December 17, 2016

"For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37

Secular people go into Christmas hoping. Spiritual people go into Christmas with hope!

What's the difference?

The hoping people approach Christmas focused on what they want while people with hope rejoice in what they have!

Which are you?

People with hope have Jesus and their hope comes from Him. Hope has a name and it's name is Jesus!

The reason for hope is found in what the angel said to Mary, "For nothing is impossible with God!" Or, to put in another way, "Everything is possible with God!"

I find a lot of hope in that! 

How about you?

Heading into this Christmas celebration I am one who has hope! Here is why I have hope and how you can find hope, too!

I hope in Jesus because of creation!

John writes in His gospel, "In the beginning was the word, the word was with God and the word was God! Everything was created by Him...."

Jesus shared in the creation of the universe! At His word everything that is appeared suddenly from nothing!

How do I know that? Because it's in the Word!

Why do I believe that? Because it's in the Word AND because nothing is impossible with God!

I hope in Jesus because He came in the flesh!

When "the Word became flesh" and Jesus was born as a baby in a Bethlehem manger through the mystery of the incarnation, as many as 300 specific prophecies were fulfilled!

Because Jesus' coming filled every promise of the ancient prophets I know I can trust all of His promises! When I hope in His promises I will never be disappointed!

I can hope in Jesus promise when He says He will come again! 

I hope in Jesus because of changed lives!

Writing in his second letter to the Corinthians referred to those changed lives as "new creations"! Certainly if He created everything in the beginning He can recreate a heart that hopes in Him for salvation!

I know He can change lives because He changed, and continues to change my life! And over forty years of ministry I have watched Him change hundreds of lives!

I don't have to come into Christmas hoping but I can can in hope! I hope in Him because of His creation, because of how He came in the flesh as prophets foretold and because of how He has changed lives!

During this Season and throughout 2017 I will celebrate the hope I have in Jesus!

Hope has a name and it's name is Jesus!

Do you have that hope?