Hope for Tomorrow

We can probably all quote the familiar words in Matthew 6:34, "Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself." But how many of us actually try to live by those words? It's not easy.

It's only natural to get so caught up in the challenges of our everyday lives that we start to worry, but God never intended for us to live a life of worry. The Bible is full of examples that encourage us to place our trust in God and give us hope for tomorrow.

Let God be your guide in life. In Psalm 48:12-14, it says if we permit Him, God will be our guide. We permit Him by opening our heart to the Holy Spirit and living in obedience to His word. We don't have to fear tomorrow. Hebrews 13:5-6 says the Lord is our helper, and we shall not fear what man may do to us. In Romans 8:30-32, Paul tells us that if God be for us who can be against us.

David tells us in Psalm 31:1-5 to put our trust in the Lord for He is our rock and fortress. In Psalm 73:24-28, it says God is our guide and shelter. With God as our guide, fortress and shelter, we have nothing to worry about.

We should learn to be content in what God has provided for us. In life, it's easy to get caught up in our desires for the “things of this world,” but we should just be thankful and happy with what God provides for us.

In Luke, Jesus tells us not to worry about the basics because our heavenly Father knows our needs. He says in John 3:16-17 that God loves us so much that He gave His only son for us. If we have a God willing to give up His only son as a recompense for our sins, how can we spend time worrying over the future?

With all of these promises, we should be comfortable that our future is in God's hands which brings us hope for tomorrow.

Defend The Faith

In a time when the message of the Gospel is coming under attack more and more, it's important that we not only know what we believe, but WHY we believe it, and we must always be ready to defend our faith.

As Christians, our first responsibility is to take God's message of salvation to a lost and dying world. In Matthew 10:27, Jesus tells us to proclaim the Gospel and make disciples of all nations. However, there's another responsibility that's often overlooked and neglected by many Christians: Defending the Gospel.

Giving reasons for our faith is an important part of our Christian witness, and the Bible compels us to do so. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, it says that only by meeting honest objections with biblical answers can we reasonably contend for the faith.

Peter urges us to be prepared to give an answer for the reason of the hope that we have in Christ Jesus. In 1 Peter 3:15, he tells believers to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have with gentleness and respect."

The apostle Paul rigorously defended the faith whenever challenged, and he instructed Timothy to defend the faith also.

In Romans 10:14-17, Paul says in order for people to recognize the love of Christ, they need someone to tell them the good news. If we just stand by and aren't willing to defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how will they ever accept Jesus as Lord and savior?

This is not the time to be passive. As many in the media and political world try to attack Christianity, we must be bold and step out to defend our faith. Christ paid the price for our sins, and He prepares a place for us in heaven. As Christians, we want to see all who are made righteous through the blood of Jesus enjoy eternal life with us and the Lord!

Start Your Day Off Right

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It prepares us for the day ahead Yet, many of us skip breakfast because we're too busy. Some of us skip spending time with God for the same reason. Starting each day in the presence of the Lord is key to starting each day off on the right foot.

 In our busy lives, it's easy to fall into a habit of starting the day without giving any thought to God. We hit the floor running without taking time to thank God for the day or to ask Him to direct our steps.

I was that way for years. I'd get up and jump right into my morning routine, without taking time to pray or seek the Lord. "I'll do it later," I always told myself (and told God). At the end of the day, I found I'd gone all day without spending time with the Lord. I'd lay down at night, mutter a quick prayer and drift off to sleep.

It shouldn't be that way for Christians, and it doesn't have to be that way. We can make God a priority in our lives. There are some simple things we can do each day to show God that He is first place in our lives:

Start the day in His Word. Just a few short verses or a chapter a day in the morning is a great way to open our hearts to God and get in tune with His plan for our lives.

 

Pray in the mornings. Prayer helps relieve stress and brings us closer to God. You can do this while driving to work, and you'll be amazed what a difference it will make in your day.

Stay positive. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the morning with the challenges of the day. So start your morning by counting your blessings. This will help you start the day in a positive way.

Leave all your worries at the foot of the bed. It’s easy to start the day dwelling on negatives of yesterday. As believers, we shouldn't dwell on our past mistakes and failures but concentrate on our future with the Lord. Cast all your cares on Him and make a fresh start each day.

Just spend time sitting in God's presence. What a great way to start the day!