Embracing God's Promise of Hope and Transformation

Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound truth that God desires better for each of us—better hearts, better futures, and better hope. We began by acknowledging the transformative power of God's presence, emphasizing that true change occurs when we encounter Him. This isn't about superficial improvements or worldly definitions of success; it's about a deep, God-rooted betterment that transcends circumstances.

We celebrated the contributions of our community members, Taylor Farias and Myra, who exemplify dedication and passion in their service. Their stories remind us that God uses our unique gifts and circumstances to bless others and advance His kingdom.

Our journey into understanding "better" took us through the scriptures, where we learned that our hearts are deceitful and must be guarded diligently. The heart, influenced by our flesh, can lead us astray if not aligned with God's will. We explored the necessity of saturating our hearts in God's presence, much like marinating meat, to reflect His character and desires.

We also confronted the enemy's lie that things will never improve. God promises a better future, one filled with hope and purpose. This future isn't about material wealth or worldly success but about living a life that magnifies God through our relationships, work, and legacy. Our success, when aligned with God's will, becomes a testament to His grace and faithfulness.

Finally, we addressed the concept of hope. Many have misplaced their hope in outcomes or expectations, leading to disappointment. True hope, however, is found in Jesus Christ, the hope of glory. This hope is not dependent on circumstances but is anchored in the unchanging nature of God. As long as we have Christ within us, there is always hope for transformation and fulfillment of God's promises.

Key Takeaways:

- Encountering God's Presence: True transformation occurs when we encounter God's presence. It's not about attending events or listening to music but about experiencing God in a tangible way that changes our lives. This encounter empowers us to support and uplift one another in our spiritual journeys. [41:11]

- Guarding Our Hearts: Our hearts are like fertile soil, and what we allow to take root will shape our lives. We must guard our hearts diligently, ensuring that only what aligns with God's will is planted. This requires discernment in what we watch, listen to, and engage with. [56:03]

- A Better Future: God desires a future for us that is bright and filled with hope. This future is not about worldly success but about living a life that magnifies God. Our success in relationships, work, and legacy becomes a testament to God's faithfulness and grace. [01:11:25]

- True Hope in Christ: Our hope should not be placed in outcomes or expectations but in Jesus Christ, the hope of glory. This hope is steadfast and unchanging, anchored in the power of Christ within us. It assures us that God's promises will be fulfilled in His perfect timing. [01:24:30]

- Living with Purpose: God is invested in our future and desires us to live with purpose. Our lives are a testament to His goodness, and as we trust Him, we experience His provision and faithfulness. This trust extends to every area of our lives, including our finances, as we honor God with what we have. [01:36:24]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [41:11] - Encountering God's Presence
- [41:58] - Community Recognition
- [42:44] - Honoring Our Visioneers
- [44:02] - Celebrating Passion Projects
- [46:09] - Introducing New Worship Directors
- [48:12] - Embracing New Beginnings
- [50:03] - Series Introduction: Better
- [52:37] - The Deceitful Heart
- [55:06] - Guarding Our Hearts
- [56:03] - Influences on the Heart
- [58:21] - The Importance of Vigilance
- [01:01:15] - A New Heart and Spirit
- [01:07:18] - Overcoming Lies of the Enemy
- [01:11:25] - A Better Future
- [01:24:30] - True Hope in Christ
- [01:36:24] - Trusting God with Finances
- [01:42:24] - Invitation to Salvation and Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Jeremiah 17:9 - "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"
2. Proverbs 4:23 - "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
3. Colossians 1:27 - "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Jeremiah 17:9 reveal about the nature of the human heart, and how does this align with the sermon’s message about guarding our hearts? [52:37]

2. According to Proverbs 4:23, why is it important to guard our hearts, and how does this relate to the sermon’s analogy of the heart as fertile soil? [56:03]

3. In Colossians 1:27, what is described as the "hope of glory," and how does this concept of hope differ from worldly expectations? [01:24:30]

4. How did the sermon illustrate the impact of encountering God's presence on personal transformation? [41:11]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How might the deceitfulness of the heart, as described in Jeremiah 17:9, affect a person's decision-making and spiritual journey? [52:37]

2. What practical steps can individuals take to guard their hearts, as advised in Proverbs 4:23, in today’s media-saturated world? [56:03]

3. How does the sermon suggest that true hope in Christ, as mentioned in Colossians 1:27, can transform a believer's outlook on life’s challenges? [01:24:30]

4. In what ways did the sermon highlight the role of community in supporting and uplifting one another during spiritual encounters? [41:58]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you followed your heart without seeking God's guidance. What was the outcome, and how might you approach similar situations differently in the future? [52:37]

2. Identify one area of your life where you feel your heart is not aligned with God's will. What steps can you take this week to guard your heart in that area? [56:03]

3. Consider the sermon’s message about hope. How can you shift your focus from hoping for specific outcomes to placing your hope in Christ? What practical changes can you make in your daily life to reinforce this shift? [01:24:30]

4. The sermon emphasized the importance of living a life that magnifies God. What is one specific way you can demonstrate God’s love and grace in your workplace or community this week? [01:13:28]

5. Reflect on the sermon’s message about God desiring a better future for you. What is one area of your life where you need to trust God more fully with your future? How can you begin to do that this week? [01:11:25]

6. The sermon mentioned the importance of community in spiritual growth. How can you actively contribute to your small group or church community to help others encounter God’s presence? [41:58]

7. Think about a recent disappointment or challenge. How can you apply the sermon’s teaching on hope to find peace and assurance in God’s promises during difficult times? [01:31:06]

Devotional

Day 1: Encountering God's Transformative Presence
True transformation occurs when individuals encounter the presence of God in a profound and personal way. This encounter is not about attending events or listening to music but about experiencing God in a manner that changes lives. When people truly encounter God, they are empowered to support and uplift one another in their spiritual journeys. This transformation is rooted in a deep relationship with God, where His presence becomes a catalyst for change, leading to a life that reflects His love and grace. [41:11]

"And the Lord said, 'My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.' And he said to him, 'If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.'" (Exodus 33:14-15, ESV)

Reflection: Think about a time when you felt God's presence in a tangible way. How did it change your perspective or actions, and how can you seek more of these encounters in your daily life?

Day 2: Guarding the Heart with Discernment
The heart is like fertile soil, and what is allowed to take root will shape one's life. It is essential to guard the heart diligently, ensuring that only what aligns with God's will is planted. This requires discernment in what is watched, listened to, and engaged with. The heart, influenced by the flesh, can lead astray if not aligned with God's will. By saturating the heart in God's presence, much like marinating meat, individuals can reflect His character and desires. [56:03]

"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:23, ESV)

Reflection: What are some influences in your life that may not align with God's will? How can you actively guard your heart against these influences today?

Day 3: Embracing a Hopeful Future
God desires a future for each person that is bright and filled with hope. This future is not about worldly success but about living a life that magnifies God. Success in relationships, work, and legacy becomes a testament to God's faithfulness and grace. The enemy's lie that things will never improve is confronted by God's promise of a better future, one filled with hope and purpose. This future is about living a life that reflects God's love and grace in every aspect. [01:11:25]

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to see a hopeful future? How can you invite God into that area to transform your perspective and trust in His plans?

Day 4: Anchoring Hope in Christ
True hope is found in Jesus Christ, the hope of glory. This hope is not dependent on circumstances but is anchored in the unchanging nature of God. Many have misplaced their hope in outcomes or expectations, leading to disappointment. However, as long as Christ is within, there is always hope for transformation and fulfillment of God's promises. This hope assures that God's promises will be fulfilled in His perfect timing, providing a steadfast anchor for the soul. [01:24:30]

"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain." (Hebrews 6:19, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life have you placed hope in outcomes rather than in Christ? How can you shift your focus to anchor your hope in Jesus today?

Day 5: Living with Purpose and Trust
God is invested in each person's future and desires them to live with purpose. Lives are a testament to His goodness, and as trust in Him grows, individuals experience His provision and faithfulness. This trust extends to every area of life, including finances, as people honor God with what they have. Living with purpose means aligning one's life with God's will, allowing His grace and faithfulness to shine through in every aspect. [01:36:24]

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust God more fully? How can you take a step today to live with purpose and align that area with His will?

Quotes

"There's something amazing about encountering the presence of God. It is always my prayer. I literally, and I know the Lord's like, come on. I say, God, you don't, like, if you don't show up. We're just here. God, I need you to show up in a tangible way and manifest in the life of me. And manifest in the lives of your people. Because that's what changes things. We can go listen to music at a concert. It's not going to change your life. There's nothing about that that is going to do anything for your soul. But it is something when you encounter the presence of God." [00:41:58] (44 seconds)

"God wants you to have better. He wants you to have a better heart. He wants you to have a better future. He wants you to have a better hope. Strap in. It's going to get bumpy. He wants you to have a better heart. He wants you to have a better future. And he wants you to have a better hope. Let's begin. The world says, do whatever you're... heart desires song came out and it says the heart wants what it wants there's a saying that says your heart knows the way follow it yet statistics say that we are more sad that we are more lost and we are more lonely now than we have ever been in all of history and all of this driven by our own heart our heart leads us to places that we don't need to be amen our heart leads us to make decisions that aren't good for us and that aren't healthy for us we wonder why we wind up in the situations or the situationships that we find ourselves in and that is because we're following our heart trusting in your heart good on a postcard but as a follower of christ we have to constantly ask ourselves whose heart am i following whose heart am i following our heart is like the gps on our phone we need to make sure first that is set to the right destination before we choose to follow it i can't tell you how many times we've been driving the wrong direction and trying to figure out why we're going to follow it and we've been driving the wrong direction and trying to somewhere we had no business going, following the GPS and realize we done put in the wrong address." [00:52:37] (124 seconds)

"Jeremiah chapter 17 verse 9 says, the heart is deceitful above all things and it is extremely sick. Who can understand it fully and know its secret motives? That's enough right there. Proverbs chapter 27. Proverbs chapter 27 and let's go to verse 19. Verse 19 says, as in water, face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man. As in water, face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man. Proverbs chapter 4, if you flip over to chapter 4, chapter 4 and verse 23, verse 23 says, watch over your heart with all diligence. For from it flows the springs of life. Watch over your heart with all diligence. For from it flows the springs of life. See, the problem with our heart is that our heart is heavenly influenced by our flesh. And because it is influenced by our flesh, it is constantly pulling us away and anti -self. To the things of the Lord. It is constantly moving us, moving us away from God. This is why he says we have to guard our heart. Why? Because the things we allow in our heart shapes our heart. The things that we allow, our heart is like soil. It's like really fertile soil. And any seed that is planted in, our heart will produce a harvest." [00:55:06] (132 seconds)

"Guard your heart with all diligence. If we allow things like fear, pride, jealousy, anger, sexual immorality, envy, hatred to seed and plant in our heart, then that becomes the makeup of who we are. Because what we've allowed to enter into our hearts. My son Cadence loves dinosaurs right now. He's into dinosaurs. He's into King Kong. And he watches Yippie, which is a Christian -based network, if you will. All Christian shows. I don't have to worry about what he's watching. Sometimes he wants to watch the dinosaur stuff on Netflix. And what happens is because he doesn't know the labels that are on there, he doesn't recognize that this is not for his age. And so he will watch a dinosaur show or a King Kong movie. And something, will happen during the day as he's watching that. And there is fear that is now sparked on the inside of him. He'll run to me, he'll cut the TV off, or he'll change the channel. And you know what happens? When he goes to bed at night, he has a nightmare. The heart of a child. Because fear has now been allowed to enter into him. Yes. It is taking place in his heart. That when he is sleeping, it is now producing a harvest of fear on the inside. Guard your heart with all diligence. Guard your heart. You ever go somewhere and you see the lazy security guard? And you're like, I don't even know why they hired you. You're like, they're going to get you, buddy. They're going to get you. I don't even know. What are you going to do with that baton? If I ran right now, you wouldn't catch me. It's, you're not catching me. You're not catching me. I got a torn ACL. You're not catching me. Right?" [00:56:03] (125 seconds)

"Last year, I went on a missions trip. And when I got to the airport, I noticed that all those security guards had AKs. And I was like, uh, why they got, why they got AKs? I feel like, I don't, I, what's happening? So I kept seeing them. And so finally, I got the nerve up and enough to go and ask one of the ones who had an, I was like, Hey, um, I'm from America. I come in peace. Uh, just, just get this out the way. Uh, why, why, why does everybody carry guns? He says, Oh, um, we want you to feel safe. He said, um, uh, here, there are many things that could attack you. And so we're in this place where we're literally in a jungle area, right? So there are animals, there are elephants. There's all kinds of things. And there are people here that might want to do you harm. And so we want to make sure that you know that you are safe and that we are trained that anything that would try to attack you, that we are prepared to defend you at all costs. We are here to guard you and for your safety, guard your heart with all diligence. That is the type of guard he's talking about. There's some things I'm not going to watch. There's some movies I'm just not going to see. I know if Samuel L. Jackson is in a movie, I'm probably just not going to watch it because I know his mouth. And I know that the things that are coming out of it, I don't need to plant root in my heart. There are some songs that I'm not going to. I know y 'all think I'm being deep. There's some songs I'm not going to watch. There's some songs I'm not going to listen to. There's some conversations that I'm not going to have. There's some people that I'm not going to be around. Why? Because I have to guard my heart with all diligence. Pastor, it don't take that. Okay. Okay. And you wonder why you dealing with the stuff that you're dealing with because you're not guarding your heart. Why am I having these tormenting feelings? Why am I struggling with this? Why am I? Because your heart is fertile seed and you've allowed these things to plant root in your heart. And now you're dealing with the harvest. And the Lord says, guard your heart with all diligence. Why? Because out of it flows the issues of life." [01:01:15] (157 seconds)

"Ezekiel chapter 36 verse 26 says, moreover, I will give you a new heart. And put a new spirit within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. God wants you to have a better heart. When God says he's giving his people a new heart, he's talking about a spiritual renewal, replacing our heart of stone, meaning the hardness that's in our heart, the rebellion against God and his way. And he's replacing it with a heart of flesh, symbolizing a softness and a responsiveness to God's will, a responsiveness to his word, a responsiveness to his presence. Some of us have serious places of hardness and rebellion in our hearts. Some of us have serious places of hardness and rebellion in our hearts. Some of us have serious places of hardness and rebellion in our hearts. This desire to follow God in some areas, but not all areas. To give him a portion of our heart, but not everything. And the problem with that is if he has a portion of our heart, he has none of our heart. It's not like, oh, you know, I'll give God 75, 80%. You know, I'm 90, 80%. 75, 90 % of my heart, I'll give God. But this 10 % over here, I got this. This little way I live my life, this little thing I do, this little on the side over here, that's me. But it's okay. I go to church on Sunday, I tithe, I show up, I pray in the morning. And God says, if you haven't given me all of you, then you've given me none of you. He wants you to have. A better heart." [01:07:18] (132 seconds)

"God wants us to have a better future. This lie that he purports, he purports it most to middle schoolers, high schoolers, and young adults. It's never going to get any better. You don't have a future. You see what's going on in the world. What future can you expect? You might as well just give up now. It's never going to get any better. How many times have you tried and you're still in the same thing? It's never going to get any better. This is all it is for you. This is the lie that he is constantly feeding our middle schoolers, our high schoolers, our young adults, let alone us. But he's feeding it to them. And then he has songs that back up that same thing. Then he has socials. Then he has social media that backs up that same thought. Then there's movies and there's television that is backing up the same idea. It's never going to get any better. But God wants us to have a better future. Refuse to believe the lie that this life just is what it is. That life can and never, that can't change and it never will change. Or the lie that he used to use on me. Only sinners get the good life. Yeah. Oh, yeah. That thing here. Yeah, I know. Only sinners get the good life. Right? We see movie stars. We see these people who don't love Jesus and they looks like they are living an amazing life. Oh, they just sold their $20 million home. Oh, they're fancy cars. They had to trade in one of their fancy cars for another fancy car. And they have the clothes and the designer things and they don't even like Jesus. And we say, Lord, they don't even like you. What is happening? I'm doing everything I can and Nate, something's wrong. Something's wrong. Proverbs 23 verse 7. Actually, let's go to verse 17. Speaks right to this lie because I know I wasn't the only one that the enemy was lying this to. He says, do not let your heart envy sinners who live godless lives and have no hope of salvation. He says, but continue to live. In the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord day by day. Now, that's a lot. He didn't stop there. Here's the next verse. Surely there is a future and a reward and your hope and expectation will not be cut off. Surely there is a hope and a reward and your expectation will not be cut off. Another scripture says they've already received their reward. God wants us to have a better future. Actually, let's put up the other version. I like the way that it said that your future is bright and filled with a living hope that will never fade away. Do not let the enemy lie to you and tell you it can't get no better. And that's all you got. And you just got to settle for this. No, your future is bright and filled with a living hope that will never fade away. God wants you to have a better future." [01:11:25] (0 seconds)

"God wants us to have a better future. I would arguably say that God is invested, heavily invested in your future. He is heavily invested in your future. He's like, I can't wait to bless you. Why? I can't, because they're going to run up to you, and just like I know you is, you're going to tell it. You're going to tell it like you ain't never told it before. He wants us to have a better future. Matthew 6, 26 says, Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow seed, nor reap the harvest, nor gather the crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? Philippians 1, verse 6. This solidified it for me, because I was like, all right, Lord, you're going to have to make it clear. And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ, right up until the time of his return, developing that good work and perfecting it. And bringing it to full completion in you. He says, he says he started it in you, and therefore he's going to finish it in you. And if he wasn't invested in it, if he wasn't invested in your future, and he didn't want you to have a better future, he wouldn't have started it in you. But he says, I'm not only am I going to start it, I'm going to see it through to the end. God wants us to have a better future. Listen, God did not. God didn't bring us out here to leave us out to dry. He didn't bring us out here just to leave us out to dry. And the lie of the enemy is that God is going to leave you out there looking crazy. No, he's not going to do that. He's not running a social experiment just to see what happened. He didn't bring us this far for us to look foolish in our faith. God cares about our future because God cares. God cares about us. He wants us to have a better future." [01:24:30] (135 seconds)

"One of the things that separate us from the world is that we have something and someone that will never fail. The thing that separates us from the world is that we have something and someone that will never fail. That even in our most darkest days, in our lowest of lows, there is a light that shines on the inside of us. We have a hope. We have a hope. Here's the problem. For far too long, most of us have misplaced our hope. And because of us mis... Excuse me. Misplacing our hope. Misplacing our hope. We've lost hope. Yeah. But God desires a better hope for us. What are you talking about, people? What are you talking about? Because we've misplaced our hope, we've lost hope. Hebrews chapter 6 verse 19. This hope, this confident assurance we have as an anchor for the soul. It cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it. It is a safe and a steadfast hope that enters within the veil of the heavenly temple, the most holy place in which the very presence of God dwells. Okay? I'm going to say this again. For far too long, some of us have misplaced our hope. And because of that, we've lost hope. What do you mean? Our hope has been in an expected end or an outcome. That is what we call hope. Yeah. Our hope has been in an expected end or an outcome. That is what our hope has been. Whether or not the situation turns out like we've imagined in ourselves, our hope has been in our head or expected as we thought that it should be. That is where our hope has been. That is misplaced hope. Our hope cannot be in an expectation or an expected end. Why? Because when we don't receive that expectation and when we don't get the expected end, when we thought we should get it or how we thought we should give it, then we say what? We've lost hope. And here's the thing. Let that keep happening. Let that keep happening. When it keeps happening, we're like, Lord, I'm losing hope, God. I'm losing hope. And that's the problem. Your hope has been misplaced. But God desires a better hope for us. Our hope as believers cannot be tied up in preconceived outcomes. Our hope cannot be tied up. Our hope cannot be tied up in an expectation. When we tie our hope up in things that are temporal, we experience failed hope. That's right. Or as King Solomon put it in Proverbs 13, hope deferred. Hope deferred. The hope that Jesus desires for us isn't an outcome. Neither is it an expectation. The hope that God desires. The hope that God desires for us, quite literally, is Jesus. The hope that God desires for us, the better hope, is not an expectation, is not an outcome, is not a situation. The hope that he desires for us, the better hope, is literally Jesus. You don't believe me? That's fine. Colossians chapter 1, verse 27. Colossians chapter 1, verse 27. Let's read it. To them, God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery. Stop. Okay. Talking. He's talking about what's happening, and he's talking about the greatness of God, and he's talking about Israel. He's talking about his people, and he says, To them, God has chosen to make known. Among the Gentiles, that's us, the Gentiles, the glorious riches of this mystery. What is the mystery? Which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Okay. I know, I know. Wait, wait. I'm going to get you. I'm going to catch you. You're going to catch it at the light. Watch this. Christ in you, the hope of glory. Now, that phrase, the hope of glory. That is a phrase, okay? The hope of glory is signifying a person. It is not talking about an outcome. It is not talking about a situation. Okay? Christ in you is the hope of glory. Okay? So, this scripture says Christ in you. Better said, it is the power of Christ living on the inside of you is the hope of glory. Okay, so how is it that if, as a believer, how is it that if I don't see the result, when I thought I should see it, or if I don't get the expected expectation and the timing that I should see it, how is it that I still have hope? Hannah? Sarah? Which one of them that had the baby? Sarah, right? Sarah. Okay. All right. So, Sarah. Oh, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. Okay. Sarah is 30. She's hoping for a baby. God, I need, I got to want a child. 40. God, I want a child. Lord, it's getting a little late now. 50. Jesus, God, now I'm getting ridiculed because I don't have a baby, and I'm getting looked down upon because I don't have a baby. How is it that I can still have hope at 30, at 40, at 50, at 60, at 70, at 80? How is it that I can still have hope? Why? Why? Because as long as I am alive, the power of Christ is still living on the inside. And if the power of Christ is living on the inside of me, then the actual manifestation of hope is here, and unless I'm dead, then there's still time. Unless I am with him and I'm in ultimate glory, then there is, it's still time for him to do what he said that he is going to do. So, that is why at 90, I can have a child. Why? Because the expectation. The author of the expectation. The author of hope is still living on the inside of me. This is what it is. My hope isn't in an expectation. My hope is in Jesus. And the very power of Christ that arose, excuse me, the power that rose Jesus Christ from the dead is living on the inside of me. Why? Why? God is the only person that can be six months late and be right on. How? Because this is, I'm not bound by time. I'm not bound by limitations, situations. I could turn this whole thing around in a blink. Why? That is, my hope is not in a situation. It's not in timing. So, when I don't see it, when I thought I would see it, I'm not worried about it. Why? I know it's coming. I know it's coming. Why? Because the power of Christ, the hope of glory is living on the inside of me. God desires us to have a better hope. A better hope. My goodness. Worship team, come on. God wants you to have a better heart. He wants you to have. A better future. He wants you to have a better hope. Do not let the enemy deceive you. There is no hope. It's too late. There's nothing you can do. The devil is a lie. If it's over for me, then why you wake me up? If it's over for me, then why did he wake me up then? Because if it was, if it was. If it was done, I'd be in heaven. But he chose to wake me up. And if he woke me up, it's over. You can call that. I'm done. If you woke me up, then that means that there's a purpose in me being here. Which means there's still time. And as long as there's still time, God can turn that thing around in a second. I've seen it happen with my own eyes. He can turn that thing around in a second. That's why our hope has to be him. Period. A better heart, a better future, a better hope. And I know that that can seem hard sometimes because we've all felt the crushing weight of disappointment. We've all heard that gnawing whisper that it will never get better. We've chased the fleeting pleasures and the empty promises thinking that they will feel. We've chased the fleeting pleasures and the empty promises thinking that they will feel. But they don't. They only leave us emptier. Those are lies from the enemies. But God's words are not just hollow words. They are a covenant that has been established by the blood of Jesus. Christ offers not an absence of pain, but an abundant life overflowing with his joy and his love. Christ offers not an absence of pain, but an abundant life overflowing with his joy and his love. His power on the inside of you. And it is not found in material wealth. It is not found in financial gain, but in a broken, surrendered heart, desperate for a closer walk with him. Do not let the enemy steal your hope. God's plan for your future is a masterpiece, not some half -thought -out experiment. God is not finished with your future. He is not finished with you or your future. He fights for you. He walks with you. He will never forsake you. God desires better for you. And better is found in him. Better is found in him." [01:36:24] (0 seconds)

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