Hope

Hope

 

The Bible says,

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for.”

Pastor Tony Scott defines “hope” as

Confident expectation of good!

For some personality types

confident expectation of good comes relatively easy

and then there are others that find it more of a struggle.

There are also those who have

experienced difficult times in life

who find it hard to believe that good

is coming to them anytime soon.

If you are one of those

who are having a hard time

believing good things

are coming your way.

If you are sure that today

 is going to be a bad day,

then think about this.

John 10:14-15 NIV

"I am the Good Shepherd;

I know my sheep and my sheep know me—

15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father —

and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

 John 10:3-4 NIV

“He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

Jesus said He is the “Good Shepherd”

and He knows His sheep by name.

To me if you have seen one sheep

you have seen them all.

Don’t most sheep look alike?

In this sea of humanity, Jesus knows your name;

you and I are on a first name bases with Jesus.

If we are on a first name bases,

what might Jesus be saying to you and I?

Luke 4:43-44 NIV

"I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God

to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."

Jesus knows how hard it is for us to find hope in life,

especially when we need it.

So He said He “must preach” (proclaim)

the good news of the kingdom.

 Bad news seems to always get the most attention.

Satan is very good at getting attention

for the things he does best,

“rob, steal, kill, and destroy.”

Satan has gotten many of us to doubt

that good will ever come our way.

Jesus’ message is to get you and I

to believe good is coming our way.

So which channel are you tuned in to?

Jesus tells us that good is something

we should anticipate from Him.

So what are you expecting today? 

Scripture Reading

Matthew 7:9-12 NIV

9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

1 Peter 2:2-3 NIV

2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,

so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

James 1:17-18 NIV

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,

who does not change like shifting shadows.

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NIV

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,

that our God may count you worthy of his calling,

and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours

and every act prompted by your faith.

Philippians 1:6 NIV

6 being confident of this,

that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion

until the day of Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 NIV

 21 Test everything.

Hold on to the good.