Category: A Door of Hope

Sometimes our enemy plans our demise:

Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may by hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.
Esther 5:14

Our life, however, is in the hand of our King:

And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. The the king said, Hang him thereon.
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.
Esther 7:9-10

He destroys the enemy's plan and exalts us in due time:

For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
Esther 10:3

Do not be fearful of what the enemy may have planned for you today.

Just be sure you are the one who has "spoken good for the King" today.

But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Psalm 59:16

There is great hope in leaving the details to God.

I used to believe that to maintain my "hope" meant to continue to believe that God would eventually give me what my heart desired…

Literally that I would continue to hope FOR something.

However, now I believe that true hope is rooted much more deeply than that.

To have hope in my soul, I must believe that IF God does not eventually give me what my heart desires…

• I can still be content in Him.
• I can continue to trust Him.
• I can continue to have faith in His goodness.

If God was good enough to me to provide my salvation from Hell through His Son's death on the cross, why would He not continue to fill my life with His goodness?

He does. And He will.

I only have to be willing to truly believe it.

The more of God's goodness I look for,
The more of God's goodness I see.

The more of God's goodness I see,
The more grateful I become.

The more grateful I become,
The more I can believe in His continued goodness to me.

The more I believe in His continued goodness to me,
The more hope I have.

The circumstances of our life are not always what we wish them to be.

Regardless of our circumstances, though, our lives can be all that we hope them to be…

Because God is good to us…

Because He loves us so much.

We only need the eyes of faith to see it.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17

As we read of God's faithfulness in His Word, our faith in His goodness grows.

Just one more reason to read His Word!

Are you in "survival mode" today?

It seems we can often find ourselves there.

However, it is not a very good place for us to be – spiritually, emotionally or physically.

The physical reason for "survival mode" is times of great stress, famine or starvation. The body shuts down processes that are not essential for life: skin, hormones, hair, digestion, etc.

We find the same thing emotionally and spiritually.

When we are only surviving:

• we begin to cut ties to those to whom we are emotionally attached – usually family and close friends.
• Spiritually, we break off the most important habits of Bible reading and praying.

Our reasoning is this:

• those who really love us are "safe" to ignore. They will still be here when this crisis is over.
• Spiritually, we think we can get back to our Bible reading and prayer time when the stress has passed.

The truth is that we can survive a short while in this mode. Your body can shut down certain processes, you can ignore your loved ones and not pick up your Bible or spend time in prayer – for a little while.

If you spend too long in this place, however, you will begin to become unhealthy.

• Your body will break down,
• your family will begin to fall apart and
• you will grow cold, bitter and indifferent in your relationship to the Heavenly Father.

We are not meant to live perpetually in "survival mode".

I would recommend the first change to make in order to emerge from this state is to

You will find yourself seeking the emotional connection with others who love the Lord, and with those who are important to you. You will probably find that you begin to feel better physically as well.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
John 10:10

The enemy of our soul strives to steal our life here; Christ gave His life to us that we might truly live a life of great joy and fulfillment.

There is great hope in escaping "survival mode" and entering into "thriving mode" through the power of the God of our salvation.

Awesome truths to hold onto every day…

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:25

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber not sleep.
Psalm 121:3-4

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
Jude 1:24

Then as if those truths aren't enough, the above verses are also full of other truths about the Lord:

• He saves us to the uttermost when we come to God through Jesus.
• He interceded for us constantly.
• He will not let our foot be moved.
• He keeps us.
• He keeps Israel.
• He presents us faultless before God.
• He has great joy in bringing us to God the Father.

Our God is so incredibly able to save us, keep us, and one day to catch us away to Heaven forever.

What do you have need of today?

He is more than able to meet your need!

Take the time to go to Him today with your burdens.

He's awake…

And listening for your cry!

If peace be in the heart,
The wildest winter storm is full of solemn beauty,
The midnight flash but shows the path of duty,
Each living creature tells some new and joyous story,
The very trees and stones all catch a ray of glory,
If peace be in the heart.
~Charles Francis Richardson

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Colossians 3:15-16

The ways to peace:

1. Allow yourself to be peaceful
2. Practice a "gratitude attitude"
3. Live your life with wisdom that you glean from the Word of God
4. Use spiritual music to lift your spirits

When peace rules our hearts, the enemy can't shake our hope!

Today, I'd like to focus on one more reason for you to have hope:

Your children will learn to have hope if you have hope.

They will also learn to be hopeless if you model that in front of them.

I know that there were many times as an adult that I prayed out of mere habit. Often, I lacked the faith that God was going to answer my prayer. The practice had already been put into place, though, and so I prayed anyway.

Many times, God was merciful, and answered those prayers that I asked halfheartedly; and every time He did, my faith grew. I learned a little more about the character of my Heavenly Father. I realized that He liked to give good things to His children. I determined to continue asking.

Through the years, my faith has grown. I have seen miracles. I have seen Christians and non-Christians alike wag their heads in amazement at what God has done for me and for my family.

• Not because I am a great Christian.
• Not because I'm anything special.
• Not because I am so spiritual.

It's because I keep asking. I keep going to God with childlike faith, simply believing that He will meet my needs.

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.
Luke 18:7-8a

He's been meeting my needs all my life, because my mom taught me how important it was to go to God with my needs.

I learned to pray, because prayer was important to my mom. She lived out that belief, and I learned by her example.

Observe your children.

• Are they hopeless?
• Are they troubled and anxious?
• Do they have little faith in God's provision?

If so, they are mirroring what they see in you.

Our only Hope for a life of hope is in Jesus Christ. The only way we can learn about that Hope is from the pages of the Word of God, the Bible.

We need to read it for ourselves, study it, hear it preached by Godly men, sing about it, talk about it, live it out.

A life centered on Jesus is a life filled with Hope.

Your children will learn to be hopeful or hopeless by watching your example.

What is your life teaching them?

"Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him and expect help from Him, He will never fail you.

An older brother who has known the Lord for forty-four years, who writes this, says to you for your encouragement that He has never failed him.

In the greatest difficulties, in the heaviest trials, in the deepest poverty and necessities, He has never failed me; but because I was enabled by His grace to trust Him, He has always appeared for my help.

I delight in speaking well of His name."

~George Mueller