{{2015_04_14_t1.jpg}} {{2015_04_14_t2.jpg}} {{2015_04_14_t3.jpg}} [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/doku.php/jn_de_2015_04_14|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]] [[topics_collection_vii|| Topics Collection vii ]] ======Set your Hopes on God ...====== Tuesday, April 14, 2015. What is it we hope for? What is it we base our hope on? Is it that we hope to reach something particular? Is it that we believe in someone, or insomething? Perhaps we believe in ourselves? {{2015_04_14.jpg }} **What do we believe in? ...** Observe how our modern world works. We live in an environment which bases its hopes and the center of its believe on several things such as "personal performance" or "institutional security". You are good when you are doing well personally, when you perform well. In particular in the business environment you need to be unique, need to be a hidden world champion or a well-known world champion. Performance is measured by various metrics. On the other hand people build their personal networks to get around such more or less blind measures and keep some level of control over their own life. In the New Testament the apostle Paul challenges us to live a life which is different. We are challenged to live a live which is built on God, on his character and ethics, on his existence and on his love, truth and wisdom! Let us listen to what Paul tells Timothy - and with him all of us today: {{ 2015_04_14_2.jpg}} **Paul writes to Timothy ...** 11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before4 Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. 17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you. (1 Tim 6) There is not much to add here. Even if we do not know in detail what the "knowledge" was Paul is talking about, it is pretty clear what we are called to do. Everyone knows in his own direct enviroment, what the riches are which you might trust, and where God comes into the game. Go ahead and do your own interpretation. Draw your own conclusions. You need to live what you hear, now, today! I love these guidlines, though I have to admit that I am not fully able to follow. I fail a lot, here and there. But I do not want to give up to learn more from the Lord. He is just great, just fantastic! And faith is like a fresh fountain of encouragement and life day by day, a new life every single morning! His creativity never ends. (RWEP) [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/doku.php/topics_collection_vii|... more texts]]