2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2
As we start out the New Year some people are filled with hope that things will be better than last year. Hope is the belief that future circumstances will be better it is not a wish but an actual belief. I feel that this optimism is part of our being as we start the New Year after all who does not want a better year than last year. Below is the Merriam Webster definition of hope.
Hope
noun
1
a
: desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment
came in hopes of seeing you
also : expectation of fulfillment or success
no hope of a cure
when they were young and full of hope
b
: someone or something on which hopes are centered
our only hope for victory
c
: something desired or hoped for
great hopes for the coming year
The above definition is a great secular definition.
The Christian definition is essentially the same…sort of.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
In the above scripture “ faith, hope and love” seem to exist as three separate entities but I feel that they are overlapping entities of the Christian faith. The Bible says:
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
In the above scripture “faith comes from hearing” the “hearing through the word of Christ” comes from the reading the Holy Bible. I believe that the Bible contains truths so reading the bible will gives us the insight and wisdom we need to grow in the Christian faith.
Christian hope believes that God has made promises and you put your trust in those promises. Such as:
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
In the above scripture God promises eternal life to anyone that repents their sins and accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Christian hope is confidence that something will come to pass because our Heavenly Father God Almighty has promised it to come to pass in this case eternal life. Let me conclude with these scriptures:
23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Mark 9:23
And
Remember:
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NIV
God bless all that read this with His love, light, grace, mercy, and wisdom. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Revelation 22:21