We pray a seed is firmly planted

"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road" (Matthew 13:19, New American Standard Bible).

The grace found because of Jesus' sacrifice may be widespread news, but Jesus explained that not everyone who hears His message will receive it as true. Many will reject it. The verse is a part of Jesus' parable of the sower (see Matthew 13:1-23 to read more of this parable). Some people hear the message of Christ, but they do not understand it. The devil snatches away the Word of God that was sown.

Do you remember when someone first shared God's word with you? What about when you first received His message as true? When we share our faith, we may not know whether God's message will be received. We may not be able to see fruit immediately afterward. However, we can faithfully share God's word when given opportunity and pray people understand and embrace God's word as true.

Lord, we ask that, for the people we witness to, that You plant the seed of Christ firmly in their hearts. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from a film posted on www.videojug.com film, about how to sow lupin seeds.
Do you know what a lupin seed is? I had no idea. You can find out more here.

We pray they believe and confess Jesus as Savior and Lord

"That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation" (Romans 10:9-10, New American Standard Bible).

Do you know anyone who has been adopted? In the past few years, I have gotten close to a few families who have adopted children. It has been inspiring and a joy to see people love each other as family, even when they are not family by blood.

Adoption is a great reflection of how God loves those who receive His call to be a part of His family. God already loves us, His creation. Do we know someone who has not yet received His invitation to lead us as the good and loving Father God?

John 1:12 explains, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (New American Standard Bible). God, most holy and righteous, sent His Son to die a death we deserve to die. If we receive His invitation by turning to Him and trusting in Him, then we are invited into His family, His protection, and His presence. His love and mercy draws us to Him and puts us in awe.

Lord, this person on our mind who does not know You, please help them believe in You and Your Son, Jesus. Help them believe in You and confess their sins, so they can have a mended relationship with You. We pray they confess and believe, so they, too, will be a part of Your family.

More verses on this: Matthew 10:32, John 5:24, John 20:31, Romans 10:13, Joel 2:32
Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from stlfamilylife.com.

We pray God sends someone

"Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest'" (Matthew 9:37-38, New American Standards Bible).

"How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!'" (Romans 10:14-15, NASB).

I love the farmer's markets in the fall, filled with produce like pumpkins and sweet potatoes. When Jesus talked about a harvest in Matthew 9:37-38, He was trying to explain how there are many people who still haven't heard the good news yet. Just like farmers hire workers to work the land, Jesus asks His followers to share who Christ is with others. He encourages us to pray, asking God to send out people to share His message of saving grace.

As believers, God entrusts His message with us to pass along to someone else. Can you remember how much it meant when someone explained God's Word to you? Maybe someone in your life now is helping you understand the Bible.

Is there someone on your mind who doesn't have a redeemed relationship with Christ yet? Whether it be us or someone else, let's pray God will send someone to speak and explain the good news with them.

Lord, please send people to speak Your good news to unbelievers on our minds today.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo of pumpkins from www.treehugger.com.

We pray they believe in God's Word

"For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:13, New American Standard Bible).

"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17, NASB).

What do you believe in? I believe tomorrow the sun will rise and may wake me up before my alarm goes off and that my neighbor will walk her dog around the same time I go for a run. Yet, there is more to believe in, of course.

In the book of 1 Thessalonians, we can read how the Thessalonians received God's Word. They not only heard it, but also believed it as true. God's Word brought a revolution in their lives and community.

As believers in His Word, we believe in who God is and accept the sacrifice Christ made and the forgiveness God offers. Believing in the Word of God can save us from the damage of sin, and God transforms us as we are in a good relationship with Him. We are saved by God's grace, as we respond to His Word by having faith in Him (Ephesians 2:8).

Is there someone on your mind who does not believe in God's Word?

Lord, help this person on our mind believe in You and receive Your Word as true. Help us to continue to learn from and trust in Your Word. Let us experience the positive transformation that comes from believing in You and allowing You to work within us.

"Let the word of Christ dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16, NASB).

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo of Amish Oak Bible Stand from www.dutchcrafters.com.

First Seat, First Row

An inspiring story from Mrs. Tracy Jones yesterday:

"Today, I had the privilege of reporting to jury duty - serving our community. Even though I was not chosen for this specific trial, God always has a Gifted2Go opportunity right where you are. Please pray for a fellow jury person, I will call him 'first seat, first row." One of the attorneys was asking us potential jury participants questions about their client. When the attorney asked, 'My client is a strong Christian. Would her being a strong Christian cause any of you to have a bias towards her?' The one sitting in the 'first seat, first row' raised his hand and said, 'I would have trouble with this, because I have never been able to believe in God or understand how to believe in God. I do not believe in Him.'

"Thank God for a ten minute break, because God graciously opened up an opportunity for me to share a witnessing booklet (please keep a witnessing booklet in your purse or wallet to share with others) with 'first seat, first row.' He gladly received it. My heart was humbled and bursting with an urgency inside me at the same time! Thank God for the seeds of truth that were planted into the heart of 'first seat, first row!'

"Would you please join me in PRAYING that these seeds of salvation will be watered and produce SALVATION for 'first seat, first row?' God is faithful, and He has a plan and purpose for EVERYONE! 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 says it best, 'I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth' (New American Standard Bible). 2 Peter 3:9 also says it well, 'The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance' (New American Standard Bible). You are Gifted2Go. Share Jesus!"

Hope - Jeremiah 29:11-13
Believe - John 3:16
Turn - Acts 3:19
Call - Romans 10:9-10, 13

What's the book of John about?

"But these things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." 
-John 20:31, New American Standard Bible

What's the gospel of John about? In a video from www.godtube.com and biblestudytools.com, Jaye explains the focus of this book, what it says about God, and how it relates to us today:

"What is the book of John all about?" - www.godtube.com

Turn

“…Turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…" Acts 3:19

What does it mean to turn?  You know the answer to that.  It means to go in the other direction.  In Acts 3:19, the Bible says to turn to God.  That must mean that you are to go another direction.  In fact, if you are turning, it often means that you are headed in the wrong direction.  Life without Christ is the wrong direction.  Paul, who wrote Acts, was speaking here and telling the people that they needed to turn to God or to go toward Him.  Isn't it wonderful that God never makes you accept Him but stands ready to receive you when you turn to Him?  Look at the rest of the verse.  When you turn to God, it says that your sins are wiped away and that refreshment is waiting for you.  He forgives.  He makes it easy.  He just wants you to turn your face to His.

When you were a child, you may remember your parents or other adults wanting you to look at them when they spoke to you.  God wants you to look His way.  When you do, you see Him in all His glory.  You see His heart and how much compassion He has and how much He loves and cares for you.  He stands ready to make it all better.  God wants to give you a new start by removing all the ugliness of wrongdoing.  He wants you to be renewed, refreshed, and recreated if you will.  He wants to give you a fresh start!

Everyone does wrong things

If God wants to give you a new start, you need to let Him.  Remember the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3?  Eve and Adam both do exactly what they were told not to do; they eat of the fruit of the one tree that they were not supposed to eat from.  And then they hid.  They hid because they were ashamed of what they had done.  When you do wrong things (everyone does), you don't want to turn to God because you know you are guilty.  Look at Proverbs 14:12 below.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.  Proverbs 14:12

           

You might think you know what's good for you and your family.  You might wonder how God could possibly have the whole picture.  It is awesome that God knows you so well that He knew that He needed to add this verse to the Bible.  There is a way that you think is right, but without God, it is not. 

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23

Everyone has sinned and no one lives up to God's standard of perfection.  All of you have turned the wrong way and need to make an about-face.  God knows when you are running from Him and yet still stands patiently waiting, willing to forgive you and give you hope and meaning in this life and in the life to come.

Some may think they are leading good and moral lives.  The Bible says that you have still done wrong things.  No one is perfect.  If you are living your life without a growing relationship with Christ, then you are living in the sin of not allowing Him to be the Lord of your life.

If you claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.  1 John 1:8, 10

The payment for wrongdoing is death

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:23

What happens when you don't turn to God?  The answer is clear.  The answer is death.  The payment for wrongdoing is death or eternal separation from God.  However, the free gift from God is everlasting life through Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  Someone had to pay for your sins.  It is only through the grace of God that He sent Jesus to pay the penalty.

Death separates you from God

Your sins separate you from God.  If each sin you commit is like a brick, then when you put these sins together, it is like building a brick wall between yourself and God.  The more bricks or sins there are, the more you may feel separated from God.  Even one brick or one sin separates you from God but the more sins you have in your life, the farther you feel from God.  So, sin leads you to eternal death and eternal separation from God but even on this earth, the separation is there.

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.  Isaiah 59:2

In the verse above, the Bible says that your sins keep you from Him and that He will not even hear you.  However, read the following great news:

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." John 3:17-18

This is why God sent Jesus - not to condemn you but to save you.  If you believe, you are not condemned.  If you don't believe, then you are condemned already.

The brick wall of sin is removed by accepting the fact that Jesus died on the cross for you.  You make it a personal decision.  Yes, He died for all but you must ask Him personally to come into your life.  You accept the forgiveness that has already been provided.  When the wall is removed, that openness with God is there.  You have been forgiven!

When you turn to God and away from sin,

God cleanses you and wipes out your sin

When God wipes out your sin, He wipes it out for good.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12

He removes your wrongdoing and all that is separating you from Him.  Just think, the east and the west never meet.  You may remember your sin but it is still gone.  You may live with the consequences of your sin, but it has been forgiven and removed!

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."  Hebrews 8:12

Not only are your sins removed and forgiven, but Hebrews 8:12 above says that God will not even remember them. God will never hold them against you. You have been forgiven and your sins have been wiped away.  When you turn to God in repentance, He is faithful and just to forgive you and to cleanse you.

God sends refreshment

When you are faithful to tell or confess to God what you have done wrong, He is faithful and will do what He says.  In the verse below, God clearly says that He is just or fair and will not only forgive you of your sins but will purify or cleanse you from anything that is unrighteous or unholy.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

When He does this, you are refreshed.  Look at Acts 3:19-20 printed below:

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you-- even Jesus.  Acts 3:19-20

Refreshment comes when you are in a right relationship with God!  So, repent, or be sorry to the point that you turn your life around, and give God your life so that you may experience the fullness of life with Christ on this earth and in the life to come.

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  John 10:10b

God stands ready to bring you a full and meaningful life with purpose.  The decision is up to you.

Believe

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

Believe.  It is a simple word; however, the subject is complex.  To believe means to place confidence in, to entrust, or to place your faith in.  And that's where it gets complex.  It is easy to say that you believe in something yet harder to actually do it.  To believe in God is to entrust Him with your very life.  When you read John 3:16 above and it says to believe in Him (meaning Jesus Christ), it means that you believe with every part of your being by placing your complete faith in Him alone.  When you know that Jesus died on the cross for you so that you could be forgiven and experience everlasting life in heaven, then it gets a little easier.  Many will tell you that it is too simple.  That one must work or earn her way to heaven.  God loves you more than to think you could ever get there on your own.  Only those who are perfect can get to heaven…except for the death of Christ on the cross.  God loved you so much that He sent His one and only Son to pay the penalty that you would owe.

God loves you

           

But because of his great love for you, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-- it is by grace you have been saved.  Ephesians 2:4-5

It is only by God's grace that you can enter heaven.  It's because He loves you so very much.  Perfect love is hard to understand.  Most people don't come close to experiencing it on this earth, because all are sinners.  None is perfect.  So you cannot show perfect love to another.  God's love and mercy is so great that He forgave you and gave you a new life.  God is just and fair.  God is also full of mercy.  It is a balance that no one fully understands.  He knew that He would have to judge you and that you could not enter heaven because of your sin and wrongdoings.  Because of His mercy, He provided a way.  It is by grace that you are saved through Christ.  What is grace?  It is what is given when you don't deserve it.  That's how much He loved you.

God sent Jesus to die for you

           

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:5-8

Of all the religions in the world, Christianity is the only one that involved the death of a righteous man.  Who else died for you?  No one.  Oh, there may have been some good men with lots of great thoughts but there are none that gave up heaven and stepped onto earth to die just for you.  That's what hope is all about.  That's what love is all about.  That's what grace is all about.  Hope does not disappoint you because God poured out His love into your heart by allowing Christ to die for you.  Then, God sent the Holy Spirit to be your guide and to help each day.  Without God's help, you are powerless.  Christ died for the powerless.  God knew that you would never gain access to Him.  God showed His love to you by sending Christ to die for you.

God wants you to believe in Jesus

What is believing in Jesus?  It is putting your trust completely in Him.  Look at it another way.

Believing is not…

You believe that there is one God.  Good!  Even the demons believe that - and shudder.  James 2:19

Believing is not just knowing something.  James 2:19 says that even the demons know and believe that there is only one God.  Think about it.  Satan knows there is only one God and He knows the true God.  Does that mean that He is in heaven with Christ?  Certainly not.  Believing is not just knowing something; it is placing faith in something.  The demons have not placed their faith in God and God alone. 

Knowing about God is not enough.  Knowing that Jesus died on the cross for you is not enough.  What is enough is placing your faith in Jesus to the extent that you are willing to turn from your wrongdoing and trust Him with your life.

Believing is…

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God.  John 1:12

To those who believe and place their trust in God, the Bible promises that God gave them the right to become children of God.  It is the highest honor one can have, to be called a child of the most high God.  You must receive Him by allowing Him to be a part of your life and trusting Him in every area.  You must believe in Jesus to the extent that you allow Him to change your life through the work of the Holy Spirit.

God promises eternal life through Christ

           

God wants you to believe and place your faith in Him through Christ, but He also wants to grant to you the promise of a better life to come.  Jesus was the only one who could do this because people are sinful and God is holy.   You could not enter heaven if it were not for Christ.

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus...  1 Timothy 2:5

Only Jesus can be the go between.  No one else.  Not a mother.  Not a priest.  No one.  Yes, the fact remains that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man.  So no one can come to the Father except through Him.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast, For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to do.  Ephesians 2:8-10

When you really believe in Jesus, you understand more that you could never have done what He did.  It is God's gift to you.  You cannot take the credit for it.  You cannot do enough good works to ever earn your salvation.  It is just a gift from God.  And it is a gift that each person decides whether he or she will accept or reject. 

If someone were to offer you a gift of an ink pen, you could decide if you wanted to take it or not.  It you took it, you might appreciate it and therefore want to do something in return for the gift-giver.  With God, He offers Jesus as a free gift.  You either take it or you don't.  And with many more consequences than accepting an ink pen or not.  If you accept His free gift, you would hopefully appreciate it so much that you would want to serve God.  You don't do things for God to earn your place in heaven; you do things to say thank you for allowing your Son Jesus to die on the cross for you.

Simply put, it is God's grace.  It is not you.  You are God's precious workmanship and you are recreated to live your life by honoring Christ.  It is simple faith.  It is simple trust.  It is the blessed hope you have that not only will God be here to help you through this life, but that when you leave this earth, you can go to heaven and live eternally with Him.

Believe In Him.  He sent Jesus to die for you.

They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-- you and your household."  Acts 16:31

Acts says that when you believe in the Lord Jesus, you will be saved.  It goes on to say that your whole household will be saved.  What this is saying is that salvation will be brought to the house (see Luke 19:9) because the same light of Christ will be given to all in that home.  Anyone who believes will be saved in the same way.   When Christ is in your life, others in the household will certainly see it.   They too, will have the same opportunity to make a personal commitment to Jesus.

Believe

So, how do you believe?  You believe with all your being.  You say it with your mouth, you believe it on the inside (in your heart) and you show it on the outside by everything you say and do.  If you say you believe and do not live it out, then the question is, do you really believe?  You believe to the point that you put your whole trust in Christ and place your faith in Him and in Him alone.  He desires to give you hope and help in every area.  He desires that you believe.

Hope

HOPE

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:11-13

Life is hardly perfect, is it? Families are torn apart by all sorts of tragedies.  People lose their jobs. And the list goes on. In the seemingly wild and fast paced world you probably live in, sometimes you might wonder, is there any hope?

Maybe things in your life are going pretty well right now.  Your parents are seemingly great, your children are turning out even better than you planned; but you have this deep-seeded feeling that something is missing.  You can't put your finger on it, but it is just an emptiness that never goes away.  Do you ever wonder if there is any hope or meaning in this life?

Hope.  It's a little word but with big meaning.  It can make all the difference in the world about your life.  What is hope anyway?  Maybe it is an expectancy of something better that's going to happen.  Maybe it is a longing for a new day or a way out or even a way through.  No matter how you view hope, God knows and understands.  No matter what kind of hope you need, God already knows that too.

Hope.  It's what God wants you to know that you can have.  He tells you in Jeremiah 29:11-13 (written above) that not only does His plan give hope; but that God is hope.  Read these verses above.  Then, look at it piece by piece and see if you can figure out what God is trying to say to you.

God's plan gives hope

           

God made you and has a plan for your life

           

Can you even believe it?  God has a plan for your life.  It is not a plan that is the same for everyone.  It is a separate plan that He designed for you alone.  Oh, the plan that God has starts out with some basics, but each plan has a little different twist to it.  Think about it this way, most of your neighbors probably go to the same few grocery stores.  They will likely all come home with food in the basic food groups.  Yet, if you were to look in each pantry, you'd see lots of different stuff.  It's the same way with God's plan.  There are some basics but it looks a little different and God knows the recipe that each one needs to make it a perfect plan for that person.

In Jeremiah 29:11, God says that He knows the plans he has for you!  Wow!  To think that God has a plan for you might be a whole new thought!  And, to make it even better, God says that His plan is to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future.  So, throw out all those thoughts you may have had about God that make you think that He is out to get you.  This verse clearly states that God wants the best for you.  He wants you to do well.  Now "prosper" can be a little confusing if you are thinking in physical terms because God is thinking in spiritual ones.  Of course, He wants you to do well but this is not saying that He wants you to be rich.  He knows there are much more important things in life than having things or lots of money.  No, God desires that you have the best that He offers and does not want anyone or anything to harm you…His precious creation!  He wants you to have hope!  And what's more, He wants you to know that you have a future here on earth as well as in heaven.  Not only does God love you, but He also adores you enough to help you with your life on a daily basis.  Look at these verses in Psalms 139:13-16.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  Psalm 139:13-16

Read that last line again.  God has your days all planned out for you.  That means that you still have choices with your life but that He has a direction planned out.  He even knew you before you were born because He decided just how He would fashion you.  So, it is no wonder that there is hope for you …the Creator of the universe not only made you but also knows what will make you happy and desires that you have a wonderful hope-filled life.

Hope is found in God

Hope can come from a lot of different places.  Hope can come from just anticipating an event or even from something much more important like finding hope in what your job will be.

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is your refuge. Selah."  Psalm 62:5-8

When you acknowledge Him alone as your salvation, the Word of God says that He will be your hope and that you cannot be shaken.  Oh, you may feel shaken and bounced around a bit, but the good news is that it won't have a lasting effect.  You can depend on Him as your secure and mighty rock, your very foundation for all that this life on earth holds, as well as the life to come.  The Bible says to pour out your heart to Him and trust in Him.  When you do, He is your refuge and you can hide in Him.

Trust in Christ brings assurance

When you give Him your heart and your trust, then you do have that assurance to know that He will always be there for you.

Trust in God brings hope

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

How do you trust in God, you say?  You do this by placing your life in His hands.  It means that you trust Him enough to be the boss of your life, as well as save you.  Think of it this way, it's just like a little girl who jumps in a pool and trusts Daddy to catch her.  She knows he will and won't let her drown.  God wants you to trust Him.  He knows what the best plan for your life is.  It would be harder for an adult to jump in the pool and believe that someone would catch her.  That's why the Bible says to come as little children.

"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."  Matthew 18:3

Most of you still want to hold on.  God tells you that He is the God of hope.  When you trust in Him, He fills you with joy and peace.  When He does, you then overflow with hope because of the Holy Spirit that is now living inside of you.  Yes, trust in God brings hope to life.

Hope leads you to Christ

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through your Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Romans 5:1-2

When you hope in God, He shows you what His Son, Jesus Christ, did for you on the cross.   God sent Jesus to die for everything you ever did or will do wrong.  He was the perfect sacrifice for your sins.  And because of Christ, you can now come to God because you have been made right or clean or holy.  Now that is hope!  You can then have the peace and hope that is offered.  And you can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God your Father in heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Christ brings assurance

And this is the testimony: God has given you eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.  1 John 5:11-13

What an incredible passage this is that is found in 1 John.  Because of Jesus, you have eternal life.  That means that when you die you will go to heaven and live forever.  You can have everlasting life because of Christ.  The writer, John, wants you to know that if you believe in the name of Jesus, you can have this assurance.  Basically, if you really trust Him, then you never have to doubt your salvation.  And certainly this gives you hope in life!

Call on Him

The real hope begins when you call on God through Christ.  You call to God by talking or praying to Him.  Look at what God says in the verse following:

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:14

Wow, what a promise.  God wants you to call on Him by praying and seeking Him.  And when you do this, God hears your prayers.

Call on His personal name

Your God is a personal God.  You call to Him by praying to the Father and through the Son.  In other words, you pray to God and in the name of Jesus Christ.  You see, God sent His personal Son to die on the cross for you and He has a personal plan for your life.  Your name is important to you and to God.  He wants you to call on His personal name.

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."  Acts 4:12

Only in the name of Jesus is salvation found.  No other name is the right name.  Some have trouble understanding this but God's Word is clear.  God sent Jesus to die on the cross, not someone else.  And Jesus is still alive.  Christ is the only way you can get to God.

Pray and talk to Him

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."  Jeremiah 33:3

Why do you have hope?  You have hope because the God and Father of all desires to commune with you.  He is waiting for you to call Him.  His line is never busy, He never puts you on hold, the voice mail never picks up, and He is never out of the office.  Not only is He always available, but when you take the time to call, He tells you great and mighty things that you would not know any other way.  He gives you secrets to survival in this life.  And my friend, that is hope!