Tag Archives: Hope

Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Hope Yestterday, Today, and the Future

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There has always been hope.

Hope is not a new idea to the Lord. From the first dark day on earth, the Lord knew his people would need hope, and he provided it.

Adam and Eve did not follow the rules for living in the Garden, so they were kicked out. Hope was then needed, and the Lord provided hope and a glimpse into his plan for the future.

Speaking of the coming Messiah, God says in Genesis 3:15, “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman. And between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heal.”

Many years later, Isaiah was stating some unsettling times were about to occur. Israel was going to fall into the hands of Assyria, but the Lord offered hope amid the anxiety.

Isaiah 7:14 says, “All right then. The Lord himself will give you a sign. Look the virgin will conceive a child. She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel, which means God is with us.”

Many years later, John’s Gospel says hope came. John 1:14 says, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness, and we have seen his glory – the glory of the Father’s one and only son.”

The hope needed in the Garden in Isaiah’s day, and that came in John’s day is still with us today. Christ is that hope; his grace and mercy are still available today. If you are in need of hope today, give him a chance to offer it to you.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Hope

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The one and only constant hope.

Hope is easy when we do not really need it, but when circumstances around us seem hopeless, we truly discover where our hope can be found.

Friends who say call if you need anything may or may not mean it. Politicians may promise hope, but they are not able to deliver a true hope. Hope in money can eventually run out. The Lord, however, can provide a true, constant hope in the most hopeless of situations.

The Lord can give hope to the hopeless. In the darkest of hours, he can be a ray of light that changes everything. Where is your hope placed today?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Osv6pR6-5ys

Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

The Whirlwind of Life

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She experienced a whirlwind of emotions.

She was a widow, with a son, in the middle of a famine. Provisions were almost expired; enough was left for one last meal. She was gathering the wood for the cooking fire when Elijah entered her life.

Elijah asked the widow to bring him a drink of water and a piece of bread. She responds in 1 Kings 17:12, “As surely as the Lord your God lives, I don’t have any bread, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son that we may eat it, and die.”

Can you imagine? The widow is in a desperate situation, and she may feel hopeless. But here comes hope.

Elijah encourages her to do as he has directed, and promises the Lord will continue her provisions until the end of the famine. 1 Kings 17:6 records the widow and her son having enough to survive until the famine ended. This storm ended, but another rain cloud was on the horizon.

Some time later her son died. Amid the storm, the widow went to Elijah so he could act on behalf of God. This would have been an emotionally draining whirlwind for the widow; hard times followed by okay times only to be replaced by hard times again. Sadness giving away to happiness only to be broken down by grief. The winds of life tossed and turned the widow.

Perhaps this sounds familiar to your experience. Don’t lose the big take-away of the widow’s story.

Her faith pushed her forward.

It was the widow’s faith which compelled her to feed Elijah and go to him upon the death of her son. Her faith steadied her as the winds swirled around her.

You and I have a friend in Jesus who sticks closer than a brother. His compassion wiped the tears of the widow and held the hand of the man with leprosy. His power was victorious over death. There’s nothing in life that is a match for him.

Allow the Lord to be a part of your storm today.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Looking to the Future

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The future is coming.

Well, the future is coming. It may be unsettling, but we can not stop it from coming. The good news for Christians, the future will be glorious. At the end, the Lord will be victorious.

Isaiah had many unsettling things to say, but the Lord promised through Isaiah, a future of peace and rest.

Isaiah 4:5-6 says, “Then the Lord will create, over all of Mount Zion, and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night. Over everything, the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.”

Israel did not fully experience this when they returned out of exile, nor have we fully experienced it today. But the Lord promises he will create for us an eternal dwelling of peace and rest. The toil of this life, for Christ’s followers, will give way to peace and rest in the future.

The future is coming. We can’t stop it, but we can rest assured it will be a time of peace and rest.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Forever Hope

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A loving and patient God continues to offer hope.

A large city’s school system had a program to help students keep up with their homework while in the city’s hospitals. A teacher assigned to the program received a routine call to visit a student in the hospital. She obtained the child’s room number and name. She spoke to the boy’s teacher and found out the class was studying nouns and adverbs.

No one told the teacher the boy was in the hospital because he had been badly burned, and he was in a great deal of pain. When she saw the patient-student, it took all of her strength to continue. “I’m a teacher from your school,” she explained. “I’ve been sent here to help you with your nouns and adverbs.”

The two worked on an assignment, then the teacher left feeling defeated. She believed she had accomplished nothing, but the next day a nurse applauded her.

“I don’t know what you did yesterday, but the patient’s outlook has changed. He is fighting back and responding to treatment,” the nurse happily explained.

Two weeks later the boy explained the teacher’s visit gave him hope. “They wouldn’t send a teacher to work on homework with a dying boy, would they?”

Hope is a powerful tool of the Lord, which he continues to offer.

Max Lucado explains, “Isaiah revealed Judah’s impending doom. God vowed not to listen to the prayers of his people because of their excessive sin, but God assured he would restore Israel after purging it of sin. A loving and patient God continued to offer hope to the Israelites. He offered forgiveness if they repented.”

Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” God promised he would purge the Israelites.

The Same is true for us. Whatever is causing you and I to feel hopeless, the Lord can remove from our lives. Past mistakes and difficulties are no match for his grace and mercy. He can turn our hopelessness into pure hope.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Always Confident

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Confidence even when bad news and opposition surrounds us. Headlines may be bringing bad news to mind. It does not seem there is a shortage of bad news in our current culture. Opposition may stand at every corner. It is easy to lose trust, but we can have confidence. Our bad news may not make the headlines and our opposition may not be as well-known, but it is as devastating to us. The relationship that ends and the job that is lost probably will not make the news, but it still shakes us. Even though our trust is shaken, we can have confidence. Psalm 112:7-8, in speaking of those who follow the Lord, says, “They do not fear bad news. They confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless, and can face their foes triumphantly.” Psalm 112 states this confidence in the Lord comes in true wisdom. It comes in following his guidance for our lives. Following the Lord will give us light in darkness. It will provide us with a path when it seems there is no path to be found. As you read today’s headlines and survey your current situation in life, ask this question. “Where is my confidence?” Confidence in the Lord will give us the boldness to tackle today and approach tomorrow.

Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

No Matter What

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“Through whatever you go through, I’m standing with you.”

The lyrics of I’m Standing With You are a powerful reminder the Lord is always with us.

In Proverbs 17, Solomon says a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. In chapter 18, Solomon reminds us we have a friend who sticks closer than a brother. The Lord will always be with us.

When has the Lord truly came through for you?

 

The Lord came through in a miraculous way for the Smith family. The movie Break Through, portrays the chronology of the events. Tragedy strikes as 14-year-old John falls through the ice of a Missouri lake, John spends approximately 15 minutes under the water as firefighters feverishly work to rescue him. They pull him out and rush him to the nearest hospital. Doctors believe him to be dead, but somehow, someway, John is still alive today.

 

Break Through is available at Amazon.

Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Faithful in Prayer

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Never stop praying.

Two ladies were discussing their lives as they were at the laundry mat. They were both married, and they had much in common.

While they were waiting on clothes to wash, they were both mending a pair of their husbands’ pants. “Things at home are stressful. My husband is grouchy and always a ball of stress,” the first lady said as she mended the butt of her husband’s pants.

As she mended the knees of her husband’s pants, the second lady said, “My guy is usually in a good mood. Things are going really well.”

It has been said the biggest fear of the devil is our prayers. He fears nothing from prayerless efforts, and trembles at prayer. The Bible encourages Christians to never stop praying.

“Be joyful in hope. Patient in affliction.” Romans 12:12 encourages, “Faithful in prayer.”

Faithful in prayer.

Jesus illustrated the power of prayer. He spends a great deal of time praying. The disciples admired his prayer life and hoped they could model it. Jesus prayed about everything.

How do we do? Jesus encourages us to pray and never give up. Remember, the Lord does hear our prayers, and praying is just a conversation with him. Spend some time talking with him today.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Patient in Affliction

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Impatient Reaction vs. Patient Response

Billy, a young potato farmer, was having a conversation with Satan. Billy was harvesting his potatoes, and each one seemed smaller than expected. The crop was small, and the potatoes were little.

Satan offered to Billy, “Follow me, and I promise you big potatoes every year.”

Billy responded, “If I follow you, you will not give me any potatoes.”

Billy patiently responded in a rough moment in life. Satan was hoping Billy impatiently reacted. How do we handle those moments in life?

Romans 12:12 encourages Christians to patiently respond. “Be joyful in hope. Patient in affliction. Faithful in prayer,” encourages Paul.

Patient in affliction.

You and I are being encouraged to be patient during adversity. 1 Peter reminds us it is these seasons in life which help our faith develop.

As adversity comes, here is encouragement.

 

  • James encourages us to consider trials pure joy because they are developing Godly character in us.
  • The adverse seasons may be leading to a better place then we have been thus far. A wise man once said, “Waiting on God is worth the delay.”
  • “Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance,” says Hebrews 6:12.
  • We can look ahead to what is coming for us.

Trials will come, and we can follow Billy’s example to navigate the season. It is better to have small potatoes than no potatoes.

 

Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Joy in Hope

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“Joy is the flag which is flown from the castle of the heart when the king is in residence there,” said Robert Rainey.

In a Charlie Brown Christmas, Charlie Brown was having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit, so Linus said, “Charlie Brown, you are the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem.”

Are we like Charlie Brown? It is easy to become wrapped up in circumstances and loose sight of our hope. As Christians though, we are encouraged to always be joyful for our hope.

“Be joyful in hope. Patient in affliction. Faithful in prayer,” encourages Romans 12:12.

Be joyful in hope.

Life certainly has its difficulties, but we can always look ahead to the hope we have in Christ.

1 Peter describes this hope as…

  • A living and eternal hope. Time will not take our hope away.
  • A hope which will not perish or spoil. Our hope will always be the same. It is not going away.
  • A hope which will withstand trouble. We may be enduring afflictions, but they are not powerful enough to rob us of the hope we have in Christ.

No matter what we are going through or where we are right now, we can look ahead to the joyful promise we have been given.

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