There’s Hope

Do you ever get that feeling that something is missing? You can’t put your finger on it, but something isn’t right in your life. Don’t fear. There is hope in any situation you may find yourself. If you are just doing a little looking around, it is no coincidence that you are reading this. If you are searching for deeper meaning to life, you can find it here. If you have run out of hope, Jesus can give you hope – the hope of a new life.

Searching and curious yet? The truth is, God is searching for you. God loves you. We have all heard John 3:16,

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

So, what exactly does it mean to “believe in Him?” It means more than mere intellectual knowledge. For example, I believe George Washington was the first president of the United States. That and a dollar will get me a cup of coffee – and I’d be lucky to get that! Many people believe in Jesus in that way, but it does nothing for them. consider what James wrote in James 2:19,

Thou believest that there is one God, thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble.

Now, surely the devils have no hope at all. They are not “saved” and they are not going to be in heaven. So, let’s look at another verse to help shine some light on this matter. Romans 10:9 tells us,

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Notice how I underlined the word “and.” Here, the Bible explains how we “believe in Him.” Let me restate what this verse says in a way that is easier to understand. We should declare that Jesus is Lord and Master of our life based on what we believe about Jesus. Jesus is God. He walked on the earth as God in the flesh, lived a perfect life, was innocently crucified on a cross for our sin, was raised from the dead three days later, has ascended to heaven, and one day will come again to get His bride, the church. So, based on what we believe about Jesus, we should declare Him as Lord. Here is another good question. What does it mean to have Jesus as our Lord?

For Jesus to be our Lord, we simply must do what He tells us to do. That doesn’t mean we will be perfect, but it does mean we are going to trust Him and follow Him in everything He tells us to do. Jesus posed the question to some people like this,

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Very simply, if Jesus is our Lord, we will do what He tells us to do! This means we will repent of our sin. Again, this does not mean that we will be perfect from now on. It means that we have chosen to follow Jesus for the rest of our lives. We do not become sinless, but we do begin to sin less!

So, have you ever made a decision like that and really meant it. I’m not talking about those times when you get in trouble and say, “God, if you get me out of this situation, I’ll do (blank) for you in return.” The Bible is talking about a pure and honest decision to truly live your life as a follower of Jesus. Well? Have you made that decision in your life? Are you sure? Maybe you don’t really know if you have, or not…

I was like that for a long time in my life. Then, one day, I decided it was time to stop playing games, stop guessing, and nail it down. As honest as I could, I asked Jesus to forgive my sin based on what He has done for me on the cross. I asked Him to come into my heart and save me. I promised Him to seriously live the rest of my life for Him, whatever that meant for my future, and I asked Him to help me get rid of the sin in my life. That marked a great change in my life and I became a different person!

When I got serious and honest with God in that way, He saved me. I prayed that prayer and I meant it. If you have never done that, you need to. I encourage you to do this and make things right with God. You can have hope and peace because God will give you a clean slate and a fresh start. Begin by asking Jesus to save you based on these Scriptures you have read. After all, Romans 10:13 says,

Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Praise God! One day I did just that and Jesus set me free. He changed my life and gave me hope. He will do the same for you. Start by praying this prayer and then email us, or pick of the phone to call the church and let us know, especially if you have questions. We want to rejoice with you and encourage you as you start your true walk with the Lord.

Our phone number is 865-435-1570. My email address is pastorscott@dyllisbaptistchurch.org. I look forward to answering your questions and serving you in any way possible. God bless!

Pastor Scott