This was a real legitimate question by a young lady on Yahoo’s Question and Answers!
Here are some of the answers given as suggestions of hope. It is not surprising that the last thing anyone wants to hear about is religion. All want to use the carnal human approach to help the person. Each one uses their own understanding of the world around them and their experiences to try to encourage the person. Some literally shocked me with their comments. Here are some of the things they told the young lady.
1 “you have already received many wonderful answers and some not so good ones too. I agree that, if you are without hope, you may have a psychological or medical imbalance and it is important to rule that out by seeing a professional. When hope is gone, a person needs something to ‘believe’ in. Search your soul for a positive thought and let it flow further – into a belief. It could be as simple as looking at the stars and moon and realizing that many people are looking at the same stars and moon as you are.”
2 “Well, there are two choices. You either end your miserable life, or you take a step in the right direction and reach out to others in need. Doing something nice for someone else, even when you feel you have nothing to give, is always rewarding, and you would be surprised at how much hope it will give you.”
3 “Oh, please… do we have to throw God at the girl and make it sound like that’s the answer?
As if God is going to come down and throw his arms around her and make everything better… ’cause gee, that’s what he does, right? That’s why everything is so perfect in this world and why everyone that believes in him so much is such a perfect person, right? Here’s a better answer.
Take a good long look in the mirror at yourself and realize that there is hope. And there’s hope because YOU won’t allow yourself to think any more that there’s not.
Trust in yourself… and trust in your best friends to be there for you.”
4 “Count your blessings – reformat your thoughts and think of good things that have happened to you. Do something stupid (but harmless) that you haven’t done since you were a kid”
5 “ACCEPTANCE is the only answer to such a predicament. 99.9% of emotional problems (unless you have a recognized mental condition), stem from not wanting/wishing to accept reality.”
If I was hurting as this person seemed to be, the suggestions above would have been like being hit in the stomach with a sledge hammer. They don’t give good answers because they themselves don’t have hope! Since they don’t want God in their lives they only follow the worldly course of; eat, drink, and be merry because when they die they believe it is all over. They don’t believe in life after death and frantically try to do all they can in this life while they can.
But God does say there is hope for those who are willing to let Him into their lives but there is no hope for those who do not. Job 11:18,20 “Then you would trust, because there is hope; And you would look around and rest securely. But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And there will be no escape for them; And their hope is to breathe their last.”
Hope takes on a whole new meaning when God explains in Colossians: 1:5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, 27 which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
That glory is something very special! God performs a miracle in your life to the effect that God says in 1 Timothy 4:10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
God wants to emphasize your hope more succinctly as He states again in Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
This hope cleanses you from all the pressures, stresses, and problems of this world freeing you from the bondage that the world heaps upon you refreshing your soul.
1 John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
God Bless You!
A good barf bag is absolutely essential when coming face to face with the new wave of morality that is sweeping over this nation. Jude 1: 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
Don’t let these things become a normal accepted way of life! Reject it! Don’t let a miniscule sect of deluded people cast their ways over you and rule you.
Romans 12: 9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Always follow the Lord Jesus Christ and imitate Him. Read the scriptures and do as He teaches. Jesus gives a thorough and complete breakdown of His “Spiritual Laws” in The Sermon On The Mount. (Matthew 5-7).
Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. Set the right example for others by letting your spiritual light shine.
2 Corinthians 4: 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
There is a lot to be done so keep your barf bag handy!
God bless you!
Acts 1:11 This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
There are truly fantastic and unimaginable things happening in the world all around us which leads many to believe that beginnings of the end times are here. Jesus gave us insight as to what to watch for, He said that when we see the leaves appear on the fig tree know that spring is near. This is an analogy to be aware of when the end of times is here. In Matthew chapter 24 and Mark 13 He gave many signs that would warn us that the end is near.
The question is what will you have accomplished with your life to be able to stand before the Son of Man? The Apostle Paul give us some instruction and explanation of individual situations. 1 Corinthians 7:17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.
Every one will not have the same results. We have been given the parable of the talents as a guide.
But we must use those talents shrewdly.
Matthew 25:15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
What is the lesson here? We need to watch and prepare because we don’t know when our Lord will return. We need to put our life to use for the Lord and accomplish profitable works in spreading the Kingdom of God throughout the world. Our lives should display that we are born again and citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven standing for Christ and declaring His salvation for the world. (John3:16)
Luke 21:36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.
Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
As the Lord says, overcome and endure. The reward is worth it! What He has in store for us is indescribable but he gives us glimpses.
Revelation 2:26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations —
Revelation 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Revelation 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
Our God and savior will return in the same manner as He left. (Acts 1:11) What will He find? Will we be asleep spiritually or will we be constantly at attention waiting for His return? Are we complacent or are do we really believe and have faith that our Lord returns.
Luke 12:35 “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;
36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.
43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
God bless you! Love the Lord with all your heart! Look for Him every day! Amen!
There was a young man filled with faith preaching about Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in every public place he could find. People found his wisdom and the spirit of which he spoke irresistible.
John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
But some people couldn’t stand what he was preaching because what he was saying convicted their conscience and made them mad.
Romans 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
They got so carried away that they mobbed him and took him before the court, they produced witnesses who lied about him and accused him of making terrorist threats such as saying their religious temple would be torn down.
Mark 13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
As they looked at him he didn’t appear to be worried at all. If anything, he looked more confident and filled with faith more than ever. He begin to preach to them and point out their sinful ways showing them how much they could be blessed if they would only turn to God and obey Him.
Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
But when they heard what he had to say they were cut to the heart and their faces became terrible to look at as hate poured out of them.
Jude 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
And he said:” Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God”. The mob started screaming at the top of their lungs to shut him out. The mob had had enough and took Stephen and killed him.
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder.
This is happening over and over again in China, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and India today! This ugly hatred is slowly growing in the United States. It is now a hate crime to preach the truth on some subjects of the Holy Bible, the foundation of Christianity.
We need to rally behind the martyr Stephen and preach the gospel in the face of adversity. Be filled with the spirit of faith!
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Give God the glory! AMEN!
Who am I? Really, who am I? I was born in iniquity and conceived in sin! (Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.) When I grew up and experienced the world I was saturated with its unholy, immoral, and materialistic system. Believing this to be the norm I immersed myself in its carnal ways. (Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.) Mistakenly I thought the ultimate joy was having all the immoral and carnal things of this world. (2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy) After some time I found myself miserable and unhappy, unable to attain the freedom to do as I wanted in the world. I looked at my beautiful wife and wondered why I treated her the way I did. I looked at my baby son and wondered what kind of life waited for him. I suddenly felt like the lowest of the lowest of men. I was sick of everything I knew. Something inside me caused me to do something I had never done before. I grabbed my wife’s hand and knelt beside our bed and said: “God, there has got to be something better than this. Please show us what it is.” My heart was hurting! (1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.)
After a short time my wife and I became associated with a church and God took complete charge of our lives from that time to the present. We went through a transitional period from an old way to a new way and looked down upon by some who knew us. (1 Peter 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you) But now we have a loving family of Godly friends in great abundance. (Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God)
Someone might read this and decide to find out for themselves how to be released from the world as we have and be filled with a joy immeasurable by letting Jesus take the weight of the world’s sin off of their shoulders and putting it all on His shoulders. (John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!) Just follow the message in the Apostle Peter’s first sermon: (Acts 2: 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.) By the grace of God you will be raised up a new creation and walk in newness of life, no longer of this world, but your citizenship will be in heaven from that time forward with a residence in heaven waiting for you to occupy.
Who am I? Who are you? We are all the children of God!
Praise the Lord God and give Him all the glory! Amen!
We should never let anything get between us and the Creator God! There is only one God who has created the heavens and earth and created man to populate it giving him dominion over all things of the earth. God has never failed in anything. The scriptures say that all things are possible with God. (Mark 10:27) God is merciful, slow to anger and loves everyone. He gave His greatest gift to all people by sending His only Son to the earth in the form of a human being to be a servant to us all. (John 3:16)
If we will only serve our Creator full time after He has given us the gift of eternal life, He will bless everything we set our hand to do. His Spirit will give even greater understanding of His Word so we can grow in knowledge and wisdom, something we will never get enough of. Never forget that He is always with you. (Hebrews 13:5) The Lord will surround you like a shield. (Psalms 5:12) He will bless you with peace. (Psalms 29:11) He will increase and bless your business. (Psalms 67:6) Reach up for your higher calling as the LORD requires you to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (James 4:6)
Jesus Christ came as the greatest servant as He humbled Himself as a man for our benefit and example having given His all for us in death on the cross. Therefore we can do no less than to humble ourselves before our Creator as living sacrifices bearing our cross. (Luke 14:27)
We are spiritually encapsulated in the body of Christ filled with the Holy Spirit as we are His temple, and we are no longer of this worlds system but our citizenship is in heaven. We even have a place prepared for us waiting probably with our name plate already on the door. The Creator is faithful in His promises and if we are faithful to Him then we will do even greater works than Jesus did. (John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.)
Are you doing greater works than Jesus did? He said we would!
Mark 16:15 Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
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