Embracing Hope: A Divine Strategy for Advent

Devotional

Day 1: Hope as a Divine Strategy

Hope is not a mere wish but a divine strategy given by God to help us overcome the challenges of this world and prepare for the next. It is rooted in the promises of God, which are assured to come to pass in His perfect timing. By holding onto the rope of hope, we can navigate life's trials with patience and endurance. [24:15]

"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 challenge you are currently facing where you need to hold onto God's promises? How can you actively remind yourself of His divine strategy for your life today?

Day 2: The Power of Community and Transformation

Personal stories of transformation highlight the importance of community support and the power of hope to change lives. Just as individuals have invested in others' lives, we are called to lift others up, offering them hope and encouragement. Community is a vital part of our spiritual journey, providing the support and accountability needed to grow and transform. [05:40]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your community can you reach out to today to offer support and encouragement? How can you be intentional in fostering transformative relationships within your community?

Day 3: Advent as a Season of Hope and Anticipation

The Advent season is a time to focus on the virtues of hope, peace, joy, and love. It is a period of preparation and anticipation, celebrating the first coming of Jesus and looking forward to His return. Lighting the prophecy candle reminds us of the promises that have been fulfilled and those yet to come. [07:27]

"But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." (Micah 7:7, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally prepare your heart during this Advent season to celebrate Jesus' birth and anticipate His return? What specific actions can you take to focus on hope, peace, joy, and love?

Day 4: Hope vs. Wishful Thinking

Hope is distinct from wishful thinking. While wishes are often unattainable desires, hope is a confident expectation based on God's promises. It is a vision for something more, encouraging us to look beyond our current circumstances and trust in God's plan. [22:21]

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life have you been relying on wishful thinking rather than true hope? How can you shift your perspective to align with God's promises and cultivate a confident expectation?

Day 5: Overflowing with Hope

God desires for us to be so filled with hope that it overflows to those around us. As we trust in Him, we are filled with joy and peace, enabling us to share hope with a world in desperate need. This Advent season, let us be intentional in spreading hope and making an impact in the lives of others. [35:47]

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to experience the overflow of hope from you today? What practical steps can you take to share God's hope, joy, and peace with them?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound theme of hope, especially as it relates to the Advent season. Hope is not merely a wish or a fleeting desire; it is a powerful, divine strategy that God has given us to navigate the challenges of this world and prepare for the next. We began by reflecting on the promises of God, which are like anchors for our souls. These promises are not just words; they are assurances that, through patience and endurance, will manifest in our lives in God's perfect timing.

We also delved into the story of an experiment with rats, illustrating how a small respite can fuel endurance and hope. This analogy was used to emphasize that even a glimmer of hope can empower us to persevere through life's trials. My personal journey from a troubled youth to a renewed life in Christ served as a testament to the transformative power of hope and the importance of community support.

As we light the first candle of Advent, the prophecy candle, we are reminded of the prophetic words and promises that have already come to pass, and those that are yet to be fulfilled. This season is a time of preparation and anticipation, as we celebrate the first coming of Jesus and look forward to His return. We are encouraged to hold onto the rope of hope, which is firmly attached to God's promises, and to live out these promises in our daily lives.

Hope is not a passive state but an active engagement with God's word. It is a vision for something more, a continual looking forward to the eternal world. As C.S. Lewis noted, hope is not escapism but a call to action, urging us to make a difference in the present world while keeping our eyes on the eternal. In this Advent season, let us overflow with hope, sharing it with those around us, and trusting in the God of hope to fill us with joy and peace as we trust in Him.

Key Takeaways

1. s21dV4U&t=1455s'>[24:15]
2. The Power of Community and Transformation: Personal stories of transformation, like my own, highlight the importance of community support and the power of hope to change lives. Just as Big Al invested in my life, we are called to lift others up, offering them hope and encouragement.

3. Advent as a Season of Hope and Anticipation: The Advent season is a time to focus on the virtues of hope, peace, joy, and love. It is a period of preparation and anticipation, celebrating the first coming of Jesus and looking forward to His return. Lighting the prophecy candle reminds us of the promises that have been fulfilled and those yet to come.

4. Hope vs. Wishful Thinking: Hope is distinct from wishful thinking. While wishes are often unattainable desires, hope is a confident expectation based on God's promises. It is a vision for something more, encouraging us to look beyond our current circumstances and trust in God's plan.

5. Overflowing with Hope: God desires for us to be so filled with hope that it overflows to those around us. As we trust in Him, we are filled with joy and peace, enabling us to share hope with a world in desperate need. This Advent season, let us be intentional in spreading hope and making an impact in the lives of others.

** [24:15]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:38] - Introduction and Greetings
[03:27] - The Rat Experiment and Hope
[05:07] - Personal Story of Transformation
[07:27] - Advent Season and Virtues
[08:15] - Celebration and Preparation
[09:23] - Anticipation and the Prophecy Candle
[10:38] - Hope in the Promises of God
[12:20] - Faith vs. Hope
[13:28] - Prophecies and Anticipation
[16:15] - The Need for Hope
[18:27] - Hope in History and Today
[20:06] - Hope vs. Wishful Thinking
[22:21] - God's Strategy of Hope
[24:15] - Holding onto the Rope of Hope
[28:08] - Promises in the Word of God
[30:17] - Living an Abundant Life
[32:59] - Hope as a Vision for More
[35:47] - Overflowing with Hope
[37:19] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Sermon Clips

The promises of God are out here. He's put them in his word for us to strive for and look at. And we see the promise. We recognize that's for me. I want that. I need that in my life. I'm gonna take this spiritual gift of hope. I'm gonna fling it out there, grab ahold of the promise and through patience and endurance and believing and not throwing in the towel and not giving up eventually because I hope in this promise, it becomes my reality as long as I don't give up. As long as I keep believing. As long as I hang on to the rope. Don't let go of the rope of hope. Hang on to the rope and the promises that it's attached to because it will come to pass in God's perfect timing. [00:00:00] ( | | )

Father, we remember your word that says if we'll simply pause and acknowledge you, that you will guide and direct our steps. That's our prayer today. It's my prayer for each and every one of us in this room, everyone watching online, that as we worship together, ponder your words, hear this message that there'll be something, there'll be at least one thing that each and every one of us can take away and apply to our lives so that we can grow as followers of Jesus, as disciples, make an impact in the world you've left us in. In Jesus' precious name, and all God's people said, amen. [00:02:48] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

It's amazing what a little bit of hope will do for a rat. Now, my name is Matthew, but in high school, all my friends called me Mac. I went by Matt. Hey, Matt. Yeah, yeah. Except for one of my friends' mom gave me the nickname Rat. Because yeah, from Matt to rat, that's a whole book in itself. I gave my life to Jesus in vacation Bible school. I had a good run until about 10th grade. And then, oh, like I hit, in February, you hit a patch of black ice. Your wheels start spinning. You go round and round. Who knows where it's gonna go? That was me in high school. I hit a patch of ice, right? I got into a lot of trouble. It caused a lot of problems. Had a chaotic home life. Made some bad decisions. [00:05:18] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

Jesus taught us to pray that way and believe that in this world, we'll see many of those promises come to pass. And where do we find these promises? Well, right here in the word, the word of God. The word of God is where we see what God promises. If you don't read the Bible, if you don't spend time investigating the promises, then you won't know what to attach your rope of hope to. The promises come from this word, not from what I feel, not from what I wish, not what I think is a good idea, but from what he said in his word. And I've got news for you. Whatever he promises is way better than we could think or imagine for ourselves. It's better to go right to the source. [00:28:08] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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