Assalaam `alaikum

Dear Friend,

Hope. This is an interesting word. Most of the time it is used in the sense of, "I hope things will work out." But in the religious sense that is not the meaning of hope. Hope is a "confident expectancy." What is the hope that God expects us to have? A Muslim once said to me, "The most important thing is to have a love for God, faith in God and a hope in his mercy." What does all this mean though? What does God tell us about his love for us? What kind of faith does God require? How can I have a "confident expectancy" without a promise from God? Has God given us promises?

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have a hope that is grounded in what God has said and demonstrated of his love for me. Because I know God exists and has made promises to me, I have a life-changing faith. What does this mean? Well, it means that no matter what happens, I can give thanks because God says that "all things work together for good, to them that love God and are called according to his purpose." (NIV) It means I can always be joyful. It means that none of my circumstances have caught God unawares. It means that I don't have to force others around me to change in order for me to perform my religion correctly. It means that wherever I go, I have help from God. And all this is based not in my well-meaning but inadequate efforts to please God and earn a right standing before Him, but instead, it is based on God's love for me--what God has already done and what God has promised to do for and in me.

It is great to know this as a sure fact. It's also humbling to realize what God has done this for each human being that lives in this world. God has proven that he has given a message of hope and victory by raising Jesus Christ to life. That is the message of Easter, which has just been celebrated by many people around the world. Yet, many are unaware of the real meaning behind this message of hope in the resurrection of Christ.

The Holy Bible presents Jesus Christ as the perfect man. He is the fulfillment of the sign of the sheep sent to rescue Abraham's son. He has also been appointed by God to be the final judge. As the perfect man, he has the right to judge me, so I have chosen to made peace with him and have true hope. I would encourage you to investigate this matter for yourself. It may take some time and effort, but after this life is over, we must give an account of our lives to God-- then there will be no more time to investigate.

Sincerely,
Your friend, a servant of truth

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NIV®
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