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It’s quite easy to see that we live in very uncertain times. When you add to this the personal challenges people face with their health, marriage, kids, job, or any number of things, it’s easy for a person to wonder, “Is there any hope for the future?”

I am happy to say that the Bible has an answer to that question, and it is a resounding, “YES!” Jeremiah 29:11 declares, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Let me encourage your heart today that there is indeed hope, no matter what you may be facing. Why? Because our hope is anchored in an omnipotent God, even as Revelation 19:6 proclaims…
And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”
There is no greater power. No situation is beyond His ability and authority. Whatever you are facing… whatever fear you might have… remember, our Lord reigns and He is omnipotent!

Friend, there is no situation so desperate, there is no person too hopeless, no circumstance so dire that He cannot intervene and turn things around. The Lord God omnipotent reigns! He scatters the stars through the universe with a word from His mouth. Though your problem may be beyond your ability to fix, believe me, solving it is not a big deal for our God.

Just look at Acts 16 when Paul and Silas were thrown in prison in Philippi. They were beaten and their feet were fastened to the stocks there in the innermost prison. It looked like everything had just gone wrong. Humanly speaking, there was no hope. But at midnight they began to sing and praise God and there was an earthquake which flung open all the doors. And everyone’s chains were loosed.

The end result was that the jailer and his family got saved and a church was established. The very first European converts came to Christ and the history of the world would take a new direction—beginning there in Philippi.

So God took what was an impossible situation… without hope… and used it to change the world! And God can do the same with whatever you are facing.

You may feel like your future holds little hope. But with God, nothing is impossible. He is all-powerful. And just as with Paul and Silas, He can turn the worst of situations into something far beyond anything you could imagine. So, yes, there is hope for your future!

Questions and Answers with Bayless
Our world seems to be increasingly filled with conflict, tensions between nations, terrorism, and bad economic news. Is there any hope that it will someday get better?
That’s a great question. While there may be periodic seasons of war and peace, stability and instability, lack and abundance within different nations—ultimately, things will only get better when Jesus returns. And Revelation 22 says He will be returning “quickly!”

One day Jesus will return visibly and physically to earth. He will set up His millennial reign and there will be peace, prosperity, and stability (Revelation 20). Eventually, there will be a new heaven and a new earth and we will dwell eternally there with Him (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-5)! As followers of Jesus Christ, we have this hope to look forward to. He will return! And that return may, in fact, be soon. That’s a great hope!!

Pastor, as I look ahead, I am faced with some very difficult situations that I just don’t see working out. To be honest, I’ve lost hope that they will work out. What should I do?
First, make a serious prayerful study of some of the Bible stories where God helped people in seemingly impossible situations. Read the stories, think about them, read them again, and worship God for His faithfulness! Romans 15:4 declares, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” As you meditate upon what God has done for others, it will cause faith and hope to ignite in your own heart.

Second, I would encourage you to earnestly ask God for wisdom and insight concerning the situation that you face. According to James 1:5, God promises to grant us wisdom when we ask for it. Sometimes it is a lack of wisdom—not a lack of power—that is hindering our breakthrough.

Finally, after you have studied, prayed, and done all you can do—give all your worries to God and leave the outcome to Him. First Peter 5:7 from the Amplified Bible is good advice for anyone: “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”

When the world around us seems to be spinning out of control, the one thing that can be an anchor in our lives is the hope we have in Jesus Christ! That hope is rooted in at least three distinct certainties.

Certainty #1: We can be hopeful and expectant of His help in our present circumstances. Psalm 27:13 says, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” We should expect to see the goodness of the Lord here in this earthly life—no matter what we might be facing!

Certainty #2: The return of our Lord and Savior! Titus 2:13 teaches us that we should be “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Certainty #3: Heaven. Colossians 1:5 declares, “Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.” We have the certain hope of heaven, the hope of Christ’s return, and the hope of His present aid in the circumstances of life.

So I encourage you today to step fully into the hope you have in Jesus Christ. No matter what you face, you have a future filled with hope!

Answers with Bayless Conley
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Author Biography

Bayless Conley
Web site: Cottonwood Church
 
Bayless Conley is a pastor and speaker known for his clear presentation of the Gospel and the way he applies the life-changing truth of God's Word to everyday life. It's this same truth that radically turned his life around when a 12-year-old boy shared the Gospel with him many years ago. Bayless' unique background and remarkable testimony have enabled him to reach a diverse audience of people globally. In 1979, God called Bayless to share His Word on television, and in 1984, the broadcast was launched. Today, the Answers with Bayless Conley broadcast is impacting lives around the world in numerous languages.
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