New Year Expectations for a Hopeful Future

Hope for the future can be supported by expectations that good things do happen to those who trust in God’s goodness and mercy. How would you define expectation? Simply put, expectations identify what you want, or fear will happen, in the future. Expectations are closely related to what is anticipated.

Scores of people go forward into the new year expecting to make changes that will have a positive outcome. Good things can happen, so evaluate your expectations to be sure they’re in line with what is possible. God gives you faith for analyzing what is within reach of his will for you.

God designed us to make changes in our life where we fail to live up to self-imposed goals and expectations. Moving forward from where we are now can be achieved by trusting that “God is working by his power in us to do much more than we could ever ask for or even imagine.” This can be your hope for the future. Happy New Year!  

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The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

~Proverbs 10:28 English Standard Version

 

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can see something of the future he has called you to share. I want you to realize that God has been made rich because we who are Christ’s have been given to him!

~Ephesians 1:18 The Living Bible

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A New Year of Hope: Lay a New Foundation with God's Light

 When I think about the word foundation, the words from the hymn “How Firm a Foundation” surface clear and distinct. The words of the hymn speak to the issues we’ve faced for the past two years and give hope for making this year count for good. It is possible to lay a new foundation for blessings and hope by permitting the love of Christ Jesus to dominate your life.

What are you willing to change in the way you live your life that will honor God so you can experience his blessings and his peace? Since we are people, we fall short of being who we could be, but by God’s mercy and kindness we can go forward to fulfill his purpose for us.

This new year will be different as you come clean with God by repenting of every sin that’s preventing you from experiencing his peace. Refuse to live in the shadows of what’s hidden deep in your soul by permitting the light of Christ Jesus to purify you of all unrighteousness.  He will do it. Happy New Year.

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The solid foundation that God has laid cannot be shaken; and on it are written these words: “The Lord knows those who are his” and “Those who say that they belong to the Lord must turn away from wrongdoing.”

~2 Timothy 2:19 Good News Bible

My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God’s people.

~Ephesians 1:18 Contemporary English Version

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Inextinguishable Hope

Have you noticed how some folks can be contented with just about anything life places upon them? Then there are individuals who have everything but cannot be contented, especially if someone has something more desirable. Jacob and his mother were obsessed with stealing the blessing that belonged to his brother Esau.

They were so obsessed with their plan of deception that they could not understand how hurtful their sinful act would be to Isaac the father and to Esau. Suppose you were stripped of all your power, finances and joy. In addition, you would forever be subject to a younger sibling’s control with no hope for change.

 

Isaac did give Esau one small blessing, but it seemed negative and absent of hope. However, even a small flicker of hope that the Lord Jesus Christ gives can never be extinguished, no matter how dark life becomes.  Ephesians 1:18 is encouraging. “I pray that your heart will be flooded with hope so you can see the future Christ Jesus has called you to share.”