Get your hopes up!

“But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.” (Psalm 71:14 ESV)

 You must have HOPE!

Recently I heard someone say, “ Don’t get your hopes up!” When I asked them, “Why not?” They said, ”Because, if you get your hopes up, you could be disappointed!” I strongly disagreed with them, because we must have hope.  It’s a crucial part of faith. With it we are saved! Without it there is no joy!  Without it, the heart is sick (Prov. 13:12).

Faith is the assurance of things HOPED for

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1 ESV)

In HOPE we are saved

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Rom. 8:24-25 ESV

“So that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:7 ESV)

“But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” (1 Thess. 5:8 ESV)

HOPE brings joy

“The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.” (Prov. 10:28 ESV)

HOPE abides with faith and love

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:13 ESV)

HOPE in His Word

“You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.” (Psalm 118:114 ESV)

Rejoice in HOPE

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Rom. 12:12 ESV)

Therefore…

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lam. 3:24 ESV)

“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…”. (1 Peter 3:15 ESV)