Hopeful Heart
  • Home
  • Word of the Day
  • Hopeful Heart Pictures
  • Bible verses on Hope
  • Testimonials
  • About Hopeful Heart

.

.

Hopeful Heart

Jesus Took Your Place so You Can Take His!

29/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Do you know that it was at the cross that Jesus addressed His Father as “God” for the first time? He had always addressed His Father as “Father”. But at Calvary’s tree, He addressed His Father as “God”.

Jesus lost that Father-Son relationship when He was representing you and carrying your sins at the cross so that today, you can call God “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15) and have a loving father-son relationship with God forever. Jesus was forsaken by God and His world became very dark on that lonely hill so that in your darkest hour, God will always say to you, “I will never leave you nor forsake you!” (Hebrews 13:5)

At the time when Jesus needed God most, God turned His back on Him. God had to turn His back on His Son because His eyes are too holy to behold all the sin that was in His Son’s body. And because God turned His back on Jesus, He will never turn His back on you. Instead, you will see God’s face of favor shining on you all the time!

Jesus also took your place of no protection at the cross. For the first time, He gave up divine protection so that you can have it every day of your life! And because He became sin, He took your curse at the cross so that today, as you take His gift of righteousness, you receive only blessings from God.

Jesus received the full brunt of God’s wrath in His body once and for all when He carried your sins. All of God’s anger and condemnation fell on Him, consuming all your sins until God’s wrath was exhausted.

Today, God is not angry with you. The body of Jesus absorbed everything—your sins, curses, and God’s anger and condemnation. So live life expecting to see not the judgment, but the goodness and blessings of God!

Matthew 27: 46
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

- taken from Daily Grace Inspiration by Joseph Price-


0 Comments

The life of prayer

26/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
An important help in the life of prayer is the habit of bringing everything to God, moment by moment, as it comes to us in life. This may become a habit the same way all habits are formed: repeated and constantly attended, moment by moment, until that which is at first an act of will becomes spontaneous and second nature.

If we will watch our lives, we shall find that God meets the things that we commit to Him in prayer with special blessing. He often allows the best things that we have not committed to Him to be ineffectual, simply to remind us of our dependence upon Him for everything. It is very gracious and thoughtful of God to compel us gently to remember Him. He would hold us so close to Himself that we cannot get away for a single minute from His all-sustaining arm. 

In every thing . . . let your requests be made known unto God (Philippians 4:6).Let us bring our least petitions, Like the incense beaten small, All our cares, complaints, conditions Jesus loves to bear them all.Pray without ceasing -1 Thessalonians 5:17

- A. Simpson

0 Comments

The Birth, Death, Resurrection of a Vision

22/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Every one of God's visions and dreams goes through this process of birth, death, and resurrection. You have not really received a dream from God unless you've carried a burden, gotten all excited because you have given birth to a newborn visions and then, often with great dismay, watched what seems to be a death. The vision dies - people leave; the money dries up; the situation goes haywire; you just can't figure out what to do about it.

Then, and only then, God will come through with a resurrection. He uses that process to sanctify the dream so that when it really does come to past it will not be an egotistical thing for you. instead, you will be able to stand back and declare, "God did it! I almost gave up on it. I doubted the vision, but the Lord did it anyway!" You will know beyond a shadow of doubt that God did it, because it used to look so hopeless. See, it really was bigger than you were.  You really could not have brought that thing back to life like that. God broke the limits off. He raised it back to life. He finished what He started.

- Exerpt taken from "Believe that You Can" by Jentezen Franklin-

For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day. Hab 2:3

0 Comments

The five year plan

21/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
The future can be a scary place, whether you are studying, moving to a different country, changing jobs, starting a new relationship, whatever season you are in it never really stays the same. Life is not a constant, it is ever changing and we can fight it, go along for the ride or ask God to guide us through.

People ask, “What is your five year plan?” some of you may know that already. However, I don’t think I have ever had the answer to that question and I still don’t. Yes, when I think about the future it can scary, but God has our lives in His hands. If you ever think you have control of your life, you are seriously mistaken. Anything can happen and come your way. I’m not saying don’t have a five year plan. It’s good to have goals that you can put in place so that you can achieve them, but you never know what may happen and what God may want you to do. 

Living a life of comfort isn’t exactly what we were put on this earth to do. We all have a purpose. We can either live according to His will or our own. We have a choice, but God has such wonderful things in store for us if we only believe and walk by faith.

Isaiah 25:1
Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.

- Zhen Ang


0 Comments

The best little heart’s-ease

19/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
A story is told of a king who went into his garden one morning, and found everything withered and dying. He asked the oak that stood near the gate what the trouble was. He found it was sick of life and determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine. 

The pine was all out of heart because it could not bear grapes, like the vine. The vine was going to throw its life away because it could not stand erect and have as fine fruit as the peach tree. The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac; and so on all through the garden. 

Coming to a heart’s-ease, he found its bright face lifted as cheery as ever. “Well, heart’s-ease, I’m glad, amidst all this discouragement, to find one brave little flower. You do not seem to be the least disheartened.” “No, I am not of much account, but I thought that if you wanted an oak, or a pine, or a peach tree, or a lilac, you would have planted one; but as I knew you wanted a heart’s-ease, I am determined to be the best little heart’s-ease that I can.” 

Each of us has different talents and purposes, let us shine our brightest in all we can do and have; even the stars differ from each other in their glory. Praise the Lord who created us unique to each other.

1 Corinthians 15:41
The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.

- Anonymous

0 Comments

Three ways to change a “crazy busy” lifestyle.

15/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Are you living a “crazy busy” lifestyle? Do you constantly run from one activity to another? Do you often eat while checking your email or calendar? Most importantly, are you so busy that you don’t have time to stop and listen to God? Developing an intimate relationship with God requires time. If you have been so busy that you haven’t had time to spend with God, it is time to change your focus.

The story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 demonstrates what it means to be so focused on your work and activities that you neglect to spend time with God. Martha was caught up in all the tasks she had to do, while Mary was sitting and listening to Jesus. When Martha complained about doing the work all by herself, Jesus told her that she shouldn’t be worried and upset about the household work. He said that Mary had made a better choice by sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus.

If you have gotten into a lifestyle of busyness, think about these three things:

  1. Be still. “Be still and know that I am God!” (Psalms 46:10a). How often during your waking hours are you actually still? When you sit down, how often do you have your phone, your laptop or the remote control in your hand? There should be time each day when you stop your activity, put down the electronic devices, and be still. As you find time to be still in His presence, you will realize that He is God and that He has everything in your life under control.
  2. Be patient. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him…” (Psalms 37:7a). Most people don’t like to wait. We become impatient with traffic, lines and delays. Our schedules are so tight that any wait is frustrating. We even become impatient with God. If God doesn’t speak to us in the first five minutes of prayer, we decide He isn’t talking today. When it comes to God, we need to learn to be patient, to listen, and to wait in faith-filled expectancy. God’s timing is perfect and you will receive the strength you need when you wait patiently on the Lord.
  3. Put God first. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13).Intimacy with God must be the highest priority of your life. Why is it that we hear from God in crisis better than other times? It’s because a crisis moves hearing from God to priority number one. But until hearing from God is always our first priority, we will keep living from crisis to crisis. Don’t wait for a crisis to make God your top priority. Make sure that the first and most important thing you put on your schedule every day is the time you spend seeking God with your whole heart.
Fasting is a perfect time to readjust your “crazy busy” schedule. All of the time that you spend shopping for food, cooking, cleaning up after meals or going to a restaurant is time that can be shifted to seeking God. If your schedule has become so busy that God is getting short-changed, fasting will help you readjust your priorities so that you have time to be still and patiently wait on the Lord. God has blessings and increase planned for your life. Make sure you aren’t so busy that you miss what He wants to give you!

- Taken from Jentezen Franklin Media Ministries -

0 Comments

Letting God lead and take control

13/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
As the New Year has begun, some of us strive to meet the goals we set from our new year’s resolutions. It is easy to set resolutions that are superficial such as getting the ideal beach body or to eat healthy, but what about nurturing the spiritual fruits God has provided in us? 

In Acts 5:38-39, it emphasises the assurance of victory when we follow Gods plan for our lives rather than relying upon the acts and words of men and ourselves. As the familiar passage goes, with God all things are made possible. So why not allow God to take control over your life and receive the new opportunities God provides you for 2015?

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. – Colossians 3: 1-2 (NKJV)

- Melanie Riley

0 Comments

When Super Becomes Natural

12/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
We usually think of things that are beyond our comprehension as supernatural or miraculous, but those things aren’t supernatural to God because He operates in the spiritual realm where everything is “natural” to Him. There is nothing that’s impossible for God. A lot of things God does are beyond our power and grasp of things and what we consider natural, so when they happen we say they are supernatural. But with God nothing is impossible, so nothing is supernatural to Him.

God can do things that are contrary to what we consider His natural laws. When someone is healed of an incurable disease, for example, we call it a miracle because we’re seeing the evidence or manifestation of some of God’s laws that link the spiritual and the physical realms—laws that we know little about.

To God, on the other hand, it’s simple! He knows how to undo whatever damage the disease may have done and thereby creates what to us is a miracle, a supernatural act that is beyond our capabilities.

God is always ready, willing, and able to work miracles on our behalf, miracles of healing, supply, protection, or whatever else we may need when we ask Him to in faith and claim the promises from His Word.

John 14:12
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

- Anonymous

0 Comments

Seeking God

8/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Over the last week, the news was dominated by a recent plane crash killing over a hundred people and a separate  mass shooting incident. 
 
It's in times like this that we are reminded how fragile life is. The reality is that we are eternal beings having a human experience. 

God allows great and not so great things happen to each of us. When we yield and surrender our lives to Him, He uses great, and difficult situations to shape us, get our attention and cause us to depend upon Him. It's in this dependence that we truly find the meaning and purpose for our lives.

He desires us to question, seek and think upon Him! We may not have the answer we are looking for, but we definitely will have the answer that we need!

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭26-27‬

-Jo Voon-

0 Comments

Choose to chew

7/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
As Christians sometimes we think we know it. I’ve heard this passage hundreds of times before. It’s always the same. Well, sometimes when we sit and meditate on His Word even though we have read that same passage countless times we can still get fresh revelation. It depends on what we are going through at that time, our mental state or even looking for a passage that uplifts someone may in fact give us a different perspective. 

God’s Word is never changing, but we are. God can reveal more to us if we just let Him.  The Word is there to encourage us and build us up, to guide us when times are rough, to help us sing praises and thank Him when we have it good. No matter what you are going through there is a bible verse specifically for you. It is exactly what you need at that exact time. Meditate and chew on His Word and it will breathe new life.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

- Zhen Ang

0 Comments
<<Previous
    Through this site, we hope to encourage you in your faith journey as well as our own.

    Be hopeful. Be blessed.
    

    RSS Feed

    Picture



    Categories

    All
    Anger
    Arise
    Assurance
    Beautiful In His Timing
    Belief
    Blessings
    Breakthrough
    Choose Your Thoughts
    Comfort
    Courage
    Discernment & Wisdom
    Discouragement
    Disobedience
    Dissapointment
    Faith
    Favor
    Fear/doubt
    Festive Seasons
    Forgiveness
    Friendship
    God Is In Control
    God Provides
    God's Grace
    God's Mercy
    God's Unfailing Love
    God's Word
    Gratitude
    Holy Spirit
    Hope
    Humility
    Jesus Understands
    Joy
    Loneliness
    New Creation In Christ
    Peace
    Perseverance
    Power Of Words
    Praise
    Prayer
    Pride
    Psalm 23
    Quotes
    Rest In The Lord
    Restoration/ Healing
    Salvation
    Self Worth
    Small Things Matter
    Stewardship
    Success
    Temptation
    Thankfulness
    Trust
    Walk With Christ
    Worry
    Worship

    Archives

    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from steakpinball, Elo_M., Sisterazzi, [puamelia], Go-tea 郭天, Ales Kladnik, edanley, InspiredVision, kleuske, Vampire Bear, Guilherme Yagui, Luchiano Prata, Filip Chudoba Performance., mysza831, Chewonki Semester School, girish_suryawanshi, Oneras, zenera, gunman47, docoverachiever, Yashna M, treehouse1977, Salvatore G2, Heath Cajandig, Upupa4me, ryanvanetten, jenniferforjoy, amy32080, Barbara L. Hanson, WarmSleepy, Pawel Pacholec, Kelly Hau Photography, Shot Your Photo, Bods, wackybadger, Art4TheGlryOfGod, Luci Correia, CJS*64 A man with a camera, trevorhpittman, emiliokuffer, SounderBruce, Ajith_chatie, TheNickster, OakleyOriginals, symphony of love, Hammershath, laradanielle, Stephanie Overton, Veronique Debord, mike138, Mini D, StarsApart, James Loesch, montuno, Alaskan Dude, jeffdjevdet, allenran 917, Waiting For The Word, Biscarotte, Joe Thomissen, cuongvnd, Philippe Put, The Forest Vixen's CC Photo Stream, amy32080, Allie_Caulfield, Dziunka (an amatour photographer), penjelly, farrago510, Ross Elliott, heipei, Philip Male, BLMOregon, SurFeRGiRL30, D&S McSpadden
© Copyright IS Hopeful Heart 2011 - 2023