Hope in the Lord

Do you not know?  Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:28-31

Are you tired, lonely, or feeling lost?

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength!

Be wise today and always – rely and hope in the Lord.

Tree of Life

What is the “Tree of Life”?

- It Brings Us Closer to God

- Spiritual and Eternal

- A Reward to all Believers

It’s mention at the beginning and end of time.

Genesis 2:9 - The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 3:24 - After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

We are given more information about the tree to apply to our lives:

Proverbs 3:18 - She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.

Proverbs 11:30 - The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.

Be wise today and always - Got Hope?

Hope Defered

Solomon, the world's wisest man said, Hope delayed makes the heart sick, but hope fulfilled is a tree of life. - Proverbs 13:12

What happens when we put our hope in something?

Excitement

Plan on it becoming a reality

Dream about it

Become impatient

What happens when what we hope in doesn’t become a reality?

Disappointment

Lose Our Focus

Stop Trusting

Give Up On Hope

What happens when what we hope in is fulfilled?

Joyful

Invigorated

Trusting

Fulfillment 

Be wise today and always - hope in the Lord.

Hope Delayed

How many times in life do things not turn out as we planned or hoped for?

Hope in God’s eyes is not wishful thinking but means a “strong and confident expectation”.

Look at the promises that are made in Proverbs:

Proverbs 10:28 - The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

Proverbs 11:7 - Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of their power comes to nothing.

Proverbs 11:23 - The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

Proverbs 23:18 - There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Proverbs 26:12 - Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.

Be wise today and always - - follow the Word and apply it to your life.

 

Never Alone

God will never leave you, you are never alone.

 God’s Promise is kept in the New Testament.

Keep on loving each other as brothers. ² Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. ³ Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. ⁴ Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. ⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” ⁶ So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” ⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and tod ay and forever. - Hebrews 13:1-8

 Jesus gives us His comfort and Promise.

1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." -  John 14:1-7

Be wise today and always - take God's promise of peace and comfort to heart.

Lonely

Have you ever felt that that something or someone was chosen over you? That you have been replaced, abandoned, separated, or lonely?

God will never leave you, you are not alone

God will be with His people even in the midst of change.

Joshua to Succeed Moses

 Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: ² “I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’ ³ The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the Lord said. ⁴ And the Lord will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. ⁵ The Lord will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you. ⁶ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁷ Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. ⁸ The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” - Deuteronomy 31:1-8

God will be with us as individuals even when we feel alone.

Joshua as the Leader (Moses is gone - must lead a country across the Jordan to the Promise Land)

No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. - Joshua 1:5

Be wise today and always - turn to God when you are lonely.

God's Hope

Hope defined:

The feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best. “Hope” in Scripture means “a strong and confident expectation.”

What does the Bible say about hope? 

 It's in there 180 times - 34 in Psalms! Here are some of my favorites.

Psalm 9:18 -But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.

Psalm 25:3 -No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.

Psalm 25:5 - Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 37:34 - Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

Psalm 130:7 - Put your hope in the LORD(& His Word), for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.

Allow God's promise of hope minister to your needs today.

 Be wise today and always - praise God for His hope is sure.