HOPE THAT DOES NOT DISAPPOINT

By Joseph Prince – Posted July 01, 2017

Romans 5:5

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Today, we express hope as if we can’t be sure what will really happen. We say, “I hope I will win that prize. I hope it won’t rain tomorrow. I hope everything works out well.”

But “hope” in the Bible is a confident and positive expectation of good. God wants you to have a confident expectation of good because as His child, He favors you. Because Christ is in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), you can expect the glory of God to shine into every area of your life, including your family, job, ministry, health and finances!

God’s Word says, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” You may have experienced disappointed hopes, but there is a hope that does not disappoint when you are conscious of how much God loves you. It is a hope that springs from the heart of God, who loves you very much.

It is interesting that the first mention of the Holy Spirit in the book of Romans is tied up with the love of God. The book of Romans is considered foundational for Christians. Could it be that the first thing the Holy Spirit wants to do is to establish in our hearts that God loves us? Many people think that the Holy Spirit has come to teach us about power. But the truth is that the Holy Spirit has come not to reveal the love for power, but the power of love!

My friend, you may have just lost your job. But if you can say, “Jesus loves me this I know,” you can also say, “I believe that I will get a better job tomorrow.” Your girlfriend may have just left you for your best friend. But because you can say, “Jesus loves me this I know,” you can also say, “I’ll meet a better girl.”

When you believe that God loves you, you will have a positive expectation of good. You will have a hope that does not disappoint. So be careful what you hope for because you are bound to get it!

Thought For The Day

Being conscious of how much God loves you gives you a hope that does not disappoint.

Stay Above Strife

By Joel Osteen – Posted July 01, 2017

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out."
(Proverbs 17:14, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD:

Too often, people fall into the trap of strife. Someone says something that rubs you the wrong way, and before you know it, there is tension, quarreling and division. The Bible tells us that strife opens the door to “every evil work.” It’s the enemy’s greatest trap to keep people from living in victory. But you don’t have to fall into the trap of strife, you can rise above it. Like today’s verse says, you can simply drop the matter before it turns into something bigger than it needs to be. You don’t have to sink down to somebody’s level and argue with them and try to prove that you’re right. You weren’t put on this earth to correct everybody around you. 

If you are going to be all that God’s called you to be, you have to learn to stay above strife. Instead of letting disagreements pull your relationships apart, look for common ground to draw you closer to the people in your life. Look for peace. Look for ways to be a blessing. Stay above strife so you can enjoy your relationships and experience the blessing He has for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Heavenly Father, I choose to stay above strife. I choose to honor You by seeking peace in my relationships. Empower me to walk in love and be an example of Your light everywhere I go in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lessons From a Shepherd: Like Sheep We Have Gone Astray

By DR. David Jeremiah – Posted July 1, 2017

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way.
Isaiah 53:6a

In the ancient world, if there were sheep there was also a shepherd. Together, they are mentioned close to 500 times in Scripture. Literal sheep and shepherds became a metaphor for spiritual sheep and shepherds because we manifest similar behaviors. Most troublesome is a sheep’s tendency to wander away and become lost, injured, or attacked by predators. And the same thing happens with us.

Recommended Reading: 1 Peter 2:25

Our tendency to act like sheep—to wander away from God—prompted the words of Isaiah the prophet when describing the coming Messiah: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way.” That reflects the actions of Adam and Eve—choosing their way instead of God’s—and it reflects our actions, too. Thankfully, God sent His Son to be the Good Shepherd who will lead, protect, and provide for His sheep. We must guard against our human tendency to wander by staying close to the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

 If you have wandered away from God—maybe a little, maybe a lot—let today be the day you return to God’s Good Shepherd.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above. 
Robert Robinson

Do You Like Yourself?

By Joyce Meyer - Posted July 01, 2017

Let him search for peace…and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]
—1 Peter 3:11

Have you ever thought about your relationship with yourself? For years, it never occurred to me that I had a relationship with myself. In fact, I never thought about it until God began to teach me how to improve it. Maybe the idea that you have a relationship with yourself has never entered your mind, either. But the truth is, you spend more time with yourself than with anyone else! So getting along well with yourself is vital to your well-being.   

Do you like yourself? Many people don't. Self-rejection and even self-hatred contribute to many of the struggles we have in life. Think about it: Rejecting or holding hatred toward others causes all kinds of problems in relationships with them, so why wouldn't rejecting or hating or disliking yourself cause the same kind of problems in your relationship with yourself? 

Today's scripture urges us to pursue and go after peaceful relations with God, others, and ourselves. I encourage you to embrace and accept yourself because God created you just the way He wants you to be and made every unique thing about you. He loves you tremendously, so let that truth empower you to not only like yourself, but also to love yourself. As you grow in this way, you'll notice that some of your problems will decrease and eventually go away. 

Love Yourself Today: Make a list of your good qualities. Take a moment to think about how these positive attributes are a blessing to you and to others. Thank God for making so many good things about you!