BROADCASTS.com

Published: Aug. 22, 2013, 3:33 a.m.

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Today we are diving into our last message in our series, \\u201cTHE ANCHOR\\u201d (The HOPE we have because of Jesus\\u2026)

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^\\xa0We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure\\u2026Hebrews 6:19 (NIV)

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Hope = Confident expectation based on something solid

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\\u201cMy\\xa0 hope is built on nothing less\\u2026 than Jesus\\u2019 blood and righteousness.\\u201d

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Maybe today you walked in, HOPELESS\\u2026 If that\\u2019s you today, look around you, stop and ask someone to share their story.\\xa0\\xa0

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Recap:\\xa0 What is HOPE? / Where does HOPE come from? / HOPE for my future

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Our number one prayer for you is this\\u2026 that you latch onto this HOPE we have in Jesus.\\xa0 HOPE that keeps us standing, when the entire world is shaken\\u2026HOPE that never fails.\\xa0 Because of this HOPE\\u2026 we are anchored, secure\\u2026

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May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NIV)

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Transition:\\xa0 Today we will look at our final thought on HOPE\\u2026 What some call, THE BLESED HOPE\\u2026The ultimate hope that there really is something beyond this life.\\xa0\\xa0 (Pray)

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Story/Illustration:

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Transition:\\xa0 You see, the hope we have is not solely to get through this life\\u2026 but it\\u2019s hope NOW that there is another level of HOPE\\u2026 Heaven.

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With as much HOPE as we have now, we still face things\\u2026 hard times, difficulties, obstacles.

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(My Season of ministry\\u2026 \\u201cWhy can\\u2019t I find balance?\\u201d \\u201cBecause this isn\\u2019t home.\\u201d)

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We will have seasons of pain/suffering/frustration\\u2026 and we learned a couple weeks ago that that is part of God\\u2019s process of producing HOPE in us.

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^3\\xa0Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ^4\\xa0and endurance produces character, and character produces hope\\u2026 Romans 5:2-4 (ESV)

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The ultimate HOPE we have is that this life is NOT all there is\\u2026 there is an eternity of JOY and PEACE that awaits us!\\xa0

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^11\\xa0For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ^12\\xa0It teaches us to say \\u201cNo\\u201d to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ^13\\xa0while we wait for the blessed hope\\u2014the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ\\u2026 Titus 2:11-13 (NIV)

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(Eternal life)

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We have to change our focus\\u2026 from just finding hope in this life, to living our life in light of our eternal hope\\u2026(Peoples efforts to find hope HERE)

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^\\xa0Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. ^14\\xa0For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. \\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa01 Thessalonians 4:13-15 (NIV)

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The HOPE of Jesus is what has caused \\u201cDeath to lose it\\u2019s Sting\\u201d\\u2026(1 cor. 15:55)

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^6\\xa0As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. ^7\\xa0I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. ^8\\xa0And now the prize awaits me\\u2014the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.\\xa0 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NLT)

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At the end of your life\\u2026 and everyday\\u2026 THIS is the goal (James\\u2026 your life is but a vapor)

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Heaven is a reality we need to live in\\u2026 But there are a lot of misconceptions of Heave;

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\\xa7\\xa0 Clouds, robes, halos

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\\xa7\\xa0 Never ending church service (singing forever)

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\\xa7\\xa0 Celestial retirement home

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\\xa7\\xa0 So unreal\\u2026

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Transition:\\xa0 But what does the bible say about Heaven?

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1.\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Heaven is a REAL place

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Revelation 21\\u2026 talks all about the city of Heaven, New Jerusalem.\\xa0

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1400 miles in every direction / walls 200 ft. thick of solid jasper / 12 gates made from a single pearl / transparent streets of gold\\u2026 amazing!

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My Father\\u2019s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ^3\\xa0And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:2-3 (NIV)

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2.\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Heaven is a RIGHT place

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Think about every wrong with this life\\u2026 your life\\u2026

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And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, \\u201cLook! God\\u2019s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ^4\\xa0\\u2018He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death\\u2019 or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.\\u201d^5\\xa0He who was seated on the throne said, \\u201cI am making everything new!\\u201d Revelation 21:3-5 (NIV)

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No pain, disappointment, insecurity, loss of innocence, worry, fear, bills, sickness...

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3.\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Heaven is a RELATIONAL place

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A place where you will see your loved ones who walked with Jesus\\u2026 (Those who didn\\u2019t?)

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For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ^17\\xa0After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ^18\\xa0Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 (NIV)

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4.\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Heaven is a REWARDING place

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\\u201cAnd behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. Revelation 22:12 (NKJV)

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Transition:\\xa0 That\\u2019s great that we have that to look forward to, but how do we have ETERNAL HOPE\\u2026 Now?

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1.\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Remove Your Doubt

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I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NLT)

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2.\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Replace Your Anxiety

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So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)

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3.\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Refocus Your Energy

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When we truly understand heaven\\u2026 we will live different.

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Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ^2\\xa0looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)

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Big Idea: Hope is not some elusive idea or feeling that we are always chasing... Hope is not some cliche that hangs on our walls...

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Hope is real... tangible... available.

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Challenge:\\xa0 If we will commit to these 4 areas... Not only will we find supernatural levels of HOPE in our lives, but God will use us to carry that HOPE into our world...

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Where are you this morning?

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Salvation?

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