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Glory Seed Devotionals, 2015: Year of Promise
Giving hope the life it needs…
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3–5, NRSV)
I stand in awe at the ability of the Holy Spirit to bring simple letters and words to life giving hope. “By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope… kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God…” But then God is in the business of giving… “for it is the Lord your God who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you victory… Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Deuteronomy 20:4, Luke 12:32, NRSV)
Two days ago I discovered my lung capacity is down to 67%. At present I am taking a new promising medication that will not reverse the effects of Pulmonary Fibrosis but in many cases has arrested it. In the early 1980’s I was prescribed a medication that promised to bring relief to Myasthenia Gravis however it lead to 12 hip surgeries. While the new mediation for PF is good news experience has taught me to ultimately place my hope in God’s power to protect me not in “stuff” developed by the minds and hands of humans.
While I draw strength and expectancy from the new medication to help keep me going when I get short of breath my hope for an abundant life is based on my faith in God. That same principle applies to all of us. We can draw strength and expectancy from worldly and human resources to help keep us going when the going gets rough but our hope for an abundant life is based on our faith in God.
Putting hope in anything or anyone other than God IS always a gamble but hope placed in God is NEVER a gamble! I've bet my life on it!
Believe! Anticipate! Experience! Be transformed!
Grace and PEACE, Amen!
Gary
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“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT)
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“The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.”
“Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.”
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