Final Prayer For The Readers

Romans 15:13

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace…

 

What a beautiful picture. God doesn’t do things in small measures. He doesn’t want to give you a drip or two of joy and peace; He wants to FILL you with these things.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him…

 

How important that as we get to know individuals, set up environments where we can introduce a family member or friend to Jesus Christ, or seek to build inclusive worship settings we place our trust in God. He is the one who knit together that individual. He is the one who gives the gift of salvation. He is the one with the command to function together as one body. So, please don’t trust in Barbara J. Newman or Betty Grit. We hope and pray we’ve been used by God to be helpful to you, but look to God for His wisdom, direction, and strength.

 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope…

 

What a job we get to do! We get to pour God’s hope over the people He places in our lives. One of the reasons He fills us is so that we overflow His hope on others. There may be some very hope-starved people in your life. People who don’t see the God-given gifts in themselves or others. People who thought they would never have a church home. People who heard the voice of the church say “We don’t have anything for you here” and they mistook that for the voice of God. May God use your words and actions to pour out something different. May they experience godly words and actions that bring hope and healing into their lives. Go ahead – pour it out.

 

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.

 

Isn’t it excellent that we don’t have to wake up each morning and try to do these things on our own strength? The perspective and power comes from the Holy Spirit. May He invade your life and your imagination. May He give you pictures and glimpses of what He sees and pass that on to you. May your own life be one of movement in Christian Formation. May you be in constant conversation – not just on the Sabbath – but speaking those words in conversation with God throughout all of your day. “I Love You.” “Thank You.” May the habits of these words become so natural, your conversation with God becomes like breathing. And as you use the materials in this book, may God bless each conversation with His presence and guidance.

Be filled with His joy and peace.

Trust Him.

Pour His hope on others.

Be filled with the Holy Spirit.

 

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.

 

Amen.