HOPE! There is Always Hope!

Hope! What does it mean to you? Does it cost you anything? Where do you get it?
The hope I have is already bought and paid for by my Lord Jesus. He freely gives this to us, in abundance, if we so desire.
In today's world we definitely need hope. It doesn't matter where we live, or what type of job we have, or what our needs are, hope is ours and we need it.  As long as we are trusting the Lord Jesus for our needs and follow Him, hope is there for us at any time. Jesus is our hope.
There are so many people in need today. Whether it is a crisis in their life, or job needs, or anything else, Jesus is there. He has His hands held out to us, reach for Him, and He will pull you out of the mire. He will rescue you out of the pit. He will wash you clean and cover you with His Holy Spirit. He will save you. We all need Jesus to rescue us at times. He is calling us to Him.
Jesus gives us His promises. Those promises are true, and they will not fail us. Jesus' love for us is so vast and deep, we are never without it.
That alone fills me with hope. Knowing Jesus is always with me and by my side, watching over me.
This is our never-ending hope. This is our reason for Thanksgiving. This is our reason for rejoicing.
Faithful readers, all of you have the same love from Jesus. You all have the same hope within your reach.
The world needs to see this hope in us. There are many that need to see it, they need to feel it, they need to know it is real. We are the vessels the Lord will use to share this love and hope to the lost.
Jesus us calling us to Him. He has the same love for all of us. He has hope for all of us to hold on to.
He knows your name, He knows my name. And He will never leave us.
I pray that you all have this hope, and that you all can feel His love for you.
Jeremiah 29:11-14a
 11 For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
12 You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 
13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you”—this is the Lord’s declaration

It's not too late!

So often we hear people say they do not feel loved. Or someone will say they do not feel they have any worth. They do not think they matter to anyone. 

Then we see the other side of the spectrum, people feel they are invisible. They can do anything they like, whether good or bad. So many of these people have no respect for others, or themselves.

All of this is wrong thinking. We do have worth. We are loved. And if you are still alive, it is not too late. Not too late for what?

It is not too late to feel loved, to be worth something to someone, and to have self respect and respect for others.

Remember as little children we used to sing the song "Jesus loves me, this I know"?

Yes He loves me, the Bible tells me so. Or remember "Jesus loves the little children"? Yes! And those children are us. No matter our size, color, age, name, or our past, Jesus loves us. This very minute, where we are, what we are doing, Jesus loves us.

I was thinking about this when I was doing my devotions this morning. In the Bible we read in several occasions God tells of His love for all.  But to those who are denying Him and not obeying, He gives a warning to them. Change or they will die, and not live in glory with Him. Sometimes He gives them many chances. God is so patient. But as long as those people were alive there was still a chance for them to change and ask for forgiveness. God still loves them!

In today's world it doesn't take long to hear about horrific killings, abuse, drugs, prostitution, and sex crimes on children, and war. Like in Bible days, God gives us all the same chance to change and repent. To walk in the love God has for us. It is not too late. As long as you are alive on this earth, then it is not too late.

It doesn't matter where you live, or what continent you live on, the world needs to hear and see the love of Jesus Christ. That is the one thing God has asked of us, to spread His Gospel and tell of the love Jesus has for us. He sacrificed His own life on that cross for us. Why? Because He loves us! 

My faithful friends, I pray you know how much you are loved. That you never feel alone in this big world. I pray that whatever it is you do in this world, it glorifies the Lord Jesus and shows the lost His love. 

We all have worth. We all are loved. We all have a responsibility to share the Gospel to others.

When we are obedient to the Lord we do not have to search for love. Because it is right there with us.

When Life Gets Busy.....

We've all had times when we seem to be busier than usual. The days go flying by, then the weeks, months, years. When we do slow down a little bit we often think where did the time go.
The last several weeks have been more busy for me. It seems like my appointments with my doctors all seem due at the same time.  And add that on to life's busy moments, we seem to be running from sunrise to sunset. For me, I do not like it when it's like that. I like my routine.
A couple of thoughts come to mind when I think about this. First of all, my routine. Routines are good. They help us stay on track. However, there is nothing wrong with breaking a routine. Sometimes God has a task for us, or maybe a "divine encounter" with someone.  We may need to interrupt our routines for a day or two in order to serve the Lord in a special way. It may not be a large task, but I am sure it is still very significant to God. So when our schedules get interrupted for a short time, let's not fret but serve the Lord with gladness.
The next thought I have is about our busy lives and schedules. Your time is as valuable as mine, my time as valuable as yours. But the Lord's time is the most valuable.
The Lord certainly knows our daily routines and commitments. No matter how busy we are, we must save time for the Lord. We must stay in His Word, we must have our time with Him, praying and talking to Him. This doesn't mean we have to spend hours alone with God. But we must continue to read His Word. I have always felt that it is important to stay "in`tuned" to the Lord always. Throughout our day, we must be listening to Him. 
Trust me, I know what a busy schedule can do to our routines. But it is more important to listen to God. This day and age we all have gotten used to multi tasking. When we are cleaning house, we certainly can pray and intercede at the same time. When riding in the car, we can worship the Lord. There are so many other examples.
No matter where you live or what country you live in, there is turmoil and unrest. Christians are being persecuted. Our freedoms in the Lord Jesus are being pulled away. The Lord needs His church to be strong in Him.  The way to grow in that strength is to read His Word, pray to Him, and worship Him. He will equip us for the battle we may be in. Or for what is to come.
Psalm 32:8
I will instruct you and show you the way to go;
with My eye on you, I will give counsel.
The Lord Jesus is always by our side. Whatever is keeping you too busy to spend quality time with Him, I encourage you to examine those things. The Lord knows our hearts. If you are longing to have time with Him, He will make a way. Lay it down before Him. He will clear the path for you.