Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means.
Today I was asked to think about Hope. So I did.
How do we use the word hope? How does the bible?
Here are some "hopes" that are really more like maybes, the answer is truly unknown but the possibilities are there.
"Man I hope we get to go to Six Flags four times this week," I said to Tony 25 years ago.
"I hope I pass this test", I would say to my Spanish teacher and do say to Ying my Thai teacher.
"I hope you like what I made for you."
"I hope we have a long cool season here in Thailand this year."
Here are some "hopes" that are really unlikely to happen.
"I hope they have a Outback in the new mall they are building here in Khon Kaen," nobody says to nobody unless they are trying to be funny and make everyone mad.
"I hope tomorrow never comes," says the one in love or the one who is on death row.
"I hope I never see you again," says the mean one.
"I hope no one is in there," Gabe and I say to each other as we check on a light left on in the pump house by the lake at Salem late one night. (this may fit better in the above grouping)
These are the hopes that are most likely to happen but still have an element of the unknown.
I hope Brian Regan is funny on his next comedy routine.
I hope Sherry's Chicken Pot Pie is good tomorrow.
I hope my friends are doing well in the game Farmville or Mafia.
I hope that Ryan Marcum plays around with his blog template this week. (love you brother)
But what about the use of the word hope in the bible? Does our everyday use of "hope" confuse what God wants us to understand about hope?
Just like Inigo Montoya questioning Vizzini's use of the word inconceivable in the movie The Prince's Bride, we need to check ourselves with the use of the word hope.
From what I read and see, when the bible uses hope the meaning is full expectation or anticipation.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-5
We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.
The recipients of this letter were down and out because some of their church folks had died before Jesus returned. They were confused leaving them feeling hopeless and afraid of death. Paul needed to teach them about there security in Jesus and their final destination. They were feeling hopeless, Paul helped them to expect great things by understanding gospel benefits.
We hope for the day when we will see Jesus face to face, he is our hope. He is the reason we have hope. Our hopes are based off of his accomplishments and promises; this is an expectant anticipation, not a worrisome works based maybe it will maybe it won't word. This hope is also founded, given, and promised in grace, it is a divine gift.
This is but a tiny thought on great topic. HOPE!
Still thinking on this. Any thoughts? I hope so.
she’s facing death right now
Today I watched one of the most powerful talks I have heard and seen in years.
This talk is from Rachel Barkley, a 37 year-old wife and mother of two who is dying of cancer. According to Jon bloom over at desiring God she only has weeks to live.
I agree with Jon:
"On March 4, she addressed 600 women and in 55 minutes delivered one of the most God-centered, gospel-soaked, honest, moving, and beautiful messages I have heard."
Please take 55 minutes and watch this video
nine answers
Once again we are brought face to face with heart probing, life defining, vision embracing, character building, and soul longing questions. Rather than listing out the questions here I would like to lay out some answers that have guided and empowered me.
1. We are to GO!
There is great joy in being connected with God and believers with missional intenisity. There is a big world full of people that have never heard the good news of Jesus. We have One that is with us always with all authority commanding us to Go for love!
2. Sin and Death. Jesus and Life.
The gospel must go out to the Thai people and in methodological and theological theory surrounding countries will hear through discipleship and multiplication.
3. Spiritual Commonsense
What a prividledge it is to be a servant of God by bringing the gospel to the other sheep that are not yet of the fold. We are sent out by God, our church, and many individual families. God will speak through His gospel that will be proclaimed because of the labor of people in the states supporting us and trusting God along-side us for an abundance of souls to be rescued.
4. Prepared Goodness
When I go out to be with the people, I am not trying to rustle up some good works, no, I am attempting in faith to be obedient as the Holy Spirit empowers me in the good works set up by God the father. God has brought us to a foreign land for definite good works, this breeds hope and faith.
5. God's anointment and His glory
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified....
Isaiah 61:1-3
6. God's work and pleasure
Phil. 2:13
It is God in me that works!!! I want to know God and make Him known. God will work for His good pleasure and it pleases God for us to rest in Him as we labor and toil. It pleases me to please God as He works in me.
7. Reconciliation
God is reconciling the world to Himself. I want to be an ambassador for Christ.
8. Promises
God expands our hearts when we are on mission with Him and in doing so those close to us experience heart expanding along with us. Conversations with family tend to shy away from the trivial and gravitate towards heart depth questions. The promise of receiving a hundredfold bewilders me, but hey, it sounds great. It is also great to see that we will see our inheritance, not our earnings, along the way.
9. Love
murmurs
I would but cannot rest,
In God’s most holy will;
I know what He appoints is best,
And murmur at it still.
I murmur at it still.
Today I was able to talk to a great friend and catch up a bit. We were both talking about the vast difference between knowing truth and believing truth. Normally when we speak like this we are talking about salvation and the difference between only knowing about Jesus and believing/trusting Jesus. You need both, knowledge and belief. Something has happened over time with believers encouraging each other to believe, not just Jesus for salvation, but for all the promises of God. We need to be reminded to fight the good fight of faith, to continually ask God to help us with our unbelief as we fight against the idols in our hearts.
My friend and I both find ourselves knowing that God is our provider, comforter, friend, leader, etc, but we often fall short in trusting Him. Even when we know and see that "what He appoints is best" we still murmur.
Although realizing this may seem depressing, it is actually liberating. It is like pinpointing a disease in the body and then knowing exactly how to cure it. It is freeing to know that God will help me with my unbelief as I pinpoint my "diseases", with His help, and then trust Him to lift me up.
Do you find yourself worrying about tomorrow? Do you want to have total control of everything? Are you able to breathe deep or are you wheezing in your walk with God? Do you know that He is the Good Shepherd, but want grass in the other fields? Do you murmur to yourself and to others even as God is working for your good? Well, join my friend and I in asking God to help our unbelief. Jesus, make our hearts soft.
I know the Lord is nigh,
And would but cannot pray,
For Satan meets me when I try,
And frights my soul away.
And frights my soul away.
I would but can’t repent,
Though I endeavor oft;
This stony heart can ne’er relent
Till Jesus makes it soft.
Till Jesus make it soft.
Help my unbelief. Help my unbelief.
Help my unbelief.
My help must come from Thee.
I would but cannot love,
Though wooed by love divine;
No arguments have power to move
A soul as base as mine.
A soul so base as mine.
I would but cannot rest,
In God’s most holy will;
I know what He appoints is best,
And murmur at it still.
I murmur at it still.
Help My Unbelief
Taken from the Gadsby Hymnal #278
Words: John Newton, 1725-1807.
Chorus by Clint Wells.
Music: Clint Wells, 2005
© 2006 Red Mountain Music
www.redmountainmusic.com
