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HOPES?

One of the things that devastates people in hard times is putting hope in things that won’t happen or don’t happen. Misplaced optimism.

“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end — which you can never afford to lose — with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be." The Stockdale Paradox (Vice Admirable James Stockdale-Good to Great—Jim Collins)

The biblical principle of confronting reality in hard times—this is the reality, now hope in this.

Since “the worst possible thing happened to the best possible person” (A. Stanley), prepare yourself to hope in the right thing. Base all your hope in what will be, not in what might be. “Who for the joy set before him, endured the cross.” (Heb. 12:2) Suffering is a major theme of scripture, because it is the major theme of life in a fallen, broken world—it no longer works the way it could have.

Hang your hope in hard times here…

Says who - Jesus Christ
Your temporary mess - Aliens, scattered
Your permanent reality - Chosen…

How secure is your hope -

…based on the determined will of God (Foreknowledge)

…made operative through the power of the Holy Spirit (Sanctification)

…so that you are able to obey Jesus because you are saved (Atonement)

For now - grace and peace multiplied

He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose (J. Elliot)

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