On Hope

Medical equipment

2. Disney

3. New job

4. Baby

Biblical Hope

Romans 5:2 (NRSV)

[W]e boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

Hopelessness

Loneliness

No sense of purpose

Life out of control

Insufficient resources

Grief

Sense of defeat

Wrong trajectory in life

A mistake has been made

Overcome by fear

Someone has wounded

Growing to Hope

Romans 5:3–5 NRSV

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

We hope of sharing God’s glory

Even in suffering we may hope

Suffering brings endurance, endurance brings character, character brings hope

Hope is certain, because of God’s love poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Expectation

The expectation that something negative will occur is fear

The expectation that something positive will occur is hope

Hope comes from God.

Hope comes from an expectation that God will act.

Hope anticipates that God will keep his promises , all of them.

Hope recognizes that God has unlimited power and unlimited time to right all wrongs.

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Hope has a supernatural quality: “Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

*** Photo: How long is hope appropriate?

—As long as there is a future

—As long as we believe in God

— As long as God keeps his promises

—As long as there is life: life, life beyond life, eternal life