Every Wednesday I prayerfully sit down at my computer and write a weekly update. Sometimes it’s easy because I’m summarizing the previous Sunday or excited to share what’s coming up. This morning, I still don’t have a clear idea about what I’ll be teaching on Sunday (still praying and talking to God about that). But I’ve been seeing and hearing in my spirit two words all morning: HAVE HOPE.

Fear is expecting bad things to happen. Faith is the expecting the goodness of God. Are you expecting bad or good today? Are you operating in fear or faith? This is one of those laws of the universe that goes along with reaping what you sow: you get what you expect.

Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

— Psalm 27:12-14 ESV

Faith is believing that you will look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. It doesn’t take faith to believe everything is going to be great when you die, escape your circumstances, and fly with heavenly wings to heaven. That just requires a very basic mixture of imagination and escapism. No, true faith sees good while in the middle of a serious challenge. True faith takes courage in God’s present goodness while being slandered and attacked by adversaries.

Stop expecting bad to happen and start expecting good. HAVE HOPE! Wait for the Lord! Be strong! Let your heart take courage. Better yet command your heart to take courage. Encourage yourself and wait for the Lord! Why are you waiting so confidently? Because you are convinced that you will see the goodness of the Lord in this present life. Wait for it…

Mark February 16 on your calendar. We’re planning to have an evening of prayer together. For more information, email Debbie at debcoun@gmail.com. Also, continue praying about our facility exploration. So far, we’ve run into a bunch of closed doors and only one open door. We’re still moving forward with searching and proposing budgets and expenses, and we definitely need everyone praying and believing with us. Once we get the green light from the Lord, we’ll also need to raise a lot of money. I have complete confidence that God will lead us and provide for every need. Our job is to pray and obey. Can’t wait to see what He does and where He takes us! HAVE HOPE!!!

Let’s walk in our calling together!
Matt

Matt Neese
Wellspring.Live

• 02/02 Genesis 33, Psalms 33, Judges 9, Matthew 22:1-22
• 02/03 Genesis 34, Psalms 34, Judges 10, Matthew 22:23-46
• 02/04 Genesis 35, Psalms 35, Judges 11, Matthew 23:1-22
• 02/05 Genesis 36, Psalms 36, Judges 12, Matthew 23:23-39
• 02/06 Genesis 37, Psalms 37, Judges 13, Matthew 24:1-22
• 02/07 Genesis 38, Psalms 38, Judges 14, Matthew 24:23-51
• 02/08 Genesis 39, Psalms 39, Judges 15, Matthew 25:1-30
• 02/09 Genesis 40, Psalms 40, Judges 16, Matthew 25:31-46

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DAILY WORD FOR FEBRUARY 2

The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.
— Psalm 33:10-11 NLT

The leaders of humankind continually fall into traps of pride and they become insanely deceived with arrogance. A little taste of power clouds their vision and then begins amplifying their own self-importance. Like the devil, they foolishly think they were made to rule. We were made to rule, but we can never forget the first of those three words: “MADE to rule”. We were MADE. We were created. From dirt we were formed and the life we have is a gracious gift from God.

“Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of Him. For when He spoke, the world began! It appeared at His command.” [Psalm 33:8-9 NLT]

Who else speaks everything into being? How can we stand in awe of ourselves and our diabolical, worthless schemes when God is so magnificently and dreadfully powerful? Yet over and over and throughout human history, we make our wicked plans. And over and over and throughout human history, God thwarts the plans of the nations. Only His way remains firm and unshakeable.