Because We Have Hope!

Hope: to cherish a desire with anticipation; to want something to happen.

Hope reduces feelings of helplessness, increases happiness, reduces stress and generally helps our quality of life. There are three points I would like to share with you today about being hopeful. Before I do, I want to remind you that for hope to work, we must believe in what we are hoping for.

1. Because we have a Hope, we can rejoice in the Lord and we can pray without ceasing. In every situation and in every circumstance we can give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Because we have Hope, Psalms 5:11 tell us, "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee." It’s easier to rejoice and be joyful when we have Hope.
2. Because we have Hope, we can overcome temptation. Psalms 121:1-2 tells us, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord; which made heaven and earth." We can increase in happiness and reduce stress by simply putting our Hope in God. The word also says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
3. Because we have Hope, all fear is gone. Psalms 27:1-2 reminds us, "The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" "When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. The word also says, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed: for I am thy God: I will strength thee: yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

So my friends, be Hopeful and know that God is with you!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen and… AMEN!

We Need Mercy, Not Judging!

Mercy: compassion shown to an offender
Judging: to form an authoritative opinion

We are creatures of habit - we love forming an opinion, regardless of whether we are right or wrong. Most of the time we assume that we know what’s going on based on what the situation looks like, regardless of what really might be going on. Fortunately for us, that's not God’s way - His way is to show love and compassion one toward another.

The word says in Romans 7:18-19: "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." If we were to be honest with ourselves, we would easily see that we are all like those two scriptures.

None of us are perfect - no one is - so instead of forming an opinion (especially when you have no idea of what’s really going on), try having some compassion. Compassion on the ones you feel have offended you and on people in general, because most of us are like Paul - we all want to do good, but we don’t always succeed - so we need some mercy and not to be judged.

God had mercy on us (and continues to have), if He had truly judged us - none of us would be here today! He realizes that we need much mercy. Think about Joseph. His brothers put him into a pit AND he was sold into slavery - yet when they came to him for food because there was a famine in the land, he didn't judge them. Instead, he had mercy on them and feed them until the famine was over.

Don't condemn or judge, just show mercy to all mankind.

With all that said, let the church say Amen...and AMEN!

The Secret Of The Peace Of God!

Peace: a state of calm and quiet; freedom from disturbing thoughts or emotions

I want to tell you a secret.

That secret is how to have the peace of God. I want to tell you how you can be calm and free from disturbing thoughts or emotions - even in the midst of a storm. In today’s world, we so often hear of suicide, heart attacks, and people with so much stress that they are simply existing and not living. Friends, this should not be so. Philippians 4:4 tells us to; "Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say Rejoice." When we do this - rejoice always - it allows people to see that we are unselfish and considerate in all we do - no matter what is going on!

Verse 6 (TLB) "Don't worry about any thing; instead, pray about every thing." The fact is worrying does not add to our lives - it only takes from it. After we have prayed about whatever storm we might be facing and we have given God thanks for it (after all, we might as well give thanks, because He's allowing it). “Then the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." This peace comes as we stay focused on Jesus and what His word says.

Philippians 4:8 goes on to tell us what we should think about; "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

The secret of God’s peace is found in Isaiah 26:3-4: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength."

As it turns out, this is a secret we should be sharing with everyone we know! To find the peace of God - rejoice in Him always and keep your mind on Him!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!

Run YOUR Race!

Run: to contend in a race: to go without restraint
Race: a contest for a desired end, to run swiftly

So many times in this walk of life we play this "game" where we try to keep up with others. We see someone else buying a new house and all of a sudden, we want a new house. We see someone else start a business, and then we start talking about that business plan we supposedly had all those years ago. We see people getting married and having babies and the next thing you know, we're all up in our boyfriend's or girlfriend's faces pressuring them to marry us and have some babies. We see someone get a promotion when we wanted or expected that promotion and our wheels start turning - we start thinking about that long list of things we've done and start wondering why they got promoted and we didn't.

Often times we forget to think about how much those people have prayed, or how much they have sacrificed or the amount of years, tears and sweat it took to get them where we see them today. Most of the time we want God to give us everything on a silver platter -- but we haven't even paid the price for a platter yet! On this walk, it's imperative that we keep our eyes on our own walk and run at the pace that God allows us to run. As we talked about in the examples above, when we take our eyes off our own walk, it's way too easy to start comparing and grumbling about what someone has. That's when the slippery slope starts crumbling - when we've taken our eyes off the prize and taken on an ungrateful, envious, and jealous heart.

My friend, let's run our own race at our own pace, because when we move ahead of God, we miss the grace that He has set up for us at that particular time. Don't forget that God has us where we are for a reason and for a season. Don't base your walk on others - some are further along than others and some run faster while others run slower. Wherever you are in your race, simply trust God and keep moving!

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!