http://bible.com/events/48538153
For What? Part 4: We’re for Hope
Week 1: We are for Jesus.
Week 2: We are for holiness.
Week 3: We are for compassion.
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We believe that as a church we are transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ.
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This week: We are for hope
Hope is: the joy and peace that is found in knowing-truly knowing-that a trustworthy God holds our future in his careful hands.
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Jeremiah 29:4-9NIV
4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 8 Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.
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Jeremiah 29:10-11NIV
10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
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1. God’s promise of hope has been fulfilled
– We have hope and a future NOW
– We pray to him and he listens to us NOW
– We find him when we seek him NOW
– We have hope NOW
2. Hope is a tool
3. We don’t keep hope to ourselves
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Romans 15:13NIV
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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God doesn’t just give us hope, he is the God of hope.