Living in Peace and Planting Hope

Do you pray, or do you just think about it? This was the question Pastor asked us as he began his sermon Sunday. Our minds can often be filled with doubts and distractions that cloud our connection with God. Isaiah 55:8-13 reminds us that God's ways are higher than ours. When we remove doubt and plant seeds of hope, we align ourselves with God's purpose.

Dr. GreGory reminded us that as believers, we are called to love even in disagreement. We must rid ourselves of the "oughts" in life—those lingering grudges or offenses that hold us back from experiencing true peace. Proverbs 22:24-25 cautions us to be mindful of what we plant because both good and bad can grow in our harvest. God desires that our field be free from "No-Grows"—the negative influences and unfruitful relationships that may enter our lives under the guise of friendship.

It's crucial to recognize when evil thoughts and anger are being sown into our spirits through unhealthy relationships. These "friends" may pretend to be spiritual, but their actions can hinder our blessings. In such situations, we must put on peace, even when we don't feel like it (Romans 12:17-19).

Vengeance is not ours to take—God sees all and will fight our battles. Pastor admonished us with the statement, "Seeds grow quietly, but a tree falls with a great noise." Our job is to plant seeds of hope and trust that God is working behind the scenes.

Sometimes, clouds gather before the rain, and storms can test our faith. Yet, in the midst of those storms, we are reminded that we will come out with joy, just as Isaiah assures us. The world will praise God with us as we witness His love overcoming every obstacle.

 Luke 2:25-31 reflects how faith sustains hope. Dr. Gregory also declared once again - If we sow faithfully financially to the right things, we'll see the fruits of our labor in our finances. As we grow in faith, we build our "glory accounts," a divine supply of blessings for future seasons.

In closing, let us remember that we are called to live in peace, plant seeds of hope, and trust in God's timing. The harvest will come, but only if we nurture the soil with prayer and love, allowing God's rain to water the seeds of hope in our lives.