Holding onto Hope

 

    A relationship with God is about possibilities.  It is not about restrictions, can nots, or holding back.  It is about conquering sin's hold on you so you can live with freedom in your heart.  It is a relationship that gives you hope where there is no hope.  Jesus enables you to hold onto hope in all things that truly matter in life.

    God can handle your life.  He can handle what you can not.  Stop fighting the battles you were never meant to fight.  Let Him have control, so your hope can grow strong.  He is the God that can do the impossible, so don't give up hope.

    Jesus died on the cross a horrible death for you to have hope.  He rose from deaths grips in three days.  Then he wondered the world again for 40 more days before ascending to Heaven while still alive.  He did not die again.  He literally ascended.  All of that is impossible, but he did it.  He did it so no one could deny the truth and his closest disciples would be his living testimony.  Your life of hope is now his testimony.

    When Jesus died on the cross, his disciples were without hope for those hard days.  They all were living in regret for abandoning him.  They were afraid that they would die next.  They had no hope of things getting better for them, but then Jesus came to them again.  He forgave them and made it where they forgave themselves.  

    Their circumstances did not change.  They still could have been killed at any time.  All of them, but one, was eventually killed in less than pleasant ways, but they never lost hope again.  Their hope went beyond this physical world that is controlled by sin.  They understood what their future held and what living in this world meant.  They knew that one day they would be with Jesus again.  They just had to hold onto their hope until that day.

    You have the same possibility to be in the presence of Jesus.  The question is will you recognize him when you do encounter him?  Life is full of fillers and mundane activity that will distract you from what matters.  Will you allow that to steal your hope?  Will you lose focus and not recognize Jesus?

    You can't close your eyes to the truth.  God is real.  Jesus lived and died as a human.  He came back and gave us a new hope.  He left the Holy Spirit to live in all who believes hearts.  He never promised splendor, riches, or comfort in this world.  Until sin is destroyed that will never be the case all the time for Christians.  What He promised was hope that can be shared with all who want it.

    The laws of the world do not apply to God.  Jesus honored the laws to live in the human body, but once his time came he no longer held back.  The Holy Spirit empowers you to do what you are called to do.  You are human.  You do have physical limits, but that is only for now.  God is bigger than any limitation, so hold onto hope.

Psalm 25:1-3, Luke 24:13-33, & Hebrews 10:23-25