Let Us Keep Hope Alive
Rita Jennas
We are not all called to be famous Evangelists and/or Preachers. But
each one of us has a story about how our hope and faith in Christ has
changed us - giving us the opportunity to share the GOOD NEWS. Your
special CALLING may be to sing - to pray - to teach - to prophesy - to
write - to play a musical instrument and/or to be an Encourager. So
let us share with those in our path, using the gift of God within us.
For even though there are many self-help books, tapes, and various
materials on the market today; without HOPE there would be no
progress, physically or spiritually. The Christian Bible reminds us to
"Be always ready with our defence whenever we are called to account
for the HOPE that is in us" For, "The Lord Himself gave you unfailing
courage and a firm HOPE to encourage and strengthen you to do and say
what is good" (1Peter 3:15 NEB) & 2Thess 16:17 -(GNB) So let''s be ready.
For if we plant a seed and water it, it will produce a plant. If we
mix certain colors together, it will become another color. As we do
the planting and the mixing, God will produce the results. Our first
step is to recognize the power and wisdom of God to guide us for good
and positive results. Of ourselves we can do nothing, but with Christ
we can do ALL THINGS - See John 5:30. People today need HOPE!
Hope is so necessary that people will cling to the very shreds of it
in every situation; and if we can''t reach them, we lose them. Hope
will bring relief from discouragement and depression. Hope will help
them to a new start. Hope will improve their attitude and build their
faith and trust in God. Hope will help to assure them of a brighter
future. Hope will raise their expectations of a way out and build
their confidence. Psalms 62:5 says that all our expectations is from God.
So no matter WHAT situations we ourselves are going through, the Word
of God says "Be secure for there is HOPE" (Job 11:18) We know that
this HOPE will not disappoint us, for Romans (5:65) says that God has
poured out His love into our hearts by means of the HOLY SPIRIT who is
God''s gift to us. For when we walk through these dark valleys of
experiences in life, HOPE is like a light shining in the darkness. For
it motivates us to take action and controls our emotions.
Hope helps us to believe that SOMETHING GOOD is going to happen and
strengthens our faith for fellowship with God. My own mother in the
last few years of her life had to use a Walker to get around. Every
step she took, I''d see her stop, looked up and say in a feeble voice:
"One day, one day." It broke my heart, for what she meant was that
one day soon she won''t need that device anymore for she sensed that
she''d soon be HOME for her HOPE was in GOD - her final home.
Let us therefore keep on sharing HOPE; for without HOPE there will be
frustrations, and frustrations sometimes cause aggression and
discouragement. It is no wonder that some groups go around causing
trouble...THEY LACK HOPE. Concerning the destruction of Jerusalem -
some centuries before Christ, the Writer of the book of Lamentations
wrote: "I remember my affliction and my wandering; the bitterness and
the gall; I well remember them and my soul is downcast within me. Yet,
this I call to mind, and therefore I have HOPE: "''Because of the
Lord''s great love we are not consumed; for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning...great is His faithfulness. The Lord is my
portion, I will wait for Him. The Lord is good to those whose HOPE is
in Him" (Lamentations:3:19-25 - NIV)
LETS''S SHARE OUR HOPE!
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