Today I was thinking…. ‘what if someone who doesn’t know Jesus walked up to me and asked me, “Why do you have hope?” What would I say?’
A few Truths came to mind.
1. I have hope, because Jesus is coming back to earth to make wrong things right.
Truth: Jesus is coming back with power and great glory.
“…they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30
Truth: Jesus will make amends (aka compensate or bring His recompense) to people.
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” Revelation 22:12
Truth: Jesus’ 2nd coming is eventful and encouraging to us!
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
Truth: Jesus is coming to make wrong things right.
“But with an overflowing flood He will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.” Nahum 1:8
2. I have hope, because when the dwelling place of God is with man, we will have no more pain.
Truth: There will be no more crying, no more death, no more mourning, no more tears, and no more pain.
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4
2. I have hope, because we have a God of hope who wants to fill us with peace and joy! 🙂
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13
From all of these verses, a main point that sticks out to me is that Jesus’ return is full of hope for those who believe in Him and follow His commands.
I have a God who is full of hope! I have a God who wants to fill me with all joy and peace. My God doesn’t just want me to have a little bit of joy or a little bit of peace. He wants me to be FILLED with ALL joy and peace.
….How can I fit the FULLNESS of God’s joy and peace in my little body? …I have no idea, but I am definitely open to the idea! I love peace and I love joy! Who doesn’t!? Who doesn’t want more joy and more peace!?
Romans 15:13 is interesting, because it says,
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing…”
…in believing….
….in believing?….
Does that mean I need to believe to be filled with all joy and peace?
What do I need to believe?
I think these are good questions I can seek out.
I just know I want to be filled with ALL joy and ALL peace….not just partially but in FULL!
I know that “…by the power of the Holy Spirit I can abound in hope…”
Lord,
YOU are a God of hope! I want to abound in hope! I want to be filled with joy and peace! I want to believe You and Your Words and Your Truth. May it be so in Your name, Jesus! Amen! 🙂
In His Presence 