July 13, 2014

Hope: July 9, 2014

TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY JULY 9, 2014.

HOPE

DEFINITION:

The feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out well; the hope of winning.

SCRIPTURE:

Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Psalm 31 is David’s prayer to God. In it he speaks of his problems and his afflictions, his need for God’s mercy, his complete trust in God, and praises God for His goodness. He closes in verse 24 by reminding us to be strong and take courage. These same words were spoken by Moses to Joshua in Joshua 1:7. Courage is used 20 different times in the Old Testament and always in anticipation of a battle.

David experienced many battles in life. He was a giant killer, a victorious warrior, and a great King. In his personal life he did make serious mistakes, but he always sought God’s forgiveness. It is neither his failures nor his greatness that David is remembered for. He is respected and remembered for his faithfulness to God. David put his complete trust and all of his hope in the Lord.

We as believers today can take this Psalm and apply it to our lives. When we anticipate facing a battle in our lives, large or small, we need to read this verse and remember to be strong in the Lord and to be of good courage.

There is a necessary key factor that cannot be ignored, which David points out in the last few words of this verse: “all you who hope in the Lord.” Our hope must be in the Lord who is the one who gives us strength and courage. When our hope is in the Lord we can have confidence that God will be with us in the battle we face.

We all have seen or been in situations in life where things seem hopeless. David knew what it was to be in great despair because he had often felt he was in a hopeless situation. In life we are all in need of hope. Hope is what keeps us going.

The reason David encourages us to be of great courage is because in God he found his hope and we can do the same. God will give us strength, just as he gave David, to get through our times of hopelessness. Only a person that believes in Jesus can have this hope and that is why we continually in these devotionals remind you that you need to know Jesus as your Savior.

When you commit to living your life honoring God, He will be faithful to you and will always hear your cry for help in your time of distress and hopelessness. For those that do not know Jesus, they do not have that hope available to them. Their hope is in themselves and in their own strength. Therefore they are doomed to a life of discouragement and hopelessness because in troubled times they will have no one to turn to.

Paul tells us in Titus 2:12-13 that we should live godly lives in this present age, looking for the blessed hope. Paul refers here to the second coming of Christ to this world and the blessed hope we have as believers to return with Him to an eternity with God.

In Romans 5:5 we are reminded that our hope in God does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit to reassure us of our salvation. Keep your hope strong in the Lord and each day He will bless you and not disappoint you. He is our hope.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall never perish.

PRAYER:

How thrilled I am to have the hope of eternal life in my heart. I am grateful that my hope in You does not disappoint. Keep me strong and courageous as I face the struggles and concerns in my life.



Welcome ~ Ministry Programs ~ Make a Donation ~ Product Catalog
Family Prayer Partners
~ Family Devotional ~ Statement of Faith ~ Contact Us

 

Copyright©2009. All Rights Reserved. The content of this Christian religious blog dedicated to
bringing Bibles to people all over the world is owned exclusively by World Bible Society. Legal Disclaimer

Christian Religious Blog and Website Design by Flagstaff Central.com, Inc.
Content Management System Powered by iUpdateIt.com