MIA--- MISSING IN ACTION (HOPE FOR THE LAST DAYS.)
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
MIA MEANS MISSING IN ACTION.
LESSON IF WE DO NOT SPEND TIME WITH JESUS BEHIND THE VEIL OF THE HOLY OF HOLIES OUR HOPE WILL ALWAYS BE LIMITED.
Hebrews 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
WE ARE UNDER ATTACK… THE MAIN TARGETS ARE CLEAR. THERE ARE THREE ESSENTIALS TO A STRONG CHRISTIAN LIFE, FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE… WHY DO SEE HOPE AS AN ESSENTIAL…. Hope needs to be part of everyone’s life.
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
We recently discussed PEACE. Now let us ponder hope.
HOPE IS MORE THAN OPTIMISM. BE HONEST… ARE WE SO FOCUSED THAT WE STAND ON HOPE?
Seems the doctor’s report is bad? MIA? Seems the financial situation is crushing? MIA? Seems the mess in this family will bring ruin? MIA? Seems we have worked our fingers to the bones, what do we get? Boney fingers? MIA? Come to the point of honesty: WHAT IS ATTACKING OUR HOPE?
THE DARK TUNNEL OF HOPELESSNESS?
Romans 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Ever walk in a dark place where you have never been? Then you see a glimmer of light ahead. That light of hope can help us press forward… that light can help us through the dark tunnel. If we keep walking one step at a time, the light will motivate us to not turn around and look back.
WHY DID ABRAHAM DIG WELLS? HOPE?
Abraham never dreamed that 4000 years later people would still travel to drink out of the wells he had dug. There is a well at NEGEV today… ABRAHAM HAD HOPE OF GOOD, CLEAN, COOL WATER. He had hope for him. He had hope for those that came. It is believed there are still 7 wells that are used today. HOPE HAS VISION BEYOND… WHOSE WELL DID THE SAMARITAN WOMAN GET WATER? The lady knew the water! But she met the LIVING WATER THERE.
Admit? Sometimes we cannot understand what God is doing? When all the facts lie and everything seems hopeless, we see Abraham digging more wells. He had hope. He believed anyway. Abraham knew there was more than this mess. Abraham decided to live not on the basis of his feelings and emotions. He knew he couldn't do stuff on what he could do. Abe trusted on what God said he would do. He was made father of the faithful by having hope in what God said.
MIA: MISSING IN ACTION… WHAT DO YOU SEE? MAN IS SHORT OF DAYS AND FULL OF TROUBLE…
Years ago I read where a farmer in California was having a terrible time. They had had 4 years of drought in their area and many farmers spoke of leaving farming and moving back into the city. So the exodus began. This farmer refused to give up. He prayed and he felt he should DIG A WELL. The farmer started checking into the price of digging a deep sustaining well. This would take an investment of almost his whole life savings. Remember this was years ago. The cost of the well would be at least $200,000. Also remember many were giving up and leaving farming. $200,000 is a lot of money?
Come with me today, we will find 40 acres of beautiful green land. The land is full of very luscious ALMOND TREES. The almond trees bring in big profits… ONE FARMER HAD HOPE when the others were in gloom and despair. THE FARMERS THAT QUIT SAW TODAY. THE FARMER THAT DUG THE WELL SAW IN THE FURTHER.
Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Joyfully you'll pull up buckets of water from the wells of salvation.
HOPE IS MORE THAN WISH.
Anticipation, a feeling of expectation and desire for certain good things to happen. WITH HOPE WE CAN SEE BETTER, HAVE BETTER DAYS AND HAVE BETTER TIMES …
Hope can make bad times more bearable.
YOU CAN ONLY SEE STARS WHEN IT IS DARK.
THE DARKER THE NIGHT THE GREATER THE LIGHT. WHY DO WE SEE HOPE AS AN ESSENTIAL…. Hope needs to be part of everyone’s life.
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
HOPE BELIEVES IF I WILL STAY CALM AND TRUST THE PLAN… DANIEL DID, ISAIAH DID, DAVID DID, RAHAB DID,
Romans 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
BIBLICAL HOPE: wish strengthen by the strength of a person’s desire. Do we have CALM, CONFIDENT EXPECTATION OF THE PROMISE OF WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS.
Hope is for the outcome of what will make your life better.
Biblical hope helps us through tough times. God’s hope will help us have a vision to improve and motivates us to dig the well deep. You must realize that you have to exert effort to attain your hope. HOPE MUST INVOLVE MOTIVATION, DETERMINATION AND PLANS.
GOD DOES NOT GIVE US FEAR AND DREAD… HOPE WINS…
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
CONCLUSION: SURE LIFE IS UNFAIR! I learned that in kindergarten. Do we expect negativism, circumstances, feelings, emotions and obstacles to come against us? WE MAY BE FREEZING COLD, BUT MY FRIEND, SPRING IS COMING!!!
There are 3 good team mates FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE. HOPE HAS POWER. Hope will help us to be overcomers. Stay calm, rest in peace. WE MUST STAY POSITIVE IN THE MIDST OF EXTREME TROUBLE, STRESS AND TRIALS. When we hope for nothing we will probably get what we hoped for…? The loss of hope will bring DEPRESSION AND STRESS,
I HAVE FOUND GOD IN SOME OF THE STRANGEST PLACES. I have learned sometimes the worst thing that could happen to me is the best thing that could of happened.
Remember hope will pull you through if you can stand the pull…
Psalm 71:5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Hope? More than a conqueror? How can this be? Sugar Ray Leonard won the championship. He was bleeding, bruised and battered. His wife crawled in the ring and took the million dollar check out of his hands and held it up. She was more than a conqueror. So can you!
