people had to do was to make a "profession of faith," ignoring a life of discipleship which included obedience and holiness. Although God's grace is freely given to the one who trusts Jesus, Christians are called to respond to a life of obedience and holiness. Is there a cost in following Jesus? Steve Lawson attempts to answer this question in his book "It Will Cost You Everything: What it Takes to Follow Jesus." The primary focus of this book is to walk through Luke 14:25-35 which he calls a "hard saying of Christ." In this text, Lawson wants to distinguish between true and false believers. Lawson began this book with an analogy of his life when he received an offer of a scholarship to play college football. The scholarship...

Book Review: Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God

October 15, 2022October 15, 2022 by Roger E. BayramianNo Comments

I was recently at a counseling conference, browsing through the bookstore. One of the newer books displayed was Tim Challies' new book, "Seasons of Sorrow: the pain of loss and the comfort of God." I was looking for a book I could read during my flight home, and this book was my companion. Every person will face pain and loss in this world, and there are different responses to those events. Suffering is part of living in a sinful post-fall world. All of us will suffer in this lifetime (Christian and non-Christian). The question is when and to what degree. All will suffer in this life, but not all will respond the same to suffering. I think suffering leads us to a crossroads in life. One path is to turn away from the Lord and focus inward, allowing the devastation to shape one's thinking and identity in life. The other path leads to the Lord, where the truth of Scripture and...

Exploring the Rocky Mountains

September 11, 2022September 11, 2022 by Roger E. BayramianNo Comments

A couple of weeks ago, my brother and I went on our annual hiking trip. This was our fourth trip together, and this time we decided to explore the rocky mountains of Colorado. My goal for this trip was simple, hike at least 50 miles in three days and not get altitude sickness. My wife and boss at work also had a goal; they told me not to do anything dangerous and to come back alive. We visited Rocky National Mountain National Park, which is in northern Colorado. We stayed in an Airbnb in Estes Park, the eastern part of the park. The size of Rocky Mountain National Park is 415 square miles (265,807 acres) with over 300 miles of hiking trails! We hiked together for three days while my brother stayed for an entire week. The highest peak in the park is known as Longs Peak (14,259') and is also one of the most dangerous to the summit. Many people...

A Variety of Trials

August 15, 2022August 15, 2022 by Roger E. BayramianNo Comments

Trials come in a variety of ways, at various times, and with different pressure points. Some are relatively insignificant (a flat tire), while others are more impactful (a job layoff). I learn a lot about myself during trials, particularly from what comes from my heart. Often I become impatient and angry. I want the trial to end quickly and worry about the outcome. I usually ask the important question about trials too late, "what is the Lord trying to teach me?" The book of James reminds believers why trials exist, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4)." Trials are a tool in the Lord's hand to grow the faith of believers. Yet, knowledge of that truth does not mean that our experience of trials will be easy. Last Friday, I began...

Hope from Heidelberg

July 11, 2022July 11, 2022 by Roger E. BayramianNo Comments

I have recently been reading through some of the historic confessions and catechisms. As I have been reading, one statement from the Heidelberg Catechism (1563) caught my attention and has been very encouraging. The first question in the catechism is: Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.The Heidleberg Catechism (1563) The question and answer...

Book Review: Work: It’s Purpose, Dignity, and Transformation

June 20, 2022June 20, 2022 by Roger E. BayramianNo Comments

I've been workin' on the railroad,All the live long day.I've been workin' on the railroad,Just to pass the time away.Can't you hear the whistle blowing? Rise up so early in the morn.Can't you hear the captain shoutin'"Dinah, blow your horn?" I do not remember when I first heard these lyrics, but I think this song captures the thought of how much time we spend working. Everyone has one hundred sixty-eight hours in a week. If you work 40 hours (not including commute time), you spend 23.8% of your weekly hours working. For most of us, work is not optional but is a necessity of life. How should we think about work? Is it just a job to make money, or does it make a difference in the world? Is it where I find my identity, or is it a necessary evil? Should I leave my job and pursue a different one that pays more or gives me more satisfaction? What if...