Hope

Far Beyond all Hope

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  Revelation 21:5

While love deals with what we hold in our hands and faith, with what we cannot see – hope deals with that which lies far beyond. You may love your wife, your family or your friends for who they are; but our hopes for them lie far beyond what we can imagine they can be. As John stood in amazement seeing the vision of what was to come, he heard a voice telling of new and amazing things that lay far beyond anything he could conceive. I can promise you that I will paint a picture of you, but since I am not a great artist you can imagine what the final canvas would look like. But when the God of the universe promises to make everything new we must pull up short in astonishment and ask, “What could that be?” What could He be planning with unlimited power at His command? What can He have prepared with His unfathomable wisdom for we who love and trust Him? What will our relationship of sons look like once we begin to come face to face with His pure and loving heart? Do we have any idea what lies beyond? NO! But we do stand up on tip-toe straining to see just over the horizon into the things to come that lie far beyond!

Excerpt from 31 Days of Hope

31 Days of Hope

31 Days of Hope

 

Lost to us but Present with God!

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We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord 2 Corinthians 5:8

This week we said good-bye both physically and spiritually to my God Mother. My Aunt Helen was a blessing, a fixture, a must phone call at Christmas and a favorite of our family reunions. As the tears fell today, not from sorrow that she is gone as much as a sad recognition that this was never meant to be. God did not program death into His wonderful plan for us. We were the ones who have chosen our own way and yet he has worked an eternal greater good through the cross of Calvary. Through the dark suffering night of Jesus Christ on the horrible cross He gave to us a gift far greater than we will ever know while still here on this earth.

He suffered humiliation, rejection, abandonment and betrayal alone so Helen’s hope and our’s could be honor and acceptance, belonging and faithful love. What a loss I sense at losing my precious God Mom today but she is now found by God and experiencing the fruit of that eternal forgiveness freely offered to us by a the kindness and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord!

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150 Fear Nots

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Some of our dearest friends at times pooh-pooh our fears. They insist we are silly, unreasonable or wrong-headed by the things that make us lie awake at night. But did you know that in the Bible God takes our fears very seriously? In fact God lovingly and patiently tells us 150 times in the Bible. “Fear not!” – or in some translations – “Don’t be Afraid!” Rather than lecturing s about our fault God offers us a promise, a reminder and a solution.

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10

He has promised to be with us. He doesn’t tell us like the doctor, “Take three of these, drink lots of water and call me tomorrow.” No God promises to constantly remain at our side. He is there through the sleepless nights and He keeps us close especially when we are afraid. Then God reminds us that not only will He be with us but that He will strengthen us.  He isn’t simply hanging around. He will pour out on us the oil and wine of His presence when we have been wounded and carried us when we can’t go on. Last of all our God is a very practical God. When the apostle Peter tried walking out on the water toward Jesus we are told that he became afraid and started to sink. I am so glad that Jesus didn’t just stand there with his arms folded saying, “Come on Peter you can do it!”

No! We are told that as Peter began to sink Jesus immediately reached down and took his hand. I am so glad that on days when I feel I am sinking out of sight that His solution is not a lecture but a strong right hand that will hold me and help me to walk into this New Year with Him with all 150 “Fear Nots”!

 

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