Hope

In light of the holiday season so quickly running upon us, and also in light of my current sermon series REACH, with the finale entitled, “Hope”, I have been really thinking about and praying about several different things. First I have been thinking about the current condition of our society. About how the economical state has caused so many people to lose faith due to loss of jobs or restrictions in their personal finances. Second, I’v been thinking a lot about how people have lost hope. They have lost hope in people. They have lost hope for their future. And they have lost hope for God.

Hope literally means, a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. According to Hebrews 11:1, Faith is the substance of things HOPED for... The evidence of things NOT seen... WOW. Faith & Hope go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other. Hope is literally denying what the physical eye sees, or better yet, DOESN’T see, and trusts what the minds eye sees. And no!!! This is not a “New Age” approach to ministry. I am referring only to the aspect of Godly faith that says, “I will trust in God, the one I do not see with my physical eye. Trust in his word. Hope for the future he has for me.(Jeremiah 29:11) And believe that things will turn out according to his will for the good of my life and my family.

Hope says, “I don’t care what other people are saying, I will trust in the word God spoke to me and through me.”

Hope says, “Even though I am a planner and normally need to see physical evidence to support the idea of a secure future, I will trust in the word of God that HE alone is my rock and sure foundation.”

Hope says, “Even though my marriage appears to be on the rocks, I will hold true to the word God spoke to me and through me upon entering into the sanctity of holy matrimony.”

Hope says, “I CAN!”

Hope says, “I WILL!”