December 22, 2024

Romans 15:4 ~ Hope

December 31, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

{This final week of 2015 we will be re-visiting some of my personal favorite themes on which our wonderful writers have shared with us throughout this past year.  I hope that you (as I was, too!) will be encouraged and reminded of God’s faithfulness and loving care through their inspired words.}

For whatever was written in former days
was written for our instruction,
that through endurance
and through the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.
Romans 15:4 ESV

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have begun a mini-series on the subject of HOPE.  Our devotional writers have brought light to the verse highlighted above truly bringing us ‘the encouragement of the Scriptures.’  Here are a few of their thoughts….

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

In Positive Attitude, Tina wrote about a woman in the Old Testament who had great hope…

“God gave hope to Hannah.  Hannah was barren.  She went to the temple and prayed for God to take away her shame.  When the prophet, Eli saw her praying, he thought that she was drunk instead and questioned to her. When she explained she was praying for what she requested of the Lord yearly, Eli sent her on her way, asking God to grant her request.  And God did.  She gave birth to a son, Samuel, whom she dedicated to the Lord.  She was also blessed with other sons and daughters for her faithfulness. (Click here to read this account.)

God still shows up in this way today…There is power in prayer and belief.  Within these lies our hope.”

❦

In Hope Waits, Ahmee shared that having hope means we wait…

“Waiting goes hand in hand with hope.

Sometimes it’s a matter of seconds…sometimes it’s a matter of years.  Hope can be lost.  Hope can be found.  We can temporarily lose sight of the hope that we hold.  Hope is something that we have to focus on; something that is actually intentional.  Hope helps you keep a smile on your face when it’s raining.  Hope is a matter of perspective, but also, knowing that we are loved by the Creator of the world who only wants good for us.  With God, the hope we have has a real chance of actualizing.  Otherwise, we are just wishing for good things to happen.

God has promised us many things in His Word, and because of this it is possible for us to have hope.”

❦

In Spiritual Hope, Ann reminded us of the hope that the Word of God gives us…

“The Word of God always gives comfort and strength.
The Word of God is an oasis of hope.

Believing the Word of God and living by it takes us from the arena of hope into faith.

And hope maketh not ashamed
because the love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Romans 5:5

That means hope never disappoints. The reason it does not disappoint is that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  Hope is one of the three creative principles of the human spirit. They are also abiding principles.

And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

Meaning that when all else fails, these three principles will remain and not pass away.  They are given to us and are in our spirits.  We are to choose to act on faith, to always be hopeful towards God, and to walk in love.”

❦

In Circle of Hope, Cynda gave us a great example of how biblical hope works…

Scripture
Purpose = Instruction
Result = Hope

“The purpose of Scripture is our instruction.  The Scriptures encourage us to persevere, to endure.  They offer us comfort and give us hope. Psalm 119 reiterates how closely hope is tied to the instruction of Scripture. Look at the following verses:

Do not snatch Your Word of truth from me,
for Your regulations are my only hope.
verse 43 NLT

You are my Refuge and my Shield;
Your Word is my source of hope.
verse 114 NLT

This is the circle of hope—the more we seek God through His Word…the stronger our hope becomes; the stronger our hope…the more we seek God.  This serves us well in times of trouble.  Instead of being filled with despair, we can remember the nature of God and be filled with hope.”

❦

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This Week…Romans 15:4

June 5, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

For whatever was written in former days
was written for our instruction,
that through endurance
and through the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.
Romans 15:4 ESV

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have begun a mini-series on the subject of HOPE.  Our devotional writers have brought light to the verse highlighted above truly bringing us ‘the encouragement of the Scriptures.’  Here are a few of their thoughts….

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

In Positive Attitude, Tina wrote about a woman in the Old Testament who had great hope…

God gave hope to Hannah.  Hannah was barren.  She went to the temple and prayed for God to take away her shame.  When the prophet, Eli saw her praying, he thought that she was drunk instead and questioned to her. When she explained she was praying for what she requested of the Lord yearly, Eli sent her on her way, asking God to grant her request.  And God did.  She gave birth to a son, Samuel, whom she dedicated to the Lord.  She was also blessed with other sons and daughters for her faithfulness. (Click here to read this account.)

God still shows up in this way today…There is power in prayer and belief.  Within these lies our hope.

❦

In Hope Waits, Ahmee shared that having hope means we wait…

Waiting goes hand in hand with hope.

Sometimes it’s a matter of seconds…sometimes it’s a matter of years.  Hope can be lost.  Hope can be found.  We can temporarily lose sight of the hope that we hold.  Hope is something that we have to focus on; something that is actually intentional.  Hope helps you keep a smile on your face when it’s raining.  Hope is a matter of perspective, but also, knowing that we are loved by the Creator of the world who only wants good for us.  With God, the hope we have has a real chance of actualizing.  Otherwise, we are just wishing for good things to happen.

God has promised us many things in His Word, and because of this it is possible for us to have hope.

❦

In Spiritual Hope, Ann reminded us of the hope that the Word of God gives us…

The Word of God always gives comfort and strength.
The Word of God is an oasis of hope.

Believing the Word of God and living by it takes us from the arena of hope into faith.

And hope maketh not ashamed
because the love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Romans 5:5

That means hope never disappoints. The reason it does not disappoint is that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  Hope is one of the three creative principles of the human spirit. They are also abiding principles.

And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

Meaning that when all else fails, these three principles will remain and not pass away.  They are given to us and are in our spirits.  We are to choose to act on faith, to always be hopeful towards God, and to walk in love.

❦

In Circle of Hope, Cynda gave us a great example of how biblical hope works…

Scripture
Purpose = Instruction
Result = Hope

The purpose of Scripture is our instruction.  The Scriptures encourage us to persevere, to endure.  They offer us comfort and give us hope. Psalm 119 reiterates how closely hope is tied to the instruction of Scripture. Look at the following verses:

Do not snatch Your Word of truth from me,
for Your regulations are my only hope.
verse 43 NLT

You are my Refuge and my Shield;
Your Word is my source of hope.
verse 114 NLT

This is the circle of hope—the more we seek God through His Word…the stronger our hope becomes; the stronger our hope…the more we seek God.  This serves us well in times of trouble.  Instead of being filled with despair, we can remember the nature of God and be filled with hope.

❦

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Positive Attitude

June 4, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

 For everything that was written in the past
was written to teach us,
so that through endurance
and the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.
Romans 15:4

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Ever felt like, no matter what, things never seemed to go your way?  I believe we all have at some point.  I remember when my brother went through a bad spell that seemed to last forever.  From bad relationships to an attempt at suicide, he felt alone and desperate.  Through family, friends, and God he found his way back.  He is in a strong relationship and is happy.

God will allow us to go through issues—not to keep us down, but to make us stronger.  He has to prepare us for serving Him.  It will not always be easy (as some of our brothers and sisters in Christ are finding out in other countries right now).  As we pray for them, God will help the families and people through their journey.  God has given them the hope of seeing their loved ones in heaven if they believe.

God gave hope to Hannah.  Hannah was barren.  She went to the temple and prayed for God to take away her shame.  When the prophet, Eli saw her praying, he thought that she was drunk instead and questioned to her. When she explained she was praying for what she requested of the Lord yearly, Eli sent her on her way, asking God to grant her request.  And God did.  She gave birth to a son, Samuel, whom she dedicated to the Lord.  She was also blessed with other sons and daughters for her faithfulness. (Click here to read this account.)

God still shows up in this way today.  I have some friends whose child was at the point of death and was brought back to life.  Others  who were dying of cancer and once they were prayed for, they were healed.  There is power in prayer and belief.  Within these lies our hope.  We only need to pray with confidence to our Father who can heal and restore our homes, our families, and our nations. Not just the United States, but all nations.

For we have been given the commission to go and share the good news about Jesus to everyone.  We are doing this with our blogs, sharing our stories.  Sharing our life struggles and our victories in life, with the guidance  of the Holy Spirit.  God wants to use us to spread His good news!!

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Father, thank You for loving us.  Thank You for sending Your Son to die for us on the Cross.  Help us continue to share Your Word—Your good news to the world.  Let the words we write honor and glorify You and Your Son, Jesus.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Hope Waits

June 3, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us.
And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement
as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
Romans 15:4 NLT

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Hope

  • is ‘a confident expectation of good’
  • is what keeps you moving each day through your struggles and trials
  • is what allows us to believe in big dreams

Can you imagine a world without hope?  Maybe a whole world is hard to imagine…how about just one person?  Have you ever seen a person who has lost all hope?  One look into their eyes and you can see much pain.  It hurts even the beholder.  And although we, ourselves, may have hope we do have something in common with those that do not.

We both must wait.  Waiting goes hand in hand with hope.

Sometimes it’s a matter of seconds…sometimes it’s a matter of years.  Hope can be lost.  Hope can be found.  We can temporarily lose sight of the hope that we hold.  Hope is something that we have to focus on; something that is actually intentional.  Hope helps you keep a smile on your face when it’s raining.  Hope is a matter of perspective, but also, knowing that we are loved by the Creator of the world who only wants good for us.  With God, the hope we have has a real chance of actualizing.  Otherwise, we are just wishing for good things to happen.

God has promised us many things in His Word, and because of this it is possible for us to have hope. Our verse this week says,

… And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement
as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

However, we have to know His promises and believe His promises in order for true hope to take root in our lives.  With hope comes peace and with peace comes joy.  I feel these three things all go hand in hand.  Without one, you are missing a piece of the puzzle.  To me, hope is the foundation for peace and joy.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Lord, help us to keep our eyes on You that our hearts may overflow with the hope that you provide us each day, and the hope that you provided us when Jesus Christ died on the Cross for us.  Help us to stay focused on You and all that You stand for.  Let us know Your Word and Your promises.  Let us believe Your Word and Your promises.  Thank You for providing us with all the necessary tools that we need in order to have hope.  In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

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Spiritual Hope

June 2, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

For everything that was written in the past
was written to teach us
so that through endurance
and the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.
Romans 15:4

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

These words came as I was addressing an issue at hand.  Reference was made to that which is written in the Old Testament.  The Word of God always gives comfort and strength.  The Word of God is an oasis of hope.

Believing the Word of God and living by it takes us from the arena of hope into faith.

And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Romans 5:5

That means hope never disappoints. The reason it does not disappoint is that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  Hope is one of the three creative principles of the human spirit. They are also abiding principles.

And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

Meaning that when all else fails, these three principles will remain and not pass away.  They are given to us and are in our spirits.  We are to choose to act on faith, to always be hopeful towards God, and to walk in love.  Hope does not function on its own; it must be applied or acted upon.

The kind of hope that always produces results is the one that has its roots in God’s Word.  No man should hope in himself for there is no strength in such hope.  However, to hope in God is to trust entirely in Him for your provision.  Yet hope is not enough to change circumstances until its given substance.  This substance is the faith.

For faith is the substance of things hoped for….
Hebrews 11:1

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Dear heavenly Father, I declare that by the entrance of your Word in my spirit let my faith grow.  I should live by Your Word for it gives comfort and strength.  Let me not trust and hope in chariots, as some others do, but let all my hope be in You in every area of my life.  I pray all this in Jesus’ name.  Amen!

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Circle of Hope

June 1, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction,
so that through perseverance
and the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.
Romans 15:4 NASB

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Have you ever noticed when we have God our hope is extended?  Our hope expands as we study Scripture.  The verse above breaks it down like this:

Scripture
Purpose = Instruction
Result = Hope

The purpose of Scripture is our instruction.  The Scriptures encourage us to persevere, to endure.  They offer us comfort and give us hope. Psalm 119 reiterates how closely hope is tied to the instruction of Scripture. Look at the following verses:

Do not snatch Your Word of truth from me,
for Your regulations are my only hope.
verse 43 NLT

You are my Refuge and my Shield;
Your Word is my source of hope.
verse 114 NLT

This is the circle of hope—the more we seek God through His word…the stronger our hope becomes; the stronger our hope…the more we seek God.  This serves us well in times of trouble.  Instead of being filled with despair, we can remember the nature of God and be filled with hope.  Psalm 94:19 NLT puts it this way: “When doubts filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”  And Lamentations 3:21 NASB says, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope….”  When we recall the comfort and encouragement of the Scriptures, our hope abounds.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Lord, thank You so much for the hope we find in Your Word.  Thank You for providing Scripture for my instruction.  Help me to recall Your Word when troubles abound and my hope begins to fade.  In Your holy name – Amen, it is so!

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Thy Word

May 31, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

For whatever was thus written in former days
was written for our instruction,
that by [our steadfast and patient] endurance
and the encouragement [drawn] from the Scriptures
we might hold fast to and cherish hope.

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path

When I feel afraid, and think I’ve lost my way
Still, You’re there right beside me
Nothing will I fear as long as You are near
Please be near me to the end

I will not forget Your love for me and yet
My heart forever is wandering
Jesus by my guide, and hold me to Your side
And I will love You to the end

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Hope During Affliction

April 16, 2015 by

Many of you have gone on Spring Break or are anticipating taking a vacation this summer.  It is a time to refresh spirit, soul, and body.  Over the next couple of weeks, our faithful bloggers will be taking a ‘spring break’ from writing so that they can come back to us refreshed and freshly anointed.
However, Girlfriends’ Coffee Hour website won’t ‘go black’!  We will be revisiting some of our favorite blogs and daily devotions which have blessed us in the past.  We pray that each of you, our faithful friends and readers, will continue to start your day meditating on the devotionals and songblogs, and be encouraged and blessed.

Let’s give each of our bloggers a big round of applause, a hug,
and the rest they so deserve.  God bless you, ladies!

SeekingHimLogo

Remember Your word to Your servant;
You have given me hope through it.
This is my comfort in my affliction.
Psalm 119:49-50a HCSB

This passage reminds me of Roman 12:12 NIV; in fact, it seems to me this passage provides the reason we are urged to be “…joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer…”.

What is hope?

  • Bakers Evangelical Dictionary – to trust in, wait for, to expect something beneficial
  • Strong’s Concordance – a strong and mighty trust, actively waiting

God’s Word gives us hope.  We trust in the Scriptures.  They are the foundation of our hope and should be the only source of our hope.  We can be assured God will never disappoint the hope He has given us.  Take a look at these two verses:

Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word
and to do what He had promised.
Romans 4:21 AMP

So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish
and confess and our acknowledgement of it,
for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word.
Hebrews 10:23 AMP

We are to have hope even in times of affliction.

So, what is affliction?

  • Holman Bible Dictionary – the state of being pained or distressed
  • Strong’s Concordance – persecution tribulation, distress, pressure

His Word comforts and sustains us in times of affliction. Check this out:

For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction,
so that we may have hope through endurance
and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.
Romans 15:4 HCSB

His Word was written for OUR instruction.  We are to have a strong and mighty trust in His Word as we actively wait during times of pain, distress, and pressure.  When we do so, we can be confident that:

…the God of hope (will) fill you with all joy and peace,
as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 HCSB

I think one of my favorite verses sums up what happens when we hold tight to hope during times of affliction.

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13 NIV

Continue to expect something beneficial in the future, especially during times of trouble, and you will see the goodness of the Lord.

He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:24

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Father God, we are so thankful we have Your hope to hold on to, especially in the trying times of life.  Help us actively wait with a strong and mighty trust in You, knowing we will eventually see Your goodness come through.  In Your precious and Holy name we pray – Amen, it is so!

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Hope During Affliction

October 16, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Remember Your word to Your servant;
You have given me hope through it.
This is my comfort in my affliction.
Psalm 119:49-50a HCSB

This passage reminds me of Roman 12:12 NIV; in fact, it seems to me this passage provides the reason we are urged to be“…joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer…”.

What is hope?

  • Bakers Evangelical Dictionary – to trust in, wait for, to expect something beneficial
  • Strong’s Concordance – a strong and mighty trust, actively waiting

God’s Word gives us hope. We trust in it. It is the foundation of our hope and should be the only source of our hope. We can be assured God will never disappoint the hope He has given us. Take a look at these two verses:

Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word
and to do what He had promised.
Romans 4:21 AMP

So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish
and confess and our acknowledgement of it,
for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word.
Hebrews 10:23 AMP

We are to have hope even in times of affliction.

So, what is affliction?

  • Holman Bible Dictionary – the state of being pained or distressed
  • Strong’s Concordance – persecution tribulation, distress, pressure

His Word comforts and sustains us in times of affliction. Check this out:

For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction,
so that we may have hope through endurance
and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.
Romans 15:4 HCSB

His Word was written for OUR instruction. We are to have a strong and mighty trust in His Word as we actively wait during times of pain, distress, and pressure. When we do so, we can be confident in this:

…the God of hope (will) fill you with all joy and peace,
as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 HCSB

I think one of my favorite verses sums up what happens when we hold tight to hope during times of affliction.

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13 NIV

Continue to expect something beneficial in the future, especially during times of trouble, and you will see the goodness of the Lord.

He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:24

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Father God, we are so thankful we have Your hope to hold on to, especially in the trying times of life. Help us actively wait with a strong and mighty trust in You, knowing we will eventually see Your goodness come through. In Your precious and Holy name we pray – Amen, it is so!

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