ARE WE HOPE GIVERS?! The KING is among us!
I want to be a HOPE giver! Life is not all about darkness and trouble. But it says in Proverbs 13:12 that "hope deferred makes the heart sick." The darkness can and will really get you down, but take heart. Read on. It can feel hopeless sometimes. That's when we have to know what is true about dark and light. Yes there's a battle, yes it's dark, yes it's hard, yes we despair, yes we fall, yes we fear, yes we resist change, yes we hurt. This is real, this is the hard stuff. God does not hide this truth from us. It says in Romans 8 that,
"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:22-28
Did you catch the HOPE? The SPIRIT OF GOD helps us in our weakness. The CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE PRAYS FOR US WHEN WE HAVE NO WORDS! JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, THE KING, walked among us and experienced all the pain and emotion of this broken world. He not only came to experience it, but to show His love for us in our great need. He went a step further than we ever have to go! He took the curse for the sins we commit! Now that's hope! The sins of mankind deserve eternal death. We/I have contributed to the chaos with our own sin, as our pastor shared this past week. BUT, THE BEAUTIFUL HOPE IS THAT while we deserve eternal death, WE CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE WITH GOD, and it starts NOW! Our hope is eternal!
So while the darkness is here, you know what I'm gonna say! "...the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5
Even in pain and hardship we have light in us when we believe Jesus for this eternal gift of life and redemption. "The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us!" Romans 8 also says,
"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." Romans 8:11
A sweet friend showed me an awesome worship song today. It's called The King Is Among Us by Elevation Worship. I'll post the link at the end. But The KING IS AMONG US because HE LIVES IN US! When we want to "fix" all the aches of our loved ones, we can have this hope, if they know Him, THEN HIS POWER IS IN THEM to walk through any storm, and the incredibly AMAZING PART IS THAT THESE STORIES NEVER CEASE TO GLORIFY HIM!
My husband was just encouraging me yesterday with the truth that not only do we have this power in us, this Spirit power that brings peace, we have to trust Him with that truth in the hearts of those we love. Our children, family, friends... Why should we feel we must make it all better? When the Creator has promised it will all be better, at some point, it will all be better. It will all be perfect.
Whatever and whomever is consuming your thoughts today, give them to Jesus. We can't think outside the box! God tells us that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts will ever be. It's OK NOT TO KNOW, BUT TO TRUST. This might not stay with us 24/7 as we should let it, but in His grace, let it bring peace in this one moment. And then the next... Let us stay present and take those thoughts captive that derail us from our HOPE. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us this. This passage also reminds us this is a Spiritual journey. Our KING is SPIRIT and our KING is TRUTH.
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” John 4:24-26
Jesus was talking to the woman at the well about life in HIM! He had just told her all her past of 5 husbands without ever meeting her. She knew HE was special, and HE proved to her HIS love and forgiveness in this beautiful story.
I began sharing my story a few years ago because God revealed HOPE to me. Isaiah 61:1-3 tells of the Hope that is in Jesus, and it inspired the name for my blog. It simply says, HE will make beauty from our stories. Share them when you can share, and listen to them when you need hope. I still need to do both. You?
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."
So if you need HOPE today, release your grip on whatever it is that brings you security, and leap into His arms. His grip is tighter than any. May the peace of Jesus be with you today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BfNKFLxOcI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuzZX2VWD-I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOFu4FKTeks
"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:22-28
Did you catch the HOPE? The SPIRIT OF GOD helps us in our weakness. The CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE PRAYS FOR US WHEN WE HAVE NO WORDS! JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, THE KING, walked among us and experienced all the pain and emotion of this broken world. He not only came to experience it, but to show His love for us in our great need. He went a step further than we ever have to go! He took the curse for the sins we commit! Now that's hope! The sins of mankind deserve eternal death. We/I have contributed to the chaos with our own sin, as our pastor shared this past week. BUT, THE BEAUTIFUL HOPE IS THAT while we deserve eternal death, WE CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE WITH GOD, and it starts NOW! Our hope is eternal!
So while the darkness is here, you know what I'm gonna say! "...the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5
Even in pain and hardship we have light in us when we believe Jesus for this eternal gift of life and redemption. "The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us!" Romans 8 also says,
"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." Romans 8:11
A sweet friend showed me an awesome worship song today. It's called The King Is Among Us by Elevation Worship. I'll post the link at the end. But The KING IS AMONG US because HE LIVES IN US! When we want to "fix" all the aches of our loved ones, we can have this hope, if they know Him, THEN HIS POWER IS IN THEM to walk through any storm, and the incredibly AMAZING PART IS THAT THESE STORIES NEVER CEASE TO GLORIFY HIM!
My husband was just encouraging me yesterday with the truth that not only do we have this power in us, this Spirit power that brings peace, we have to trust Him with that truth in the hearts of those we love. Our children, family, friends... Why should we feel we must make it all better? When the Creator has promised it will all be better, at some point, it will all be better. It will all be perfect.
Whatever and whomever is consuming your thoughts today, give them to Jesus. We can't think outside the box! God tells us that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts will ever be. It's OK NOT TO KNOW, BUT TO TRUST. This might not stay with us 24/7 as we should let it, but in His grace, let it bring peace in this one moment. And then the next... Let us stay present and take those thoughts captive that derail us from our HOPE. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us this. This passage also reminds us this is a Spiritual journey. Our KING is SPIRIT and our KING is TRUTH.
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” John 4:24-26
Jesus was talking to the woman at the well about life in HIM! He had just told her all her past of 5 husbands without ever meeting her. She knew HE was special, and HE proved to her HIS love and forgiveness in this beautiful story.
I began sharing my story a few years ago because God revealed HOPE to me. Isaiah 61:1-3 tells of the Hope that is in Jesus, and it inspired the name for my blog. It simply says, HE will make beauty from our stories. Share them when you can share, and listen to them when you need hope. I still need to do both. You?
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."
So if you need HOPE today, release your grip on whatever it is that brings you security, and leap into His arms. His grip is tighter than any. May the peace of Jesus be with you today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BfNKFLxOcI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuzZX2VWD-I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOFu4FKTeks
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