Hope’s Letter to Every Child of God
Do you enjoy receiving an encouraging letter from a friend or loved one? My hand’s raised. What if you received hope’s letter encouraging you in life and spiritual areas as God’s child?
Nowadays, a letter via text or email is more common than snail mail. But regardless of how we receive the message, the content matters most.
Even the Bible contains letters written to God’s people and intended for us today. In fact, God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation contains words from God for our hearts.
So what encouraging words do you need today about hope? Maybe hope in Christ or hope for the future or hope in your present circumstances.
Hope’s letter is for you, God’s child.
A Letter of Unwavering Hope
God’s child,
The heavenly Father gave me to you as a gift; a stable, certain, and secure hope. I never waver based on circumstances, people, or opinions. You see, in an uncertain world, I’m an undeniable hope, an unshakable anchor for your soul.
But you possess the choice to hold fast to the confession of your hope without wavering, for God who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23). Because Christ lives in you, a glorious hope also resides in you (Colossians 1:27).
Hope’s Letter for Identity
When Jesus lives in you through the Holy Spirit, He brings me near. So hope’s not around the corner, off in the distance, on the other side of glory, or something you muster up in your own power. Jesus’ followers hope in Him—the hope above all hopes.
Hope describes your identity in Christ. Therefore, your Christian ID card contains descriptive terms: Beloved, heir, saint, chosen, forgiven, and free. You are the picture of hope.
Know who you are.
Faith-filled Hope
Read More…February 23, 2023 at 8:30 am | Uncategorized
We Need Jesus More Than Ever
If the world needs anything right now, it’s Jesus. We need Jesus.
The prince of this world deceives Christians and non-believers of our real needs.
But what and who the world needs right now is Jesus.
Even believers must rein ourselves in from everything the world offers.
So how much more do those who don’t know Christ fail to realize their real needs.
Still, with all that’s currently going on in the world: evil, suffering, division, hatred, and troubled hearts, it’s no wonder we turn to things appearing to meet our deepest needs.
Let’s look at some of the enemy’s deceptions.
The Love of Money
The Bible is clear, not money itself, but the love of money is the problem.
1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (NIV)
Yet, a few verses before notes, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” 1 Timothy 6:6-7 (NIV)
The chapter encourages believers to flee the love of money and pursue righteousness. (I Timothy 6:11)
We Want Power, Control, Notoriety
We find an unhealthy hunger for power, control, and notoriety in all walks of life. Like politics, government, leaders, corporate America, small businesses, families, Hollywood, even in ministry and the church.
Perhaps you fight this inner hunger in your life.
Read More…February 16, 2023 at 8:30 am | Uncategorized
How We Love Jesus the Most
I love Jesus.
Love. A small and seemingly simple word. But it holds more power than we realize.
I’m not an expert on the subject of love.
Instead, I held misconceptions about love as a child and young woman. And hang-ups about love formed from emotionally expensive experiences.
You see, my father abandoned me for a time. I was grown with my own children the first time my father uttered the words I love you.
The conversation’s forever etched in my memory.
Still, as much as I wanted to hear my dad tell me he loved me, I needed to believe it. And I longed for the reassurance he meant it.
You know what? The same holds true today. My husband can never tell me or show me he loves me too many times.
Because a continual and intentional assurance of love takes any relationship to a higher and deeper level. Pure and whole-hearted love, in the most powerful form, is a show-and-tell affection.
I Love Jesus
Likewise, the words I love You, Jesus! rise in my heart and roll off my tongue more often these days. Why?
Maybe I’m tired of surface substitutes for real love. Perhaps I’ve grown weary of this: what God made true about love, people made fake. And I believe Christ is teaching me about an authentic and lasting love.
Over a decade ago, I marked a spiritual milestone in my life, written in my journal. I decided to fall head over heels in love with Jesus, loving Him more than anyone or anything.
Can we fall in love with Christ and stay in love with Him—pure and whole-hearted affection? Not only is this kind of love relationship possible, but it’s what the Lord intended all along.
How to experience this love relationship is found in the answers to these two questions.
Love With All
Read More…February 9, 2023 at 8:30 am | Uncategorized
Do You Believe in God and Miracles?
I believe in God and I believe in miracles. Maybe so do you.
But when we or our loved ones don’t get our miracle, do we still believe?
For instance, when a friend asked me to pray for her family during a difficult time, I petitioned my Lord to do the impossible. I let my friend know: “I’m praying for nothing short of a miracle. No one is higher than the God we serve.”
Lord, we believe You hold the power and we believe in Your sovereignty. God, You are the God of the impossible. So I pray for a miracle in this situation. I pray You move in a mighty way in the circumstances and with the people involved. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Because only a great and mighty God can make all things a possibility. He can do anything.
Do You Believe?
But my friend’s situation did not turn out as she’d hoped. Yet, our God met her in her darkest hour. Do we still believe in God and in miracles? Yes. Do we still believe in God’s power and plans and ways? Yes.
I have friends who are a walking miracle who were given a death sentence. On the flipside, I lost family members and friends way too early, even though I prayed and had others praying for a divine healing. Their healing and wholeness happened in heaven instead of on earth.
You see, miracles take place in different forms and may not be visible to our natural eyes. It doesn’t mean our miracle didn’t come. But sometimes it didn’t happen the way we wanted.
There are daily miracles of breath and grace. Such as the breath you just took reading this. And the grace upon grace we have every day in Christ (see John 1:16). Let’s not forget moments of miracles in life. Like every time a baby is born. Also, moments of spiritual birth.
Many times, God is working the miracle on the inside of us, transforming us into the image of Christ.
Here are more truths to believe. We believe God is sovereign and good. So we believe the Lord holds the power to do anything, even if He chooses not to.
Believe In God
The Bible is filled with stories of miracles.
Read More…February 2, 2023 at 8:30 am | Uncategorized