No Hope Can Lead To Real Hope

We all need hope to preserve through the unknowns of life. Hope is the very essence that keeps society going. But what happens when you've lost all the hope you had in this world? Many of us believe that no hope leads to a dead end, but no hope can lead to real hope. 

A perfect example that shows how no hope can lead to real hope is the story of the lame man whom Jesus had encountered in Jerusalem.  Jesus went to visit a pool in Jerusalem that many of the disabled people would go to lie in for healing. There he met the lame man who had been sick for 38 years. Jesus asked him, "Do you want to get well?" (John 5:6). 

The lame man answered, "I have no one to help me into the pool..while I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." (John 5:7). Now, what was the lame man's answer to Jesus's question? His answer was not a plain yes, but was better than a yes. 

His answer was a yes with an understanding that he had no other hope in this world to be healed.

The lame man was at a point where he no longer had hope that anything in this world could heal him, but it was his lack of hope that led him to completely surrender to Jesus. Jesus was his only hope left, and it was at the point of the lame man's surrender that Jesus healed him. Jesus told him to get up and walk, and by the power of God, he walked. 

The lame man's no hope led him to find real hope, which was Jesus. The lame man knew he couldn't bet on the pool to heal him. How about you? Are you still betting on other things in this world other than Jesus to be your hope? Jesus can't be your hope until he becomes your only hope. It's when you understand that you've got nothing else in this world to hold on to that Jesus can then start to do miracles in your life. 

The only way to find real hope in Jesus is to acknowledge that there is no other hope than Jesus. 

The lame man was in a perfect condition to accept Jesus and his blessing because he knew he had no other hope. If you find yourself like the lame with no hope, don't be discouraged because that is the exact heart that God is looking for. He is looking for those who understand that this world has no real hope. God wants to show you that hope can only be found in Jesus. 

Hebrews 6:19 says, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.." No matter how bad your circumstances may seem, God's hope will hold you still. His anchor of hope is so strong that no storm can shake it. Jesus wants to show you what real hope is, will you surrender all else and hold on to him?

If you are still betting on something else to be your savior, then you will never meet the real savior of the world who is Jesus. If you're still hoping on your job to give you assurance in life, or your family to provide all you need, then you will never be healed from the worries of life. 

Jesus is the only one who can heal you from all the worries and doubts that life brings. Jesus is asking you the same question he asked the lame man: Do you want to get well? Jesus wants to heal you, but you must be willing to believe that he is your only healer. Let him be the foundation that you stand on, and you can be sure that you will never be shaken. Isaiah 28:16 says, "..whoever believes need never be shaken."

Accept Jesus into your life, and you will see him become more real in your life. He wants you to have faith in him through the good and bad. You can be sure that with Jesus, the end will always be good. Embrace your brokenness, because all that it is doing is leading you to your true healer, Jesus. So remember, no hope can lead to real hope. 

Finding True Beauty In Life

There are a lot of things in this world that we would call beautiful. But if we take a deeper look to the things that already capture our hearts, we will find that there is a greater beauty that exists beyond what we see. It's the very thing that we can't see with our eyes that is the true beauty of life. Have you found true beauty in life?

For the past 6 weeks, I have been working on my Christian clothing line and store website. The project was fun, and best of all, I had a message that I wanted to share to young women through my clothing line. However, as much fun this all was, the process was definitely not fun.

Issues came up one after another and I was dying to finish up. 

Finally, after going through 3 web developers and countless shirt designs, my first shirt and store website was complete! I found myself staring at my completed finished work filled with joy. How beautiful was this all! Although all of that was beautiful, what really touched my heart was knowing that God put this all together from day one. 

Don't get me wrong, seeing my shirt and store website complete brings me great joy, but I realize that the true beauty is the God who was behind it all. From receiving the inspiration for my clothing line, to meeting a photographer who was willing to take pictures for me for free, and to meeting an illustrator who was able to put my vision on paper, all of this I credit to God. 

Life becomes more beautiful when we realize that behind it all is the Lord at work. 

David in the bible was a man who knew what true beauty was in life. Psalm 27:4 says, "One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord.." It's amazing to see that out of all the things that David could ask God for, he only asked to dwell with the Lord and to gaze at his beauty. 

David knew that everything beautiful and wonderful in life all led back to God himself. He didn't talk about gazing at the things of this world because he knew that behind it all was his beautiful creator, God. The beautiful sky we see everyday and the green pastures that surround us are all beautiful, but they all point back to the almighty God who created it all. 

It's not the very things of this world that should intrigue us, but the almighty power of God at work. God has the ability to do anything; to turn brokenness into beauty, to make the weak strong, and to make what is impossible possible. 

This is what true beauty is - that a God with such sovereignty and power would love us and put so much attention on us, even when we least deserve it. The job promotion you got may have been great, but knowing that God gave it to you when you didn't deserve it is the beautiful part. Your friend who's lived a change life may be beautiful,  but knowing that God was able to change someone who was doomed for destruction is what touches lives. When we look closely at our lives, we will find the true beauty of life points back to God.

I was touched with my clothing line and store website because I knew that it all came from God. Even though I am so undeserving, God is still willing to use me and make it all happen for his glory. 

Have you found the invisible yet real beauty of God in your life? God wants to show you his beauty because he loves you. He wants to show you who he is and be real in your life - will you let him? The more you spend time with God and realize how much you need him, the more you will start to see his beauty in your life. Reflect on what God is doing and wanting to do in your life, and know that God is not finished with your life yet. He has more amazing plans for you that is yet to come. So remember, God is the true beauty in life.

- Check out my new shirt and read the purpose behind it at livingrevelations.com/shop -

Seeing God's Beautiful Ways

We all hear about how amazing God's ways are, but have you seen it in your own life? Have you seen the beautiful outcome of following God? God's desire is to show you how beautiful he is and his ways are in your life. 

There was a time in my own life when I couldn't see the beauty of God's way. I would hear other people talk about how God did this and that for them, but I just couldn't see it in my own life. 

It was not that God was not moving in my own life - the problem was I was not letting God move in my life. 

A lot of us (including myself) complain about not seeing God's miraculous ways in our lives, but it is because we don't give God's way a chance. Doing things our way will not open the way for us to see God's way.

To see God's way starts with us surrendering our lives and accepting Jesus as our Lord. We cannot accept Jesus and still give in to our fleshly desires. It's one or the other; either God's way or our way. Satan will try to place lies in our mind telling us that we can still experience the fullness of Christ even with living the way we want to live. But the truth is, the only way to experience Christ to the fullest is to give our fullest to God. 

Accepting Jesus means we give ourselves away in exchange for Jesus. 

We cannot accept Jesus and still choose to live our own lives. To accept Jesus means we agree that he is better than us. 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, "..For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" We are the darkness, and Jesus is the light. Our sinful nature and Christ's holy nature cannot be in harmony. One must win over the other. 

It is when we truly accept Jesus that we can then see his beautiful will and plan in our lives. Accepting Jesus is a choice we have to make everyday. Our flesh and the Holy Spirit are in constant battle because we are still living in the sinful nature of our bodies. Therefore, we have to make the decision to die to ourselves daily. 

Romans 12:1-2 says, "..offer your bodies as a living sacrifice..then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will." What a beautiful promise this is, that when we sacrifice our life and follow God's way, he promises a good and perfect outcome for us.

God wants to show you the beauty of his ways, will you choose to let go of your ways and accept his ways no matter the cost? There will be days when you don't feel like following God's ways, but remember that his ways are guaranteed to end with a good result. 

Just recently I felt lazy to do the ministry God has called me to do. But I am glad that I obeyed and followed through because I was able to see God use me to touch a girl's life and to plant a seed of truth into her heart. I realized that I accepting Jesus is a choice I have to make everyday. I have to say no to myself and yes to God daily. 

If I had not obeyed God's way, I would never have been able to see God's beautiful ability to use me to change someone's life. 

God wants to show his beautiful ways in your life, will you let him? Will you take his invitation to take over your life? Accepting Jesus has a cost, and that cost is you. But it is when you give yourself up that you can then see the beauty of his ways. So remember, see God's beautiful ways in your life.