"I have no hope"! Maybe you followed this link because you think that is the way you feel about life, but the truth is you probably came here because you want to find a reason to hope. Or maybe you don't even know what hope is.
In simple terms hope is a reason to expect something good. Like many in this life maybe you feel like your hope has been taken by the things you have done. You believe hope is stolen by circumstances in life ranging from a lost job to addiction to drugs and alcohol. That is a lie!
There is an ultimate hope that
anyone can have
and that includes you. It is free, it is enduring, and it is liberating! That hope is the hope of eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ. You may think the things you have done will keep you from that. You may think you have a one way ticket to Hell. The truth is there is hope for you no matter what you have done. That is what the Bible is all about and here is how it works.
First, we are ALL sinners and none of us can save ourselves. Accepting that is the first step of hope. Romans 3:10 says, "There is none righteous, no, not one". That includes all of us. Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". That means even the best person is not good enough to be worthy of God's expectation. That includes preachers and presidents along with thieves and addicts, even murderers. That includes everybody... except Jesus.
Second, hope requires a price to be paid for sin. That price of sin is death and here's the good news:
the price has already been paid! Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus paid the price of death for you on the cross. If the price is paid that means it is a gift. A gift is free - there is nothing you do to earn it, or deserve it. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin
is death, but the gift of God
is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." The second step of hope is done. The price is paid but there is one more step.
The third step of hope is yours to take. You are a sinner and you need to be saved. The price of your sin is paid, but like any gift it has to be accepted. Romans 10:9-10 says, "
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." You may be thinking you can't do that because of what you've done, but remember, that was a lie.
Anyone can be saved! Romans 10:13 says, "...whoever calls on the name of the
Lord
shall be saved." That is a promise from God, and that is true hope! God's promise in His Bible says the way you accept the gift of eternal life is by confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart. If you want to be saved pray this prayer to God and believe in your heart:
"Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I cannot save myself in any way. I understand that you paid the price of my sin on the cross and I believe in my heart that God raised you from the dead. Please forgive me of my sin and save me. Please come and live in my heart. Amen."
God keeps his promises, and if you believed in your heart and prayed that prayer then you are saved. You have been adopted and made part of God's family. You are his child and you can call Him Father. Know that he LOVES YOU! He has taken away your sin and the shame of it. Your standing with God is right. YOU HAVE A REASON TO HOPE! Child of God, you have eternal life. You also have a new family in Jesus. We would love to hear from you at the Center of Hope.
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