Confident Hope

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 KJV

Hope in the Christian's Life is not wishful thinking. It is confident expectation. Those without Christ may wish things were different and that they knew someone who could change their situation. The believer in Christ is personally related to the Lord of the universe, who is sovereign not only over all creation but also over every circumstance we experience. This is where I see disparity in what should be and what is. So many believers are doing good works and much of what God requires of them but when life comes at them on life's terms they curl up in the fetal position and wine, pout, get angry, and literally become paralyzed and unable to fulfill God's will for their lives. Take it from me who suffered once with the most debilitating anxiety attacks  you could imagine, when the healing stripes that Jesus took for us all are applied to anxiety or other ailments it is removed permanently. Does that mean I don't worry occasionally as the average person does no, but I no longer obsess over things that I have absolutely no control over. I can't afford to, it's life or death and not just this short trial run here on earth but eternally speaking.  We can live in confidence when our hope is in the One who is faithful and everything else is a deceptive lie. When God speaks, He stands by His word to see that it comes to pass. When God speaks a word to you, trust Him completely, for He never deceives His children. If He indicates to you that He is doing something in your life you can be absolutely confident that He will do it. Side-note: I know there will be those who struggle with the terminology of God speaking to them personally (or how can I know which voice is right) but we can save that for another post or through discussion in the comment section due to length constraints. Let me just challenge those who believe to examine the path of your life and ask God to show you where He has influenced or directed your ways. Should we wonder why unrighteous people seem to prosper while righteous people suffer? I do all the time but remember Jesus promised that each would receive a just reward one day but we must choose whether we want a worldly pat on the back or heavenly accolades. Should we wonder if all the effort required to raise God pleasing children will bear fruit when they are older? I do but God promises all throughout the Bible that they will. Should we wonder if the things we have renounced when we became Christians will be replaced by God's blessings? I do but Jesus told us we would receive a hundred times as much of everything intended for us. Our hope is not mere speculation in what God might do. He has given us His word on many areas of life regarding what He will do.                    Blessings, Dave

Recovery perspective - Step 11 tells us there are no secrets or shortcuts to knowing God. Only through prayer and meditation of His word can we improve our conscious contact with Him, revealing the knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Col 3:16