For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Rom 15:4

When you get knocked down, get back up. When you get knocked out, wake up to fight again. Where does this type of tenacity come from? We all are not geared this way. For some, there comes a time to just walk away. For others, they stay in the fight. Do you know any Christians like that? Their life is filled with adversity, troubles, trials, and sufferings. Yet, they seem to be driven and sustained with hope, to continue the good fight of faith. The scripture passage instructs us that the word of God is “written for our learning, that we…might have hope.” Christian hope is sustained by the “patience and comfort of the Scriptures.” The strength and endurance that enables the child of God to preserve through trials, press on through troubles, overcome adversity, comes from meditating on the word of God. As we spend time in God’s word, we can learn about God’s faithfulness to His promises, and of God’s faithfulness to His people “to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). Throughout the pages of the scriptures God unfolds His plan of Salvation to redeem man from sin (Lk 1:68). God’s unfailing goodness, His loving kindness, His mercy, and His grace are fully displayed and “continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Pet 3:4). It is the word of God that helps us stand firm against false teaching and deception, and to “hope in the Lord” (Ps 31:24). Jesus compared faith in the word of God to a wise man who built his house on a rock and his house withstood the rain, floods, and winds. My friend, build you life on the word of God, read, it, study it, and hide it in your heart (Ps 119:11) that you may endure life’s troubles, trials, and temptations with the “hope of salvation…through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thes 5:8). Dear friend, feed your hope with the Word of God that is “the hope which is laid for you in heaven” (Col 1:5). The word of God is the rock to build your life and the anchor for troubled seas that you may know “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). Father thank You for Your love and the hope that we have through the “patience and comfort of scriptures.” Fill me with the desires of Your love as I delight in Your word. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Pet 1:3

There is a common saying, ‘While there’s life, there’s hope.’ You may have witnessed or heard reports of great tragedies and devastation in the lives of others over the past several months. There has been loss of precious loved ones, complete loss of homes and properties in fires, storms, and disasters. Peoples’ lives as they knew, completely changed in a moment. Though tragedy and loss may have knocked them down and crippled them for a moment, many were able to find hope and meaning in Jesus Christ. The scripture passage reminds us that God has “begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” We are new creatures in Christ (2 Cor 5:17) born again to a living hope through the His resurrection. The apostle Paul says the same “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead” (1 Cor 15:19-20). Jesus paid the price for the sin of the world. He died in our place and destroyed “him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb 2:14). Death lost its sting through His resurrection. The child of God does not need to fear death anymore. We have “a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” and the assurance of heaven for all eternity. Even in death, great tragedy, loss, and devastation, there is hope. Physical death is unavoidable, but the word of God promises “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” (1 Pet 1:4-5). Dear friend, when troubles strike and loss seems to overwhelm you, where is your hope? When times are darkest, where do you turn? Hear the Father say, “be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord” (Ps 31:24). My friend, trust and rely on the word of God to lead you, guide you, strengthen you, and sustain you with a living hope to face life’s darkest moments and “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps 23:4). Only have hope “according to His abundant mercy.” Father thank You for Your love and the living hope of eternal life through Jesus. Help me to be strong and of good courage, and to walk in Your faithfulness. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 1 Thes 5:8

There is a constant reality that both light and darkness are always around us. The world we live in has both good and evil, right and wrong, and we face these choices every day. We can choose to live in a life of pleasure and passion or live with purpose and hope. The scripture passage instructs us “who are of the day, be sober.” The child of God is of those “who are of the day” and “belong to the day.” We are “light in the Lord” (Eph 5:8) and our purpose to be lights in darkness. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we “have the light of life” (Jn 8:12) and like “a city that is set on an hill cannot be hid” (Mt 5:14), the Spirit of God illuminates the word of God to lead and guide us past the passions of darkness and the pleasure of the world. Living in darkness means living without God and results in “unfruitful works of darkness” (Rom 13:12). The child of God is in a constant battle to stay away from the works of darkness and live according to God’s will. The battle is not always easy. There are times when we struggle and are tempted to use old weapons and tactics to be dishonest, to lie, to lust, or to treat others unjustly. It is in these times we need to arm ourselves by “putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” to fight against sin and darkness. My friend, “the hope of salvation” is the helmet of our armor to deny ourselves temporary sinful pleasures and put temptations in proper perspective. Earthly things pale in comparison with the “eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” that God promises His children (2 Cor 4:17). Dear friend, how do you defend yourself against temptations? Through faith in Jesus Christ, we must grow in both our knowledge of spiritual darkness and our pursuit of the light in God’s word. Allow God to mold and shape us into those who are ridden of any darkness, to become fully known to God, and allow His light to transform our lives into reflections of his Son, Jesus Christ “the hope of salvation.” Father thank You for Your love and the hope of glory. Help me to walk in the light of Your word as You are in the light (1 Jn 1:7) and rejoice always in fellowship with You. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.