HOLDING OUT HOPE!

HOLDING OUT HOPE “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory….” 1Thessalonians 2:19 “…You may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of Life….” Philippians 2:15-16 Hopelessness seems to be the disease of the age. The Lord has been showing me, more and more, that so many people are afflicted with it today. Certainly, if you look at the news on TV, there is scant good news and the “special stories” they put on the air are mostly gloom and doom. Do we really need to know the “Top 10 Dirtiest Restaurants?” Of course, we need to know what is going on in the world but does every news story have to have a negative slant? It seems the media is feeding the spirit of hopelessness. Of course, we know why. Hopelessness is the enemy’s greatest tool. He wants to get people so down and out that they can’t even see any future. It seems like hopelessness is the governing force behind all the crime, infidelity, pill-popping and lack of self-control that we see today. The mantra of hopelessness is “What about me?” not “What can I do for someone else.” Hopelessness feeds selfishness and selfishness feeds hopelessness. As we’ve been studying in 2Peter 1:5-8, if we add goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and love to our faith we will have more abundant life and will not be trapped in the hopelessness of this age, unproductive and ineffective. But there is HOPE! His Name is Jesus, and we have the privilege and the duty to give out this hope to all we meet. “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress I will not be shaken.” (Psa. 62:5-6). We have “…the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68). We have what the world needs. We are the shining stars holding out the Word of Life. “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Heb. 6:19). Our hope can become their hope also. Jesus is the only hope the world has. Things left to themselves will just deteriorate, and if left to itself, the world will fall apart. But… Jesus is HOPE and the world can have hope if we present it to them. Let’s remember we have a job to do, and we have a love from Christ that compels us, to give out this hope. Let’s take the “hope” out of “hopelessness” and give it to the world. Let’s give Christ to the world! Let’s tell the world the great news of “…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27).