Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
WHAT IS HOPE? Part 2
Hope that is not based on the Word of God is indeed an enemy of faith. Hope that is based on what some doctor, friend, writer, or even preacher who does not have God’s Word backing him, is often a false hope. Even faith based on any other source than God’s spoken Word and promises is false, and therefore an enemy of faith.
Romans 8:24, 25: “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
We can still call the things that we have faith and hope for as though they already were (Romans 4:17). Abraham not only believed for his son, Isaac, but he hoped for much more. He believed and hoped for future descendants and generations, as many as the stars in the sky that would come from his promised son (Genesis 15:5, 6).
Even Jesus Christ, the Messiah was included in the promised Isaac. The miracle baby was the down payment (Galatians 3:15, 16).
It is important for us fathers to take notice of Abraham, the “friend of God.” His desire for children was very great. He wanted children. He longed for children.
Genesis 18:19: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment, that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
Abraham was a prototype father, a pattern father. God declared Abraham righteous because he believed in a multitude of future sons and daughters. This should challenge us fathers to rethink our own position on this important subject. God himself is a lover of children (many children).
As fathers, we must teach our children all that God has promised us. How can they believe and have hope in the Scriptures if no one enlightens them of these “exceeding great and precious promises”?
2 Peter 1:4: “Whereby are give unto us EXCEEDING GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
This world is full of hopelessness and unbelief in God’s Word. Many of the Christian faith are very ignorant of most of the promises of God’s word. A good father will teach his children the promises of God.
1 Peter 3:15: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”
Most Christians today cannot give a scriptural reason of the hope that is within them. Why? Because they do not know the Scriptures. Let’s be fathers who diligently teach the Scriptures to our children.
Isiah 38:19: “The father to the children shall make known thy truth.”
Romans 15;4: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
