Hope in Salvation

 

    When you have hope in salvation you discover forgiveness.  It doesn't matter what your history is, you are forgiven by God.  Even if no one in your life forgives you, God will.  You can find hope in the promises of God.  Hope starts with salvation.

    God is not capable of breaking His word, so if he makes a promise you know it will happen.  Salvation is the most important promise for hope.  He loves you enough to place His son in this world to suffer at the hands of the people he created.  If that is not love, then I don't know what is.  No one is worthy.  Everyone is guilty, but He gives us the option to remove our guilt and find love and peace.

    Peter was maybe one of the most loyal people to Jesus, but even he failed Jesus when it really mattered.  It tore him up inside, so Jesus made him a priority.  Jesus had forgiven Peter before he died, but Peter had not forgiven himself.  Jesus gave Peter the hope he needed to be able to forgive himself and move on to do incredible things in Jesus' name.

    We all have done things that we should regret.  However, you have to connect with God to be able to repent and accept His forgiveness.  Then the hard part: you have to forgive yourself and let it go.  If you never allow yourself to love like Jesus then you will never accomplish your purpose.  Part of loving like Jesus is to love yourself and forgive yourself for life failures.  You have to have hope to be able to forgive and really love.

    No matter your past, God still has a plan for you.  No matter your age or health, God still has a plan for you.  If you put your hope in Him, then He will restore you.  He will reveal things to you that you need to grow and move forward in His name.  

    God will restore you, but there are still consequences to sin.  If you give into lust, then don't be surprised if you lose your family, get sick, or have unexpected children.  If you give into other gods like (gluttony, alcoholism, addiction, or more), then do not be surprised that your health fails you.  Sin will take years off your life.  That does not mean that you have not been forgiven.  

    Consequences to sin just means you have to face natural law consequences like everyone else.  Find a way to accept it and allow God to use your weakness for good.  God uses broken people so much more than the people that think they have everything under control in life.  You accepting that you are not perfect is a blessed gift.  It means that you can become so much more than what you are right now.  

    Jesus came to this world to help the broken and sick people.  The well do not think that they need him and he will never make anyone "need" him.  We need to go to him because of our need and love, not fear of hell.  Once he gives you forgiveness which is all the healing you really need, then start moving forward.  It is great if he restores anything damaged, hurt, or broken, but the soul is what needed it the most.  We all will still die, so as long as we have our soul healed, then everything else can be put in perspective.

    Self-reliance is reject of Jesus.  It is one of the biggest failures of a person's life.  If you are not willing to rely on Jesus, then you will never give him the opportunity to give you what you really need.  The more empty you are, the more God can fill you will all the good and life giving things you need.  The more you rely on God, the more you will have.

    It all starts with hope and love to turn to Jesus for salvation.  Embrace your brokenness and allow God to change your circumstances or mind set.  Acknowledge you are not perfect and that you need Him and find purpose, life, and eternity of peace.

John 21:4-19, Romans 5:1-5, 8:18-30, & 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8