An all-powerful and sovereign Creator, who wants to have an intimate relationship with His creation, loves mankind beyond measure. God did not create the human race out of boredom or on a whim. No, He made us for His good pleasure and great delight. His attachment to us is so great that He longs for our fellowship and will one day live among us in paradise. He enjoys our company! Although we are corrupt and sinful in nature, He refuses to abandon that which His breath made alive. We are His. We belong to a King! He made a commitment to us…. we are His beloveds. In Him alone we find all hope.
“But I will hope continually,and will praise You yet more and more.”   Psalm 71:14 (NKJV)
Hope is that push that moves us though another difficult day. Hope comes from our faith and it expands as our trust in God deepens. Hope grows when we accept God’s grace and believe every confessed sin is tossed as far as the east is from the west.
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
When we need strength God gives us His. Some privileged saints are asked to bear incredible pain and debilitating illnesses, which leave them in a weakened state. Through these precious ones the power of God gives witness to His healing strength, love, and ability to perform miracles. Hope is often found in hospitals and in the presence of the dying. In such places there is hope for healing, hope for wisdom, and hope for eternal peace.
We hope for security but the world is uncertain. Only in the arms of grace can we find stable ground. If we are declared impoverished and found hungry, we can still feed upon God’s daily bread… the living Word of God. With this manna we nourish our spirits, and find rest in the hope and promise of a new and better day.
“You will be secure, because there is hope;you will look about you and take your rest in safety. You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor.” Job 11:18-19 (NIV)
If hope is absent from your life then consider the faithfulness of God. Are you still alive and breathing? Your positive reply means that up until this moment God has faithfully preserved your life for a reason. Maybe you lost a job. There is the hopeful possibility that a better one is in your future. By placing your hope in Christ, you will soon see He has carried you through your adversity.
God did not spare His own Son the suffering of the cross. It was for our benefit that Jesus became man, died, and was raised again. God sent Jesus to redeem us and has exalted Him in the heavens. He is our Victor and blessed Mediator.
Take your burdens to Jesus and pour out your heart. He is the Savior of the world and our only hope. Ask Him to be your guiding light as you attempt to stand and move forward through your storm. Your struggle will have an end but His love and care for you is never-ending.
To persevere is to ascend the mountaintop of God. It is a necessary trait, a requirement if we wish to see the face of God. When you place your hope in the Father, you will always have victory and a supernatural peace.
READ THE SCRIPTURES AND QUOTE BELOW. REFLECT ON WHAT IT MEANS TO PUT YOUR HOPE IN CHRIST JESUS.
“But I will hope continually,
 and will praise You yet more and more.”   Psalm 71:14 (NKJV)
“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
 and in His Word I do hope.”   Psalm 130:5 (NKJV)
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NIV)
“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.” Psalm 43:5 (NKJV)
I asked for strength that I might achieve;
He made me weak that I might obey.
I asked for health that I might do great things;
He gave me grace that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
He gave me poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of others;
He gave me weakness that I might feel a need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
He gave me life that I might enjoy all things.
I received nothing I had asked for;
He gave me all that I had hoped for.                                                                                                    ~ Author Unknown
This devotion is found in FACING ADVERSITY: THOUGHTS OF WISDOM, PRAISE, AND PROMISE. Available on Amazon the first week of December.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cheryl%20zelenka&sprefix=chery%2Caps