Skip to main content

you've got HOPE


Every day I meet people who are in desperate need of finding some hope.  Many don’t have a relationship with God.  Some know God but have allowed their situation or their pain cloud what they believe about God.

Hope is a result of believing in God.  Hope is a by-product of pointing our lives toward God.  Hope is a natural outcome for the person who is serving other people and seeking to share God’s love with people who are in need of it.  Hope changes our lives and will change others.

One of the verses that I hear from people is this:

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NLT)
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  In those days when you pray, I will listen.  If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

Through the last few years I have met many people who have said that Jeremiah 29:11 is their favorite verse and promise from God.  It is an incredible reminder of who God is and how God wants to work in our lives.  His plans for His kids is for hope and a positive future.  I don’t know about, but that is the kind of future that I need and want.

The next two verses are also important ones.  They remind us of some things that come out of the lives of people who are seeking God.

The first truth is about prayer.  People who put their hope in God and allow God to put His hope in their life are people of prayer.  Did you hear the promise?  God will listen to their prayer!

The second truth is that we will find God when we seek Him.  But notice a word that we often miss.  It is the word “wholeheartedly”.  Big word.  Critical truth.  Seeking God half way will not get you God’s full blessing.  Seeking God half way will not give you the hope that can and will transform your life.

Here is the progression that these verses give us … when we believe God and allow His hope to fill our lives, God will hear our prayers and our lives will be blessed with His greatness and presence.  Sounds pretty awesome to me.

I need that kind of hope.  How about you?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!
10 comments
Read more

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.  One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns.  When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.  Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns.  Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.  Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"  Beverly said, "Why yes I do."  Edith said, "Well, what do you ...
Post a Comment
Read more

wash feet, sharing hope

  John 13:4-5,14 NLT  So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow.  He served.  He valued and gave value to others.  That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet.  It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives.  Jesus said we should do this.  See the verse above.  Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....
Post a Comment
Read more