~*Cindygirl*~
May 22, 2022
HOPE
Introduction: This week’s lesson focuses on how faith and hope fit together and the importance of placing our faith and hope in the Lord as we walk in this life and try to do the will of our Father in Heaven.
There are many things in life in which people place their hope. Some hope they win the lottery. There are those that hope that their jobs will fulfill them and bring them a happy life. First let us ask ourselves, what is hope exactly?
Hope is looking forward to with desire and trust in expectation that everything will work out for the best.
Secondly let us ask ourselves, where do I place my hope? Is my hope placed on the one and only power that can truly work everything out for my good? Is your hope placed in the LORD Jesus Christ?
What is Faith? The Bible teaches us in Hebrews 11:1 that;
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
In other words, faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Faith and hope are knit together. Those that place their trust and hope in Christ must also put their faith in Him. How can one hope in something or someone if they do not believe or have faith in it/them? Therefore, in order to place our hope in the LORD we must have faith in Him and in his holy word. We hope for the things that God tells us in his word, but by faith our hope becomes alive. Without faith, hope is dead. God’s word also tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God.
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Our hope must be in God because hope placed in anything else will fail.
Psalm 146:3 “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 4. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.”
Psalm 146 teaches us a lot about placing our hope in the LORD. Let us continue to read here.
Psalm 146: 5 – 10
Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
Which made Heaven and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth forever:
Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: The LORD loveth the righteous:
The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.
Hallelujah we can place our faith, hope, and trust in Him. Hope placed in any other one, or in any other thing will eventually let us down. We must be like the old song lyrics. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. All other ground is sinking sand.
The word of God teaches us about hope in 121 verses in the Bible and mentions the word hope 130 times. Hope is important. Those without hope live in great sorrow.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”
Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.”
It is the will of God that his children hope in him.
Psalm 147:11 “The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.”
1 Peter 1:18 – 21
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Verse 25. But the word of the LORD endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
Jeremiah 17:7 “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.”
Lamentations 3:24 “The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”
Lamentations 3:26 “It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”
Joel 3:16 “The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.”
We like the ones of old live by faith and not by sight. Like Abraham we look for a city whose builder and maker is God.
Hebrews 11:8-10
“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By Faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”
Sometimes the things we hope for and have faith for, we do not see, but God will ALWAYS make good on his promises and honor our faith.
Noah built the ark by faith in God. All those that lived before Jesus came and after, had faith and hoped for the promises that God gave just as we wait.
Hebrews 11:13 “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”
Faith and hope are mainstays; it is part of God’s plan. He wants us to hope, trust and have faith in Him.
Romans 8:24 “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?
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
Sometimes God uses the hard times and trials we go through in order to make us stronger and so that God can show his work through us and increase our faith in him when he brings us through it and gives us grace to bear it.
Romans 5
1Corinthians 13:13 “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.”
We can hope in the LORD because we know that the best is yet to come, this world is not our home. Christ died so that we could have eternal life.
1Corinthians 15:19 “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”
Christ rose from the grave and we now have the hope of Salvation and in the Promises of God.
No matter what you may be going through now or in the future. No matter how hard it may be to endure or how rough may be the way, keep your faith and hope in the LORD Jesus Christ and He will give you the grace to come through it and He will work it out for your good.
Psalm 31:24 “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”
Psalm 33:18 “Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.”
Psalm 33:22 “Let thy mercy, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.”
Psalm 38:15 “For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O LORD my God.”
Psalm 39:7 “and now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.”
Psalm 42:5 “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”
Don’t forget to serve others in the love and attitude of Christ this week.
Prayer:
Dear Father,
We come to you today in praise of who you are and in knowing that you are worthy to be praised. There is none like you. There never has been and there never will be. You are Almighty, Sovereign God and in you we place our faith, trust and our hope. We know and understand that you alone are worthy of praise and all other things would fail us.
Father we thank you that we can trust you and that you are hope. We thank you that you are love and that you are mercy and grace. We ask you to help us to always remember to walk in your ways. Teach us to love your ways and your laws. Help us to keep them in our hearts and to always trust, hope and have faith in you because You are a faithful and wonderful Father and you cannot fail. Thank you for your mercy and understanding. We worship you today and hope in your words and in the soon coming of your Son Jesus. Help us to listen and follow the instruction of Your Holy Spirit that dwells in us so that your will be done in each and every life that prays this prayer now. In the wonderful, precious name of Jesus we ask, pray, and worship you. AMEN.
~*Cindygirl*~
May 22, 2022