~
The Spiritual Gift of Hope ~
Opening Comment ~ “Do
not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is
from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no
variation or shadow of turning. Of His
own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of
firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:16-18).
Source
Gifts ~ The first of the Construction
Sector gifts is Love! Love is the foundation
of all our building. The second is faith
which provides the framework for our relationship with Christ and the building
together with other believers. The third
is Hope! The “blessed hope” is from the Architect
of our faith as He guarantees the final result.
Hope
Looks Forward ~ The great “Hall
of Faith” chapter includes this, “These all died in faith, not having received
the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced
them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly
that they seek a homeland. And truly if
they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would
have had opportunity to return. But now
they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed
to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:13-16).
Scripture ~
The Apostle Peter understood the
importance of looking forward, “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims”
(1 Peter 2:11a). It is all too easy for
Christians to settle for being tourists on earth rather than pilgrims on their
way to their homeland. Meanwhile, on
earth we are Christ’s ambassadors. “Now
then, we are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20a). “Now hope
does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our
hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5).
As we
understand our standing and role in Christ it changes us. “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it
has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is
revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him
purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).
Hope
Produces Growth ~ “Rejoice
in hope of the glory of God. And not
only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation
produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love
of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us”
(Romans 5:2b-5).
Comment
~ A good definition of Biblical joy
is “a continuing attitude of anticipation.”
The early Christians understood that and they just called it “hope.”
Another Scripture
~ “We give thanks to God always
for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing
your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in
our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3).
Closing Comments ~ “Let
no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in
conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to
exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you,
which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the
eldership. Meditate on these things;
give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the
doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing
this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).
“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my
hands. For God has not given us a spirit
of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).
“As each
one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of
the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).
~
Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
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