HOPE

Who needs hope? Well, I believe we all need hope. God’s Word offers
hope.

Here are some scriptures to encourage you in this journey called life.

Romans 12:12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; (NKJV)

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (NKJV)

Psalm 42:11 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God (NKJV)

Psalm 39:7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You (NKJV)

Romans 15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. (NKJV)

Psalm 33:20-22 Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, Just as we hope in You (NKJV)

Romans 8:24-25 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance (NKJV)

JEREMIAH 17:7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. (NKJV)

If you need hope, look to the Lord. He is our strength and refuge!

I have often heard that it is always darkest before dawn. I know by my own experience that this is true. In my book I describe the experience of my darkest night (the “dark night of my soul”). It was a season of unspeakable pain and agony. It was horrific! It was a complete nightmare! It was a season of continual stormy pitch black clouds. The Son was shining behind those “clouds” but I saw no rays of hope at all. I was forced, to the core of my being, to keep walking forward by faith. In the bible it says that as His followers this is how we are to walk “ For we walk by faith, not by sight” 2 COR 5:7 (NKJV)

Look what happened to our Lord. First He faced Good Friday but then came Easter Sunday. First death then life. First suffering then joy! God’s amazing grace can carry you through the darkest night in your life! When we are weak the Lord is strong!

HEAVEN

Many people might wonder if heaven is real. I believe it is based upon what God says. He wants us to know we have eternal life. Take a look at the following scriptures:

1 JOHN 5:13 “ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (NKJV)

Notice the word know in this verse. The Word of God says He wants us to know.

And here is another encouraging verse:

John 3:16 “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (NKJV)

Whoever believes in (trusts in) Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, can receive the gift of eternal life.

As I young boy I did go to religion classes but I was never told I could receive God’s gift of eternal life. I knew I was a sinner but I thought I was a pretty good person. I thought that when I died, if my good works outweighed my bad works, that God would let me into heaven. I also was highly influenced to believe that the particular religious denomination that I was raised in was the one and true and only denomination that gets into heaven. God was going to show me the truth of the matter in 1992. I explain in my book how God drew me to Himself through pain and suffering. The Holy Spirit convicted me of my sin in October of 1992 and I came to know Jesus as my Lord in Savior! It was a very profound and powerful encounter with the living God! Look at what Romans 10:13 says “ For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” I called out on the name of the Lord continually, for almost 8 months straight, as I walked through a deep dark valley of depression. And He heard my call at the moment He saw fit to save me from my sin! And He did three miracles in my life that day! God is all powerful. God is almighty. God is supreme. God truly is merciful. God is forgiving. God is patient. God is love. God is in charge of all events on heaven and earth!

God’s amazing grace is greater that all of our sin! He sent Jesus to be our Savior! Look what Isaiah 45:22 says from God’s Word (NKJV):

“Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other”

If you have not been forgiven of your sin I would encourage you this day to turn to Jesus to save you.