“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Rom. 5:2-5 ESV) 

Hope is mentioned three times in the above passage

1)    We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

2)    Character produces hope.

3)    Hope doesn’t put us to shame.

And these three things happen “because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Rom. 5:5 ESV)

Therefore

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13 NASB)

Here’s how to bring glory to God in everything you do!

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.” (1 Peter 4:10-11 NLT)

Serve one another in love

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Gal. 5:13 NIV)

Even Jesus came to serve others

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45 NIV)

Therefore

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” (Heb. 6:10 NIV)

“So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.” (Eccles. 11:10 NIV) 

God says many times in the Bible not to be anxious

It’s often stated as an outright command not to allow yourself to be anxious, period! That may seem shocking to those who may believe people have no self control over anxiety. But, just think about it, God would never command you to do, or not to do, anything you couldn’t do! The above passage, for instance, is a command to “banish anxiety from your heart.” Here is more from God’s Word on the subject.

Do not be anxious about anything

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7 ESV)

Cast all your anxieties on Him! 

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 ESV) 

Jesus mentions “anxious” three times in the following passage and commands you not to be anxious

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” (Matt. 6:25-34 ESV)

Therefore

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1:7 ESV)

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)

There is salvation in no one else

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 ESV)

Jesus is the mediator between man and God

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 2:5 ESV)

Jesus is the door

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9 ESV) 

Jesus is the narrow gate”

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” (Matt. 7:13 NIV)

You’re not condemned if you believe in the Son of God

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:18 ESV)

Therefore

“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12 ESV)

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12 NIV)

The passage above tells important things we should know about the Word of God.

·      It is alive - not dead, alert and full of life, active, energetic, vigorous, vital, vivacious, exuberant. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John. 1:1 ESV). 

·      It is active - busy, energetic, lively, mobile, vigorous, dynamic.” So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isa. 55:11 ESV).

·      It is sharper than a two edged sword - the notion that if two sides of the same blade are sharp, it cuts both ways. 

·      It penetrates the heart – the center of hidden emotional-intellectual-moral activity.“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16:7).

·      It divides the soul and spirit

- Soul is your inmost being, “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.” (Psalm 193:1).

- Spirit is the immaterial part of you that “connects” with God, who Himself is spirit. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24 NKJV)

·      It divides the joints and marrow - The marrow of a bone is in the very core of the bone and the joint is the point of connection on the outside of the bone itself that joins it to another bone. Therefore, the Word of God is sharp enough to separate between the inside and the outside of the bone. 

·      It judges thoughts of the heart – idea, notion, opinion, view, impression, feeling, theory; judgment, assessment, conclusion. 

·      It judges the attitudes of the heart – viewpoint, outlook, perspective, stance, standpoint, position, inclination, temper, orientation, approach, reaction; opinion. 

Therefore

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” (1Thess. 2:13 ESV)

“The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (NLT).” (2 Chron. 16:9 NLT)

The above passage tells us God is searching throughout the whole earth looking for those whose hearts are pure. Is that you?

God cannot find a single one who is not corrupt  

“God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!” (NLT). (Psalms 53:2-3 ESV)

We all fall short

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Rom. 3:23 ESV)

All creation is in sinful bondage

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” (Rom. 8:20-22 ESV)

We have redemption by His blood

“… and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith..” (Rom. 3:23-24 ESV)

We have access by faith

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Rom. 5:1-2 ESV)

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Col. 4:2-6 NIV)

The above passage lists things you need to do to win the lost for Christ. I’ve listed them below as bullet points.

·      Devote yourself to Prayer.

·      Be watchful.

·      Be thankful.

·      Pray that God will open a door for the message of Christ.

·      Pray that the message will be preached clearly as it should.

·      Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders.

·      Make the most of every opportunity.

·      Let your conversation always be full of grace.

·      Let your conversation be seasoned with salt.

And you do the above things for the following reason

And you do this “so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Col. 4:6b NIV)

Therefore

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15 NIV)

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31 ESV) 

What does it mean to glorify God?

To glorify God means to acknowledge His greatness and give Him honor by praising and worshiping Him. He alone, deserves to be praised, honored and worshipped. To glorify God is to extol His holiness, faithfulness, mercy, grace, love, majesty, sovereignty, power, and omniscience!

Glory and dominion belong to Him forever and ever!

“Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:11 ESV)

Let your good works bring glory to Him

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16 ESV)

Glorify God in your body 

“For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Cor. 6:20 ESV) 

Glorify His Name forever

“I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.” (Psalm 86:12 ESV) 

therefore

“Ascribe to the Lord, O clans of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” (1 Cor. 16:28-29 ESV)

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” (Col. 4:2 ESV) 

The Bible has a lot to say about why you do or don’t receive what you ask God for when you pray.

How to NOT get twhat you ask God for

·      You don’t ask

“Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24 ESV) 

·      You don’t ask according to God’s will 

“…saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.” (Jesus: Luke 22:42-44 

·      You ask selfishly

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:13 ESV) 

·      You don’t ask in faith

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5-8 ESV) 

·      You don’t persevere

“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” (Eph. 6:18 ESV) 

How to GET what you ask God for 

·      You ask boldly

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Heb. 4:16 NLT) 

·      You ask in Jesus’s Name

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14 ESV) 

·      You ask according to God’s will

“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15 NIV)

·      You ask to bring glory to God

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 24:13 ESV)

·      You ask in faith believing

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matt. 21:22 ESV) 

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 ESV) 

·      You abide in Jesus and His Words

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7 ESV)

·      You ask in agreement

“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” (Matt. 18:19 ESV)