Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Friends, I want to continue talking about that marvellous feeling, the wonderful emotion termed HOPE. When I look around, I see a planet marred and ravaged by wars and natural disasters. And if that isn’t bad enough, the first world nations are all in decline: economic activity is rapidly being curtailed, exacerbated by the recent mortgage fiasco and the steady stream of production being outsourced to lower wage countries, resulting in loss of jobs and homes, families falling apart and society generally deteriorating with fear, violence, envy, immorality, greed, the rich getting richer, the poor poorer, God being relegated to the sidelines…the powers of evil just becoming predominant. That’s not an encouraging picture, but there’s something that can change it all: HOPE; HOPE IN GOD! As we said yesterday it’s the most potent motivator, encourager, reviver and refresher of daunted, discouraged souls and spirits. Yes people, HOPE’s the only thing that will pull our sad world out of the terrible state it’s in. As Bruh Paul says in the Bit, all the stuff that was written long ago was for our education, so that through patience, perseverance and the comfort the Word gives, we might have HOPE. For without HOPE, life stops. So I’ll stop rambling. (smile) Instead, let’s contemplate a few of those scriptural texts, that deal with HOPE. And we’ll begin with Bruh David and Bruh Paul, two men who were totally imbued with HOPE. Here’s Bruh David: ‘Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that HOPE in the Lord.’ (Ps.31:24) ‘And now, Lord, what wait I for? my HOPE is in thee.’ (Ps.39:7) ‘Why art thou cast down , O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? HOPE thou in God:’ (Ps.42:5) ‘But I will HOPE continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.’ (Ps.71:14) How can we not be inspired by those words of Bruh David eh? Now hear Bruh Paul: ‘For we are saved by HOPE: but HOPE that is seen is not HOPE: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet HOPE for it? But if we HOPE for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.’ (Roms.8:24-25) ‘Rejoicing in HOPE; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.’ (Roms.12:12) ‘But let us, who are of the day,be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the HOPE of salvation.’ (1 Thess.5:8) ‘Which HOPE we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…’ (Heb.6:19) And obviously we must include Bruh Paul’s immortal words. ‘And now abideth faith, HOPE, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.’ (1.Cor.13:13) Now listen to Jeremiah: ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose HOPE the Lord is.’ (Jer.17:7) ‘It is good that a man should both HOPE and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam.3:26) Solomon had this to say: ‘HOPE deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.’ (Prv.13:12) Wow! Trust Sol to be different. Meanwhile, Zechariah puts it thus: ‘Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of HOPE: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee.’ (Zech.9:12) Yes Friends, HOPE cause us to get double. And I think it’s only fitting to end with words from the Big Fisherman, Peter: ‘Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and HOPE to the end for grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.’ (1 Pet.1:13) Yes Friends, that’s some of the scripture that was written to give us HOPE! I sincerely HOPE it does generate some much needed HOPE in all our souls. Much LOVE!…in Jesus…rests…the HOPE of the world…
Friends, I want to continue talking about that marvellous feeling, the wonderful emotion termed HOPE. When I look around, I see a planet marred and ravaged by wars and natural disasters. And if that isn’t bad enough, the first world nations are all in decline: economic activity is rapidly being curtailed, exacerbated by the recent mortgage fiasco and the steady stream of production being outsourced to lower wage countries, resulting in loss of jobs and homes, families falling apart and society generally deteriorating with fear, violence, envy, immorality, greed, the rich getting richer, the poor poorer, God being relegated to the sidelines…the powers of evil just becoming predominant. That’s not an encouraging picture, but there’s something that can change it all: HOPE; HOPE IN GOD! As we said yesterday it’s the most potent motivator, encourager, reviver and refresher of daunted, discouraged souls and spirits. Yes people, HOPE’s the only thing that will pull our sad world out of the terrible state it’s in. As Bruh Paul says in the Bit, all the stuff that was written long ago was for our education, so that through patience, perseverance and the comfort the Word gives, we might have HOPE. For without HOPE, life stops. So I’ll stop rambling. (smile) Instead, let’s contemplate a few of those scriptural texts, that deal with HOPE. And we’ll begin with Bruh David and Bruh Paul, two men who were totally imbued with HOPE. Here’s Bruh David: ‘Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that HOPE in the Lord.’ (Ps.31:24) ‘And now, Lord, what wait I for? my HOPE is in thee.’ (Ps.39:7) ‘Why art thou cast down , O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? HOPE thou in God:’ (Ps.42:5) ‘But I will HOPE continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.’ (Ps.71:14) How can we not be inspired by those words of Bruh David eh? Now hear Bruh Paul: ‘For we are saved by HOPE: but HOPE that is seen is not HOPE: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet HOPE for it? But if we HOPE for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.’ (Roms.8:24-25) ‘Rejoicing in HOPE; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.’ (Roms.12:12) ‘But let us, who are of the day,be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the HOPE of salvation.’ (1 Thess.5:8) ‘Which HOPE we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…’ (Heb.6:19) And obviously we must include Bruh Paul’s immortal words. ‘And now abideth faith, HOPE, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.’ (1.Cor.13:13) Now listen to Jeremiah: ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose HOPE the Lord is.’ (Jer.17:7) ‘It is good that a man should both HOPE and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam.3:26) Solomon had this to say: ‘HOPE deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.’ (Prv.13:12) Wow! Trust Sol to be different. Meanwhile, Zechariah puts it thus: ‘Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of HOPE: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee.’ (Zech.9:12) Yes Friends, HOPE cause us to get double. And I think it’s only fitting to end with words from the Big Fisherman, Peter: ‘Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and HOPE to the end for grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.’ (1 Pet.1:13) Yes Friends, that’s some of the scripture that was written to give us HOPE! I sincerely HOPE it does generate some much needed HOPE in all our souls. Much LOVE!…in Jesus…rests…the HOPE of the world…
SCRIP-BITS 