The Rising Hope - Charles R. Swindoll

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rising Hope

 

Encouragement for Your Heart

 

 

When we are trapped in a tunnel of misery, hope points to the light at the end.

 

When we are overworked and exhausted, hope gives us fresh energy.

 

When we are discouraged, hope lifts our spirits.

 

When we are tempted to quit, hope keeps us going.

 

When we lose our way and confusion blurs the destination, hope dulls the edge of panic.

 

When we fear the worst, hope reminds us that God is still in control.

 

When we must endure the consequences of God's decisions, hope fuels our recovery.

 

When we find ourselves unemployed, hope tells us we still have a future.

 

When we are forced to sit back and wait, hope gives us the patience to trust.

 

When we feel rejected and abandoned, hope reminds us we're not alone.

 

When we say our final farewell to someone we love,

hope of life beyound the grave gets us through our grief.

 

 

 

 

Does Success Give Us Hope?

Is There Hope Today?

 

 

Men took him away roughly and unfairly.

He died without children to continue his family.

He was put to death;

he was punished for the sins of my people.

He was buried with wicked men,

and he died with the rich.

He had done nothing wrong,

and he had never lied.

But it was the Lord who decided

to crush him and make him suffer.

The Lord made his life a penalty offering,

but he will still see his descendants

and live a long life.

He will complete the things the Lord

wants him to do.

"After his soul suffers many things,

he will see life and be satisfied.

My good servant will make many people right with God;

he will carry away their sins.

 

Isaiah 53:8-11 NCV

 

 

Jesus was beaten with whips and handed

over to the soldiers to be crucified...

... At noon the whole country became dark,

and the darkness lasted for three hours.

About three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,

"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?"

This means, "My God, my God, why have you rejected me?"

... And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice,

and yielded up His spirit.

 

Matthew 27:26, 45-46 NCV; 27:50 NASB

 

 

"He will see life and be satisfied."

Jesus will "make many people right with God,"

and He will "carry away their sins" (vv. 11-12).

 

 

The day after the Sabbath day was the first day of the week.

At dawn on the first day, Mary Magdalene

and another woman named Mary went to look at the tomb.

 

At that time there was a strong earthquake.

An angel of the Lord came down from heaven, went to the tomb,

and rolled the stone away from the entrance.

Then he sat on the stone.

He was shining as bright as lightning,

and his clothes were white as snow.

The soldiers guarding the tomb shook with fear

because of the angel, and they became like dead men.

 

The angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid.

I know that you are looking for Jesus, who has been crucified.

He is not here. He has risen from the dead as he said he would.

Come and see the place where his body was.

And go quickly and tell his followers,

'Jesus has risen from the dead.

He is going into Galilee ahead of you,

and you will see him there.'"

Then the angel said, "Now I have told you."

 

The women left the tomb quickly.

They were afraid, but they were also very happy.

They ran to tell Jesus' followers what had happened.

Suddenly, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings."

The women came up to him,

took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid.

 

 Matthew 28:1-10 NCV

 

 

Jesus conquered death.

Jesus said, "Don't be afraid."

 

Because Jesus is the Rising Hope for all of us,

we never have to fear or live in despair!

 

 

 

A Living Hope

on Solid Foundation

 

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who according to His abundant mercy

has begotten us again to a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

 

1 Peter 1:3

 

 

Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them,

may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house;

and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them,

will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house;

and it fell--and great was its fall.

 

Matthew 7:24-27

 

 

Hope even in trials

 

 

We are "protected by the power of God

through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

1 Peter 1:5

 

 

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while,

if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

so that the proof of your faith,

being more precious than gold which is perishable,

even though tested by fire,

may be found to result in praise and glory

and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

1 Peter 1:6-7

 

 

God's Approval for Us

 

 

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
       And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the LORD, O my soul, 
       And forget not all His benefits:

 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,

   Who crowns you with lovingkindness

and tender mercies,

Who satisfies your mouth with good things 
       So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's...

 

For as the heavens are high above the earth, 
       So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;

As far as the east is from the west, 
       So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father pities his children, 
       So the LORD pities those who fear Him.

For he knows our frame;

       He remembers that we are dust.

 

Psalm 103:1-5, 11-14 NKJV

 

 

"For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the LORD,

"plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me,

and I will listen to you."

 

Jeremiah 29:11-12

 

 

He "has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light."

Colossians 1:12

 

For he rescued us from the dominion of darkness,

 and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13-14

 

 

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of lights,

with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

James 1:17

 

 

"God is for me."

 

 

God's estimation of Us

 

 

"Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone,

a precious corner stone,

And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed."

1 Peter 2:4-6

 

 

We are Chosen by God

 

 

You did not choose Me, but I chose you,

 and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit,

and that your fruit would remain,

so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name

He may give to you.

John 15:16

 

 

We are God's Own Possession

 

 

We are " A People For God's Own Possession."

1 Peter 2:9

 

 

For you once were not a people,

but now you are the people of God;

you had not received mercy,

but now you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2:10

 

 

God is for Us

Romans 8:31

 

 

His Suffering, Our Hope

 

 

For Christ died for sins once for all,

the just for the unjust, so that He might bring you to God,

having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.

 

1 Peter 3:18

 

 

He is "at the right hand of God."

1 Peter 3:22

 

 

Hope Begins with a

Relationship with God

 

 

Our Spiritual Condition: Totally Depraved

   There is none righteous, not even one; 
    There is none who understands,
      There is none who seeks God;
 All have turned aside,
together they have become useless; 
   There is none who does good,
     There is not even one.

 

Romans 3:10-12

 

 

God's Character: Infinitely Holy

 

"God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all."

1 John 1:5

 

"For no one can ever be made right in God's sight

by doing what his law commands.

Romans 3;20 NLT

 

Our Need: A Substitute

 

[God] made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf,

so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21

 

God's Provision: A Savior

 

His power to forgive,

and His ability to bridge the gap between God and us

Romans 5:6-11

we are "justified as a gift by His grace

through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus."

Romans 3:24

 

He gave us His only Son to bear our sins—

past, present, and future.

Jesus' death and resurrection broke our chains

and set us free to become children of God.

Romans 6:16-18, 22; Galatians 4:4-7

 

 

Placing Your Faith in Christ

 

For by grace you have been saved through faith;

and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

 

 

Dear God,

I know my sin has put a barrier between You and me.

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die in my place.

I trust in Jesus alone to forgive my sins,

and I accept His gift of eternal life.

I ask Jesus to be my personal Savior

and the Lord of my life.

Thank You.

In Jesus' name, amen.

 

 

 Hope for Life

 

Stop. Accept the truth of your poor choices or outright sin

and own the responsibility for the damage your action or inaction has caused.

 

Confess. Confess your failure to the Lord in prayer

and commit yourself to turning from it.

 

Restore. Apologize, showing genuine concern for

how you have hurt the other person and damaged your relationship.

 

Rest. Receive the Lord's forgiveness and accept that

the other person may or may not respond as you might desire.

 

Review. Without beinng too hard on yourself,

try to discover why you chose to act as you did.

 

 

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
       test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,
       and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

 

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
       and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

 

 

Hope for Eternity

 

 

And, after you have suffered a little while, 

the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ

will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

1 Peter 5:10 NET

 

 

 

When you doubt yourself and begin to lose hope,

place your confidence in Christ

and experience the Rising Hope.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.insight.org

Charles R. Swindoll