This morning in New England the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and it's above freezing! This stirs Hope within!!! Hope that Spring is just before us - grass will turn green, flowers will bloom full of color and a fresh, new season begins!
But for many, hope for tomorrow is overshadowed by a season of great change in our world. A season that may be personally impacting you or those around you. Can you see Hope through the chaos, or have you allowed fear, anxiety, anger and/or confusion to eclipse your Hope?
What is your Hope in today?
Psalm 62:5-8 (NLT) "Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my Hope is in Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Interlude"
May I encourage you as believers in Jesus Christ:
1. to remember who you are IN CHRIST. You are the child of God (Romans 8:17), the heir and partaker of promises (Ephesians 3:6), complete and lacking for nothing (Colossians 2:9-10). You are a Masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)!
2. to keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus (remember when Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he walked on water; when he looked away, he began drowning [Matthew 14:27-30])! And, He has promised us that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
3. to bring your very real fears/concerns to HIM in prayer ~ be specific ~ and ask HIM for wisdom, discernment, and truth; and believe without doubt that HE will guide you, show you the way to provision and walk you through this season as He has for generations past.
4. to trust/believe in your anchor through God's Word, the Bible. Remember your favorite scriptures that lift you up and give you wisdom/guidance and Hope. And, if you need help, you can always go to http://www.biblegateway.com/ and select keyword search. For example, HOPE is found in 195 scriptures in the Amplified version of the Bible.
5. "Be still, and know that I am God!" (Psalm 46:10)
John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
And, if I may be of help as you face life transitions/decisions, confusion/fear/anxiety ~ by breaking your challenges into manageable steps with accountability, encouragement and God's Word, please contact me at michelle@fromtheheartlifecoach.com.
God's love and blessings,
Michelle Lord Samples
From the Heart, Christian Life Coach
http://www.fromtheheartlifecoach.com/
Resources:
Romans 5:1-2 "Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory."
Hebrews 6:18-19 "So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary."
Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the confidence that what we Hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."
Ephesians 1: (The Message) I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!
Ephesians 3:6 "And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus."
Romans 8:31-39 "So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture .... I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us."
2 Peter 1: 2-5 "May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires."
Romans 12:11-12 (NTL) Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying."
2 Corinthians 1:9-11 (The Message) "And he ... rescued us from certain doom. And he'll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing. You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation—I don't want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God's deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part."
Psalm 27:14 "Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord."
