HOPE

Hope: The world's view of hope is merely wishful thinking or an optimistic outlook. Do you ever catch yourself saying "I hope my shorts will fit this summer" or "I hope this is the winning ticket" or if you are a second grader.... "I hope we have a SNOW DAY tomorrow!"

It's like we are just wishing; like we have absolutely no control, no say-so, no faith, nothing to base hope upon.

Well, I have had it with the world's view of hope for quite some time now and since it is the Easter Season. I'm just going to lay it all out there today.

Hope: a confident expectation based on certainty. I have HOPE; Real Hope. My hope rests on God's promises. My hope comes from personal experience of God's ever-faithful grace in my life. My hope comes from Jesus Christ. Christ is my HOPE made manifest.

We have a future with God. "There is surely a future hope for you and your hope will not be cut off. Listen my child, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path." Proverbs 23:18-19

God is Faithful to those who trust in Him. "Even youths grow tired & weary, and young men stumble & fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." Isaiah 40:31

God wants good things for us. God is available. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me, and come pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me, and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you!" Jeremiah 29:11-14

With God, anything is possible. "Against all hope (against all that was certain) Abraham in hope believed & so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him..." Romans 4:18

Hope comes from Christ. What in your life are you truely confident of? For Me it is one thing... GOD LOVES ME!!!

What in your life are you CERTAIN OF? I, a Christian, am certain of the basics of my faith... Christ Died, Christ is Risen, Christ WILL come again.

God didn't go through all the trouble of sending His son, writing a best seller, having 100s of prophies fulfilled, etc.etc.etc. just so we could spend our lives on earth being devoured & overcome by the daily grind of life. What would be the point?

God did all this so we would have HOPE. Saint Paul says in his first letter to Timothy, "God is our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ is our HOPE!"

....well, I'll write more on the topic of HOPE in the days to come... Stay tuned!
Jules