Verse of the Day - Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 15:13 (NIV)

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Yesterday, on my commute home, I heard a radio ad for local rescue missions. A guy was telling his story about what his local mission did for him. His word was "hope"...they gave him hope. Hope to get out of a bad lifestyle, hope to strive for a desired career. And he gave credit to God for that hope.

The Bible says that God is "the God of hope"...

(okay, so in trying to find testimonials from a local rescue mission, I stumbled on this page from a Tennessee rescue mission called "Hope House". May you be encouraged to read how God changes lives and gives hope to the hopeless... http://www.hopehousemission.com/testimonials.htm)

You could spend countless hours reading stories of people that had no hope, where God stepped in and rescued their dying spirit. What a blessing to know God has that kind of power! He is an awesome God, amen?!?

I was also thinking yesterday about those in my community who may be drowning in hopelessness and what my small group could do to help them feel human again, feel like life is worth living. I have some ideas that I'll be sharing with my small group friends to lend a hand and offer hope in the name of Jesus. I hope you can consider, too, what you, as a believer in Jesus Christ, can do to be the hands and feet of Him who gave you hope.

I want to be your hands
I want to be your feet
I'll go where you send me
I'll go where you send me

And I try, yeah I try
To touch the world like
You touched my life
And I find my way
To be your hands
~ from Hands and Feet, by Audio Adrenaline

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ~ Romans 10:13-14

Jesus is help for the helpless and hope for the hopeless. Jesus does save, Jesus does rescue. Are you offering the Bread of life and hope to someone...?...anyone?

Be His hands and His feet today and offer the Hope of the world to a world without hope.

Love,
Joelene