Category: Hope

Encouragement

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Welcome to 2024. In recent years, I have chosen a word for the year. I don’t always keep my blog posts to my word, but I try to stay close to the theme.

We live in difficult times. There are some specific situations friends and family have faced, but I also know we all need encouragement. My hope with this blog has been to encourage others to look to God’s Word for everything we need in life. God has given us all we need (2 Peter 1:3).

I pray this year that we spend more time focusing on Who God is and see the peace and hope He gives to us. Today’s verse talks about peace in believing and hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. I don’t think I want to live this year with anything else in the front of my mind.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the peace and hope You give. Please help us to focus on Your Word and the help You give.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Cannot be Described

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I love this verse. Jesus humbled Himself to come to earth to be a sacrifice for us. That gift cannot be fully expressed with words. The best part – those of us who accept this gift will have all eternity to learn the beauty of this gift. I’m glad God allows us to start learning now.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the amazing gift that words cannot express. I am in awe of Your love.

I praise this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Living Hope

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Life is filled with difficulties and challenges. We can get lost in sorrow and worry. However, God has provided a “living hope” for those who have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation. Some of that hope is our eternal future. 1 Peter 1:4 talks about the beauty of our eternal reward. Verse 5 comes back to telling us about the here and now. It says, “By God’s power are being guarded through faith.” Ephesians 6 tells us to pick up the shield of faith. This verse talks about God’s power guarding us through faith.

No matter what we are facing, God is working. His power is protecting us for a wonderful future that will last for all eternity. Praise the Lord!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the living hope for a wonderful eternal future. Please help us to cling to the protection You have provided as we walk the challenges of life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Giving Incomprehensible Love

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This verse is a bit daunting to me. Trying to love as God loves is a tall order. I am glad that God tells us how. John 15 tells me that I need to abide in God to be able to obey His commands. I know God’s Word is powerful, but I am still often amazed at what God gives.

I pray you have a love for God’s Word and the desire to read and study as much as possible. We cannot obey God’s commands without consistently abiding in Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the Bible. Thank You for the guidance from Your words to us. Please help us to remember that we can’t love others appropriately without abiding in You.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Weak Groanings

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 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. 29 For those whom He foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called he also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.

Last week I talked about how I must believe that God will give wisdom. I know that can be a weakness for me. I am thankful for this passage in Romans that tells me the Holy Spirit intercedes for me when I don’t know what to pray. He gives support to help in my greatest time of need.

I know there are times that my faith can be weak. God has provided help for those of us who have trusted in Jesus Christ. God gives what I need.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Spirit to help me when I don’t know how to pray. I cling to that promise. May Your name be praised for this marvelous gift.

I praise this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Fear and Shame

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The last three weeks I have had to fight fear over a “lump” that I found. This felt similar to what I had 2 ½ years ago. I had visions of surgery and potentially other treatment. As I made diagnostic appointments (and waited about 1 ½ weeks to go to the appointments), I chose this verse. There is worry involved in medical issues. I had to pray my way through allowing God whatever He chose.

Praise the Lord, he allowed me to only have 2 cysts and a non-malignant spot. No surgery or medical treatment needed. I am grateful for God’s kindness in allowing this news.

I have prayed many times in recent years that I am willing and able to endure whatever God asks of me. I was wrestling with that prayer before finding out the prognosis. I appreciate these verses. Seeking God helps deliver us from our fears. I know that I can feel shame as I wrestle with my fears – verse 5 reminds us that we can be radiant and unashamed as we look to God.

The simple reminder is to seek God and I can be delivered. The difficult reality is that I need to keep working hard to give my fears and worries to God and leave them there. I am glad God is patient and kind in providing for my weakness.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for closing this chapter in health issues. Please help me to continue to give all of my fears to You. Please help me to encourage others to do the same.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Ability through Grace

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Part of our identity as believers of Jesus Christ is good works. Doing good works on our own is exhausting and frankly, not possible for long. God gives us the means to “abound in every good work.” That is only possible through His grace. As I study God’s Word and seek to live it, I learn more about how God’s grace works. This is a life long pursuit.

Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to focus on Your grace. I want to live the sufficiency that brings. Thank You for providing.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Anxiety and Humility

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Our anxieties are often a part of our identity.  We can feel humiliated by them.  However, 1 Peter 5:6-7 tells us that we need to “humble ourselves” and “cast our anxieties on God”.  According to Thomas Constable, Peter is encouraging the believers to submit to God’s hand in their suffering.  God uses difficulties to perfect us.

In the United States, we don’t experience suffering the way New Testament believers did under Nero.  Stories of what Nero did to Christians are terrible.  While we don’t face extreme persecution, we still have troubles in life.  This passage applies to us today just as much as in Peter’s day.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can cast our anxieties on You.  We need Your care in trials.  Please help us to humble ourselves under Your power until “the proper time.”  We need You now.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Walking in Wisdom

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I fear as believers we sometimes assume we are walking in wisdom when we are not.  The apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Ephesus to walk as wise and to use time with that same wisdom.  Clearly, we all need to hear it. 

The best source of wisdom is God’s Word.  We need to continue to read and study the Bible to make sure we are “making the best use of the time”. Please, friends, don’t assume you are walking in wisdom.  Make sure by reading and studying the Bible, spending time in prayer and with believers who will encourage your spiritual growth.

Dear Heavenly Father, please guide me towards wisdom.  Please help me to put the continued effort towards becoming like Your Son. Please direct my path to believers who can help me and whom I can help.  I want more of You.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.