Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Abounding in Hope

“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

If we listen to the daily news, it can make us feel hopeless — if our focus is on the things of this world. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit has inspired (breathed) a precious book we call the Bible. It contains the redemption story of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was God, he became flesh so he might fulfill God’s promise to save humankind from their sins. This he did by sacrificing himself on the cross for our sins and rising to eternal life to demonstrate that death no longer has power over us. We now have the hope that we can live forever with him in heaven! What good news!
Christians never have to feel hopeless

— no matter what is happening in their lives or on the news. The Holy Spirit has made sure the Bible will help us abound in hope through the power of the Gospel (or good news) about Jesus. All we have to do is read what the Spirit has written! “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his Word I hope” (Psalm 130:5).

The Great Deliverer

From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. — Psalm 3:8

God is The Great Deliverer! That's his chosen expertise. Whether it was delivering the Israelites through the Red Sea from Pharaoh's army ages ago, or it is rescuing a sinner from sin and death through Christ today, our God is The Great Deliverer! So let's use today to repeatedly pray for people who need God's deliverance from sin, death, disease, family conflict, addiction, financial concerns, legal matters, mental illness, abuse, and temptation.

Thoughts 

. God’s peace is that existence-form in which our lives as Christians, in all their totality are set.  We like to imagine that peace is a delicate thing, which we must lock up within ourselves, and protect, and hide in the depths of our hearts, so that it may not be lost or be evaporated.  But in the Scriptures peace is spoken of in an utterly different way. 

There it is said that God’s peace is a mighty power, which of itself can keep our hearts and our thoughts.  God’s peace is a mighty fortress, in which we are well defended and safe against all hostile powers of destruction.  It is not we who are to protect peace, but rather it is peace which is to protect us. - Anders Nygren

[Message No: 7685]

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