I received a lot of positive response from last Sunday’s message, The Halo Effect, the first of a series of three sermons about Inspiring Hope. In a world that is feeling hopeless by and large, you and I as Christ followers have hope for the present and the future. We live each day with hope and prepare ourselves to tell others about our reason for hope when they ask us.

This week I will take time to explore how the hope that we have can be strengthened and matured. We will work through Romans 5:1-5 to discover how God develops hope in us that never disappoints us as we go through life challenges that may even cause us to suffer. Take some time over the next few days to read this Scripture and contemplate the process that we undergo as we stay connected to Christ by faith.

Worry is the potential for any of us when faced with uncertainty and difficult situations. What can we do when we start to worry so that we can experience peace and joy instead? What can we tell others to do who are going through tough times based on our own experiences? That includes other Christ followers and those who have not yet surrendered themselves to Jesus as Lord.

If you have time, also read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to see three essential attitudes to cultivate that will enable you to participate in the will of God at all times. Doing these things will keep you refreshed in your thinking and positive in your faith. That’s because obedience to God’s will is the pathway to experiencing God’s continuous blessing and favour, what I sometimes refer to as the ‘God-advantage’.

I look forward to meeting with you Sunday for worship and the word. We will also be celebrating Communion together as well as a time for prayer for needs.

Blessings.

Pastor Del