Is there any hope?

• The future is uncertain.
• Families are falling apart.
• Drugs are ruining cities and schools.
• Disease is killing our people.

Is there any hope?

• Can we have peace and joy in our hearts?
• Can we have fulfillment in life?
• Can we have power and strength to live
  meaningful lives?
• Does anyone really care?

Yes! Here's hope. Jesus cares for you.

The Bible says: "May the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may over flow with hope by the
power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15: 13)

In His Word, the Bible, we find the road to hope.

The First Stop on the Road to Hope is Power.

There is a power capable of giving you hope.
The Bible tells us God Has that power.

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is
the power of God for the salvation of everyone
who believes" (Romans 1:16)

The Second Stop on the Road to Hope is Change.

The release of God's Power results in change. The
biblical word for change is repentance. This means
allowing God to change the direction of our lives.
"God's kindness leads you toward repentance"
(Romans 2:4).

Why is Change Necessary?

A universal problem the Bible calls sin makes change
necessary for all of us. "For all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Sin means "missing the mark." It is failing to meet
God's standard for how we ought to live.

The Third Stop on the Road to Hope Is God's Love.

Although He is not pleased with us as we are, God
loves us and wants to help us. "But God demonstrates
his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us" ( Romans 5:8)

Unfortunately, our sin carries the penalty of death,
both physical and eternal. "For the wages of sin is death"
(Romans 6:23).

God is willing to forgive us by accepting Jesus as our
substitute. His death on the cross paid the penalty of
our sin. His resurrection from the dead provides our
eternal life.

The Fourth Stop on the Road to Hope Is
Your Commitment.

"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.....'Everyone who calls on the name of
the Lord will be saved'" ( Romans 10: 9,13)

Commitment means to:

• Repent = Turn away from sin to follow God's new
  direction for your life.
• Believe = Trust Jesus as your substitute.
• Confess = Acknowledge Jesus as the supreme
  authority over your life.
• Call = Ask Him for forgiveness, eternal life, and hope.

Read the following prayer and see if it
expresses the desire of your heart.

"Dear God, I know that Jesus is Your Son and that He
died on the cross and was raised from the dead.

Because I have sinned and need forgiveness, I ask
Jesus to come into my heart. I am willing to change
the direction of my life by acknowledging Jesus as my
Lord and Savior, and by turning away from my sins.
Thank You for giving me forgiveness, eternal life, and
hope. In Jesus' name, amen."

Use this prayer if it expresses your feeling, or pray a
similar prayer in your own words, committing your life
to Jesus and asking Him for His gift of eternal life.

You Are Assured of Eternal Life and Hope Because:

• Your can trust God's promise.
  "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
  will be saved" (Romans 10: 13). Did you
  sincerely ask Jesus into your heart as Lord
  and Savior? Where is He right now? What
  does God's Word promise?
  
  
• You are a member of God's family.
  "Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we
  are God's children" (Romans 8:16).
  
  
• Your life is eternally secure in God.
  "For I am convinced that neither death nor
  life , neither angels nor demons, neither the
  present nor the future, not any powers,
  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in
  all creation, will be able to separate us from
  the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord"
  ( Romans 8:38-39).

What Happens After You Receive Hope from God?

• You will begin to live for God
  (Romans 12:1-2, 9-18).
  
  
• You will publicly profess your faith by
  being baptized (Matthew 28: 19-20; Luke
  3:21; Romans 6:4).
  
  
• You will share with others what Jesus has
  done for you for you (Romans 10: 14).
  
  
• You will get to Know God better through
  prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with
  other Christians as a member of a local
  church (Romans 15:4-6).

In Review of What We Have Disussed:

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