The word for this week is "hope". Romans 15:13 says this in the New Living Translation:
13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Then again in 1 Peter 1:3:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. NKJ
This is the Greek word "elpis". Strong's Concordance says: to anticipate, usually with pleasure; expectation; confidence. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: rarely in a bad sense (of evil or fear); in a good sense: expectation of good; joyful and confident expectation. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: favorable and confident expectation; It has to do with the unseen and the future; the happy expectation of good (the most frequent significance). It is the expectation we develop in the promises of God when we meditate on His Word! Then we mix that hope with our faith, that comes from hearing and hearing and hearing that Word (Romans 10:17) and we become fully persuaded that God meant what He said and said what He meant! Then we see the manifestation of what we believe IF we walk in love! 1 Corinthians 13:13:
One of the reasons that love is the greatest is found in Galatians 5:6:
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love. KJV
The Amplified Bible says this:
6 For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love. AMP
We must begin with the promise of the Word (hope), then develop the faith to believe for it, operate in the love of God by treating every person as precious and valuable, the same way HE sees US, and then fully expect the manifestation of the promise, giving all the glory, thanksgiving and praise to HIM! This is a pretty wonderful life, don't you think? We are believing God that every good thing that you and Kristine and Avery are "hoping" for will be fulfilled, many of them this very year! Here is a song from Hillsong that I have been singing all morning, so I felt I should share it with you! It is called "With Everything":
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
