Opening Up

The US is opening up after more than two months of various restrictions due to the new virus. Our individual experiences were and are very different. In my own family some continued to work, some began home schooling their children, some had their businesses closed, one lost his job permanently. Each of us had and have challenges.

During both strict and relaxed restrictions, we had and have opportunities. Our routines were affected, even if we continued to work. For most of us, we had more time at home. Shopping for essentials changed. Shopping for anything changed.

These changes generated new opportunities. How did we use the additional time at home? Did we respond with grace to shortages of items we needed? 

There are new opportunities now that restrictions are being eased. We may be out of the house more, or back to work, or in summer routine rather than homeschooling. There are new conflicts between those who wear masks and those who don’t. There is disagreement, sometimes heated, about how fast to reopen. There are long standing political conflicts. 

As Christians, we have opportunities to use hardship, disappointments, and conflicts to honor God and demonstrate to others His love and power. We have new chances to testify about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

I am praying to recognize these opportunities and to speak up in love and gentleness. 

I think God gave the whole world a reminder that we are not in charge, He is. Let’s witness to Him while we can.

The US is opening up. Let us open up also.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10) 

Hope Keeps Us Going

Actions often are based on expectations about the future. We do something expecting some result. (We also often act as a result of habit or settled routine. This post is not about that.)

The stronger the expectation, the more likely we will keep going through hard times. I’m sure you can think of examples in your own life: finishing a project, graduating, running that last mile, loving a prodigal child.

“It’s always darkest before the dawn.”

In that quip, the coming dawn is the hope that keeps us going.

For Christians, our dawn is the hope laid up for us in heaven. (Colossians 1:5)

We have God-given promises about the future and the present. These promises are guaranteed, not uncertain. (See Our Hope)

Scripture often links behavior to hope 

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.  (Matthew 5:12) 

Exult in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:2) 

We labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God.  (1 Timothy 4:10) 

Hebrews 11

Hebrew 11 is referred to as the faith chapter, detailing heroes of the faith. It is also the chapter of hope because these men and women were assured their hope was true. 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  (Hebrews 11:1) 

Act in light of God-given hope

To act consistently with our God-given hope, we should:

Review the hope God has given us, not only in eternity, but in this world as well.

Believe Him!

Fix your hope completely on God. 

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  (1 Peter 1:13) 

Pray! 

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)   

Sinking Spells

John the Baptist was the first to recognize Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17), identified Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), and declared that Jesus baptizes in the Holy Spirit and is the Son of God (John 1:33-34).

But he had a sinking spell.

After Herod put John the Baptist in prison, he started wondering (worrying?).

Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?”  (Luke 7:19) 

John’s disciples arrived while Jesus was healing.

 At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind.  (Luke 7:21) 

Jesus answered John’s disciples with scripture (Luke 7: 22), demonstrating Jesus is the Anointed One, fulfilling prophesy.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners.  (Isaiah 61:1) 

Jesus sent word to John about what was actually happening (reality), reminded him of scripture, showed the fulfillment of prophesy, and reoriented John to the certainty of God’s promises.  

When we (believers) have sinking spells

Remember who God is

God is our loving sovereign (See When Storms Come: Will You Be Ready?)

 God doesn’t lie (Hebrews 6:18)

God fulfills all His promises (Numbers 23:19)

Check to make sure you are putting your hope in God, and God alone

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. (Psalm 62:5–6) 

Remember His promises

His promises are sure things. We “hope” for them, but it’s really waiting in anticipation of certain fulfillment.  (See Our Hope)

Remember His enormous blessings to you

This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. (Lamentations 3:21–25) 

Study scripture, memorize, meditate

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.  (Romans 15:4) 

In His word do I hope. (Psalm 130:5)

In everything give thanks

In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  (1 Thessalonians 5:18) 

Stand firm and press on

PRAY!

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) 

What gives you hope?

Do you depend on the sea wall to protect you from the storm?

Do you look to your marriage to fulfill your needs?

Do you expect your income to bring you joy?

Do you believe your good health habits guarantee you a long, healthy life?

Do you rely on your retirement funds for a pleasant and secure old age?

Do you ….. ?

Any hope without God is no hope

Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ … having no hope and without God in the world.  (Ephesians 2:12) 

Any hope outside of God is a false hope

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!  (Isaiah 31:1) 

The righteous will see and fear, and will laugh at him, saying, “Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and was strong in his evil desire.”  (Psalm 52:6–7) 

A horse is a false hope for victory;Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength. (Psalm 33:17)

If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.  (Psalm 62:10) 

… the deceitfulness of riches …  (Mark 4:19) 

Our hope is only in and from God

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.” (Psalm 62:5–8) 

Be responsible and trust God

We are expected to be responsible in this world and follow God’s commands. 

If we marry, we are to marry in the Lord.

We are to take care of our bodies and minds.

We are to work and use our income wisely.

We are to be good stewards.

But we are to trust in God and not ourselves. 

Monitor yourself

Watch yourself for where you place your hope. If you find yourself hoping in someone or something other than God, confess! Ask the Lord to cleanse you from false hope and strengthen your trust in God, and God alone.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.  (Proverbs 18:10) 

See also Our Hope and Easter Hope

Poor guy. He wandered from his herd and wasn’t shorn for about five years. When they captured him, they sheared 89 pounds of wool. He needed his shepherd.

Domesticated sheep

I’ve never been around sheep, but I’ve read that they:

Are prone to wander and go astray

Are easily lost in unfamiliar territory

Don’t know good from bad food

Sometimes can’t get up when they fall

Have to be regularly shorn

Don’t have defenses so have to be protected from predators

We are Sheep

Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  (Psalm 100:3) 

We, like sheep, have gone astray

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.  (Isaiah 53:6)

We’re lost  (Matthew 10:6), scattered (1 Kings 22:17), distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.  (Matthew 9:36) 

Good Shepherds Tend the Sheep

I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding.  (Jeremiah 3:15) 

Jesus called on Simon Peter to tend His lambs, shepherd His sheep, tend His sheep. (John 21:15–17) 

Church leaders are also called to shepherd the flock.

Bad Shepherds Feed  Themselves

Bad shepherds destroy and scatter the sheep  (Jeremiah 23:1), lead them astray, (Jeremiah 50:6), let them wander and become afflicted (Zechariah 10:2). 

Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?  (Ezekiel 34:2) 

The Great Shepherd of the Sheep

The Great Shepherd of the Sheep, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:20):

Searches and seeks His sheep. (Ezekiel 34:11) 

Cares for and delivers His scattered sheep. (Ezekiel 34:12) 

Teaches His sheep.  (Mark 6:34) 

Feeds His flock and leads them to rest. (Ezekiel 34: 15)

Lays down His life for the sheep.  (John 10:11)

“I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord God. “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment.” (Ezekiel 34:15–16) 

We, believers, have the Great Shepherd 

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.  (Luke 12:32) 

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:1–6) 

Rejoice! Praise! Give Thanks!

Almighty God created us.

As Creator, He has the right to tell us how to live.

We are to meet His holy standard.

But we don’t. We sin against God.

The penalty for our rebellion is eternal torment.

But God loves us and provides a way to escape His justifiable wrath.

God sent Jesus Christ to die in our place.

If we repent and believe in Christ and God who raised Him from the dead, we will be saved and have eternal life.

If we don’t believe, we die in our sins and face eternal torment.

When we believe, we are given the Holy Spirit who is a pledge of our inheritance.

We are born to a living hope, guaranteed glory, heaven, inheritance with Christ, and being made holy and blameless.

And we are given help in this world to live an increasingly life, being made into the image of Christ.

Blessed is the one whose God is the Lord.

Hallelujah!

Press on! 

Easter Hope

Jesus Christ, in whom we believe and trust, has risen. Alleluia!

Our Lord’s resurrection gives us living hope and guarantees His promises to us.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3–5)

God-given hope is a pledge to us by Almighty God, something given without reservation. It is a living, never dying, hope. We wait, but we wait for what definitely will come to pass.  (See Our Hope.)

Easter Hope is real

Because Christ was raised from the dead, our Easter hope includes:

We have eternal life. Because I live, you shall live also. (John 14:19)

We have a place in heaven. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

We will be holy and blameless, presented to the Father by Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:22)

We will be joint heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17; Titus 3:7)

We will be glorified. (Romans 8:30)

Act on Hope

These stupendous gifts are from God and must be believed and woven into our daily lives. We need to grab hold of these truths and be steadfast in our belief. We need to accept these truths mean us as those beloved of God.

Let’s pray that God enlightens the eyes of our hearts and gives us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Ephesians 1:17). And that our lives reflect Easter Hope.

He is Risen!

Our Hope

Among Christians’ many blessings is hope!

A fundamental attitude among Christians should be hope.

Who is our hope in?

What do we hope for?

Hope in

We hope in God. We hope in Jesus Christ.

The God of hope.  (Romans 15:13)   

Christ Jesus, who is our hope.  (1 Timothy 1:1) 

Wishing or Waiting

When we talk about hope, sometimes we talk about what we want to happen, something we wish for. At times scripture does as well. For example,

I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long.  (1 Timothy 3:14) 

For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. (1 Corinthians 16:7) 

But scripture shows that hope that is rested in God refers to what God has promised. Since God is sovereign, and cannot lie, all God’s promises are guaranteed. Our hope is for something God has assured but has not yet come. We are not wishing; we are waiting. We can be confident God’s future for us will come.

… it is impossible for God to lie… [so] take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast… (Hebrews 6:18-19) 

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

Hope for

Salvation

But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.  (1 Thessalonians 5:8) 

We have salvation now since we (Christians) are saved from the penalty of sin. We are in the process of being saved from the power of sin as we learn to walk after Christ. One day we will be saved from the presence of sin.

Righteousness

For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. (Galatians 5:5)

Inheritance 

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.  (Ephesians 1:18) 

Heaven/Eternal Life

… the hope laid up for you in heaven…  (Colossians 1:5) 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.  (Ephesians 1:3) 

Glory

God willed to make known [to the Saints] what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  (Colossians 1:27) 

Hope in this world

God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.  (Romans 8:28–29) 

And more!

I urge you to slowly review these six items. Each is guaranteed to us, believers in Christ. We are waiting for them to be fully accomplished.

Rejoice in hope  (Romans 12:12)

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Exult in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:2)

How to realize your Hope

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  (1 Peter 1:13) 

~~~

Father, forgive me for when I am short on hope. I know You are faithful, that You are my Father. I believe Your word. Help me take hold of what You have promised. Help me be steadfast in trusting You, and help me apply Your guaranteed promises to my walk in this world.