Through Eyes of Faith

Beautiful!

I want to share something I posted in cares crossing this morning...

I was talking to my son yesterday, and was surprised to learn that our modern english definition of hope, is not the same as its origional meaning, here is a article that will help to clarify that, but I think its worth doing further study on this, interesting!

Hope
by
J. Hampton Keathley III, Th.M.

Introduction
There are many key terms and concepts in Scripture like faith, hope,
love, joy, grace, peace, pleasing the Lord, etc. that we come across
as we read our Bibles, but often these are just vague concepts for
many people. The following study is designed to provide a condensed
biblical explanation of hope as it is found in the Word of God.

A Definition of Hope
What is hope? Is it a wishy washy maybe or a kind of unsure
optimism? The modern idea of hope is "to wish for, to expect, but
without certainty of the fulfillment; to desire very much, but with
no real assurance of getting your desire."

In Scripture, according to the Hebrew and Greek words translated by
the word "hope" and according to the biblical usage, hope is an
indication of certainty. "Hope" in Scripture means "a strong and
confident expectation." Though archaic today in modern terms, hope
is akin to trust and a confident expectation.

Hope may refer to the activity of hoping, or to the object hoped for—
the content of one's hope. By its very nature, hope stresses two
things: (a) futurity, and (b) invisibility. It deals with things we
can't see or haven't received or both .

Romans 8:24-25 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen
is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? 25 But if
we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly
for it.

Biblically, from the standpoint of the object hoped for, hope is
synonymous with salvation and its many blessings, past, present, and
future, as promised in Scripture. This is true even with what we
have already received as believers because these blessings come
under the category of what we cannot see. We may see some of the
results, but it still requires faith and hope. For example, we do
not see the justifying work of God, the imputation of Christ's
righteousness to our account, nor do we see the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit when we are saved, nor our co-union with Christ. We
believe this to be a reality, but this is a matter of our hope. We
believe in the testimony of God in the Word and hope for the results
in our lives.

In summary, hope is the confident expectation, the sure certainty
that what God has promised in the Word is true, has occurred, and or
will in accordance with God's sure Word.

A Description of Hope
It is Dynamic or Active
In the Bible, hope is never a static or passive thing. It is
dynamic, active, directive and life sustaining. This is everywhere
obvious as we read the Word. Take a concordance, look up the
word "hope" and you will find reference after reference pointing out
the active results of hope in the lives of those who truly have a
biblical hope and live accordingly.

In other words, a biblical hope is not an escape from reality or
from problems. It doesn't leave us idle, drifting or just rocking on
the front porch. If our hope is biblical and based on God's
promises, it will put us in gear.

It has Results
(1) It changes how we see ourselves. It changes us into pilgrim
persons, people who see this life as temporary sojourn.

2 Peter 1:13 And I consider it right, as long as I am in this
earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,

1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain
from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.

(2) It changes what we value. Hope, if biblical, makes us heavenly
minded rather than earthly minded. Our Lord's words here blast our
deception away.

Matthew 6:19-21 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth,
where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
21 for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

(3) It affects what we do with our lives—our talents, time,
treasures.

Titus 2:1-13 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for
sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified,
sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. 3 Older women
likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious
gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 that
they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love
their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being
subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be
dishonored. 6 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; 7 in all
things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in
doctrine, dignified, 8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, in
order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to
say about us. 9 Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters
in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not
pilfering, but showing all good faith that they may adorn the
doctrine of God our Savior in every respect. 11 For the grace of God
has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to
deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly,
righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed
hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior,
Christ Jesus;

1 John 3:1-3 See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us,
that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this
reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet
what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like
Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has
this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

The Christian life, if it is grasped according to God's truth, is a
magnificent obsession with an eternal hope, a hope that does not
lead to an escapist attitude, but to the pursuit of life on a whole
new dimension. It makes you bullish, as we might say today, on the
potentials of this life as stewards of God. It gives us power to
live courageously, to be all God has called us to be in Christ.

So then, why are we so quick to opt for earthly treasure and so slow
to be obsessed with the heavenly? Perhaps it is because we do not
believe in heavenly realities. They represent a celestial cliche in
our minds, but no more.1 You see, it is the person who believes in
this heavenly hope and who is so fixed on it, in the words of Peter,
that he or she is able to have such a light grip on the things of
this world that he or she is able to put first things first.

In other words, a biblical hope is never an escape from reality or
from problems. It doesn't leave us idle, drifting or just rocking on
the front porch. If our hope is biblical and not just a heavenly
cliche or like the sign, "in case of emergency, break glass," it
will put us in gear.