Hope - Part 1

Society tells us that hope, wish and dream are all interchangeable words. Little girls are taught to dream about their future mate, wish for the perfect career and hope for all the good things in life.

Each of those well-meaning practices take salvation and the Good News of Jesus Christ out of the picture. All of the future is left to chance and good intentions, regardless of heart condition.

True hope, Christian hope, has two simple components - the good and the future. The good is eternal life with Jesus. The future is for all eternity. This earthly world has nothing that compete with those two truths.

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Romans 8:24-25

The circumstances of the day can be ruthless. Events beyond our control take their toll on our minds and hearts. People disappoint us, activities deplete us and situations discourage us.

But the Christian has hope. Today is not forever. This world is not our home. Our current state of affairs is not eternal. With those truths in mind we can look past the bleak present and see the bright future.

For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope. Acts 2:25-26

I cannot hope in people because human beings are imperfect.
I cannot hope in government because nations, republics and democracies fail.
I cannot hope in circumstances because situations change.

I can hope in the second coming of Jesus Christ.
I can hope in spending eternity with my Lord and Saviour.
I can hope in joy unspeakable.

We serve a living God Who has made promises that we can hope in. He has never failed nor forsaken us, and that brings hope for the future. He has given us examples of His grace and mercy every day, and they bring us hope.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Recovering An Old Card Table And Making It Usable Again

Image
This card table recover project has been on my to-do list for months. I've been using it as my workspace in the craft room for quite some time, and it sees a lot of abuse. Here it is now, with a neutral cover on it so I can take better pictures for my tutorials. There were dents and dings in the old blue covering from metal tools. And yes, I've used my embossing heat tool on it several times, leaving pretty good scars. The padding underneath the blue cover also made it difficult to keep paper crafts flat when adhering them together, so it was time for something new. That's where a simple vinyl tablecloth comes in handy. The process to recover the table is pretty simple, but I learned a couple of lessons the hard way. I share them with you now. First, don't do this on any surface but a carpet. I tried it on the deck int he sunshine to get better pictures, but all it did was tear up the cover. Second, get a second pair of hands to help you kee
Read more

Simple DIY Beaded Keychains

Image
We're having so much fun putting together goodie bags and door prizes for our upcoming ladies retreat at the church. So many of our ladies have donated craft supplies, decorations, time and energy to treat our visitors to an amazing time. These keychains are just one of the gifts some of the attendees will find in their bags. All you need to make them are a variety of beads, some fairly thin yet sturdy cord and a jump ring. Cut a length of cord, fold it in half and string it through the jump ring. String matching beads on both sides. And tie it off with a double knot. So simple, yet so pretty. Here's another variation: Cut a length of cord, fold it in half and thread it through a jump ring. Tie one or two beads on one side and tie it off with a knot. Make the other side longer with additional letters and beads before tying it off. Make a variety of lengths, colors, patterns and phrases so no two are alike.
Read more

Debilitating Disappontment

The things of this life tend to disappoint us. People aren't who we'd like them to be, events we'd hoped for never occur and things we'd expected to happen in a certain way never come to pass. I've tried relying on everything else in this life - relationships, career, better finances. When we look to mankind for answers or for hope, we will surely be disappointed. Our own misconceptions of life's circumstances leads us down a long, dreary path. What we plan and see inside our head doesn't always match what others see, or what may actually be reality. Looking into ourselves for "clarity" directs us straight to depression and failure. Have you ever heard yourself say, "I couldn't care less" and truly meant it? Having confidence in our own power to change our outlook means that we care more about the circumstances themselves rather than how to grow as Christian women. God is the only unchanging factor in our uncertain world. Focusing on
Read more