Pray

Prayer brings God's will into manifestation, and materializes what was spiritual and we could not see it. To make it plain prayer makes things happen that have been waiting to happen all along. For the minister who attends all sorts of conferences hoping to find a formula to grow his church, stop looking. The answer is in your prayer life.

There are two types of prayer. The first is the most common used. Prayer for ritualistic purposes, and the second is prayer for God purposes. The second requires alone time. It involves sanctification, and a shedding of the carnal believer's mindset. But this prayer makes things happen. It grabs a hold of God's will and brings it forth. It is not selfish, and it's motives become even more purer as the believer continues to grow.

I have met many men and women who were marked with this prayer life. They were genuine, humble and loving. Yet they were wise, discerning and powerful people. Men and women whom I will never forget. They prayed, listened and prayed some more. And when all else failed. They prayed some more. These people changed the world and made it better.

Hope/Faith/Expectancy

Hope is a hybrid of faith and expectancy. It is trust in God's word. And expecting him to show up when he said He would. It pulls the believer through the toughest of times and keeps them encouraged in the darkest of nights.
Hope is a faith coupled with expectancy and emotion. Believing God's word is truth, God's word will perform, and God's word will not disappoint.

Fix your hope on God

"Fix your hope completely on the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:13
Today there is an anxious hope that is prevalent in our country. One that has made the economy the object of our faith. Many are hoping in the President and his team to turn things around. Others are hoping that one circumstance can change their situation.

We have been so caught up in this country hoping for something to break through and have forgotten that we as believers are not stuck here. This is not our final destination! There is something to be hopeful about. Often we are disappointed badly because our hope is in other things. Temporary fixes and when we are let down it is devastating.

Peter was basically saying "Hey pull all the stock you have in this world and place it in God."
Then when things don't go the way you wanted them to, it's no big deal. Because you always know this is not your final destination. Your hope is in Christ.

Failure...God's handy tool.

To the average man failure is the end of his existence. But to the man that is destined for greatness, failure is merely a hand tool that God uses to finish carving out his destiny. You will never be greater than your failures. Great failures often make great people! Makes them genuine, humble, teachable and gives them a new passion and outlook on life. Understand that whatever you have failed in, it is merely a tool in the hand of God. The failure can make you better or bitter. Nevertheless it is great tool most often overlooked.