November 27, 2022
HOPE: THE ANCHOR FOR YOUR SOUL
November 27, 2022
Charles Billingsley
Everyone above the age of a child understands that the human body has several needs in order to live. Food, water, and air are musts for the physical body to survive, while love and hope are perhaps just as necessary for our emotional or spiritual well-being. No-one can see them—yet we all know when they’re missing from life. Without hope for a future, many people do not have the will to continue to live. What is a believer’s hope? Today Charles Billingsley will present us with the answer as he offers that hope connects us to God, allowing us to know within our hearts that we will have a future in heaven. Hope is a healer, a motivator, and the anchor for our soul. Hope has a name: His name is Jesus.
Focal Passages: Hebrews 6:13-20; Genesis 15:1-6; John 1:1-3; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Romans 5:1-2; Psalms 110:4.
Because of the Promises Jesus Fulfilled in the Past
· When someone makes you a promise, what is the most important thing to know about that person? If they are trustworthy and have built a relationship with you, how do you view their promises?
· List some of the promises God has made in the Old Testament and tell what you remember about the circumstances as well as the outcome. Were these promises made to include believers throughout history?
· Read Numbers 24:17, 19, Isaiah 9:6, and Micah 5:2. Who are these prophecies referring to? When did they come to pass? Why is it impossible for any of the promises of God to fail? Read Numbers 23:19. What connection can you make between this statement and the promises of God?
· Read Jeremiah 17:7. If you are convinced that God cannot lie, that He upholds His promises that He has made, and that He will never let one of them fail, can you trust Him with your hope for eternal life? Why? Read John 1:1-3. Who is He?
Our hope is the anchor for our soul because of the promises He fulfilled in the past.
Because of the Promises Jesus will Fulfill in our Future
· As Pastor Charles mentioned, we live between two enormous, world-shaking, events: the first advent of Jesus Christ, and His second advent, when He returns. Read John 14:1-3. What was the scene of this promise? Have any of the promises of Jesus failed yet? How does your spirit respond to promises like this?
· Read 1 Peter 1:3-5. Does anyone know what the word “Hope” means, when used in the Biblical sense? Some of the definitions for the “living” hope that Peter mentions are to live, breathe, be among the living; to enjoy real life; living water, fresh, strong, efficient, powerful, efficacious. How do these amazing words make you feel about your living hope?
· Read these promises: Romans 5:1-2, Hebrews 6:19, 20, Psalms 110:4. Can you trust Jesus with these promises for your salvation and eternal life? Can you contain the peace that these promises give to your spirit?
Biblical hope not only desires something good for the future—it also expects it to happen!
Close:
If you wrote down the statistics that were shared on the hopeless state of our country, you may recall that almost one out of every two persons with whom you cross paths is sad, lonely, and hopeless. About one in every four has thoughts of suicide. That means they see their circumstances never changing—or at least within a period of time in which they feel they can survive. Have you ever been one of those? When someone loses hope, their life is so tragic that the thought of getting out of bed can be daunting. It does not mean they are homeless, although that can be the case. It simply means they see no future for themselves that is worth the pain of living. They are alive, but not living. They feel dead. They wish they were.
What can you do about those stats? As a believer, with the kind of hope Peter wrote about, you know that prayer is a weapon God has given you to fight against Satan as he tries to destroy you. God has also given you pieces of spiritual armor that you can “put on” (Eph. 6) that will cause Satan to flee from you. He has made you promises that He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do you think those hopeless people know these verses, or these promises? No. They may not even be aware that God wants a real relationship with them, that He loves them and wants to guide them to a happy and holy life. You have the keys in your hand to change their life. Are you willing to try?
Are you aware that there are over 8,800 promises in the Old Testament? Approximately 7500 of them are made to mankind. Do you think for a moment that God has forgotten any of them? Not on your life. He is acutely aware of every one of them. Why? Because you are so very important to Him, and not only is He trustworthy, but He has also assured us that none of His promises will fail. Do you think it might change the perspective of those hopeless people if they knew the promises of God were meant to give them hope and a future?
We can’t ignore these people! Talk to your pastor or your church leaders about this terrible situation. Probably others in your sphere of influence will be glad to work with you and give these souls some hope, just as you have. God’s love is too wonderful not to let others know how much He cares. Share His love. Save some lives!
By Sandy Day November 27, 2022