Hope The Need of the Hour.   By Neville Johnson   1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. It is interesting that one of the abiding eternal qualities that will remain throughout all eternity is that of hope, yet we hardly ever hear a message preached about hope. Faith is preached, love is preached, but when did you last hear a sermon on hope. Hope is an interesting word which in a biblical sense does not mean what most think this word means.  The word hope in the 1Cor13:13 is from the Greek word elpis, It has the meaning of something that is absolutely certain but as yet is still future, a well grounded expectation. While faith is present hope is certain but future.  The word hope appears eleven times in the book of Romans.   Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. In June 1967 a song written by John Lennon called “all you need is love” impacted the world in over 42 languages. The Charismatic move was just getting underway, the hippy movement was gaining impetus and a harvest of souls was about to be reaped. It is interesting how that God often has to use the secular movie industry and the music industry to get across to the church what He is saying. When the church finally embraced with love the harvest field of the hippy movement and youth in the drug culture God poured out His Spirit in a remarkable way. What the world needs now is hope. A cloud of despair envelopes this planet People are weary of war, violence, economic gloom, and terrorism, and are becoming conditioned to a world without hope. The perceived threat and consequences of global warming along with population expansion spreads fear and hopelessness for the future of our children. The ever present threat of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists and rouge nations presents us with a frightening scenario. The lack of hope is fueling violence along with lawlessness to a degree that most large cities of the world today are no longer safe to be in.  The bible talks about this period in the world’s history in Isa Chapter 60.   Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Two sides of the coin While we are aware of the prophetic realities of coming judgment and troubles coming upon the earth in these last days and we cannot take these forewarnings lightly, the message of the Gospel is that of hope peace and a fantastic future.  The gospel that this generation needs to hear is the gospel of the kingdom. Jesus said that this gospel message would be preached in these last days.    Matthew 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. This gospel message includes hope for a better world, a world of peace, joy, and security,  a world without pain and fear, a world where not only there will be no more war but also a world where nature will be at one with humans. It is a message of a bright and wonderful future, this world needs this hope. The two sides of the coin are gross darkness and great glory. Of course the antichrist will use these world conditions to promise a one world government that will bring peace and security. This will dissolution many in the New Age movement when they realize the absolute horror of a world under martial law, they will become candidates for true salvation and a true Kingdom of love and peace.   Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever. We need to ask the question regarding this scripture, who is His Christ? The kingdoms of the world will become the kingdoms of our Lord (Jesus) but who is His Christ. The word Christ is the word for anointed, is the Greek word Christos, which means anointed. The kingdoms of this world will become the Lords and His anointed ones who will reign with the Lord forever.   Daniel 7:18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. When His Kingdom comes, He is going to restore the earth into the paradise that it was originally intended to be. The lions will lie down with the lambs, and children will play with cobras, because no one is going to hurt anyone else. All the mourning, pain, disease, famine, and even death itself will have been removed from the earth. As Rick Joiner has said; “At that time, the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. God will again walk with men in paradise and dwell among them. This will indeed make the earth the center of the universe. When mankind is restored to God and to our original purposes, the creation will come back into harmony and become the home for man and God that it was originally intended to be. This will be far more wonderful than we can comprehend at this time. That is the hope given for the original creation, but what is promised for the new creation will be far better”   Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. Communication between us and Gods creation will be re-established; it is interesting to note that Eve could communicate with the serpent before the fall. Jesus could speak to the wind and it heard Him and obeyed Him. Many have been intrigued with the possibility of a Shangri-La existing somewhere in this earth, however it has not truly entered into our understanding what lies just around the corner for Gods people.  This earth is to become a paradise equaled only by that in heaven. This new age is the hope we need to preach in a world drenched in hopelessness. Time is short You have heard this many times before and this is the problem, however it is very clear that we are now living at the end of this age, the conditions are becoming ripe for the rise of the antichrist who will offer the new and peaceful world. The apostle Paul spoke about his when he said.   1 Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. We are running out of time and our lifestyle needs to be adjusted to the days in which we now live. Jesus warned us not to be like those in the days of Noah who did not understand that the age they lived in was ending.   Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. Life for us cannot continue on as normal any more   2 Peter 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Two days ago on the second of June while in prayer I found myself sitting with the Lord on a high mountain range, I have been with the Lord in this place many times before. This mountain range is somewhere on the earth, it is high enough to just make out the curvature of the earth I am aware that this is a cold place as there are pockets of snow but I feel no cold and no warmth I feel very comfortable. The Lord is looking out across the earth with a focus that indicates He is observing something. After a while He turns to me and says.” The earth is groaning under the weight of sin, time is short life on this planet is about to undergo great change. The birth pangs are now advanced the end is near. As soon as the harvest is gathered in cataclysmic events will reshape the earth then again the earth will be at peace.  This is not a time to think about yourself, there has never been a time like this before. Life cannot continue as usual as it did in the days of Noah. Do not think of what I can do for you but what you can do for me and others. Time is short, live your life as if you have no time left, the night is upon you but  at evening time it shall be light (see Zechariah 14:7) Pursue holiness and the fear of the Lord. He then looked at me in a way that indicated  “listen to me carefully”  and said, NO MORE DELAYS ARE  POSSIBLE, streamline your life the finishing line is in sight, the day of the Lord is at hand. Tell my people time is running out the night is far spent.”  I felt the urgency in His tone of voice and knew he was concerned with the complacency of many Christians. We have a hope which is eminent and will be fulfilled very soon and this world needs to know the future and plans that God has for those who will trust in Him. We need to wake up and realize how little time we have left and streamline our lives accordingly.