that is where hope starts…

hope is determined by the way you think about GOD’s love, by the way you look at problems, the way you talk to GOD, by the way you read the bible, the way you think about eternity. 

the bible says in romans 4.23-24 (msg), it’s not just about abraham. [he was a great believer]  it’s also us.  the same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the ONE who brought JESUS to life when conditions were equally hopeless.  the ultimate moment of hope in this world is when JESUS CHRIST came into this world, lived life for you, gave HIS life for you and was resurrected again for you.  if you haven’t connected to that hope as yet, that’s where you start.  that’s where you start.  because GOD wants to develop a relationship with you where HE can give you hope. 

if you think that somehow you’ve got to impress GOD or you’ve got to live up to GOD’s standard in order for GOD to like you, or GOD to want to be a part of your life, that’s not what JESUS came to teach.  HE came to say, none of us are good enough to be in GOD’s presence.  none of us are perfect.  we’ve all blown it.  couldn’t we all admit that one?  no one’s perfect yet GOD wants to have a relationship with you.  so JESUS came and said, “I’ll give MY life for you.  I’ll begin a new life for you by being resurrected.  I want to give you the gift of a relationship with ME.” 

don't try to get a relationship with GOD based on the good things that you do.  you’ll never get there.  none of us can be good enough.  some of us are better than others but none of us are good enough because GOD’s perfect.  instead of that, let GOD give you a relationship with CHRIST and let HIM begin to build the good things in your life HE wants to do.  don’t get the cart before the horse. 

if you’ve not started a relationship with HIM you can do it right now.  you might think, “that’s all i have to do?  that doesn’t seem fair.”  it doesn’t seem fair because GOD’s already done it all.  HE already sent HIS SON to give HIS life for you and to say to you I love you and say to you, I want to open the door wide for a relationship with you.  start there.

just a thought from the front porch…