By Tammy Phillips
September 23, 2020
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God…The help of my countenance and my God. “(Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5 NKJV)
We are blessed to have dishwashers in our homes. Repeat after me. We are blessed to have dishwashers. However, loading and unloading the thing is a necessary task that does not bring me great joy. I made a choice to turn the chore into any enjoyable event. I use the time as an opportunity to chat with Lord, friends and family. Recently, I was taking advantage of dish time to talk with a friend and she questioned, “what is hope?” Can you see my thinking cap go on?
David repeatedly encouraged himself in his depression by saying, “Hope in God! Hope helps my frown turn upside down!” (My interpretive version of the focus verses above.)
Joel 3:16 says, “The LORD will be the hope of his people.”
So, I first responded, “Jesus!” Then, I continued, “Faith is believing God is who He says He is, has done what He says He has done, and will do what He says He will do. He keeps His word and His promises. So…hope is…hang on…”
I looked up the definition of hope in Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Our convo continued, “Hope defined is the PATIENT, JOYFUL AND CONFIDENT EXPECTATION OF GOOD. Bam! Drop the mike!” She had been hearing from God and preaching to me: “Expect from God! We need to expect!” She was right. Hope in God. Why pray, if we do not expect an answer? When we pray God’s word back to Him, the Bible says, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive [them], and you will have [them]. (Mark 11:24 NKJV)
David also repeatedly said in Psalm 119, “I hope in Your word.”
81My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.
114 You [are] my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.
147 I rise before the dawning of the morning, And cry for help; I hope in Your word.
166 LORD, I hope for Your salvation, And I do Your commandments.
Hebrews 10:23 states it differently: “He who promised is faithful.”
Our hope, our patient, joyful and confident expectation of good, is in Him and His word. God’s word said it. We believe it. Hope expects it.
Let’s look at Hebrews 11:1 blown up with what we have found…
Faith is believing God is who He says He is, has done what He says He has done, and will do what He says He will do. Faith is the substance, confidence or foundation of things hoped for, the patient, joyful and confident expectation of good…
I enCOURAGE you to HOPE IN GOD! Have confident expectation of good in Him. Remember, when you put dishes in the washer, you do not wish them clean. You expect that washer to do what it promises, right? God is greater and more faithful than that old washer. He will perform His promise!
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 NKJV)
Complete in Him 
❤️
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