by Cindy Geyer
The Living Word
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Proverbs 13:12a
The Word in Motion
So, what is HOPE? When you say, “I hope” are you expressing a wish? Many times in the bible the word hope is used, but many of us do not understand how to use it. We tend to express it like a wish. "I hope so - but I'm not sure." I know in my life I have expressed it weakly but I have learned that hope is a positive attitude!
Hebrews 10:23 states: “Let us hold unnervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. Hope is not a wish. It is positive assurance. We are told to hold onto it with a grip that will not let go.”
Zechariah 9:12 declares: “Return to the fortress, O prisoners who have hope; For this very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you.” Return to your refuge. What or where is my refuge? “God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 Return to your place of security. Return to the God who is our hope, our deliverer, our provider, our strength, and our peace. Hope is being certain of this. It is where we rise above our doubts and fears and declare with absolute understanding that “He who promised is faithful!” “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength” Isaiah 40.31. Our hope grows stronger through the trials we face... it “produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4.
Hope is absolute confidence in the Eternal God.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose....so what then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with his son, graciously give us all things? “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No IN ALL THINGS we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!!!” Romans 8:28-39 (emphasis added.)
Hope is absolute assurance, confidence, and understanding that God will do what He promises. WOW!
A few of years ago our lives were in a place of "what do we do now?" (Husband was laid off, losing our home, we were in a bad car accident, I was told I had cancer, my oldest son was in a bicycle accident with a severe concussion and loss of memory, broken jaw.) I could go on and on. It was a very discouraging and fearful time, and the Lord keep asking me, “In whom/in what do you trust? In whom/in what do you place your hope?” He led me to Laminations 3:17-25. I love these verses because it described my heart perfectly. Woe is me!
“I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. So I say my splendor is gone and all that I hoped from the Lord. I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them and my soul is downcast within me.” This is where God was gently reminding me of how well I remember them, all day, every minute, actually coming to a place of complaining and whining. Then He said read on: “Yet…” This is the point where I knew I was going to have a heart change. Every time God uses “YET,” it means my perspective has to change. “Yet, this I call to mind and therefore I have Hope! Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord!” Wow! He turned my tears of sadness and complaining into words of hope and absolute confidence. Yet, this I call to my mind and therefore I HAVE HOPE! He is faithful!!! Do you need a perspective change, too? In what or in whom do you place your hope? Hope is not wishful thinking. Hope is positive assurance. It is where we rise above our circumstances, our doubts and our fears and declare with absolute certainty that God is faithful to all His promises, and hold unswervingly to that hope that we profess!
My prayer for you: “May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
The Living Word
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Proverbs 13:12a
The Word in Motion
So, what is HOPE? When you say, “I hope” are you expressing a wish? Many times in the bible the word hope is used, but many of us do not understand how to use it. We tend to express it like a wish. "I hope so - but I'm not sure." I know in my life I have expressed it weakly but I have learned that hope is a positive attitude!
Hebrews 10:23 states: “Let us hold unnervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. Hope is not a wish. It is positive assurance. We are told to hold onto it with a grip that will not let go.”
Zechariah 9:12 declares: “Return to the fortress, O prisoners who have hope; For this very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you.” Return to your refuge. What or where is my refuge? “God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 Return to your place of security. Return to the God who is our hope, our deliverer, our provider, our strength, and our peace. Hope is being certain of this. It is where we rise above our doubts and fears and declare with absolute understanding that “He who promised is faithful!” “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength” Isaiah 40.31. Our hope grows stronger through the trials we face... it “produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4.
Hope is absolute confidence in the Eternal God.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose....so what then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with his son, graciously give us all things? “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No IN ALL THINGS we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!!!” Romans 8:28-39 (emphasis added.)
Hope is absolute assurance, confidence, and understanding that God will do what He promises. WOW!
A few of years ago our lives were in a place of "what do we do now?" (Husband was laid off, losing our home, we were in a bad car accident, I was told I had cancer, my oldest son was in a bicycle accident with a severe concussion and loss of memory, broken jaw.) I could go on and on. It was a very discouraging and fearful time, and the Lord keep asking me, “In whom/in what do you trust? In whom/in what do you place your hope?” He led me to Laminations 3:17-25. I love these verses because it described my heart perfectly. Woe is me!
“I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. So I say my splendor is gone and all that I hoped from the Lord. I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them and my soul is downcast within me.” This is where God was gently reminding me of how well I remember them, all day, every minute, actually coming to a place of complaining and whining. Then He said read on: “Yet…” This is the point where I knew I was going to have a heart change. Every time God uses “YET,” it means my perspective has to change. “Yet, this I call to mind and therefore I have Hope! Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord!” Wow! He turned my tears of sadness and complaining into words of hope and absolute confidence. Yet, this I call to my mind and therefore I HAVE HOPE! He is faithful!!! Do you need a perspective change, too? In what or in whom do you place your hope? Hope is not wishful thinking. Hope is positive assurance. It is where we rise above our circumstances, our doubts and our fears and declare with absolute certainty that God is faithful to all His promises, and hold unswervingly to that hope that we profess!
My prayer for you: “May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
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