Our Future Hope in God

Dearest Saints. I enjoy the hope that Gods Word gives us in every detail of our lives. It reminds me that the measure of Hope we have in Christ and His Word will determine how much we love and trust in His Word. Just like the sermon from our Pastor we had this morning about paying attention to God. It was putting the difference between us paying attention and God receiving our attention. This was a reminder to me that God only receives the measure of our attention to Him of what we allow to give Him. When we give our full attention to Him, He receives our full attention. When we give Him only a portion of our attention, He can only receive that same measure of the attention we give Him. He will never receive less from us then what we are willing to give Him. Also, He can never receive any more from us than what we allow ourselves to give Him. He always receives the fullest of measure of what we permit to give Him. When we praise Him, He receives it!! This also tells me also that when we pray without having iniquity within us (Ps 66:18) according to His will, we can know that He inhabits our prayers (read 1 John 5:14,15). This is why we need to have faith and believe He is doing that work within us that we don't presently see. We only see the past and present while He sees all including the future but only chooses to forget our repented sins of the past. One scripture I have been giving attention to alot lately is found in 1 John 3:2,3. It mentions that we are to have that hope of becoming like Him and by this, we purify ourselves just as He is pure. I only thought that we should have that "Hopeful Expectation" of becoming like Him. We definitely "should", but I think it goes further. It reminds me that when we look at ourselves, we need to see ourselves by allowing God to shape us and make us become who He wants us to become. Therefore, we CANNOT afford to ever believe that we are a product of our past, no matter what! We ARE NOT to even consider ourselves as a product of this present, WE ARE the product of the future by what God is able to do for us and through us. He tells us that we are to come to Him just as we ARE because He doesn't see us what we were or what we are, but who we can become. Therefore, He doesn't want us to see ourselves presently, but to become what He alone is able to do in us. He doesn't see our past, nor does He see our present, He sees us to what we can become through Him. We need to have that same mindset. Too many people are making the mistake by holding on to their past and believing that they are by what they have done. The enemy wants us to believe his lies that we are a product of our past and present, which is why he only reminds us of our past and present. The devil is only as powerful to the measure we listen and believe his lies. When Eve started to listen to him and believe him, this is what gave satan power over Adam and Eve. The enemy never had any power over Christ because He never gave into his deceptions. In 2 Cor 5:17, God tells us as His Children that we ARE NEW creatures in Christ, the old has passed away and He has made something new within us. Not looking at our past or at our present, but looking joyfully and expectantly towards the future will always give us Hope. Having that true Hope that God gives us is always looking into the future of that wonderful expectation. Gods term of hope is an event that is SURE to take place and never "may/may-not" or based on any wishful thinking. He tells us in Rom 8:24 For in this hope we were saved [by faith]. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he already sees? Therefore, in order for us to carry that Hope (expectant joyful future) of God within, we need to believe that the future with Christ is nothing less than Beautiful beyond measure and eternal beyond comprehension. To make the best of our future and for us to have that hope to ever become like Him like it says in 1 John 3:3, we have to stop looking at our past or present condition. We have to stop listening to the lies of the enemy whether it be through other reading material other then what the Word says, or what other people say about our past or present condition. It's what God says that matters. We have to stop making excuses by saying something like "I can't help it, it's just the way I am". We have to turn that around and verbally declare something like: "God continues doing that wonderful work within me because He loves me". Or, "He is preparing me to become as His wonderful Bride". We will never be able to have this Hopeful expectation by our own effort. He is telling us to have that expectation by allowing Him to do that work within us that only He can do. It's verbally confessing our need of Him in every area and every moment of our lives. It's knowing that by His Spirit, He alone is going to make us become like Jesus that only He can do. From what I was thinking earlier, I believe that our need of Him will largely determine whether we will take any credit for ourselves or give the credit to God after the fact! This tells me we have to be pre-determined by Gods Grace that we will not ever allow any pride to have any place in our lives! Success in anyones life can be the most deadliest place to be because it opens the door for pride much easier which is often a stronghold in many lives. Just like Nebedcanezzar, he had to go to the field of oxens to come to his senses and know that the success of anyone was only by Gods Grace in the first place. Jonah had to find this out in a belly of a large fish! I am grateful by His Grace that I don't have to see myself as I was, or as I am, but my hope is allowing Him to do that work that I now do have that hope in becoming like Christ. I wouldn't want to see myself otherwise and thank God He doesn't either. He wants us to put our hope of the future in His hands. I pray that you will have this wonderful Hope within you as you allow Him to do a work that only He can do to become like Him. The amount He is able to do within us will depend on the measure we are willing to humble ourselves to Him so He can do that perfect work within each of us. God bless. In the Matchless Name of Jesus Richard Ministry Encourager Answers2Prayer http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife http://www.answers2prayer.org/