Hold on to Hope

Andrew Stevens

November 18, 2019 • Savannah Coleman • 1 Peter 1:3–9, 1 Peter 1:18–21, Psalm 71:14

I can be strong and encouraged because my hope is in Jesus (Psalm 31:24). He is my help and shield—I will wait on Him; I will rejoice in Him; I will trust in Him (Psalm 33:20-21).

Keep showing me Your faithful love, Jesus, because my hope is in You (Psalm 33:22). You are faithful, and You won’t leave me or abandon me (Deuteronomy 31:6; Psalm 57:10).

Sometimes it is hard to imagine how a painful situation can ever change for my good and Your glory. Help me to remember my hope in You, no matter how I feel. I know the truth, and this truth is that You are worthy of my hope. You are worthy of my praise (Psalm 18:3). Even when I am feeling discouraged about the circumstances around me, remind my heart of what You have done for me on the cross. You are my Savior and my God: my hope, forever (Psalm 42:11)!

Looking back on my life, I remember how I put my hope in You, and I recall Your faithfulness. There were times when I couldn’t understand the purpose of my pain and sorrow, but You worked out even those times for Your glory and my good (Romans 8:28).

Some days, I feel hope welling up within me, and other days, I feel so discouraged. During those times, cause me to remember Your goodness and faithfulness. I do have a living hope—a living Savior—no matter what my circumstances are (Job 19:25-26; 1 Peter 1:3). May I praise You through it all! You are a rock of refuge: I can always run to You (Psalm 71:3). • Savannah Coleman

• How does remembering what God has done for you in past seemingly hopeless situations help you hold on to hope even in the darkest of circumstances?

• What are some of the hope-filled promises that Jesus has given to His people (Romans 8; Ephesians 1:3-14; Revelation 21:1-5)?

• How can you remember these promises in difficult situations?

But I will hope continually and will praise you more and more. Psalm 71:14 (CSB)

Throne of God

November 30, 2019 • Melissa Yeagle • Psalm 32:1–7, Hebrews 4:14–16, 1 John 1:9

Kalie walked down a long, dark hall that seemed to be going uphill, carrying a load so heavy that it made her back ache. She was out of breath and thinking about giving up when she finally reached the end of the hall. There, she found a room bathed in warm, bright light. It was almost like someone took the sun and stuffed it in a room. . She looked at the far end of the room and saw the Source of the light. The Source was so bright that she could not look directly into it, but with squinted eyes, she could make out a giant throne there. She felt tiny and unimportant in the room. . “Welcome, Kalie. I have been waiting for you,” a Voice boomed from the throne. . “You know my name?” Kalie asked shyly. . “Of course I do. I also know you were born March 19, 2005 and you have 104,506 hairs on your head,” the Voice answered. . Kalie suddenly felt uncomfortable. If He knew all of that, He surely knew all the things she had done wrong. . “Yes, Kalie. I know what you are thinking, and I know what you have done wrong. I also know you have asked for forgiveness. I love you so much, and I forgive you of your sins,” the Voice declared. . When she heard that, the heavy load Kalie had been carrying on her back suddenly disappeared and tears of joy streamed down her face. • Melissa Yeagle . • How can sin be a burden that weighs us down? How can Jesus relieve us of that burden? . • How does Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection make it possible for us to be forgiven? (Learn more on our "Know Jesus" page) . • The throne of God seems intimidating, but through Jesus, we can approach it boldly. What do you need to bring before the throne in prayer today? . If we confess our sins, He [Jesus] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

Waiting Actively

November 29, 2019 • Sarah Rexford • Acts 17:16–20, Ecclesiastes 3:1

Waiting is the worst. Or maybe I’m just the worst at waiting. Especially in the high school years, “real” life seems far away and dreams look distant. It’s easy to think about what we want to do for God in the future; it’s way harder to live that out now. . A few years ago, I saw a need at my school and decided that no matter how small my platform, I’d let God work through me to meet that need. It was amazing to see God work as I stood on a literal stage (the smallest stage on campus!) and used the talents He had given me to point my peers to Jesus. I’d never felt more humbled to be used by the Creator. . Paul found himself in a similar situation in Acts 17. He’d reached Athens and was waiting for his friends (Acts 17:16). In other words, even Paul, one of the most famous men of the New Testament, knew what it was like to wait! . But, rather than just sit around, the chapter says Paul used the marketplace to tell people about Jesus. He was waiting actively. . Yeah, sometimes waiting is hard. But even in the waiting, God is working. Waiting actively means living for Jesus no matter where we are or what season we’re in—trusting that He is working even when we don’t see it. . No matter what you’re waiting on, you can serve Jesus right where you are. You can use the crumbly floor of your cafeteria, the gravely road as you wait for the bus, and even the carpet of your living room. . Whatever season God has you in, wait actively. Know that you can serve God right now. In Jesus’ kingdom, you never know what He’ll do through you! • Sarah Rexford . • What are you waiting on in this season? How is your view of God shown in how you wait? . • How would this season change if you actually lived like you believed Jesus is working during the waiting? . • It’s easy for anxiety to creep up as we wait. Read Matthew 6:25-34, Philippians 4:4-7, and 1 Peter 5:7. What do these verses show about Jesus and His faithfulness? . For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT)

Thankful

November 28, 2019 • Cara Campbell • 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, Hebrews 13:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

For as long as I can remember, my grandma has had a little hand-stitched sign in her home that reads: “There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.” As a child, I loved that sign, and, as I grew into adulthood, I began to understand just how meaningful it was. . My grandparents lived out true gratitude. Their lives were not easy, and yet, in the middle of trials and times of having little, they were so thankful. Why? Because they knew whatever happened—no matter how difficult or uncertain things were—they had it all... because they had Jesus. . They knew that no matter what, they were loved, forgiven, rescued, saved. They knew that no matter what, Jesus was there to walk beside them. They knew that no matter what, their identity in Him could never be touched. Their life with Him, both now and forever, was sure. And because they knew they belonged to Him, they could view life differently from the way the world does. They could be thankful in all circumstances... the hard ones, the good ones, the uncertain ones, the joy-filled ones. . A thankful heart radiates deep-rooted contentment and joy that are only found in Jesus. What if we viewed life in light of the sacrifice Jesus made for us when He died on the cross and in light of the gift He gave us when He rose back to life? What if we recognized that what He’s given us is more than we could ever deserve and better than we could even imagine? . So rather than looking at what we don’t have, we can remember that we have life and unshakable hope in Jesus. We can give thanks in the hard things because we know He is faithful and He is near. And we can give thanks in the good because we see how incredibly blessed beyond measure we are and how every gift comes from Him (James 1:17). In Christ, there is always something to be thankful for. • Cara Campbell . • Reread today’s verses. What are some of the hope-filled promises we have in Jesus? How does remembering these promises help us thank God no matter what? . • What are other things you are thankful for? . Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)