"God's Gift of HOPE"

 

“God’s Gift of HOPE”

 

For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which comes from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven.  You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.       Colossians 1:4-5

 

This is the Apostle Paul’s commendation to the TRUE BELIEVERS in Colossae, for their strong FAITH in Christ Jesus, and their LOVE for ALL of God’s people.  This FAITH and LOVE is made possible because of their CONFIDENT HOPE of what God has RESERVED for them in Heaven. 

 

FAITH, LOVE and HOPE are linked together.  FAITH is looking UPWARD; LOVE looks OUTWARD and HOPE looks FORWARD.  FAITH is looking UPWARD to GOD, while LOVE looks OUTWARD to others, and HOPE looks FORWARD to the FUTURE that God has planned for His Children, those who have given their HEARTS and LIVES to Him, and have ACCEPTED His Son, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who GAVE His LIFE that other might have ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN. 

 

This GIFT of HOPE from GOD, is ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS.  FAITH and LOVE comes from HOPE, which is CONFIDENCE in what GOD promises, to His TRUE CHILDREN, of what He will do for them in the FUTURE.  It is a CONFIDENT anticipation of the RETURN of JESUS CHRIST, which is known as the “BLESSED HOPE.”  This HOPE is STORED UP in HEAVEN, because Jesus Christ is the ESSENCE of this HOPE, without Him we would have NO HOPE for the FUTURE.  This HOPE has been imbedded within the TRUE BELIEVER since they first HEARD the GOOD NEWS (Gospel).   

 

This Gift of HOPE has been the catalyst in SHARING the LOVE of GOD to mankind.  When the GOOD NEWS is SHARED, HOPE is presented as God’s Promise for an ETERNITY in Heaven, through the SACRIFICAL, REDEMPTIVE WORK of JESUS CHRIST, for those who will ACCEPT IT.  Have you ACCEPTED God’s Gift of SALVATION? And are you ANXIOUSLY AWAITING the BLESSED HOPE, from Heaven? 

 

If NOT, you have NO HOPE for the FUTURE.  Your future is looking pretty grim, because you are headed for an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, after you are there.  In order to HAVE this BLESSED HOPE from HEAVEN, you MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION and His GIFT of HOPE that He has stored up for you in HEAVEN.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!