HOPE

 

HOPE

 

 

By Penny Williams

The hope that comes from God is a holy gift placed within our hearts to believe and trust in Him beyond anything we can see physically on earth. Hope is an indelible drive within our hearts that cannot be removed. Though there are times when we are discouraged, I believe that through The Holy Spirit’s gentle teaching and love, His hope keeps us on the mark. Hope is manifested during war when our sons are maneuvering and commissioned to be the tip of the spear out front paving the way before battle. They pray and hope they won’t die or become permanently injured.  Hope is given and expressed when there is serious sickness in our families. We pray, we believe and we use the faith that has been given to us and we hope they will come through. Amid our trials we hold onto the hope in our hearts asking God to give us strength. We hope for everything from healings to a better paycheck. From losing weight to gaining weight. For the forgiveness that Jesus brought that sets us free from the chains of sin and brings us peace. For discernment in times when we make important decisions. We hope we have made the right choice. We pray and seek counsel and hope it is good.  We even “hope” people will like us when we walk into a strange room. We hope our fiancé’s parents will like us. We stand upon faith and believe in our hearts the Bible is the true, infallible and errant word of God. We hope that there is a better world where our loved ones have gone.

Picture in your mind a round circle in your heart. In that circle is Jesus. His Holy Spirit abides within that deep circle and gives us hope. His hope connects to:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. Ga.5:22

“Meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.” Ga.5:23

“(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Ph.1:11

We are called to bear fruit through everything we walk through, with God. We are in complete dependance upon our Father’s grace to bring us through the rough times and if you look closely, you will see a tiny bud of His goodness upon your branch. Learn to see His hand in every part of your life and soon there will be more than one bud upon your branch. Our Heavenly Father connects with us in so many ways. He knows how to lighten up our hearts and make us smile. How to laugh again. And, throughout the whole process we have the strength that His hope brings.

In my vegetable garden I noticed two plants coming up that I never planted. Their rich dark leaves grew large and protective and then I began to see many blooms. Spaghetti Squash! My favorite squash. I was overwhelmed with the rush of love that my Heavenly Father gave to me. He knows how to capture the deep wonder of Him in my heart and I felt His love. Soon, I will be harvesting about 7 spaghetti squash to give to those I love. We used to sing scriptures all the time, “He bought me to the banqueting house and His banner over me was love.” Song 2:4

It is a good way to memorize scripture without trying.

Our Father wants our hearts to smile. He wants us to see Him in everything we do and don’t do. He knows when our hearts are breaking and He begins to apply the salve we need to be healed. He never leaves us. When we are walking through the valley of darkness, we have nothing to fear.   

His hope tells us to:

Not give up!

Though there have been times, I wonder why? I pull closer to His word.

Stay on the course He has given to me!

The flesh wars against the spirit. I remember Jesus saying, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6 “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.” 1John 4:4

Continue on, to learn how to love in the way that His Son loves!

This is an assignment from God and sometimes takes a lifetime to bury the things we have learned when we were of the world. We are to: “forgive now and understand later.”  I realize that nothing can stop Jesus from loving me. Even when I did not know Him, He loved me. Love is a sacrifice.

Not be swayed by man’s doctrines or idols!

Idols are different today than the ones they made thousands of years ago. I will search my heart to see if I am putting anything before God.

Nourish and keep a thankful heart!

Do not take anything for granted and be thankful for the smallest things in  your my life. In one moment, we could lose everything He has given to us. To be truly thankful, we must be humble.

Cherish God’s teachings in my life for they are a privilege! I will grow!

This is how He talks to us. He teaches and guides us. His words will penetrate your heart so you can walk in His light consistently. You will learn who God is through His word. His words give us everything we need.

Be steady with hope, not rising above; or below in what He has given us.

God is our mainstay as we walk. He has given us a thankful heart, for we can see His work everywhere,

Pray to give Him all the glory.

Our Father God knows what He is doing and when He does it. We do not have to understand everything about Him to believe and know He is the Creator of all.

Be careful to always love Him first above everything else in our life.

If we listen to the conscience He has given to us, we will stay in His will. If we make that a special habit; then we will begin to hear His voice. His Holy Spirit teaches us His will in many ways. We are to fear Him, as it keeps us from sin. We are to be careful in what we say as it is a matter of life vs death, and we will be judged by the words we give.

It sounds like we walk a tightrope at times, but when you begin to grow, like the song says; “the things of the world grow strangely dim.” We become more spirit than flesh.

Not one of us can brag about all the things we have done for our Lord. If we must boast, let it be of Him. One author has said, “It isn’t any of the things we have done for Him, it is what Jesus has done for us.”   

God’s hope is a gift and is connected to The Holy Spirit and it is He that washes us with His word and brings us through our doubts. He teaches and comforts us and explains how Biblical verses tie into today’s living. Remember when Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. “Mt.6:33,34

As a believer:

The Kingdom of God should be the first thing we seek after you are born-again and the first thing we should be understanding and the last thing, we think about before we go to bed. We are to be desperate and go after The Kingdom of God like that of a drowning man who keeps coming up from the water for air and never gives up.  It is the hope inside of a man’s heart that drives him into a life of godly faith! It is The Holy Spirit that gives us the grace we need to keep us afloat.

When a repentant sinner comes humbly before our Holy Father and confesses his sins believing by faith that he will receive forgiveness, there is a party in heaven! Everyone rejoices! That is not all, The Holy Spirit fills us with the power of His love and He blesses us by cleaning us up and teaching us throughout the years as we learn to be the Overcomers we are called to be. We carry His torch, and the light of His love is given in many ways. We receive His hope, His counsel, His truth, His joy and most important His word and is all given through His love.

Perhaps it is time for you to dust off that Bible and return to your first love.

Think for a moment about what happens to a piece of fruit when it stays on the counter for too long and we do not eat it. The fruit begins to ripen, dry up and rot.

Ask your heart:  

During a trial did I rejoin the world?  Did I wonder where my joy went, my hope? What did I do? And why? The world’s enmities are always standing close by and will justify your behavior with earthly reasons and answers. But love in the Holy Spirit will never leave you because He lives within you. You need to know who you are carrying around and begin to listen to His small voice within you. His creative hand is everywhere and He is our hope. This is why we talk about “The Blessed Hope.”

We have His hope as He continues to reside within us wherever we go and do. We carry this hope around as we walk in faith.

Jesus Christ is our hope. We put all our trust in Him as we live.

I am convinced that we cannot live without His hope inside of us. His hope waters our faith. Not to outshine His light, but to be fuel inside of that light so others can see it, walk in it and proclaim God’s goodness with hope. His light is pure, holy and full of truth. Hope can bring you the peace that you crave if you use it. Walking in hope breeds a consistency in Christ. We begin to multiply more hope towards those in need. Our wishing turns to a prayer and our hope kindles our faith.

“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.” Ro.15:13 NIV.

“for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written FOR OUR LEARNING, that we THROUGH PATIENCE and COMFORT of the scriptures might have HOPE.” Ro.15:4 KJV.

We have a God of HOPE!

We have a God of PATIENCE!

We have a God of MERCY!

We have a God who judges our hearts!

He holds us accountable for our motives and intents!

He forgives us when we humble ourselves and sincerely ask for forgiveness!

He will give us His strength to get through each day at a time.

“Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord.” Psalm 102:18 NIV

Dear Reader,

Though you may have stumbled upon these words today and began to wonder if they are true. Allow me to say, that every time you see a believer who has given their life to Jesus and has been born-again, you are looking at a modern-day miracle. Not one of us can clean up ourselves alone. We all need His miraculous help.  If you sincerely need help and healing, call upon the one who gives help and heals your broken life and heart. This will be the most important decision you have ever made in your life. I say most important decision because asking our Holy Father to come into your life and give you a new heart, a new life, new eyes so you can see, new ears so you can hear what His Spirit is saying will be ongoing for the rest of your life. He will teach you His way and His will forever. The minute you pray and believe that Jesus paid the complete sacrifice for all your sins upon that cross and make that decision and ask Him into your life you become a new person.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV

How does this happen?

Jesus Himself kept saying through His red words, “IF you believe in me, you will have eternal life.”

Salvation is a free gift of grace from God to you. If someone loved you so much and wanted to give you a free home or car, would you accept it? You might wonder, what is the catch?  Have you ever thought that perhaps this is your time to make a life decision?

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 KJV Rd the book of John.

The truth is, Jesus is the only way to life after death. Everyone of us have an assigned appointment to stand in front of Him one day, but we do not know of the time.  The world’s teachings say that there are many ways to life after death. Not so, according to the written word, there is only one way to life and that is believing in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God and was sent by His Father to be the Lamb of God, a pure sinless sacrifice for us. He was seen by over 500 people when He was resurrected on the third day.

I remember when I was accused for my “archaic religious belief” when in our online forum. Yes, I believe. Jesus’s words give us hope. And if we apply them to our present day, we will have the victory that He desires to give to us. It is His Holy Spirit that begins to soften up our hearts as we learn. After we are born again, alas become pliable to receive.

Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your Son Jesus who paid the price for me, so I can be set free from sin. Right now, I repent of my sins. Name them____________. I ask that you would forgive me and give me a new heart. Forgive my selfishness and make me into a new person. I ask that Your Holy Spirit would fill me with your love and truth.  Keep me on the mark Father. In Jesus name I ask, amen.

If you have prayed this repentant prayer, congratulations! You have been born-again; all things will be new to you.. Give yourself time to grow. Find a good Bible believing church, join a small group as they will help you grow and pray for you as you learn. Be sure and buy a Bible or they usually give them away at Thrift stores. Welcome into the family!