Did anyone else feel incredibly encouraged and challenged by Mark Barnes’ sermon on Sunday? If you haven’t listened to it, I would highly encourage you to go back and listen.
We have entered the advent season where we take the month to prepare our hearts and minds as we look forward to Christmas and the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ so long ago. The savior that was sent to pay the price for our sin so that we could enter into a relationship with God forever.
Sunday’s sermon revolved around HOPE. I loved how Mark explained the difference between just hope and BIBLICAL hope. Biblical hope is based on who we place our hope in and not simply what we hope for. WOW! Biblical hope is looking forward to something WITH confidence that our hope is not in vain! And why? Because it all changes when it is GOD in whom we place our hope in!
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Hope is a concept that can be difficult because often we place our hope in transient things. People, things, moments… people disappoint us, things break or disappear, and moments are fleeting. So when we place our hope in transient things, we often feel ourselves crushed in spirit when they ultimately fail us.
Biblical hope is where the “rubber hits the road” metaphorically for our faith. Hope is a choice, it’s a determined, and intentional choice. We must CHOOSE to look past the transient and look to the only one who will never fail, never disappoint, never leave, and who always fulfill promises. God is the ONLY fail-safe option to place our hope in. He is the only one who could provide the way to eternal life and glory. He is the author, creator, and sustainer of life and therefore we place our hope in him only- because only God is eternal and all powerful!
Hope isn’t easy all the time, especially when facing hardships or trials. Hope isn't easy when the outcome isn't what you wanted. But remember, hope IS easy when you place your hope IN God! We grow our hope when we grow in our knowledge of God and how he views us. We grow in our knowledge when we spend time with him.
So be full of HOPE! Hope in God and hope for the future because we know that he is sovereign and good and kind and wonderful and compassionate and loving and gracious and all powerful and all knowing and never changing and the protector and provider of all things.
Hope
By Cindy Goding
Did anyone else feel incredibly encouraged and challenged by Mark Barnes’ sermon on Sunday? If you haven’t listened to it, I would highly encourage you to go back and listen.
We have entered the advent season where we take the month to prepare our hearts and minds as we look forward to Christmas and the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ so long ago. The savior that was sent to pay the price for our sin so that we could enter into a relationship with God forever.
Sunday’s sermon revolved around HOPE. I loved how Mark explained the difference between just hope and BIBLICAL hope. Biblical hope is based on who we place our hope in and not simply what we hope for. WOW! Biblical hope is looking forward to something WITH confidence that our hope is not in vain! And why? Because it all changes when it is GOD in whom we place our hope in!
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Hope is a concept that can be difficult because often we place our hope in transient things. People, things, moments… people disappoint us, things break or disappear, and moments are fleeting. So when we place our hope in transient things, we often feel ourselves crushed in spirit when they ultimately fail us.
Biblical hope is where the “rubber hits the road” metaphorically for our faith. Hope is a choice, it’s a determined, and intentional choice. We must CHOOSE to look past the transient and look to the only one who will never fail, never disappoint, never leave, and who always fulfill promises. God is the ONLY fail-safe option to place our hope in. He is the only one who could provide the way to eternal life and glory. He is the author, creator, and sustainer of life and therefore we place our hope in him only- because only God is eternal and all powerful!
Hope isn’t easy all the time, especially when facing hardships or trials. Hope isn't easy when the outcome isn't what you wanted. But remember, hope IS easy when you place your hope IN God! We grow our hope when we grow in our knowledge of God and how he views us. We grow in our knowledge when we spend time with him.
So be full of HOPE! Hope in God and hope for the future because we know that he is sovereign and good and kind and wonderful and compassionate and loving and gracious and all powerful and all knowing and never changing and the protector and provider of all things.
God IS hope