18th June 2023 Infill Service - Yasmin Chaffer - Living in Hope

Wow money well. Following on our theme then our series this month. No

place I'd rather be if the Lord wanted me to speak on living in hope,

and I feel like I'm kind of reiterating the message we've had throughout worship

actually, and also what Isabel prayed over me before the service. There is

definitely no place I would rather be than living in Jesus and in the knowledge

that He lives in me. That is the amazing promise that we have in

John fifteen, verse four. Live in me and I will live in you.

Think about that, the Living God, Jesus himself lives inside of me,

of you by his Holy Spirit, and I live in him. Personalize

this if you know the Lord, the one who had all the answers,

who is the one true God, who made the universe, the earth,

people, all living things, The one who is Love, who is life,

has all power to whom belongs all glory and praise, is alive in

me, in you by his Holy Spirit. Praise God. Living in Jesus

and living in Hope go hand in hand because Jesus is God, He is

the son of the Living God, and God is a God of hope.

As it says in Romans fifteen, verse thirteen, and I'm reading from the

Christian Standard Bible. Now, may the God of Hope fill you with all

joy and peace as you believe, so that you may overflow with hope by

the power of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for hope used here means

expectation or confidence in this context of something good. It's not peppered with doubt

or unbelief or even wishful thinking. You may have heard it said many times

before, but I think it's worth repeating the difference between Biblical hope and how

it's commonly used. For example, I hope that it's sunny tomorrow. Often

that statement would be based on wishful thinking here in England, but with the

heat wave that we're currently experiencing, or at least heat wave by our standards,

we can biblically hope that it will be sunny for at least part of

tomorrow. But I think we need to be mindful of what hope means in

the Bible. Are not subconsciously diluted to wishful thinking when we're reading or listening

to the Word of God. Now, may the God of Hope fill you

with all joy gladness, calm, delight. This is what the word in

the original Greek means, May the God of Hope fill you with all joy

and peace. The meaning of the word peace also includes quietness, rest,

to set at one again. What does this verse tell us? God is

a God of hope. Hopelessness doesn't come from him. It usually comes when

we take our eyes off him and all circumstances feel overwhelming. This verse tells

us how to manage it. Trusting God opens the door for our God of

Hope to fill us and fill us with what comes from him, joy and

peace, as we believe these are gifts of the spirit, which are grown

as we trust in God, the One True God, our Heavenly Father,

who is a God of hope. Not only that, but it's possible to

overflow with hope. Think about what that looks like. It's not something we

have to only see in others experience as spectators, but we have the invitation

for ourselves as well. Trusting God opens the door. Our God of Hope

wants to fill you with your joy and peace as you trust in Him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I have a water bottle at home with the words hope anchors the soul on

it. I really like my water bottle because it's a shade of blue that

reminds me of the sea, which I really love, and I really really

like the reminder on it of the truth that hope anchors the soul, as

it says in Hebrews six. Nineteen June. Hunt was an author, speaker,

and founder of a Biblical counseling ministry called Hope for the Heart. In

a Bible study called Hope the Anchor of Your Soul, she says this what

causes confusion about hope. Many people do not understand why their hope fails,

yet in reality, their concept of hope is wrong. Consequently, understanding what

Christian hope is and is most valuable. Christian hope is not dependent on another

person or group of people, but rather dependent on the Lord alone. It

is not wishful thinking, vague longing, or trying to fulfill a dream,

but rather is assured, unchangeable, and absolute. Hope is not determined by

circumstances, events, or abilities, but rather is determined by what is already

secure and promise. Hope anchors our souls. Whilst the author of Hebrew was

writing to believe us under pressure in their faith. I believe this is a

general principle. Our soul is our mind, will and emotions, and we've

been given these with good reason by God, and they can serve as well.

However, they can also be negatively affected by our circumstances and swayed this

way and that, influenced by other people, negatively and positively. But hope,

real hope anchors them. It holds us steady when the sea of life,

to put it that way, could otherwise potentially cast us adrift or cause

us to get stuck. It's funny what you learn when you're preparing a sermon,

as I've honestly never thought about the purpose of an anchor before. But

hope is our anchor that stops us from getting stuck. I love this children's

book that recently came out called Count Yourself Calm. It's about taking big feelings

to a big God. It talks about something you can learn to do on

good days, so that's good practice so you're better able to do it on

tough days. And personally, I think the exercise is just as valid for

big kids as other little ones, so breathe in through your nose and out

through your mouth. Feel free to try this at home as well. Do

it again, but this time, as you breathe in, pray God,

help me to trust you, and as you breathe out, pray with all

my heart. That's from Proverbs three, verse five. Next countdown, starting

with five. Can you name five things that God made that bring you joy

happily. I'm grateful to say I didn't find this too difficult, even excluding

chocolate. So we have simon see some friendship that was God's idea and laughter.

I have a friend who would probably include rats in that list. He

has rats as pets. I don't share his joy in them. As it

says in the book, God's Words says, the Lord has done great things

for us, and we are filled with joy that Psalm one hundred and twenty

six, verse three. Now list four gifts from God that make you peaceful.

For example, reading staring out to sea, listening to bird song,

going for a walk in the countryside. God's word says, in peace,

I will lie down and sleep for you alone. Lord may mean well in

safety. That's Psalm four and verse eight. Now name three people in your

life, but God uses to encourage you. I was spoiled for choice,

so I left it there. God's word says, encourage one another and build

each other up. That's one. Thessalonians five and verse eleven share two promises

of God that give you hope. So, for example, Joe Bait verse

twenty one in the New Living Translation says, he will once again fill your

mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. I was regularly speaking

this over my life at one stage when I was going through a really difficult

time and naturally couldn't speaking, couldn't see how it could come to pass.

I'm starting to see the outcome of that now, of what I've spoken to

my life. But I know there's more I need to keep speaking it.

Inconsistency lies power. Another great promise of God that gives me hope is that

He's chosen me. As it says in John fifteen, verse sixteen, and

I'm reading from the NIV, you did not choose me. This is Jesus

speaking. You did not choose me, But I chose you and appointed you

so that you might go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. And

so whatever you ask in my name, the Father will give you. You

aren't chosen, not rejected. You have a purpose. You have been appointed

by God to be fruitful, to do that which is of eternal value.

And you're not being dropped in at the deep end and expected to do this

on your own, but with our heavenly Father's help. It's worth remembering to

keep our heavenly Father's perspective on what is fruit that will last. For example,

I was talking recently to this lovely lady called Sylvia, who I know

a little. She has and has had plenty of challenges in her life,

including a diagnosis of dementia about which she's quite open, and obviously it does

affect her to a degree which you can imagine. But she always, and

I mean always, she is always praising God. She doesn't allow the challenges

she faces to stop her from praising Him. And it's not false. They're

not empty words. You can tell by seeing her face. She's bearing eternal

fruit, being such a great example to me and others around her of what

it means to praise God in season and out of season, through the good

times and the challenges. At the end of the day, praising God through

the challenges when it's hard, when you don't feel like it is a sacrifice.

We can only make this side of heaven. So share two promises of

God that give you hope because God's God's word says, as I mentioned earlier,

may the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you

trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope. It's Romans fifteen,

verse thirteen, and the last one in the countdown. What is one

word that describes God and calms you down? So, for example, Emmanuel

is one of the names of Jesus and it means God with us. And

if God is with me, then I'm not on my own doing whatever I

need to do. He is more than enough for whatever I'm facing and isn't

holding back on me. He is for me and not against me. That

is the God who is with me. God is love and loves me can

completely despite the fact that he knows me completely. He's chosen me and he

won't deselect me. When we know who is with us, we can do

all things through Christ, who strengthens us. As we were singing earlier from

Philippines four thirteen, Jesus knows what it's like to need to be strengthened to

do what you're called to do. It's recorded in Luke twenty two that he

prayed, asked our heavenly Father, if possible, that he might not have

to endure what was before him, the agony of the cross and suffering that

was his destiny, but prayed nevertheless, not my will, but yours be

done Luke twenty two, Verse twenty two, and then in verse forty three,

it says, then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him.

Jesus needed it, so do we. What is one word that describes

God and halms you down? God's word says God is our refuge and strength,

a helper who is always found in times of trouble Some forty six and

verse one, And take another deep breath through your nose, praying God,

help me trust you, and as you breathe out, say with all my

heart. My personal view is that this exercise in count yourself calm is a

great way to refocus on the Lord if you're feeling overwhelmed and or hopeless.

It reminds you of why you hope in the Lord and can keep on hoping

in him. It can help us to reset It's a great way to manage

your emotions, which is helpful. When we're calm, it's easier to hear

what God is saying to us, even if we don't hear anything specific at

that point. If we're calm, it's still easier to get on with what

we know we've got to do to take the next step in front of us.

If we don't have much time to sit and pray, we can still

do that simple breathing exercise. Breathe in through your nose, God, help

me trust you with whatever it is. And as you breathe out with all

my heart, think about what it means to trust God with all your heart.

That means no room, for example, for fear, worry, doubt,

anxiety, or unbenef and ask the Lord to help you to do it.

In thinking about what it means to live in hope, I do think

it's also good for us to consider Proverbs thirteen and verse twelve. Hope deferred

makes the heart sick, but when desire is fulfilled, it's a tree of

life. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. It can be hard to keep

going, to keep playing our part when you're waiting and waiting for what you're

believing for but God is faithful to meet us where we are. Joyce Smier,

the Christian author and speaker, says something really helpful about this verse in

her Amplified Bible. What is hope deferred? I believe it's what we call

disappointment. We're all disappointed when things do not work out the way we would

like. We've become disappointed when we have a plan that fails, a hope

that does not materialize, or a goal that we do not reach. We're

disappointed by everything from a picnic that's rained off to the loss of a job.

We're disappointed when the new watch we've been given doesn't keep time correctly,

or when the child we'd hope we'd grow into a mature adult shows no signs

of doing so. When such things happen for a certain period of time,

we experience a let down, one that can lead to depression if not handled

properly. That is when we have to make the decision to adapt, unadjust,

to take a new approach, and just keep going despite our feelings.

This is when we must remember that we have the greater One residing within us,

so that no matter what may happen to frustrate us, or how long

it may take for our dreams and goals to become realities. We're not going

to give up and quit just because of our emotions. That is when we

must remember what God wants impressed on me in such a moment. When you

get disappointed, you can always make the decision to get reappointed. Disappointment often

leads to discouragement, which is even more of a downer. We have all

experienced the depressing feeling that comes after we've tried our very best to do something

and either nothing happens or it all falls totally apart. How disappointing and discouraging

it is to see the things we love sensuesly destroyed by others, or even

worse by our own neglect or failure. Regardless of how it may happen or

who may be responsible, it's hard to go on when everything we counted on

falls down around us. That is when those of us who have the creative

power of the Holy Spirit on the inside can get a new vision, a

new direction, and a new goal to help us overcome the frustrating downward pull

of disappointment. Hope deferred does make the heart sick, but hope can be

rekindled, and our hearts can be made whole again by the power of the

Holy Spirit. Proverbs thirteen twelve. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but

when desire is fulfilled, it's a tree of life. Think of those times

when you've been able to fulfill a long, whole dream, or even one

you've only had for a short while. Our dreams don't always look like we

think they will, but knowing this is what we wanted can help us through

if it gets tough. For example, I remember wanting to experience what it

was like to go to another country, not knowing the language, and learning

it just by being there, almost by osmosis. When I was eighteen,

I went to Italy, and when I was on the plane, I learned

how to count to ten and I learned the word for ice cream, so

I have the very essentials to keep me going. The reality of my dream

included both the challenges of extreme loneliness, not being able to even hold a

basic conversation, as well as the pleasure months later of waking up and realized

I dreamt in Italian and when talking in Italian and not mentally translating it.

First, those of you for whom English is not your first language, will

know what I'm talking about. Also, I had a dream, a god

given dream, for several years, to go to the heart of Africa.

Oddly enough, it came after reading the book by Jackie Fullinger called Chasing the

Dragon, which is about her God inspired dream if you like to go to

Hong Kong. I'm from, and it was how God provided for in everything,

and it just sparked in me this desire to go to Africa. Several

years later, I went to the Central African Republic with Wickliff Bible translators,

and there were tough times, culture shock, not knowing if I'm wondering if

I needed to go to the luin in the night, if I was going

to come across a hyena. But later I caught myself doing what villagers did.

I heard a vehicle on the one road through the village, and I

bent down to look through the trees to see who it was, because it

was that unusual an event. And I laughed myself and I realized what I'd

done, because I thought, because the thought of checking out every vehicle that

passed down my road in England where I lived was just unthinkable. Your dream

doesn't always look like you think it will. But that's okay. It's like

Joyce Meyer said, that is when we have to make the decision to adapt,

unadjust, to take a new approach and just keep going. We need

to remember who lives within us. In the Apostle Paul's letter to the Believers

in corinth in Greece. In Greece in approximately eighty fifty five, he wrote

a great definition of love and ended it in one Corinthians thirteen, verse thirteen.

Now these three remain faith, hope, and love, but the greatest

of these is love. It obviously doesn't mean that faith and love aren't important.

If we consider, for example, without faith, it's impossible to please

God, as it says in Hebrews eleventh, verse six. And faith is

the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not yet seen, as

it says in Hebrews eleven, verse one. Hope is therefore fundamental to our

faith. Hope anchors the soul, and as we feed hope in different ways,

reading scripture, spending time with the Lord, staying attuned to him throughout

the day, learning to live, surrender to the Holy Spirit within us,

hearing other people's testimonies, et cetera. But what if we're facing a situation

that seems hopeless. Our starting point is always nothing is impossible with God.

I mean Lukewan thirty seven. Nothing is impossible with God. It's so important

to consciously decide and keep on deciding, to stand on that verse, to

take hold of it and refuse to let go. Then ask the Lord how

to pray, and want scriptures to speak into your situation. In the First

Book of Samuel, chapter thirty David's Own Men of King David's Own Men,

we're talking about stoning him, killing him. That's a pretty tough, impossible

looking situation, six hundred against one. How did David deal with it?

He could have justifiably felt very sorry for himself. It would have been normal

to feel afraid. But whatever his feelings, David encouraged himself in the Lord,

as it says in One Samuel thirty verse six in the King King James

version. Other translations say he strengthened himself in the Lord. It's good for

us to do that too. Remind ourselves who God is, how awesome and

powerful he is, how much he loves us, And thank God for the

times We've seen him do the impossible in our lives or the lives of those

we know. I have a situation where, whenever I think about it,

I pray, Lord, please make a way where there is no way.

That's what God did for the Israelites escaping the Egyptians, possibly approximately fourteen hundred

BC, as recorded in Exodus fourteen, when they were faced with the Red

Sea in one direction and the Egyptian army in the other. God is the

same yesterday, today, and forever. I have a better covenant with the

Lord than the Israelites had because of Jesus. And I know that God loves

me. He loves you. What was the first thing that Moses said to

the Israelites in Exus fourteen, verse thirteen, Do not be afraid. This

is advice that we two would do well to heed. Do I know how

God will answer me in my situation. I haven't a clue, but I

trust in his character, knowing that He's heard my prayer because He's promised always

to do so. An obvious example of a situation that looked impossible was me.

My dad was an Indian Muslim, my mum and nominal Muslim who nominally

converted on marriage when she married Dad. I was not an obvious looking candidate

for the miracle of salvation. But when my lovely friend Carol led me in

a simple prayer of faith when I was eighteen to accept Jesus as my Lord

and Savior after we'd known each other just a few weeks, she said,

she told me later I could tell I was walking on plowed ground. It's

a long story, but later I discovered that the lady who ran the nursery

that I attended as a little girl was a born against spiritful believer. When

I was nine, my best friend her parents were spiritful believers. A girl

joined my sixth form from elsewhere, and she was part of the crowd I

hung out with. She was a spiritfuled believer. These are just the people

I know who prayed for me at different points in my life. The nursery

nurse teacher certainly knows well. No, actually she did see the results because

I ended up going to the church once, so she was so nothing is

impossible with God. That's our starting point when something looks hopeless. As I

said earlier, it's so important to consciously decide and keep on deciding to stand

on that verse, to take hold of it and refuse to let go,

and then ask the Lord what scriptures to be speaking into your situation and how

to pray. I'm going to finish with the blessing with which I started in

Romans fifteen, verse thirteen, and I'm reading from the Christian Standard Bible,

that's Romans fifteen, verse thirteen. Now, may the God of Hope fill

you with all joy and peace as you believe, so that you may overflow

with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name,