But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 1Peter 3:15 (NKJV)
What do you put your confidence in? Where do you derive your hope? Is it your bank account, hoping one day you will have amassed a fortune? Perhaps its your job, hoping one day you will have scaled the latter and be on the top? Maybe its your health, hoping one day you will have the body you always dreamed of? It could be in the electing of a new president, hoping he will be the one to fix all of our economic, environmental and war issues. None of these things are worthy of giving us a true hope, because all of them are temporary at best, and each of them will fail eventually.
We are told in the Book of Titus what our hope should be based upon.
&while we wait for the blessed hopethe glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Titus 2:13 (NIV)
Jesus is coming back! Hes coming back to rapture His Church up into the heavenlies (1Thess 4:17). He will gather us up and take us from this fallen earth to be with Him.
Every person who has walked the face of the earth has been given a chance to experience and receive the free gift of eternal salvation by the grace of God, through faith. Gods Word has taught us to say, No to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self controlled, upright and Godly lives. We know Jesus came, and gave his life as a sacrifice on the cross to redeem us from all wickedness and sin, and to purify for Himself a people who are His very own, and who are eager to do what is good.
Gods Word tells us, He is coming back, and it will be just like it was in the days of Noah, and of Lot. It will be business as usual. People will be marrying and eating and drinking as if life is going on forever. They will be focused on the temporary wants and desires to fulfill their fleshly lust. They will be building, planting and buying goods. Their society had been broken down to the point where no one was walking with God, nor did they have a desire to live in a way, which pleased God.
Doesnt this sound like our culture? Have we not legislated God out of our schools, our work places and our lives?
If we have this blessed hope in Jesus coming back soon, then we should be living soberly, righteously and Godly. We should be looking up constantly, expecting Him to return at any moment. Because if I believe the Lord is coming back soon, it will greatly affect everything I do.
If a person doesnt believe the Lord is coming back soon, then he or she will live in such a way to show total disrespect in how God would want them to live. They will partake in the parties along with those who become drunk. They will participate in the office gossip instead of holding their tongue. They will build their kingdoms on earthly treasure and fame rather than eternal glory and rewards, which have been promised for those who abide in the Lord.
Christianity isnt a fable; its the message of hope from God Himself. Its the message of how each of us cam be given the free gift of salvation. And, when properly understood, it should be met with a great hope for our future, followed by a life of selfless living while serving others and winning them to the kingdom of God. It will be full, exciting, and filled with peace when our trust is placed properly in the God of the universe, and His perfect plan for our life. Any compromise is simply taking away the blessings, which have been ordained for those who hold fast to the promises of God.
As a result of this hope, I live with a positive attitude, doing my best to be a light in society, working towards a better community and world by studying and applying the Word of God to transform my ways of living. Bible prophecy clearly tells us, there will never be a utopia here on earth until Jesus comes back. But this should never deter us from living a life in which we are making a positive change to our world. We have our hope in eternity, its true, but we have a hope to win souls as well, and to allow the Holy Spirit to empower us to make positive changes while still here on earth.
I pray Gods blessings on you this day. May you see and feel the hope of Jesus in your heart.
STUDY QUESTION: According to the scriptures above, how should we live, and what should where should we be deriving our hope?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Have you found yourself placing a greater hope in temporal things? Have you found yourself with no hope because of what you see on the news?
APPLICATION: God has a perfect plan for your life (Read Jeremiah 29:11). Place your hope in Him, and His plan, and trust Him. Ask Him to show you His plan for your life, and live it with a blessed hope, knowing it will be exactly the way He wants.
What do you put your confidence in? Where do you derive your hope? Is it your bank account, hoping one day you will have amassed a fortune? Perhaps its your job, hoping one day you will have scaled the latter and be on the top? Maybe its your health, hoping one day you will have the body you always dreamed of? It could be in the electing of a new president, hoping he will be the one to fix all of our economic, environmental and war issues. None of these things are worthy of giving us a true hope, because all of them are temporary at best, and each of them will fail eventually.
We are told in the Book of Titus what our hope should be based upon.
&while we wait for the blessed hopethe glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Titus 2:13 (NIV)
Jesus is coming back! Hes coming back to rapture His Church up into the heavenlies (1Thess 4:17). He will gather us up and take us from this fallen earth to be with Him.
Every person who has walked the face of the earth has been given a chance to experience and receive the free gift of eternal salvation by the grace of God, through faith. Gods Word has taught us to say, No to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self controlled, upright and Godly lives. We know Jesus came, and gave his life as a sacrifice on the cross to redeem us from all wickedness and sin, and to purify for Himself a people who are His very own, and who are eager to do what is good.
Gods Word tells us, He is coming back, and it will be just like it was in the days of Noah, and of Lot. It will be business as usual. People will be marrying and eating and drinking as if life is going on forever. They will be focused on the temporary wants and desires to fulfill their fleshly lust. They will be building, planting and buying goods. Their society had been broken down to the point where no one was walking with God, nor did they have a desire to live in a way, which pleased God.
Doesnt this sound like our culture? Have we not legislated God out of our schools, our work places and our lives?
If we have this blessed hope in Jesus coming back soon, then we should be living soberly, righteously and Godly. We should be looking up constantly, expecting Him to return at any moment. Because if I believe the Lord is coming back soon, it will greatly affect everything I do.
If a person doesnt believe the Lord is coming back soon, then he or she will live in such a way to show total disrespect in how God would want them to live. They will partake in the parties along with those who become drunk. They will participate in the office gossip instead of holding their tongue. They will build their kingdoms on earthly treasure and fame rather than eternal glory and rewards, which have been promised for those who abide in the Lord.
Christianity isnt a fable; its the message of hope from God Himself. Its the message of how each of us cam be given the free gift of salvation. And, when properly understood, it should be met with a great hope for our future, followed by a life of selfless living while serving others and winning them to the kingdom of God. It will be full, exciting, and filled with peace when our trust is placed properly in the God of the universe, and His perfect plan for our life. Any compromise is simply taking away the blessings, which have been ordained for those who hold fast to the promises of God.
As a result of this hope, I live with a positive attitude, doing my best to be a light in society, working towards a better community and world by studying and applying the Word of God to transform my ways of living. Bible prophecy clearly tells us, there will never be a utopia here on earth until Jesus comes back. But this should never deter us from living a life in which we are making a positive change to our world. We have our hope in eternity, its true, but we have a hope to win souls as well, and to allow the Holy Spirit to empower us to make positive changes while still here on earth.
I pray Gods blessings on you this day. May you see and feel the hope of Jesus in your heart.
STUDY QUESTION: According to the scriptures above, how should we live, and what should where should we be deriving our hope?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Have you found yourself placing a greater hope in temporal things? Have you found yourself with no hope because of what you see on the news?
APPLICATION: God has a perfect plan for your life (Read Jeremiah 29:11). Place your hope in Him, and His plan, and trust Him. Ask Him to show you His plan for your life, and live it with a blessed hope, knowing it will be exactly the way He wants.
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