Hope Is Always Fulfilled by God

In Luke’s Gospel account of the birth of Jesus we learn of a man named Simeon who received a promise from God. God promised Simeon he would meet Israel’s liberator before he died. The people of Israel had been waiting hundreds of years for their rescuer, the Messiah. Then one day, the Holy Spirit prompted Simeon to go to the temple. Simeon obeyed and met baby Jesus that day.

Like Simeon, God sometimes gives us promises that are personal to our own story. Maybe God gave you a desire for children and four years later nothing has happened. Maybe God spoke to you about that family member who needs a relationship with Jesus, but hundreds of invitations and conversations later, that person is as far from God as ever. Maybe you’ve been praying for hurting loved ones for years with no answers.

Numbers 23:19 reminds us, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

Waiting to meet Jesus wasn’t easy for Simeon, the same way that waiting to see promises fulfilled isn’t easy for us. But no matter what Simeon faced in the waiting, he could find hope knowing that God was not done. God will fulfill His promises, and He always finishes what He starts. So, if it’s not good—if God’s promises are not fulfilled—then God’s not done.

Pray:

God, thank You for keeping Your promise to save the world by sending Jesus. You have proven that I can believe You. When I’m tempted to doubt Your promises, help me to remember that hope is always fulfilled by You.

Reflect:

When have you seen God fulfill a promise to you in the past?

NewSpring Church provided today’s content from their Hope Is… devotional.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

Hope Is Contagious

When was the last time you were excited about something? Did you tell someone about it? When we hear great stories or things that stir our hearts with excitement, we have to share them.

In Luke 2:8-20, we see this to be true for the shepherds in Bethlehem. They were considered the lowest of the low in their society and spent their days with animals. What’s so amazing about Jesus’ birth is that God chose to share the birth of His Son with these lowly shepherds first! What’s even more amazing was the shepherds’ response. They had to share the good news they heard. They had to talk about this amazing hope that was now available to the world!

Hope is contagious. When we’re promised great things we’re filled with expectation that something incredible is going to happen. True hope cannot be stopped, and it cannot be contained.

Jesus came to earth to conquer death and allow us to have a relationship with God again. Jesus gives us hope. This is good news we can’t keep to ourselves. In our schools, in our workplaces, and in our circles of friends, people are hurting and desperate for hope. Just like the shepherds, we can share our hope by sharing what Jesus has done for us.

Pray:

Jesus, thank You for sharing Your good news with the world and with me. Your love really is something worth sharing. Help me to revel in Your story and to share it with those who need hope today.

Reflect:

Is there a person in your life who needs hope today? Write that person’s name down, and invite him or her to Christmas Eve services at 4 or 6pm at C3. Thanks to NewSpring Church for their Hope Is… devotional.

I have a hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

Hope Is Persevering

“She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” Luke 2:7 NLT

Mary and Joseph’s 70-mile hike from Galilee to Bethlehem took them down rocky and uneven roads. The journey would have been tiring for young man in peak physical condition, much less a pregnant woman.

Mary likely experienced moments when she wanted to quit. But she believed God would be faithful, so when the road was tough and the birthing conditions were less than ideal, she could hold onto the promise that her baby was going to grow into the man who would save the world.

When our hope in God’s promises determines our actions, faith grows. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” By putting confidence in what they hoped for, not how they felt or what they could see, Mary and Joseph persevered.

At times, we feel the uncertainty of uneven, rocky roads. We may even feel like we’re on a journey that seems impossible. Hope is what allows us to persevere through the fear and the pain. And hope is more powerful than any uphill journey we face today.

Pray:

Jesus, thank you for giving me hope in difficult circumstances. I want that for my friends and family as well. Help my friends and family members who doubt to believe your promises even though life’s circumstances seem uncertain.

Reflect:

Are you up against difficulties financially, relationally, or spiritually? What’s one area of your life where you need help to persevere? Think about what you’re facing and how you feel about the challenges ahead.

Thanks to NewSpring Church and their devotional series, “Hope Is”…

“I have hope and my hope has a name… Jesus”

PK

TONIGHT @ 6:30 PM @ C3

Celebrating Health Ministry is hosting a class on dealing with grief and stress during the holiday season.   Ann Leiker from the Center for Life Experiences will also be on hand to discuss the different support groups that are available. Please make plans to attend and share this post so we can reach as many people as possible!

“It’s A Wonderful Life”

Every Christmas season I look forward to doing watching Frank Capra’s 1946 classic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life”. It’s the story of George Bailey, the best and brightest of the town of Bedford Falls who selflessly puts other people’s hopes and dreams before his own.  He is working a job that he never really wanted to do, but was thrust upon him when his father passed away and his brother got married. His life is not at all what he imagined it would be.

Now, the economy has taken a turn for the worse, his business is under investigation, and now due to no fault of his own George is faced with bankruptcy and imprisonment. He is feeling hopeless so he turns to the Lord in prayer and instead of his circumstances improving, he gets punched in the jaw.

He feels like there is no hope at all and that everyone would be better off if he were dead. What should be an incredibly joyous time, Christmas, has only compounded all the poor circumstances of life for George.
Have you ever felt hopeless like George Bailey? Maybe you are feeling that way right now. I want to encourage you and let you know there is hope.

In the Christmas hymn “Oh Holy Night” we sing about “a thrill of hope”. The birth of Jesus the Son of God into this dark world and the events surrounding His birth brought great hope to the people in Jesus’s time as it does to us today.

This truly is a wonderful life when we recognize where our hope comes from.

I have hope and my hope has a name… Jesus.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Hope Is Risky

Joseph finds out his fiancée, Mary, is pregnant—and not by him. He plans to call off the wedding instead of having Mary killed, which would have been allowed under Jewish law. But an angel of the Lord appears, bringing hope for Joseph’s upcoming marriage. The angel tells Joseph not to be afraid to marry Mary, since her child is the Son of God.

Marrying Mary would damage Joseph’s reputation. Putting his hope in God meant Joseph would have to take a risk and give God his trust. The same is true for us. Sometimes, putting our hope in Jesus seems to come at great personal cost.

What we’re willing to take risks for reveals who we are. Are we willing to take a risk and apply for the job we feel called to do, even though it doesn’t make sense on paper? Will we take a risk this Christmas season and talk to a family member about Jesus? Every risk we take shows what we value most.

If we’re serious about putting Jesus first in our lives, we are going to have to take risks. But we can have hope, knowing the risk we take will be worth the reward.

God will never call us to take a risk He doesn’t intend to use for our good. Joseph risked his reputation. In return, he had the privilege of being the earthly father of Jesus and his character—the very thing people questioned during his lifetime—is celebrated in the Bible and became an example for generations to come.

Pray:

Jesus, show me how to put You first in my life today. And in doing so, help me to put my hope in You and You alone.

Reflect:

When was the last time you took a big risk? What did that decision reveal about what you view as most important?

Throughout this month in these blogs I am sharing with you a daily devotional from NewSpring Church entitled “Hope Is”…

I have hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

LADIES BRUNCH THIS SATURDAY Dec 5th

Ladies please plan to attend the Ladies Brunch this Saturday from 10am-12noon

All are invited to attend. Food will be provided, so please RSVP to womens@celebratejesus.org

All attendees are asked to bring a $5 or $10 gift card to a location of choice to give to those in need this holiday season.

Hope Is Expecting the Best Is Yet to Come

None of us have ever woken up and thought, “I hope I have a terrible day today.” We might expect to have a bad day or worry about having a bad day, but these emotions are not hope. Hope is believing God works all things for our good.

In Luke 1:39-56, Mary writes a song about the amazing things God has done and will do, expecting that the best is yet to come. She writes this after going to visit Elizabeth, whom God promised would be pregnant in her old age. Mary’s song is not blind optimism, but the song of a woman who has hope.

There is a difference between having hope and wishing something. Wishing is an optimistic thought that doesn't require any action; hope is about trusting. Wishing the store will have your favorite flavor of ice cream when you get there is just a thought. Hope is calling ahead, learning it is in stock, then trusting the manager put it aside for you. Our hope is only as valuable as the person or thing in which we place it.

God cannot lie, so when He makes a promise we can be sure it will come true. Mary’s life was not always easy. She was about to be a pregnant, unwed young woman. She had no idea that 33 years later, she would witness her son’s crucifixion. And when Jesus died, Mary didn’t know He would come back to life. But seeing God’s faithfulness in the past is what gave her confidence that no matter her circumstances, she could put her hope in Him. That’s what gives us hope as well.

We aren’t just optimistic that the best is yet to come. Like Mary, we can have hope that the best is yet to come because our God says it is, and He always keeps His word.

Pray:

Jesus, thank You for giving me hope as an anchor for my soul. You are a promise maker and promise keeper. Help me to remember that today.

Reflect:

Do you have a hard time believing God will do what He says He will do? Why or why not?

Throughout this month in these blogs I am sharing with you a daily devotional from NewSpring Church entitled “Hope Is”…

I have hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

LADIES BRUNCH THIS SATURDAY Dec 5th

Ladies please plan to attend the Ladies Brunch this Saturday from 10am-12noon

All are invited to attend. Food will be provided, so please RSVP to womens@celebratejesus.org

All attendees are asked to bring a $5 or $10 gift card to a location of choice to give to those in need this holiday season.

Hope Is the Belief That Anything Is Possible

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" Luke 1:34

Put yourself in Mary’s shoes for a minute. You’re in your room late at night when an angel appears out of nowhere and tells you you’re going to get pregnant (without having sex) and that your son will reign like a king.

To say this is hard to believe would be an understatement. But after receiving this mind-blowing news, Mary does not question God’s fulfillment of His promises. Her only question is a practical one: “How will this be...since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34). Instead of getting caught up in questions like “Why me?” or “Are you sure?”, Mary’s response is, “OK. How’s this going to work?”

In this moment, Mary shows us what it means to live in hope. Living in hope is realizing that nothing is impossible with God. The same God who made a way for a virgin to give birth wants to do the impossible in our lives today. The wayward child who leaves you sleepless night after night is within God’s reach. The cancer that threatens a loved one’s life is not beyond God's ability to heal.

Living in hope, Mary believed God and pursued the sign He gave her. For us, living in hope looks exactly the same—believing that nothing is impossible with God and doing what God has put on our hearts to do. We may not know how all the details will work out, but God always does what He says He’ll do.

Pray:

Jesus, give me the faith to believe that nothing is impossible and the courage to face what’s before me today. Even though I may not understand how this will all come together, I put my hope in You.

Reflect:

Is there a longing God placed on your heart that seems impossible to fulfill? How can you take a step today to put action to your faith?

I am sharing with you in these blogs from time to time a daily devotional from NewSpring Church entitled “Hope Is”…

I have hope and my hope has a name…Jesus!

PK

LADIES BRUNCH THIS SATURDAY Dec 5th

Ladies please plan to attend the Ladies Brunch this Saturday from 10am-12noon

All are invited to attend. Food will be provided, so please RSVP to womens@celebratejesus.org

All attendees are asked to bring a $5 or $10 gift card to a location of choice to give to those in need this holiday season.