Friday, May 01, 2009

VOTProphet #3


HOPE
May 2, 2009
with Adam Waters


Cub fans… Bengals fan… A new parent… The first day of school… The night before a test… The first day of college… A couple on the altar… A parent dropping off their 18 year old for the military… An inmate before a parole board… A preacher before his congregation… hope?
If faith is being absolutely certain of what we hope for (Hebrews 11)… then HOPE is what our faith is desperately longing for! Hope is powerful! Hope is a scary thought. Hope is anticipation, expectation and is ultimately fulfilled only in Jesus.

Remember Isaiah’s Focus
· Judgment is not a bad thing because it is from the hand of God.
· Hope in the future is not beyond reach.
· God’s holiness must be encountered and dealt with in our lives.

THE Prophet’s VOICE
Hope bursts forth in song!

· Isaiah 26:1-19
· We want to obey your laws God.
· We want to be righteous like you God.
· We want to follow a God who is over all, thru all, in all.
· We long for your return and resurrection!
Hope looks for judgment.
· Isaiah 26:20-27:1
· Realizes exposed sins are necessary.
· Realizes Satan will not win.
· Realizes redemption is coming.
Hope is grown out of close relationship to the Father.
· Isaiah 27:2-10
· Closeness can be painful.
· Closeness can burn off the bad stuff.
· Closeness can bring His heart.
Hope springs eternal that forgiveness will come.
· Isaiah 27:11-13
· The Father removes worthlessness.
· The Father can interrupt our pattern.
· The Father gathers us individually.

Where is your hope?
Yourself… yours or other’s abilities… your wealth… your government… your possessions… your insurance or your savings… in your family… the good of mankind?

If our hope is put in anything other than the Father, then it is worthless. If our hope takes root in anything on this earth, it will disappoint us. Only Father won’t let us down. It may not look like we want it to, but it’s righteous, holy and good for us…

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