HERE’S HOPE FOR YOU

 
 

Is there any hope? The future is uncertain. Families are falling apart. Drugs are ruining cities and schools. Disease is killing our people. Is there any hope? Can we have peace and joy in our hearts? Can we have fulfillment of life? Can we have power and strength to live meaningful lives? Does anyone really care? YES! Here’s hope. Jesus cares for you. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

 

In His Word, the Bible, we find the road to hope.

The First Stop on the Road to Hope Is Power.

There is a power capable of giving you hope. The Bible tells us that God has the power: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

The Second Stop on the Road to Hope is Change.

The release of God’s power results in change. The biblical word for change is repentance. This means allowing God to change the direction of our lives. The Bible says: “The goodness of God leads to repentance” (Romans 2:4).
 

The Third Stop on the Road to Hope is God’s Love.

Although He is not pleased with us as we are, God loves us and wants to help us. The Bible says: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)

Unfortunately, our sin carries the penalty of death, both physical and eternal. The Bible says: “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 3:23)

God is willing to forgive us by accepting Jesus as our substitute. His death on the cross paid the penalty of our sin. His resurrection from the dead provides our eternal life.

The Fourth Stop on the Road to Hope is Your Commitment.

“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved….For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:9, 13).

Commitment

means to:

Repent=Turn away from sin to follow God’s new direction for your life.
Believe= Trust Jesus as your substitute.
Confess= Acknowledge Jesus as the supreme authority over your life.
Call

= Ask Him for forgiveness, eternal life, and hope.

Read the following prayer, and see if it expresses the desire of your heart.

“Dear God, I know Jesus is Your Son, and that He died on the cross and was raised from the dead. Because I have sinned and need forgiveness, I ask Jesus to come into my heart. I am willing to change the direction of my life by acknowledging Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and by turning away from my sins. Thank You for giving me forgiveness, eternal life, and hope. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Use this prayer if it expresses your feelings, or pray a similar prayer in your own words, commiting you life to Jesus and asking Him for His gift of eternal life.

You Are Assured of Eternal Life and Hope Because:

You can trust God’s promise. “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Did you sincerely ask Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior? Where is He right now? What does God’s Word promise?

You are a member of God’s family. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16).

Your life is eternally secure in God. “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

What Happens After You Receive Hope from God?

Your will begin to live for God. The Bible says in Romans 12:1-2: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptabe and perfect will of God”

You will publicly profess your faith by being baptized. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20) “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4)

You will share with others what Jesus has done for you. “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard. And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).

As a believer you have a responsiblity to tell others about Christ.

You will get to know God better through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other Christians as a member of a local church. “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them….And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:41, 47). “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the pateience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:4-6).

On beginning a new relationship with Christ, don’t try to be a “lone ranger.” Seek out other believers in a local church setting for fellowship, prayer, and teaching. This is the only way to grow.
If you have any questions or need help in any way, please feel free to contact us through

E-mail or our contact form. You can also call us at: 239-334-1557.

We look forward to seeing or hearing from you.