by Jerry Ward
A Beacon of Hope
A beacon of hope is an expression that refers to someone or something that provides inspiration, optimism and reassurance in challenging times.
It symbolizes a guiding light that leads individuals or communities toward a positive outcome or a better future. God wants all of us to have a blessed future. The Lord said in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you an expected in.” God wants us to have hope and a future.
First, we must be seekers of God and his righteousness. He wants all of our heart (Jeremiah 29:13), and ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. God wants all or nothing. There is a way that seems right to man, but the word of God says in Proverbs 14:12 that the end thereof are the ways of death. But God wants to give us life and life more abundant. God wants us to have an abundant life, a successful life.
Key number two, don’t let anyone steal your hopes, dreams, and aspirations. We have an adversary in 1 Peter 5:8. He is called the devil, and he comes at us in many different ways. John 10:10 calls him a thief. It says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal and kill and destroy.” But I like these parts best. The Lord said, “I come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” God wants his children to have the fullest measure of life. In Genesis chapter 37, there is a true story about a young man who had dreams from God, and his brethren hated him most because of his dreams (verse 5). In verse 19, they said to one another, “Behold, this dreamer cometh.” Verse 20 says they said, “Come now, therefore, and let us slay him.” Our adversary is vicious (1 Peter 5:6-9). He’s looking for those he can destroy. If you are a child of God, he has no power over you, only that which you allow. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:27, “Neither give place to the devil. Give him no ground. You give him an inch, he will become the ruler.” Colossians 2:14-15 tells us that Christ Jesus made a show of them openly, triumphing over them on the cross. He defeated the devil and all his principalities and powers.
This leads us to key number three. We must trust God with our dreams, hopes, and aspirations. Job 13:15 says, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” In essence, it’s trusting in something we can’t see with the natural eye, but by the spiritual eye. This brings us to Hebrews 11:1, which says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The word “substance” could be rendered “confidence” in this context, because a few verses back in Hebrews 10:35 it says, “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward.” Ephesians 6:20 says, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to his power that worketh in us.” Proverbs 3:5 tells us to “trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.” As I said earlier, where or what are you hoping for? Paul the Apostle said in 1 Corinthians 15:19, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” Isaiah 36:6 tells us not to trust in man. If our trust is in men, it would be like leaning on a broken reed, and it will pierce you. If you are trusting in this world, it’s like trusting the Titanic, which we now know is going down. Our only hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ; he is the lifeboat. Get aboard before it is eternally too late.
I will be in revival at Brother Jack Wright’s church, New Harvest, on Route 83 in Vansant. Services begin at 7 p.m. nightly. Also, don’t forget the revival on August 6-8 at Popular Gap Park in Grundy, also known as Roger and Susie Rife Park. Brother Stephen Ward will be joining us. He is the founder of the Living Room Program. He and his team will be coming in from California and other states. We will have several ministries joining us each night, along with area youth. Please come out and bring your chair. It’s going to be a great time in the Lord.
The Watchman
