Sunday Mornin' Hope : Hope

Eph 4:27 -Neither give place to the devil.


Yes I used this scripture recently, but it's worth repeating. A friend of mine lost his mother last month to cancer. His best friend is battling cancer. Last week he and his wife found out she has cancer in many areas of her body. What would YOU do? If everyone seemingly around you was going thru cancer treatments, how would you feel?
Even as a Christian, you have low moments and lower moments. But also there are those moments you know everything is gonna be ok.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U-rBZREQMw&feature=related



Judy Garland sang this back in the day. To me the song speaks about dying and being judged. For a Christian, the judgement day is something to look forward to. We're all going to be judged for what we did and didn't do. It's by grace we are saved through faith. We can't get into heaven based on being good and doing good things. Those are works. We are going to judgement day based on our accepting Jesus and living totally for Him. So when we do hit those lowest moments, stop and take inventory. What exactly do we have inside? Whatever is inside will come out during 'crunch time'. Garbage in garbage out. Out of the abundance of your heart, you will speak.

1Jo 4:4 -
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Even in trials and torment, look to Jesus Christ inside of you. He is greater than any demon of fear and torment that is in the world. Does that change your situation? I believe so. It changes how I react to adversity and moves my destiny in a new direction. I will not let facts and figures take away my joy.

Php 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.


Why does Paul say it twice? Because we might not get it the first time or believe it ourselves the first time. "Hallelujah I have pain!" just doesn't sound too believable. Sounds pretty crazy doesn't it.

Philippians 3:9-14
9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and thefellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.


Paul wrote "I may know the fellowship of His sufferings"... I gotta admit I'm not there yet. I look forward to getting there someday. It's in that "knowing" where you find gold. To know someone is deep and challenging. Paul presses on to a positive mindset..."the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." There's a prize waiting for us. Someday soon God's going to call us up. I'm really looking forward to "judgement day" in heaven. There will be no more tears or pain. I think we'll all have 'crows feet' near our eyes from laughing too hard. I love to laugh. I treasure joy, and I try to share it as often as possible. I hold fast onto hope. I have to have hope to sustain me. If you lose or turn away from God, your hope will perish.

Job 8:13"So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the godless will perish,

Job didn't have a good life while he was midstream in torment. Everything but his life was taken away from him. He had nothing. His kids were killed. All he held dear was gone. But his attitude was firmly set in hope.

Job 13:15
"Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.

He held onto hope. What are you holding onto? What if it's taken away. What if you lose your friends and family? What if your job disapears and all you own goes up in smoke. Then what will you say?
About 25 yrs ago my store was on fire. My insurance had run out two weeks earlier. I had seemingly lost my entire inventory. A news reporter put a mic in my face and asked me my first thoughts upon arriving at the scene. I looked at her and said "I forgot my marshmellows." What I meant was that this was no big loss and God would provide. The fire chief asked me if I wanted my inventory. Jokingly I answered "Sure I'll get a shovel." He said "No. None of your store was damaged by fire. The other three businesses next to yours were taken." I believe God dispatched big angels and held back the fire.

God is constantly testing you to see what's "in your wallet". What's the abundance of what's in there? Are you screaming at your family all the time or are you pleasant with them? Are you nervous and wringing your hands about the future, or are you glad for another day? Do people enjoy you or do they run from you? I hope people can't wait to get around you. I hope little children run and jump into your arms. It's not what you say to the big important people. It's how you treat the homeless child. Make this the best week of your life! Remember I'm praying for you.

Ps 9:18 -
For the needy will not always be forgotten, Nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.


Ps 31:24 -Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.


Ps 33:18 -
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness,


Ps 38:15
For I hope in You, O LORD; You will answer, O Lord my God.


Dino

Thanks Dino. Prayin for all my Haven brothers n sisters.

Thanks Dino. Pain reminds me that I'm still alive. It's amazing how powerful words are. I can change the course of the day of an entire squadron (200 people) with one statement. If I make a negative remark, the day is usually not a good one. When faced with a seemingly unobtainable task I like to ask them "How do you eat an elephant?" They just look at me like I'm crazy until I say "One bite at a time". There is always hope. Thanks again Dino, I needed that.

Thanks Dino....love ya Brother