I saw so many ministries last year use as their theme “2020: Perfect Vision”…in hindsight, people are going, “What in the world happened?”

Let’s make sure that the things that tried to grab on and hold onto you in 2020 are left in 2020.  There was a prophecy about being hope-filled this year.  Last year, despair tried to pull in people to hold them back.  But we don’t base our lives on circumstances.

I really appreciate that the Apostle Paul told the Philippians:

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14

Press Toward the Goal for the Prize of the Upward Call

I’m not perfect; I haven’t gotten everything right 100%…but I’m working my way toward perfection.  Notice that Paul says there’s one thing he does; I think that’s worth paying attention to.  Forgetting those things which are behind (forgetting about 2020 – the good or the bad), reach forward toward the things that are ahead!

This is not just a casual stroll; Paul is pressing, even through opposition.  It didn’t matter what was coming against him; he was still going to press forward.  He didn’t say, “I’m going to press forward unless it gets hard (I’m going to press forward unless there’s a pandemic).”  He said he was going to press forward to do what he was called by God to do.

I believe 2021 will be a year of increased capacity.  I believe it will be a year of increased healing, breakthrough, love, kingdom and joy…everything that God has for you.  It is a year of increase!

“How can you say that, John?”  I can because I know the more we look like Jesus – the more we’re transformed into His image – the more increase we’ll see in our lives because we’ll be more like Him.

Jesus is an example of us, not just an example for us.  How He was on this earth and how He is now, I am convinced that we can be like Him right now.  I can walk in love and compassion.  I can walk in peace and joy.  I can walk in God’s power.  No situation can turn me; no circumstance can make me operate outside of who I am (which is Jesus, as we are part of His body).

I can be full of hope!  Hope has arrived; His name is Jesus!  Because of the hope that is in us, it can be available to those we come in contact with.

I think you can agree with me: The world needs hope.  It’s available for us as Christians to give…are you willing to give it?

I believe Hope City is a church that won’t shrink back, hold back or fall back.  It’s a church that will press forward to the mark of the high calling!

Our Mission: To Share the Goodness of God to Bring Hope and Transformation in Christ.

It’s our mission to share the goodness of God to bring hope and transformation in Christ.  That’s in our city, in our community and in you!  As a ministry, we are going to share His goodness…and it will bring hope and transform lives.

You Give What You Have

You can’t give what you don’t have.  Matthew 5:14-16 reminds us that we are the light of the world, a city set on a hill that is seen.  You’re seen by the world, whether you intend to be or not!  The light’s in you…just let it out!  Let the hope in you spill out onto someone who needs it!

One of the Vital Signs of a healthy believer is vision.  Proverbs 29:18 tells us that where there is no vision, the people perish.  We need to be healthy as believers.  Just like you can’t be climbing Mt. Everest if you have heart problems, believers can’t press forward unless we have strong Vital Signs.

It’s important that we’re prepared to do whatever God asks us to do.

Our mission is listed above…but our mission will be accomplished by our Vision.  Our vision is to Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Your Purpose and Make a Difference.  We want to fulfill that vision in our lives so that we can help others know God, find freedom, discover their purpose and then they can make a difference in other lives as well!

We share the goodness of God – not the wrath or anger of God – because it’s His goodness that brings people to a place of change.  It’s God’s goodness that changes people’s live on how they see Him (therefore how they see themselves).  People wake up and realize, “Wow…if that’s how God sees me, I guess I should take on His views.”

What you behold, you become.  (So let your light shine!)

To see the full Jan. 3, 2021 message on which this post is based, click here.