Saturday, February 20, 2010

Hope

all our hope...Image by evelynishere via Flickr


Good Evening to All!

I have started this post over several different times because I would start typing something, and for some reason, it just didn't feel right. I literally had no feelings about it, so I knew it wasn't what God wanted me to tell you tonight. I happened to come upon this Devotion and it popped out at me , so I can't help but feel that there is someone out there tonight to whom this message or devotion will speak.
Today's Seed: "May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you."
Psalm 33:22

Even though cedar-lined hope chests are not as popular as they once were, every girl dreams of the way things will be when she grows up. In her heart, hope has a home.

Christian hope is found in Jesus Christ. In him, we find evidence that God loves us. In him, there is confirmation of God's plan for our salvation and our lives. Because of him, we can face the sunrise tomorrow and the dark clouds that may come into our skies.

Because of Jesus we have reason to hope. When he makes a promise, our hearts believe it. Then our hope watches for it to happen. Doubting would be easier, but hope in Jesus overcomes doubt.

Your hope in Jesus will become most important to you when tragedy strikes. a great Scottish preacher said that the most profane word we use is hopeless because it slams the door in the face of God. When you face a crisis with your hope held high, your fears and panic will fade in its shadow. Clinging to hope is the ultimate act of faith.

One of the reasons for our hope is that Jesus never gives up on us. Paul was confident in Jesus when he said, "He who began a good work in your will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:6) What Jesus begins, he also finishes.

Dig Deeper: The Hebrew word for "hope" is yachal, which is also one of the Hebrew words for patience. Our hope is damaged when we fail to wait.


Background Bulb: The other verses of Psalm 33 list some of the reasons that we have hope in God. They tell us that He is faithful in all He does. He created the world and is still in control. He looks down from heaven and considers everything we do. He has great strength. His plans stand firm forever. He is our help and our shield. We can trust in Him because He is in control.

Sprout & Scatter: Presenting Jesus to nonbelievers is difficult because they have already heard about religions, doctrines, and philosophies. Most people reject our attempts to convince them of our beliefs. But when you tell them about your hope, many will listen. Tell others what God has done for you in the past and why this gives you hope for the present and the future. Every heart yearns for hope.


Think about it: What are some of the characteristics of God that give you hope?

How can you share your hope with a friend?


Prayer Pot: Lord, help me trust you in....


Take-Away Idea: Hang on to your hope especially in hopeless situations.


In today's time and the events that are taking place, we cannot afford to be without hope. I know that it is easier to "give up" and say "whatever happens, happens, but we cannot allow ourselves to feel that way, for "Faith is the is the substance of things HOPED FOR, the evidence of things not seen. Without hope, there can be NO FAITH. Without Faith, we cannot please God, and without God, there is NO HOPE.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!


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1 comment:

Retro Girl said...

Thanks for visiting me PJ--and the follow! I'm happy to find you and this post comes at a great time for me. I've been attending a bible study based on the book "Invitation to the Jesus Life". I'm learning a lot and working on building a deeper connection to Jesus and finding Hope in Him. Your blog comes at a great time! Thanks for sharing with us!