Posts with the tag “hope”

Isaiah 9:6-7 reminds us that humanity has consistently failed to create lasting peace and justice on our own. From the Garden of Eden to the present day, our attempts at self-governance and righteousness have fallen short. Yet into this darkness, God speaks a promise that changes everything: a child is born, a son is given. This isn't just any ruler or political solution—this is God Himself entering our brokenness in human form. The titles given to this promised child reveal the depth of what we've been given: Wonderful Counselor who speaks perfect truth into our confusion, Mighty God who holds all power, Everlasting Father who provides and protects, and Prince of Peace who offers not merely the absence of conflict but complete wholeness—shalom. We live in the 'already but not yet' reality where Christ's kingdom has begun but isn't fully realized. But the Lord guarantees completion of every promise. In the midst of our darkest moments, when life feels overwhelmed by uncertainty and the weight of our own failures, we find ourselves standing where ancient Israel once stood, surrounded by darkness, waiting for His light.  Read More

This study takes us to one of the most poignant moments in biblical history—Moses' final ascent up Mount Nebo, where he would see the Promised Land but never enter it. Yet this isn't ultimately a story about Moses' disappointment or God's harshness. Instead, it reveals three unshakeable truths that anchor our faith in both life and death: God's Word endures forever, His work always gets finished, and His will always prevails. We discover that Moses' exclusion from the land wasn't arbitrary cruelty but purposeful wisdom, pointing forward to the reality that no human leader—not even Moses—could provide the ultimate rest God's people needed. Only Jesus could do that. The passage reminds us that our mountaintop experiences with God aren't about our significance but about encountering the God who is significant. When we grasp that God's will is greater than our desires, wiser than our understanding, and not thwarted by our faithlessness, we can finally stop trying to shape God's will to fit our plans and instead shape our desires to align with His purposes. The most stunning revelation comes when we realize Moses does eventually stand in the Promised Land—centuries later on the Mount of Transfiguration, alongside Jesus, discussing the exodus Christ would accomplish. Our hope isn't in our perfection or our ability to finish what we start; our hope is in the God who completes what He begins.  Read More