Promise for Today - More Than a Hope

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 

1 John 5:11-12 (NIV)

If you walked around a park today and asked people if they were going to heaven or hell, you’d likely hear many of them say, “I hope I’ll go to heaven.” But hope just isn’t good enough. I pray that’s not your answer. Your eternal destiny is too important not to know for sure.

You’re not guaranteed another minute on this planet, much less another hour. The most recent statistics show that mortality rates worldwide remain at 100 percent! Death is inevitable—so it’s foolish not to be prepared. Don’t put off the most important choice you’ll ever make.

Our Scripture for today tells us, 1 John 5:11-12, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (NIV). That’s about as clear as you can get. If you have Jesus, you have life. If you don’t have Jesus, you do not have life. You have a choice.

You won’t go to heaven because of someone else’s faith. You’ll never go to hell because of someone else’s choice.

It’s your choice! You get to decide where you’ll spend eternity.

This is why we celebrate Christmas and Easter. If Jesus hadn’t come at Christmas—and then if he hadn’t died and come back to life on Easter—our situation would be hopeless. Nothing you do would matter. You wouldn’t have this choice.

The Bible says, “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14 NLT).

The cross is the answer to your deepest problem: your separation from God. Make the choice today to be reconciled to God through Jesus and secure your eternity in heaven.

Talk It Over

None of us are promised another second on earth. How does that reality give more urgency to either your decision to follow Jesus or the decision your friends and family need to make?

Who in your life needs to read the message in this devotional? How can you develop your relationship to a point where you can share this message with them?

If the decision to follow Jesus and have life—or reject Jesus and not have life—is so clear and stark, why is it still hard for some people to choose?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

          Your Word tells us, “Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse!" We are blessed if we choose to follow Your commands and cursed if we choose to reject them. Father, we want the security of Your Word, Your promise of eternal life with You. Give us the wisdom and Your strength to daily walk out that choice. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - There is Hope

He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus ...
2 Corinthians 4:14

The resurrection of Christ brings hope. The late Emil Brunner once said, “What oxygen is for the lungs, such is hope for the meaning of human life.” As the human organism is dependent on a supply of oxygen, so humanity is dependent on its supply of hope. Yet today, hopelessness and despair are everywhere. Peter, who himself was given to despair during the episode of Calvary, writes in a triumphant note, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

There is hope that mistakes and sins can be forgiven. There is hope that we can have joy, peace, assurance, and security in the midst of the despair of this age. There is hope that Christ is coming soon—this is what is called in Scripture “the blessed hope.” There is hope that there will come some day a new heaven and a new earth, and that the Kingdom of God will reign and triumph. Our hope is not in our own ability, or in our goodness, or in our physical strength. Our hope is instilled in us by the resurrection of Christ.

(Rev. Billy Graham devotional)

Prayer:

Father,
           Our hope is in You, our resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! May we never despair, as we remember Your triumph and love. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - It Bears Repeating for the Dark Days

Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away.
Psalm 90:10 NLT

Some days in this life are so very difficult. Sometimes, it runs in seasons. Thank God He has given us the Bible - His Living Word - to get us through those times. To strengthen and to guide us and to give us hope in the dark days. To give us words that breathe and speak life. I love the rest of this Psalm...

"Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. O Lord, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants! Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory. And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!"

Prayer:

Father,
           You know the number of our days - You plan our lifespan before we ever draw breath. We want all that we do to be successful in fulfilling Your purpose for our lives. Help us, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Keep On Hoping

But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more.
Psalm 71:14 NLT

What do you believe about the Lord? Do you believe He is Jehovah Rapha, our Healer? His Word says He is. Do you believe it no matter what? What about if you pray for someone and they don't recover? What if they die? Is He still God? Is He still Jehovah Rapha?

In case you're wondering, the answer is "Yes, He IS still Jehovah Rapha, our Healer!" I've said it before and I'll say it again - our circumstances don't change who God is. When we're facing trials and tribulations, it is the TRUTH of His Word that rules over the facts of those battles. Hide His Word in your heart. Let it become the Truth for your life. Let it overcome doubt and fear. Line upon line. Precept upon precept. Let it build on the measure of faith that God Himself gave us.

Start it out with words of praise...

"I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together." Psalm 34:1-3 NLT

"O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood. Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you! My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection." Psalm 71:5-7 NLT

"For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God." 
Hebrews 13:14-16 NLT

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray as it is written, "I will keep on hoping for Your help; I will praise You more and more." You are worthy of all praise and glory and honor. Help us to be focused on Your Truth rather than the circumstances that surround us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Source of Hope

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:12 NLT

Simply put, hope deferred is defined as something put off or postponed. In other words, a disappointment. Sometimes, if our hopes keep getting put off, it can lead to depression, making the heart sick. You may know what it's like to lose hope. It tends to make everything else seem useless. 'Why try? Why expend my energy?'

If our hope lies in this world - in this life - then there are days when it will seem absolutely hopeless. However, I must say that we need the right kind of hope! Our hope must be in the eternal.

Romans 15:13a NLT, Paul tells us, "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him." If God is our Source of hope, He is a never-ending supply of it. Think about that!

Remember that the Word tells in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

God is ALL these things, and He is our eternal Source of hope.

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us for looking to anything or anyone else as our source of hope. You alone are our true hope. Help us to remember that there are no disappointments and no dissatisfaction in Heaven and that Heaven with You is our goal. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Lent - Day 33 - True Hope

Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2025

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And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” 

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away. 

The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, down to the seventh. After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.” But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching. 

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” 

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,
‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’? If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

Matthew 22:1-46

As Christians, where is our hope? In the face of hardship, does knowing that God is with us always give us hope? In the face of death, does it give us hope to know that we will be with God in heaven? The answer is, of course, yes. But greater than all of this our hope is in the resurrection. Ultimately what we look to, above all things, is knowing that Christ will come again, and just as He rose from the dead we can be assured that we too will all be raised from the dead. We will be body and soul, complete once again, and this time, in all perfection before the living God. This is the hope that we cling to. 

This is the hope that has been spoken by God from the beginning. Jesus points out we know this to be true because God is not a God of the dead, but is the God of the living, and in His perfection, He intends us to be living, not just metaphorically but literally in His presence.

Prayer:

Thank you, Jesus Christ. we know our hope is in You not only because of the forgiveness we receive through the shedding of Your blood, but because of the confidence we have in our resurrection because of Your resurrection. Amen.

Reminder - Whispering Hope

God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.

Hebrews 6:17-19a NLT

Sometimes life is very hard. Sometimes, there doesn't seem to be an easy answer. And sometimes, it feels as though there are no answers at all... only questions. Why? Proverbs 13:12 in the New Living reads, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick..." 

Have you ever been heartsick? The same Scripture in the Message Bible reads, "Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around." I want to give you a good break - it's Jesus.  Whisper His Name... That's a great contemporary Christian song popular today and I love it, but the one that has ministered to me this day is one I learned as a child with four-part harmony... Whispering Hope.

♪♫ Soft as the voice of an angel, breathing a lesson unheard, Hope, with a gentle persuasion, whispers a comforting word; Wait till the darkness is over! Wait till the tempest is done! Hope for the sunshine tomorrow, after the shower is gone. ♪♫  Whispering Hope! Oh, how welcome Thy voice! Making my heart in its sorrow rejoice. ♪♫

No matter what life brings, God is my Refuge and my Strength. He is my Hope - a strong and trustworthy anchor for my soul. And even when the world comes roaring in, I can hear His voice whispering hope to bring peace to my troubled soul.

Prayer:

Father,
          You have given both Your promise and Your oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for You to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to You for refuge have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. You are our confident hope and we thank and praise You for that. With You, we can proclaim, "It is well with my soul!" In Jesus' Name. Amen

Longsuffering of Hope

Then the Lord said, “What have you done? You killed your brother and the ground opened up to take his blood from your hands. Now his blood is shouting to me from the ground. So you will be cursed from this ground. Now when you work the soil, the ground will not help your plants grow. You will not have a home in this land."
Genesis 4:10-12a ERV

This is part of the LORD's declaration to Cain (the farmer) after Cain murdered his brother Abel. And as Cain left the land, the line of descendants began to be listed. The curse on the land remained for the next 9 generations. It is generally believed to be about 1,250 years until Noah was born.

Noah was the tenth generation from the start of man, the ninth generation from the murder of Abel. When Noah was born, his father declared over him, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.”  Imagine being a relative at the birth of Noah and hearing that this baby boy will bring relief from the curse that has been on the land for over a THOUSAND years! They were obviously still aware of it or the relief wouldn't be such an announcement. 

The sad thing about it is there was the hope that relief would come, but it didn't happen immediately so the people lost their hope of it and just gave up following God. They had ample time to repent and turn again to God, but they did not. Noah was 500 years old when God warned him about the flood. He was 600 years old when the flood erupted and the rains came. 

Today I see Him as the God of Hope to those who intentionally follow Him. If He said it, He will do it. Don't lose hope.

Prayer:

Father,

           You are faithful and trustworthy. Even if we don't see the fulfillment in our time, we choose to put our hope and trust in You, knowing Your Word accomplishes what it is sent to do. Help us to remain steadfast and sure, rooted in Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

hat I had not ever thought about as far as the timing of it.

Reminder - The Question is...

Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God's Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren't smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you? 

Galatians 3:2-5a The Message

A friend of mine once made a profound statement of Truth that just about floored me. He said, "Self-sufficiency is such a sign of no faith." Did you catch it? Listen. "Self-sufficiency is such a sign of NO faith."

Now, if this were Old Testament writing, I'd have to follow that statement with 'selah'...which is from a music mark indicating a pause. (According to Fausset's Bible Dictionary, the implication in Scripture is that, [Selah] is a call to calm reflection on the preceding words.) Self-sufficiency, no faith. Self-sufficiency, no faith! Man! It wasn't too many years ago, I would have gone ballistic over that one. Now, I humbly recognize the Truth in it.

If we never rely on God for anything - if we count only on ourselves and our own abilities to make or take care of our lives, our children, our jobs, our finances, our future, then it requires no faith. And just as sure as fear itself is the absence of faith, so is NOT trusting God. You see, NOT trusting God IS fear. Fear that He won't take care of you, fear that He won't keep you well, that He won't provide for you and what belongs to you. Fear that He really hasn't forgiven you and doubt that He even would consider it. Or worse, PRIDE - perhaps thinking you could do a better job yourself...

So... the question on the table is, Does the God who lavishly provides you with His own presence, His Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does He do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust Him to do them in you?

Prayer:

Father,
            We cannot begin to praise You or thank You enough for shining the Light of Your Truth on our lives. Thank You for setting us free to live in You, unbound by our own controlling methods of self-sufficiency. Keep us unfettered - set free from serving ourselves - and turned on to serving You and Yours. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Remembering - Mom Died 28 Years Ago Today

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.

1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 NLT

Yes, my mother died 28 years ago on this date. Sometimes, it seems like forever. Other times, like it was just yesterday. I wrote this promise a couple years ago, but want to post it again in honor of Mom who introduced me to Jesus.

I have been remembering moments in time of my mother and my two brothers, of babies who have gone to Heaven without ever having drawn one breath here on Earth, of beloved friends who died from diseases that ravaged their bodies but could not destroy their souls. I remember marvelous moments of joy and laughter, as well as those of heartbreak and grief. And I remember God's comfort through it all.

I remember as children, my siblings and I cleared the table, washed and dried dishes, and swept the kitchen floor, as our mother played hymns on the piano, encouraging us to sing rather than squabble over who was doing what task. I remember that some nights, we touched Heaven with the harmony of those old songs. It was palpable. At that time, I didn't know it was the presence of God inhabiting the praises of His children, but I knew I could feel something deep inside my soul.

As a young teen, I ran from God and it wasn't until my late twenties - desperate for my broken heart to be healed and longing for the peace that they wrote about in the Bible - that I returned to the God who promised that and so much more. And I returned to the music that soothed my soul.

I remember sitting by our mother's bed, singing to her, and years later, by my oldest brother's bedside, holding his hand and singing softly to him in the middle of the night, as his spirit hovered between life and death, and I witnessed the peace of God's presence soothe as only He can. I remember...

And on those days that seem darker because the light that was their lives is no longer around me, I remember these words from 1st Thessalonians. "And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope... First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.
So encourage each other with these words."

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for remembering us and our frailty as humans. Thank You for providing everything we need to thrive in this life You have given us. Thank You that we have hope and our hope is in You. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. You do not change. You are straight and true. Your Word does not fail. Strengthen us, Father, so that we may help others and encourage each other with Your Words. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

By Request

And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. 

Matthew 28:20b NLT

I used to have a magnet that read, "God said it. I believe it. That settles it." I used to love reading that magnet - it sounded great until I realized my arrogance in it. 

The Truth is this -  if God said it, THAT settles it. It is not incumbent on whether or not I have enough faith to believe. This gives me great hope.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT tells us, For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. His Word. 

His Word to me today is - And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. I HAVE THIS HOPE... And He is kind and loving enough to provide the accompanying anthem to go with it. A song by the same title, recorded by a group called Tenth Avenue North.

Here are the link and the lyrics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBg9jHQtE44

As I walk this great unknown

Questions come and questions go
Was there purpose for the pain?
Did I cry these tears in vain?

I don't want to live in fear
I want to trust that You are near
Trust Your grace can be seen
In both triumph and tragedy

I have this hope
In the depth of my soul
In the flood or the fire
You're with me and You won't let go

But sometimes my faith feels thin
Like the night will never end
Will You catch every tear
Or will You just leave me here?

But I have this hope
In the depth of my soul
In the flood or the fire
You're with me and You won't let go

So, whatever happens I will not be afraid
Cause You are closer than this breath that I take
You calm the storm when You call my name

I still believe that one day I'll see Your face

I have this hope
In the depth of my soul
In the flood or the fire
You're with me... 

I have this hope
In the depth of my soul
In the flood or the fire
You're with me and You won't let go

In the flood or the fire
You're with me and You won't let go

In the flood or the fire
You're with me and You won't let go

Prayer:

Father,

           I have this hope in the depth of my soul - In the flood or the fire, You're with me and You won't let go. Thank You, Father. All praise, honor and glory to You, O God! In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Hope Anew

Psalm 78:1-7 NLT A psalm of Asaph.

O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past - stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us.

We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. 

He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them - even the children not yet born - and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.  

Prayer:

Father,

           We ask Your Holy Spirit to bring all things to our remembrance as You promised. We do not want to forget any of Your goodness and mercy and kindnesses toward us. Let us never take for granted the cost of our salvation and provision. Give us the words to speak to those who walk with us and who follow after us so that they will receive Your instructions and obey and set their hope anew on You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Wait and See

We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.

Psalm 33:20-22 NLT

Relationships take time. Would you agree that while there are those with whom we adopt a 'wait and see' attitude, there are also those we know almost immediately will be a good relationship even though we may not yet have the proof - the value, quality, or truth of it that can only be judged based on direct experience with interaction - learned and earned when given the time. We hope that both will be good. Only time will tell.

However, our faith-based relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit should be different. Anything we know about our Triune God to begin with is based on His Word. God has given us all a measure of faith - are we using it to believe God is who He says He is? Have we chosen Him as our firm foundation? Are we using that faith to build the strength of our hope in Christ? Are we faithful to God?

As our understanding and knowledge of God deepen, we are strengthened to know He is a safe place. A sure place. We are confident that our hope is placed in the Right Place. We don't have to wait and see. We know.

Prayer:

 

Father,

          Thank You for Your faithfulness and for being trustworthy beyond the shadow of a doubt. Thank You for giving us the foundation of faith to know we are safe and secure in You. Let Your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in You alone. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Through the Bible in a Year

Reading for February 12th
Exodus 34:1-35:9
Matthew 27:15-31
Psalm 33:12-22
Proverbs 9:1-6

Ups and Downs and The Great Equalizer

Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Psalm 30:4-5 NLT

Life has its ups and downs, but the good news is that whether in the highest or the lowest, according to God's Word, His presence is ever with us. Psalm 139:7-10, I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. 

No matter where you are at this moment, what you are doing, whether you have hope or no hope, God is with you. He loves you and will never leave you. 

I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health. You brought me up from the grave, O Lord.  You kept me from falling into the pit of death.

Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now! Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain." Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

I cried out to you, O Lord. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, “What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness? Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord.”

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! Psalm 30:1-12 NLT

Prayer:

Father,

        Help us to take our eyes off our circumstances and fix our gaze on You! You alone bring peace even in the storm. The difference is Your presence. Help us to dwell there. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Through the Bible in a Year

Reading for February 6
Exodus 23:14-25:40

Matthew 24:29-51

Psalm 30:1-12
Proverbs 7:24-27

Advent - Day Ten

From 21 Gifts of Advent by Janelle Keith 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NIV

The Gift of Joy

Five years ago, my parents' health was declining. My siblings and I had to make some tough decisions regarding their care in December of that year. Those days were filled with lots of tears and talks as we all armed ourselves with wisdom in each decision. It was enough to suck the joy right out of this girl.

But the time had come for me to pack for a long-awaited mission trip to Africa. I questioned, “How can I go and spread Christmas joy to children, when I am in the middle of a joyless situation with my family?”

Once on the plane, there was some joy in leaving the stress behind, at least for a while. It was a relief to think about something other than difficult decisions or concerns for another medical issue. By the time our team landed on the ground, I left all my worries behind.

The children in the small village saw our team coming and immediately ran to us. Their joy was indescribable! The team divided up into different stations for the day-long party. When I was assigned to the “dance and cake” station, I jumped for joy with excitement. Cake is a luxury for most African families who struggle to just put one meal on the table. And it just so happened that the Lord placed me in the station that offered great joy. Who doesn’t love cake and dancing?!

I watched the children’s faces as their joy increased. I watched the moms smile and laugh as they watched. I experienced a greater joy later in the day from a successful party. I saw kindness-fueled joy in the community. It was remarkable because joy is a lost emotion that hides behind poverty. I saw the Lord’s strength as His joy sustained our team through several long exhausting days. Upon returning home, I latched onto a new, energized joy for my parents' situation too.

Advent reflection: Joy increased in my heart because Jesus made me see a different perspective of life. The Christmas party God threw in Africa taught me that joy is an inside job. You can experience Christmas joy any time of the year because joy isn’t found in your circumstances; it is found in Jesus!

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Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You that with You our joy is full. In the midst of all that's going on in the world, remind us in big and small ways to keep our eyes on You and not on the challenges we face. Father, we choose to trust You. Fill us with Your peace, joy, and hope. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Our Source of Hope

You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.
Psalm 119:114 NLT

What do we have within ourselves to offer those who are without hope? Unless we have a store of God's Word hidden in our hearts, we don't have much.

There are many life situations that can steal our hope if we let them. During the holiday season, the number one reason is the loss of loved ones, followed by financial stresses and unrealistic expectations. Chronic pain with no foreseeable hope of relief can also lead to hopelessness... which then leads to depression and loneliness - which in reality is caused by a separation from God which in turn can cause a separation of relationships with those around us. 

And it's not walking away from God entirely, it's walking away from His Word - our source of hope. Billy Graham wrote: "True hope comes by trusting God even when circumstances are difficult. One way to know whether you're trusting God is whether you're obeying His Word. Trust produces obedience, which produces hope, which results in joy and peace; and that is the power of the Holy Spirit." [emphasis mine]

Hope does NOT mean we have everything, (Romans 8:23-24), but that we trust God to provide what we need - that which He promised. And how will we know what He has promised if we don't know His Word? Hope again. God IS faithful.

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for losing sight of Your precious promises. Birth in us a fresh desire to know more of You, more of Your Word. We pray as Paul prayed that You - the Source of our hope - would fill us completely with joy and peace because we trust in You. And that we will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Feeling Hopeless

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
Isaiah 40:28-31a NIV

Life is tough. We put up a good fight, looking to the hills whence comes our help. However, sometimes bad things seem to keep hitting until we want someone to call a penalty for piling on. They seem to pile so high that we lose sight of our help. It's in those times that hopelessness creeps in, stealing our peace, our joy, our very strength... but God!

God has given us so many promises regarding His strength for us, His love, His ever-present help in times of trouble. His purpose for our times of trials and suffering. Paul writes in Romans 5:3-5, We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Let us pray for one another as Paul prayed for us in Romans 15:13, 

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Not Without Hope

It may seem that those who are poor and needy have been forgotten, but God will not forget them. He will not leave them without hope.

Psalm 9:18 ERV (Easy to Read Version)

I can't stop thinking about Pastor Alan's message this past Sunday - about hope. It's made me go back, looking for Scripture and thoughts about hope and hoping in the Lord, checking on the ploy of the enemy of our souls to steal our hope, our expectation in the Lord. Here's a good reminder from a few years back.

Ever been there? Ever wonder if God forgot about you and your circumstances because it feels like it? Have you ever felt hopeless and then had to endure the war between those feelings and your faith? You're not alone.

The writers of the Psalms second those emotions. Such as Psalm 130 which reads, From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer...  and Psalm 61:2, From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed... Just to give a couple examples.

However, what I love about the book is a psalm might start out in despair, but generally, it ends with a proclamation of faith and hope. The next verse in Psalm 130 reads, I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. 

Psalm 61 goes on to say, Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings! 

Oh, such hope! Such confidence in the Lord God!

Our Promise for Today - God will NOT forget us! He will NOT leave us without hope!

Prayer:

Father,

         We pray as Paul prayed. We pray that You, God, the Source of hope, will fill us completely with joy and peace because we trust in You. Then we will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Hope In Christ

You lived in this world without God and without hope.
Ephesians 2:12c NLT

I have talked with many people lately who have no hope. Many of them ARE without God, so their lack of hope - while very sad to me - is not surprising. There's an old saying that states, "No God - No peace. Know God - Know peace." The Truth is, if you have no hope, you definitely have no peace. And that happens when we are separated from God - without Christ as our Advocate.

The passage from which our text is taken explains it...
11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. 12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

Hope is so much more than wishing. We've talked about it before. There's a foundation for our hope. A sure foundation. A tried (and true) stone. A precious cornerstone, according to Isaiah 28:16. In the New Living Translation, it reads, Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken."

Wishing vanishes into thin air. There's no action to it. Hope - when based on the sure foundation of Christ and His Word - is something we can build on. It's solid. Our Hope is in Christ.

Prayer:

Father,
          Because You are at our right hand we shall not be moved. Therefore our hearts are glad, and our glory rejoices; our flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave our soul in Sheol. And for this, we give You all praise and honor and glory due only to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Pleasing God

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 12:12 ESV

This verse is from one of my favorite passages of Scripture, Romans 12:9-16. In my opinion, those verses are the Cliffs Notes study guide for how to live a Christian life. But this particular verse has struck a chord with me. 

To be patient in tribulation. It's not fun, but it is SO necessary. To be steadfast no matter what the world throws at us. It strengthens our faith. It builds our endurance. James tells us to "Count it all joy..." 

We must ask ourselves which we want more - fun or faith? Which pleases God? (Hint: Hebrews 11:6) Choose this day whom you will serve... (Joshua 24:15)

Prayer:

Father,

          We want to please You above all else. Give us Your Strength to be able to Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen