Of all the manifold blessings that Christians find in Christ, hope is the greatest. To Christians it is just more than a wish. It is their humble and quiet confidence in the Lord. So, even though we face many tribulations than anyone else in the world, there is a hope we have in the Lord that never fails us. It is always there to uphold and encourage us all earthly trials (Roman 5:15). Hope will not put us to shame because the love of God is shed abroad by the power of the Holy Ghost.
So, brother, sister and friends what are you passing through now? Is it distress or persecution or famine or nakedness? Why not put your hope in God, believing in His only Son Jesus Christ and your seeming hopeless situation shall give way. Just be determined knowing fully that God who delivered you in time of problem will deliver you again.
THE ESSENCE OF FAITH
Faith in God is based on promise from His engrafted word. You cannot demonstrate faith in God unless it is rooted in His promise. Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans said, "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for what we see not, then do we with patience wait for it" (Romans 8:24-25). We have a promise of heaven if we will rely on Him. The Word and the Spirit work together to uphold our faith in God. Many people often concentrate on the latter forgetting that it is the Spirit that gives life. So, we must rely much more on the Rhema, the power of the word, in order to be able to claim the promises of God. We claim to live for God when things are rosy but when the storms arise, our faith cannot see us through. Do you know why this happen? It is because our faith is little. We must go beyond this level of faith in God. We must believe that God is able and will never fail us no matter how. Hope and faith in God never fails.
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES
You must focus your affection on the word of God. The word of God must also be meditated on day and night (Joshua 1:8). You need to be very close to the children of God for Godly counsel (Psalm 1:1). It is an essential ingredient of Christian growth. Reading and meditating on the word of God every morning prepares you for the cares of the day. The Scripture encourages this habit, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39). If you attend a church where the reading and meditation on the word is not given priority, you have to question the practice because of the inherent danger (2 Timothy 2:5).
Perhaps you have not been faithful enough in Bible reading and prayer but you do it occasionally, you need to tell God in prayer to give you grace to be a student of the word. Then entrance to the word into your life will illuminate your entire being and you will never remain the same again. It is light into your path and a fuel for your spiritual life. If you constantly read it, it will establish your absolute faith in God. The Bible is the sword of the spirit. It is an effective weapon for demolishing every stronghold of the devil. Jesus Christ used the power of the word to conquer the devil when He was tempted. Any prayer prayed outside the scope of the Bible lacks the needed power for meaningful result. In other words, ANY PRAYER WITHOUT THE READING OF THE SCRIPTURES IS NOT COMPLETE.
EXPERIENCE THE NEW BIRTH
Have you ever had a personal encounter with Christ the hope of glory? You need to give it a serious and more determined thought. He is asking you to give Him your hearts. Today is your day of repentance for a day is coming when He will not have to plead for your repentance; He will require your poor soul any time because it is His. God said in His word, "All souls are mine," and "the soul that sinneth shall die." Sin is the main enemy of your soul because it prevents your judgment, blinds your eyes and deceives your soul.
My friend, God is admonishing you to show how much He cares for you. He could have left you without this admonition if He withheld the sacrifice of the power of God into salvation so you cannot afford to ignore it. He is more interested in your repentance than in your destruction. So, turn a new leave today; forsake your sinful ways and embrace the Creator of your soul. Follow Jesus Christ and you will find your needed peace.
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