Our True Source of Hope

Show Notes

Do you fear the future and the uncertainty that comes with it? We never know what tomorrow will bring, but we can be confident if we know our true source of hope. We’ll find peace of mind rooted in God’s Word today on MoneyWise.

• LET’S TALK ABOUT HOPE
• Jeremiah 29:11 reads, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
• When we walk with Christ, our hope focuses on the eternal. Putting our hope in the One who promised to rise from the dead and did! He keeps all of His promises.
• In Matthew 6, Jesus tells His disciples, “Do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
• And in Philippians 4:6, Paul gives us a prescription for confidence. He says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
• We never want to put our hope in our bank account, because that would be putting our trust in our money. And the Bible is clear you cannot serve two masters. You can serve God OR money, but not both.
• WHY DO WE DESPAIR?
• America is the richest nation in history. Most of our poor are far better off than most people around the world. Yet we often find ourselves in despair and without hope.
• It could be that our expectations come from looking at others around us and then falling into the deadly comparison trap. Our expectations become relative to the Joneses next door. We assume that God will make us at least as successful as the guy in the cubicle next to us.
• That leads to another problem if we begin to think that we’re not blessed because we aren’t spiritual enough. Then we begin to worry that others will think we aren’t very spiritual. Otherwise, God would bless us. This is entirely unbiblical. God promises to provide for our needs, not our wants.
• And we will have difficulties in life … financial and otherwise. And the Bible tells us how to deal with them. In James 1 we’re told, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.”
• And in Romans 5, “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.”
• God uses trials in life to shape our character into the image of Christ. Because you are “saved by faith and not of your own works” … you’re already spiritual enough.
• We’re to follow the financial principles laid out in the Bible. Earn, save and giv, and then rely on God for the results.
• High prices and rising inflation don’t negate His principles. Still, when the primary provider in a household can’t provide as much as those around him or her, discouragement and fear may set in.
• And that can be especially troublesome for parents if they’re unable to shower their kids with expensive gifts like the neighbors do. Too often, they resort to credit cards and debt, hoping to not disappoint the kids.
• SHARING ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS
• And sometimes those around us have real needs and are struggling. What if their financial needs could be helped by the abundance God has blessed most of us with? What if that’s the exact reason God’s given some people more than they require?
• The church in Acts 2 is our model for helping, supporting and feeding one another. There we read, “They had all things in common and began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them all, as anyone might have need.”
• Of course, that doesn’t mean we should live communally. But meeting each other’s needs when someone is going through a difficult time is the minimum God expects.
• Proverbs 17 reminds us “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” And “our love for one another” is supposed to be the chief sign to the world of our changed lives and Whom we serve … God, the source of all our hope.

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• What are your options to invest in a faith-based way?

• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor