STUDY

 HOPE

We have hope, knowing that we have salvation in Christ. It's in the Bible, Romans 5:1-2, NKJV. "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

When discouraged put your hope in Christ. It's in the Bible, Psalm 42:11, NIV. "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will praise Him, my Savior and my God."

Love keeps hope alive and presses on. It's in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:7, NKJV. "[love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Faith is made of hope. It's in the Bible, Hebrews 11:1, NKJV. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Keep your hope in God, and you won't be disappointed. It's in the Bible, Jeremiah 17:7-8, NKJV. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fearwhen heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit"

We can find hope in God's Word. It's in the Bible, Psalm 119:114, NKJV. "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word."

Though you do not see God working, continue to hope. It's in the Bible, Romans 8:24-25, NKJV. "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."

Trials and tribulations bring forth character and hope. It's in the Bible, Romans 5:3-5, NKJV. "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

No matter what you have done, you can always find hope in the Lord's mercy. It's in the Bible, Lamentations 3:21-23. "This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."

Seek God, then have hope in Him. It's in the Bible, Lamentations 3:25-26, NKJV. "The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD."      

We have hope beyond death in the promise of the resurrection. It's in the Bible, I Thessalonians 4:13-14, NKJV. " But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus."

God's promise of eternal life gives hope. It's in the Bible, Titus 1:2, NKJV. "in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,"

Knowing God's calling for our lives gives us hope. It's in the Bible, Ephesians 1:17-18, NKJV. "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints."

No matter how impossible or desperate a situation may seem, God has a plan of hope to give you if you let Him. It's in the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

We have a blessed hope in the soon coming of Jesus. It's in the Bible, Titus 2:13, KJV. "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ"

5 Bible Verses That Will Change Your Life if You Believe Them

We all have our favorite verses. Some of them we love because they’re comforting. Others we may have memorized for that extra boost of confidence or encouragement they provide when we really need it. 

But here are five verses that I believe would absolutely change our lives – for the better – if we really believed them.

1. Matthew 10:37 – “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” 

When it comes to the sayings of Jesus, this is one I wish wasn’t in the Bible. And I’m not alone in that. I’ve heard many young moms ask me how they can love Jesus more than their own child. And furthermore, how could God actually expect them to? Yet Jesus wasn’t suggesting that we be negligent in our concern for others. Nor was He merely suggesting that we like Him a lot. He was commanding total allegiance. The Son of God who became our Savior demands and deserves to be first place in our hearts. 

I believe He was fleshing out the “first and greatest commandment” when He said this, and showing us what it looks like in our lives to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”(Mark 12:30). If we really believed Jesus when He said we must love Him more than our own parents and children – more than what is closest and dearest to our hearts – our lives would look radically different in how we honor Him, sacrifice for Him, and show a daily love and devotion toward Him. 

2. Romans 8:28-29 – “All things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose…” 

Here’s one we love to quote, especially the first part of the verse. But when we look at the entire verse, along with verse 29 – “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…” (ESV) – we get the bigger picture of what God is doing in the lives of believers when we encounter struggles. In the NASB translation, we discover that“God causes all things to work together for good” in order to make us more like Christ. When we truly believe that God not only works in, but causes events in our lives to conform us to Christ’s character, we will no longer doubt, worry, stress, or become anxious when hard times hit us. We will instead rest assured that God is at work in every situation in our lives to make us more like His Son and nothing – absolutely nothing – takes Him by surprise.  

3. Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” 

If you and I really considered ourselves crucified with Christ and our motto was “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” we’d be much less concerned about our personal image or reputation and we’d be all about Him and His concerns. When we truly die to self, we no longer worry about whether or not we’re getting respect for who we are and what we do. We wouldn’t be bothered by misunderstandings that cast us in a bad light, situations that are to our disadvantage, circumstances that humiliate us, jobs that are beneath us, or rumors that are untrue. Being crucified with Christ means His name is my name. I can live knowing He’s got my back because it’s His back. That must be what Christ meant when He said, “whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25, NIV).

4. Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” How we love this verse because it appears to be a victory chant for our ability to do anything. We perceive it as God wants me to prosper, therefore I can do all things. But in context, the Apostle Paul was saying he has learned to live in whatever circumstance God put him in. “For I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (verses 11-13, NASB). 

Are you wondering if you can live on your meager salary? Is God calling you to a ministry and you don’t know how to fund it? Are you wondering how you will persevere in your physical condition or continued diagnosis? This verse is an assurance to us that as we surrender to Christ, He will enable us to live in whatever circumstances He has called us. Next time you start to think I just can’t live like this remember you can also do all things (even endure your situation) through Him who gives you strength. 

5. James 1:2-4 – “Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” One of the most difficult struggles for believers is understanding why we have to struggle at all. Yet this verse packs a promise. Our testing and trials produce in us perseverance, which in turn results in our maturity and completion. In the NASB, we are told that the endurance learned through suffering will make us “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Isn’t that what we strive for? To be perfect as Christ is? Yet we can’t without His help. God’s Word tells us, straight-out, that we can be perfected in Christ Jesus when we not only endure our difficult situations, but when we actually consider them joy. If you and I really believed this, we’d be much happier at the things that continually bring us down. We’d be joyful, knowing we were on our way to maturity and completion in Christ. 

What do you think? Are you ready to start really believing these verses and living differently? The choice is yours. 

6 Encouraging Bible Verses About Help

Too many times we can feel helpless and out of control. But we can turn to the One who is fully in control and perfectly able to help in our times of need.

Psalm 46:1 

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” 

Psalm 68:6 

“God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Matthew 7:7 

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Hebrews 4:15-16 

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 13:5-6 

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”

Does God Need Our Praise?

Mark Altrogge has been senior pastor of Saving Grace Church of Indiana, Pennsylvania, since 1982. He has written hundreds of songs for worship, including “I Stand in Awe” and “I’m Forever Grateful.” Mark and his wife, Kristi, have five children and five grandchildren.

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving. The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me (Psalm 50:14, 23)

Ever wonder why God commands us to worship him?

Is it because he is some cosmic egomaniac who feeds off our admiration? Does his love cup need constant replenishing? Does his self-esteem wane? Or does he get some perverse pleasure from making his creatures do meaningless tasks?

Apparently Israel had fallen into thinking that God somehow needed the sacrifices he required of them. They had begun thinking like their pagan neighbors who believed their gods literally ate the animals sacrificed to them. But in Psalm 50, God tells Israel he doesn’t need their offerings.

I will not accept a bull from your house

or goats from your folds.

For every beast of the forest is mine,

the cattle on a thousand hills.

I know all the birds of the hills,

and all that moves in the field is mine.

If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world and its fullness are mine.

Do I eat the flesh of bulls

or drink the blood of goats? (9-13)

So why did God command them to offer animals to him? They weren’t for God’s benefit, but for Israel’s. He graciously gave them the sacrifices to temporarily cover their sins so they could draw near to him and enjoy a relationship with him. The blood of the goats and bulls was to remind them that sin had to be paid for and to point to Christ’s permanent atoning blood sacrifice that was to come.

God doesn’t need our service or money or praise:

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. (AC 17.24-25)

All God commands us is for our good and his glory. He doesn’t need our serving or giving or worship, since he gives us life and breath and everything. When he commands us to sing or pray or love our enemies, it is for our benefit. When God commands us to give our money, it’s not because he needs it, but that we might find him to be our treasure. And in being the source of all our good and blessing he is glorified.

So sing to Jesus, serve him and his people, offer him thanks, give to the kingdom. And not only will you honor God, but you will increase your joy and pleasure in him.