A Four Letter Word

If you've been a follower of Jeremiah 29:11 for very long....you've gotta know that my very favorite word in the whole wide world is a little 4-letter word.

Know what it is???

Know what I'm talkin' 'bout Willis? (name that TV show)!!!

Yes....you're right....it's HOPE!!!

I've done a post on HOPE before...but let's review it....at least once more!!!

Here's the acrostic (oh, how I love those things)...that I heard years ago for HOPE:

Having the assurance

Of the

Promise of

Eternal Life

And....you all have to know by now...that my favorite verses in the Bible are:

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Our youth pastor is bringing some powerful messages on the word HOPE....and...he was kind enough to let me know what the "P" and "E" stand for...since he hasn't gotten to those 2 letters yet:

Humility

Obedience

Perseverance

Evangelism

What does the word "hope" mean to you? Don't you agree...that without hope....in any and all situations...we would be desperate....actually we would be..."hopeless"!!!

Merriam-Webster defines hope this way:

to desire with expectation of obtainment, or to expect with confidence

Let's see if we can find some other scriptures that explain just what this "hope" is all about. According to BibleGateway.com (I love, love, love that web-site), the word "hope"...or "hoped"...appears 133 times in the KJV. In the book of Job alone, it shows up 16 times. Who needed hope more than Job, after all he had been thru? The book of Psalms has some beautiful verses about hope:

Psalm 16:9 (KJV) - Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

Psalm 31:24 (KJV) - Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Psalm 42:5-6 (NLT) - Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!

Jeremiah 17:7 (NLT) - “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) - We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Romans 8:24-25 (NIV) - For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

and...finally...I love this one, too:

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) - Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

My "hope"...is that if any of you reading this feel that you're in a "hopeless" situation....you probably are...if you don't have Christ to give you the "hope" that you need to get thru each and every trial, problem, decision...that you must face!!! If you get a chance....look up other scriptures that contain "hope"!

And...remember....

Ain't God good...oh, yes He is!!

He is our GOD OF HOPE!!!

In His Most Precious Love....and with mine!!!