Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s look at the blueprint for building eternal hope.

In today’s scripture, Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT), Jesus says…
[19] “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. [20] Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. [21] Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Consider…
December 2017 my siblings and I lost our beloved mother. While there are many fond memories I still cherish about her, what I appreciate most is the legacy of faith that she left us. Her life of faith example reminds me of the Apostle Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 1:5 (NLT)…
[5] I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.

Because I was blessed to witness my mom’s faith in God throughout my season with her on earth, I was able to anchor my soul in the hope found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (NLT)…
[13] And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. [14] For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

I’ve been to many funerals, and unfortunately there were some that I didn’t have the hope that I would see the person who died again. The truth is only God knows who has made Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior. But with my momma, there’s not a doubt in my mind that she loved, and lived for, the Lord and I will see her again. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

I recall one of her favorite promises of God was 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NLT)…
[12] Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

You see my mother had an eternal hope. And when I watched her life, I saw her bless and love others like Christ. When I witnessed my mom’s daily devotions and teaching Bible studies, I saw what storing your treasures in Heaven looked like.

Don’t get me wrong, mother was fully human and had her share of storms. But even in the midst of her storms I saw her resolute hope in God. In fact I vividly remember in a severe thunderstorm my mom sitting with peace described in Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT), which says…
[6] Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. [7] Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Reflecting, I now see that my mom spent her life with her soul anchored in that hope.

The hope that my mother lived with was 2 Corinthians 5:8-9 (NLT)…
[8] Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. [9] So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.

So what gave my mother such confidence in God. I believe it was built, just like mine, watching her mother. I remember everytime we visited my grandmother that she sat in her wheelchair with a huge black Bible on her lap.

Both my mother Cynthia and grandmother Ceilia built my faith in Jesus Christ. It’s my prayer that I have framed my children’s hearts to develop their faith in Jesus Christ too.

But my faith in God wasn’t built only by observation, it was also built in accordance with Romans 5:1-5 (NLT), which says…
[1] Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. [2] Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. [3] We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. [4] And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. [5] And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Life’s problems and trials have built my endurance and character and hope in Jesus Christ. And I can testify that my hope has not disappointed. Like Maverick City sings…

Christ is my firm foundation
The rock on which I stand
When everything around me is shaken
I’ve never been more glad
That I put my faith in Jesus
‘Cause He’s never let me down
He’s faithful through generations
So why would He fail now?

He won’t
No, He won’t, no, He won’t
No, He won’t
He won’t, He won’t, He won’t, He won’t

I’ve still got joy in chaos
I’ve got peace that makes no sense
I won’t be going under
I’m not held by my own strength
‘Cause I’ve built my life on Jesus
He’s never let me down
He’s faithful through every season
So why would He fail now? (Shout it out)

He won’t
He won’t
He won’t fail
He won’t fail
He won’t
He won’t (no, no, no, no, He won’t fail)
He won’t fail
He won’t fail

Everything that I am and believe is built on Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact Ephesians 2:19-22 (NLT) says…
[19] So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. [20] Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. [21] We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. [22] Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

Notice the Apostle Paul said we are the house of God built on the His Word delivered through the prophets and apostles based on Christ as the cornerstone.

Paul’s description of Jesus as cornerstone made me Google it and found, “In relation to architecture, a cornerstone is traditionally the first stone laid for a structure, with all other stones laid in reference. A cornerstone marks the geographical location by orienting a building in a specific direction.”

This makes me think of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT). He said…
[24] “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. [25] Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. [26] But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. [27] When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Notice Jesus said when we LISTEN AND FOLLOW His teaching we’re like a person who builds a house on a firm foundation!

This begs the question, is your life built on sand or the Solid Rock of Jesus. When I think of Jesus as the Solid Rock, I hear the hymn lyrics…

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save me from its guilt and power.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All could never sin erase,
Thou must save, and save by grace.

Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

This hymn is a wonderful reminder that Christ is the foundation of our lives and salvation!

So today, I encourage you to make sure that you continually build, and live with, your eternal hope on Jesus Christ. That’s because when you do God promises in Isaiah 43:13 (NLT)…
[13] “From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.”

Since you know that you’re secure in God, I encourage you to follow today’s song advice to…

Build your hope on things eternal
Hold to God’s unchanging hand

Today’s Song is…
Hold To God’s Unchanging Hand

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)