Journey of Hope Part 3 Sermon Chad Everett Mt. Carmel Illinois Church
Hope is Anticipation and Expectation
He tells the truth. Notice it when it says by two immutable things in which is impossible for God to lie. It’s impossible for God to lie. Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we might have strong consolation or strong encouragement. What do Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we have encouraged?
Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we have strong encouragement because Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we believe that God never changes and he’s no respecter of persons and he never tells a lie. What he gives me is encouragement. Is anybody receiving this word this morning?
I just want to make sure I’m getting excited about what I’m hearing. Hey, strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold. That refuge means safety to lay hold of the hope that’s set before us. What are Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we supposed to lay hold of Mt. Carmel Illinois Mt. Carmel Illinois Church?
Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we’re supposed to lay hold of hope. What is hope? Hope is not answers Mt. Carmel Illinois Church. Hope is not details. Hope is anticipation and expectation. I’m laying hold of the expectation of God, without knowledge of how.
How can I do that? I can only do that if I believe that he never changes and his plans for me are always for a future and a hope. That he never lied because I know that I can lay hold of expectation and anticipation that what he said he will perform.
I don’t know how, and I wish I knew how. I can’t give in. I can’t let my expectation… I can’t lay hold of how, because when I try and lay hold of how I get discouraged.
I just have to lay hold of that he will. I have to lay hold of these faithful. They hold him, they hold his hope that is set before us. There’s a hope set before us, but if it says lay hold of it, it means it’s also possible to not lay hold of it, Mt. Carmel Illinois Church.
There’s Hope Set Before Us – Lay Hold of It
I recently took a trip. I Mt. Carmel Illinois Church went to a conference and got to fly and because Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we use, our American express card to pay for a lot of things Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we get a lot of points and miles and stuff.
I got to be upgraded to first class. Now before you get too excited, it was a little plane. So first, if you’re envisioning this, it wasn’t that, it was just a little bigger chair, which is not a luxury for me.
It’s really a requirement for me. So I’m in the seat and a man, (I’ve got a whole story about that I’d love to tell you about this guy) wanted to come sit beside me, never mind. So, Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we’re in first class, and what’s one thing, Mt. Carmel Illinois Church, that’s different about first class?
You sit in and coach, you know back with the peasants and you get back. It’s where I’m normally am, but hopefully in an exit row. But anyway, they come by and they give you an option. You can either have a Chex mix bag or what they call cookies.
What they call cookies and what I call cookies are two totally different things, but that’s another story. So you get one or the other. But if you’re in first class it’s different. If you’re on a bigger plane that’s even better, but in this little small first class place, they came back and they brought a basket.
In this basket they have bananas, chips, cookies, and all this stuff and they just brought the basket to you and lets you pick as much as you want.
They sat it before me and I’m like, “Which one?” And she was like, “As much as you want.” I’m like, “As much as I want?”
I’m like, “This is the life. I’ve never been up here before. What’s it like?” I’m waiving bags back and forth, Mt. Carmel Illinois Church. I could have whatever I want.
It was laid before me, but I had to choose it. I had to grab it. I could take it or leave it. This hope that set before us, it’s available for you and me, but Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we have to lay hold of it.
There’s an anticipation expectation of what God can do in our life. It’s set before us, but God says, if you will not lay hold of it Mt. Carmel Illinois Church, you will not experience it.
I could have looked around and said, no thank you. I couldn’t possibly, no, I don’t want to be greedy. I’ll just take one and see this guy over here who’s got four things. Oh God. It looks just like a woodchipper.
Things Mt. Carmel Illinois Church were just flying out of his mouth and going on and on. He’s drinking all these beverages for free and I’m like, man, what’s going on? I’m just over here. Mt. Carmel Illinois Church well, you don’t need all of that, but I had it available to me.
He laid hold of it. I didn’t. So he’s not over here. Sorry about your luck.
Challenge – What is Set Before Us?
He’s done this. What happens when Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we don’t lay hold of everything God has for us and Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we think Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we’re pious. Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we think we’re humble, but Mt. Carmel Illinois Church we’re missing what’s available. What is set before us. God says, I’m laying something before you take all you want.
Oh no, I just need to be forgiven of my sins and then I’ll make it till heaven comes. You can do that if you want, but he says, I’ve got some hope for you. I got some hope.
Will you lay hold of it? So this is what he says. So they hold up the hope that is before us. This hope, this whole hope. What hope? This hope. Everybody say this, hope. Hope, this hope, this hope.
What does this hope build on? The expectation and anticipation that God never changes. That he is no respecter of persons and that he never lies.
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