Hope - real Hope

Christmas is a time for HOPE! Hoping everybody gets along at family gatherings; hoping everyone likes the gifts we bought for them; hoping we don’t eat too much; hoping we can pay the credit card bills in January! I’m not sure that the hope the Bible talks about really means any of that… in fact, I’m sure it doesn’t. See, when we use the word “hope”, it seems to always carry with it some “doubt.” We “hope”, but, let’s face it, there is some doubt about whether our family gatherings will be drama free, or everyone will really like the gifts we bought them, or that we won’t overeat or that we will have the money to pay that big credit card bill in the new year!

The hope the Bible talks about in both the Old and New Testaments has no doubt associated with it. Hope in the Bible literally means “confidence” or “no doubt about it!” In culture, we just don’t use the word hope that way… We hope the Panthers will win the Super Bowl this year, but how confident are we that will actually happen?... See what I mean?

The way the Bible talks about hope and the way the world talks about hope are completely different. So what does that mean to us? Unfortunately, there are lots of people who battle hopelessness. There are lots of reasons why… overwhelming circumstances, trying to control everything in our lives, trying to live on our own power.

We live with a lot of doubt. Doubt is troubling. We need hope! We need real hope!

The great news for us is that we can be filled with hope – genuine hope! A “no doubt about it” kind of hope that comes in and through Jesus Christ! This is my prayer for you this Christmas - 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 For those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, who accept the grace and truth that He offers, there is real hope! - 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

Hope is not just something you feel; it is real! And it is available to you this Christmas in Jesus Christ; no doubt about it! For much more, listen to Believe, Part 1 – Hope! And join us Sunday morning as we continue our Christmas series Believe!