Whether you live in sunny southern California or chilly Minnesota, your thoughts and emotions can keep you from receiving the promises in God’s Word. When your mind is full of worry: about a loved one’s health; the possibility of getting a decent job; living in a safer situation; or the pressures of life, your hope can be “frozen.”
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is a God of “hope.” He can fill you with joy and peace, so that your hope of expecting a good result in every area of your life will be fulfilled.
Romans 15:13 (AMP) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.
[The Greek word for hope in this verse means expectation.]
Many of you have probably watched the Disney movie, “Frozen”. If you have little girls in your life, you’ve probably seen it many times! Although we’re quite certain no spiritual implications were intended in the making of this movie; one can glean spiritual insight from many stories when guided by the Holy Spirit. That is what happened when Sarah watched Frozen (again) during a snow day at home with her youngest son. In the movie, Queen Elsa is isolated from the others in her kingdom [lyrics: “a kingdom of isolation”] and doesn’t let them see what is really going on in her mind. [lyrics: “Don’t let them in, don’t let them see. Be the good girl you always have to be. Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know.”] The Frozen world that Queen Elsa created was quite beautiful, but it was still lonely. How many of us have attempted to surround ourselves with pleasant things hoping they would bring us joy only to find that we still have that ‘something missing’ feeling?
The repeated lyrics, “the cold never bothered me anyway,” could easily be interpreted as someone who builds walls around themselves to keep others away, supposedly not being bothered, but really yearning for close relationships. It is true that we don’t all experience relationships with others in the same way. Some tend to be more sunny and outgoing while others are more comfortably reserved. Those qualities result from our culture and our nature; but the intentions of our hearts do matter. That is where our hope lies and we need to guard our hearts from being frozen in fear, apathy, selfishness and loneliness.
Thankfully, there is someone who yearns for a close relationship with us, and His name is Jesus Christ. He died, was resurrected, and now sits beside the Father in heaven, always making intercession (praying) for us. (Romans 8:34) We don’t have to fear a relationship with Him because He will meet us on our own terms. We will never have to build a wall around ourselves or isolate ourselves from Him. We can be confident that Jesus will give us a relationship full of grace, mercy and love. He invites each one of us today to allow the ridged iciness of this world to melt off of us in the light of His glory. While He will teach us to have fellowship and relationships with others, He will heal our own hearts first.
Colossians 1:11-14 (AMPC)
11 [We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy, 12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light. 13 [The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins.
1/22/17 Word of the Lord (given to Joanne during worship)
"Comfort, comfort, My people. I have heard your cries, I have seen your tears, I have heard your moans. Come to Me, come to Me, for I AM the God of all comfort. The devil is going about roaring like a lion trying to freeze you and tear you apart. But I AM come to give you life and life more abundantly. Let NOT your heart be troubled or afraid. I am your Healer, your Provider, your Peace. Come to Me and give me all the hurts and concerns of your heart. I will give you My Peace, which will surround you like a shield. Come and sit with Me and I will take all your burdens. I will guide you and comfort you. I will hide you in my pavilion and you will be safe", says the Lord.
~ Sarah & Joanne
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