IT IS SO EASY THESE DAYS TO LOSE HOPE. WHEN WE ARE MOVED AND SURROUNDED BY OUR EMOTIONS IT MAY SEEM OVERWHELMING AT TIMES. EVERY DAY WE ARE BOMBARDED WITH THE NEWS, OR PICTURES, OR WORDS THAT CAN ROB US OF THAT JOY OR HOPE THAT WE HOLD. IT CAN MAKE US SICK AND DEPRESSION SETS IN IF WE LET IT TAKE HOLD.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life .PROVERBS 13:12

AS CHRISTIANS, OUR HOPE LIES NOT IN THE THINGS WE CAN SEE OR THE TEMPORAL BUT IN THE ONE WHO HAS SAVED US AND HAS GIVEN US A FUTURE AND A HOPE THAT NO ONE CAN STEAL FROM US.

IT IS SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE ONE LETTER CAN CHANGE THE ENTIRE MEANING. NOPE TO HOPE  OR I CAN’T TO I CAN. IT IS ALL HOW WE SEE THINGS. YOU HEAR AT TIMES IF THE GLASS IS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL. WE SHOULD TAKE NO CONFIDENCE IN OUR FLESH, BECAUSE OUR EMOTIONS CAN PLAY GAMES WITH US. HOW MANY TIMES WE WATCH A SAD MOVIE AND ARE BALLING IN TEARS, OR SEE SOMETHING AND IT GETS US ALL RILED UP AND MAD IF WE DON’T WATCH OURSELVES WE CAN BE SUCKED RIGHT IN.

THAT’S WHY AS CHRISTIANS OUR ANCHOR AND HOPE IS ETERNAL NOT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT CHANGES CONSTANTLY . FOR HE CHANGES NOT. HE IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND ALWAYS.

PSALMS 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

FOR CHRISTIANS FOR EXAMPLE, THE LESSON ABOUT PETER WALKING ON WATER IS WHEN WE TAKE OUR EYES OFF OF JESUS AND FOCUS ON EVERYTHING GOING ON AROUND US. WE START TO SINK UNDER THE WEIGHT OF IT ALL. WHEN WE CRY OUT TO JESUS IN FAITH HE WILL CATCH US WITH HIS HAND AND RAISE US UP ABOVE WHAT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE.

WHEN WE ARE PULLED TO AND FRO BY EVERYTHING GOING ON IN THE WORLD IS WHEN WE LOSE OUR FOCUS.

IT MAKES ME THINK OF JOB AND ALL THE TESTINGS AND HARDSHIPS HE EXPERIENCED, EVEN HIS OWN FAMILY/FRIENDS TURNED ON HIM. BUT HE KNEW WHO HIS LORD WAS AND REFUSED TO GIVE UP ON THAT HOPE.  IN THE END WHEN ALL SEEMED LOST THE LORD BLESSED THE LATTER END OF JOB EVEN MORE THAN HIS BEGINNING!

JOB 14:7 “For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease.

WHEN I WAS READING I NOTICED 3 TIMES WHAT THE LORD IS TRYING TO GET THROUGH TO US. IF HE SAYS SOMETHING OVER AND OVER IT’S FOR US TO NOTICE AND REALIZE.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. PSALMS 42:5, PSALMS 42:11, PSALMS 43:5  WE ARE TO PRAISE HIM IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE NO MATTER WHAT OUR FLESH FEELS LIKE OR OUR EMOTIONS TRY TO TELL US.

You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word. NO MATTER WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH IT IS WONDERFUL TO KNOW WE HAVE A SAVIOUR WE CAN RUN TO AND HIDE  UNTIL THE STORM PASSES OVER.

 SOMEDAY THIS TEMPORAL WORLD AND ITS CHAOS AND CARES AND WICKEDNESS WILL BE BEHIND US AND OUR TRUE DESTINATIOIN WILL BE BEFORE US. NO MORE CARES OF THIS WORLD WILL HOLD US HOSTAGE AND A DAILY STRUGGLE AND WAR AGAINST THE ENEMY WILL CEASE..

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. EPHESIANS 6:12

The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. JOEL 3:16

IN THE MEANTIME WE ARE TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH.

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; ROMANS 12:12

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. ROMANS 15:13

 

AS CHRISTIANS OUR LIFE HERE SHOULD NOT DICTATE WHO WE TRULY ARE SINCE THIS IS NOT OUR HOME. FOR WE ARE JUST PASSING THROUGH. WE ARE IN THE WORLD BUT  NOT OF IT. WE ARE ALIENS AND STRANGERS HERE, SO WE ARE NOT TO BE SO ENTANGLED AND AT HOME HERE THAT WE LOSE SIGHT OF OUR ETERNAL DESTINATION AND HOME. FOR THIS WORLD IS PASSING AWAY AND WHAT AWAITS US IS NOTHING OUR HUMAN MIND CAN EVEN COMPREHEND!

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ROMANS 8:18

For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel COL 1:5

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began TITUS 1:2

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; TITUS 2:13

IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW AND THE CARES OF THIS WORLD ARE WEIGHING ON YOU OR YOU FEEL YOU HAVE NO HOPE I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO THE ONE WHO IS YOUR HOPE AND GIVE YOU A NEW FUTURE AND PEACE THAT YOU HAVE NEVER HAD. THIS WORLD CAN GIVE YOU HOPE AND PEACE AT TIMES BUT IT’S ONLY TEMPORAL. THE LORD WILL FILL YOU WITH HIS PEACE THAT SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING.

 THIS MAY BE SPEAKING TO SOMEONE. I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS IF YOU DESIRE TO FINALLY  HAVE THAT PEACE AND TO BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT, KNOWING THE ONE WHO HAS YOU IN THE PALMS OF HIS HANDS.

 IN HIS LOVE,