Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene
Let's find hope in the ultimate source, Jesus Christ, so that we can move forward in the freedom he promises us! Thanks so much for diving in deeper with us today as we wrap up our "Free From Yesterday" series.
Hebrews 6:18-20 NIV
-The author is referring a promise God made to Abraham that was fulfilled.
-We can have confidence that God keeps his promises. He does not lie.
-Because of this confidence, we run towards the hope God has for us.
-Hope is the anchor that holds us, even when storms are raging.
-This hope is possible because the presence of the God is with us always. Jesus became the High Priest to give us access to the Holy Spirit.
The problem is, a past filled with shame, rejection, and wounds seems like the opposite of hope.
We believe “hope is impossible for me, I’m too broken”.
The truth is, our past doesn’t disqualify us from hope. Our past and the presence of hope are deeply connected.
Romans 5:2-5 NIV
-Our hope is grounded in God’s ability to get glory from our circumstances.
-Hope is making a God-fueled decision about what has been and what will be.
-Your suffering in the past produces your perseverance today.
-Your perseverance today produces in you character right now.
-And in your character, HOPE springs forth.
Your past can actually become the fertile soil by which hope springs up!
Bottom line: Being free from yesterday IS hope.
More verses for reflection:
Hebrews 6:11-17 NIV
Philippians 3:10-14 NIV
1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV