--TIGHT GRIP ON HOPE ~~

--"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."
--[2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 / NIV) --

Have you ever been hopeless? I have, and it’s an awful feeling. Hopelessness doesn’t come from having one bad day. Hopelessness comes when a series of things rolls across your life, each one of them driving hope a little further away, until you finally lose sight of the possibility that life can ever be different. I encourage you not to yield your hope easily. Don’t cultivate the attitude of “poor me,” because “poor me” will be tempted to yield territory that you should be fiercely defending. Remember that if you’re a Christ-follower, you are neither powerless nor alone. You have the power of Jesus’ name and the authority of His shed blood, and the Spirit of God dwells within you. I have good news—hopelessness is not a permanent condition. I am a living testimony to that. God has breathed hope into my life again and again, and I know He will do that for you too.

THINK ABOUT IT
Even when it seems all hope has been wrung out of you and you can’t imagine a resolution that brings any comfort, God is not far from you. He never leaves, forsakes, or abandons us. Think about a time when He has rescued you from hopelessness, and then praise Him for it. We all are on a journey. Let's be sure we are on the right path to the Celestial City with Jesus.

PRAYER
--"Heavenly Father, You are the God of encouragement and hope—thank You for all the times You have given me hope in time of need. Now I ask for Your Holy Spirit’s help that I might be an encourager and a source of Your hope to others. In Jesus’ name, amen."
Blessings,
Pastor Allen Jackson