Thursday, March 19, 2015

Dare to Hope

Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength...He will dwell in the parched places...But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence {hope} is in him...He will be like a tree planted by the water...leaves are always green...and never fails to bear fruit” Jeremiah 17:5-8.
This passage is one of my all-time favorite passages as the Lord gave the second half to me when He established Emerging Life Ministries in 2008. February of 2006 marks the crossroads of where cursed and blessed crossed. The Hebrew word for ‘trust’ is batach which translates as safe place. Before 2006 my safe place was secret spending which was certainly a curse. Before 2006 my safe place was my relying on my own strength as my daughter went through her season of darkness. My safe place was to serve, serve, serve out of my desire to be loved and approved. All of these safe places stripped me of energy, robbed me of peace and stunted my spiritual growth. For sure I use to dwell in parched places...dry faith...empty results...cursed living.
Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!’” Lamentations 3:21-24. When we turn away from our flesh and plant ourselves by Living Waters daily we come in for the blessings of the love of God...the unceasing mercies of the Father...the unchanging greatness of His faithfulness.
What do you still dare to hope for? Will you dare to hope for physical healing? Will you dare to hope for your marriage to be restored? Will you dare to hope that God will bring you mercifully and graciously out of your present circumstances? Will you dare to hope in the will of God instead of the will of your flesh? God will be faithful in bringing peace, mercy and comfort in all of our circumstances. His promises will not be empty or void – they will accomplish what His heart intends them to accomplish. Believe in His goodness...Believe in His plan...Believe in the power of Eternity!
Dare to hope!

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