Champions BYTES for 7/27/11: "Don't Give Up Hope!"

"For in [this] hope we were saved. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For how can one hope for what he already sees? But if we hope for what is still unseen by us, we wait for it with patience and composure." -The Apostle Paul

Hope sees beyond the naked eye into what is unseen.

According to the Easton's Bible Dictionary, hope is one of the three main elements of Christian character. It is joined to faith and love, and is opposed to seeing or possessing. It is spoken of as "lively", i.e., a living, hope, a hope not frail and perishable, but having a recurring, constant or perennial life.

If hope is a characteristic, then it is possible to give or deprive someone of it.

Here are some more facts about hope:

Hope is not hasty, easily agitated or irrational.
Hope gives you courage and confidence.
Hope sees graves as unknown things (C.S.)
Hope lives to give when people have stolen from it.
Hope is the constant expectation of good.
Hope emails the next resume out when no one is calling.
Hope still transfers money into savings when it has been wasted.
Hope still goes back to school to change career options when the industry says it's too late.
Hope still works on that failing marriage.
Hope believes when it has been betrayed.
Hope loves even though it's been hurt before.
Hope still volunteers on that struggling, unorganized PTA board.
Hope still has heart to heart talks to that son that seems uninterested and far away from God.
Hope still works hard on that job that does not appreciate you.
Hope still loves those that despitefully use you.
Hope still lives, tarries (and is often pained) for the thing that it longs for.
Hope continues to imitate those that have made it.
Hope is powerful, redemptive and transparent to all.

Yet in Job 17:11; 15-16: Job lamented, "My days have passed; my plans have failed; my hope is gone." Where is there any hope for me? Who sees any? Hope will not go with me when I go down to the world of the dead."

In Job 14:7-9, he said: "Even a tree has more hope! If it is cut down, it will sprout again and grow new branches. Though its roots have grown old in the earth and its stump decays, at the scent of water it will bud and sprout again like a new seedling."

Now, this was the same Job that God proclaimed "There is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who [reverently] fears God and abstains from and shuns evil [because it is wrong.]"

And now his hope was gone.

One of the greatest signs of hopelessness is sluggishness. That word sluggish means: slothful or indolent; indolent simply means: to lose passion; to dislike work or effort; to be lazy, idle, inactive or slack in what God has promised you.

In other words, you are no longer pursuing your dreams. You are no longer trying to stand out, be results oriented or different; you are no longer trying to change or get better on the job, in the business or relationship. Beware, that when you are sluggish or idle, it's easy to fall into sin.

The Hebrew writer wrote: "But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak: for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister. And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fullness of hope even to the end: THAT YE BE NOT SLUGGISH, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise." (Hebrews 6:9-15)

In other words, if no one is left to do it; I WILL.

God is the only One whose promise you can stand on.

Abraham had hope when there was no reason to hope that he would be the father of many nations (Romans 4:18-22.)

Likewise, you might not ever hear that relative or friend say I'm sorry. You may not ever see that loved one ("Lot") change. Don't put your hope or trust in chariots and horses (the validation, strength and opinion of man.) Don't hope in the government. Don't hope in Wall Street or the real estate market; or in your industry, boss or employer for promotion.

God is your source.

You may say, "Ed, my loved ones and friends think I am worthless, they don't appreciate me; they think I have no value; the government hasn't agreed on the budget or debt ceiling; they think the Medicare checks won't come in August."

But what does God think? He has an opinion too. Charles Spurgeon once wrote: "Look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul."

John said it like this: "Just as He is, so are we in this world." (1 Jn. 4:17.)

HOW IS HE IN THE RECESSION?
HOW IS HE IN YOUR MARRIAGE AND HOME?
HOW IS HE WHEN YOUR CHILDREN, SPOUSE OR PARENTS FAIL?
HOW IS HE WHEN THE DIAGNOSIS IS CANCER?
NOW IN COMPARISON TO ALL OF THESE THINGS, HOW ARE YOU?

Hope overflows by the power of the King's Presence within (Rom. 15:13.)

The Apostle Paul wrote: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope." (Rom. 15:4)

When we meditate on His Word, Psalms 1:2-3 says: "And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity.]"

You see, even when your branches are cut off, your roots have grown old and stump decays, at the scent of water, the Vine you are connected to will sprout again and grow new branches and fruit for the nations.

David concluded: "Wait calmly for God alone, my soul, because my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my savior-my stronghold. I cannot be shaken. My salvation and my glory depend on God. God is the rock of my strength, my refuge. Trust him at all times, you people. Pour out your hearts in his presence." (Ps 62:6-8.)

Today, God is persuaded of better things of you.

What do you see:

In that marriage?
In your children?
In your love life?
In your career?
In your health and economy?

When was the last time you poured out your hearts in His presence and made a public declaration of hope (to the unseen world), HE ALONE IS MY ROCK AND SAVIOR; I CANNOT BE SHAKEN?

Now is the time to hope, dream, imagine, expect and pray for what you cannot see. Your circumstance is a recipe for hope -NOT DISASTER- and more than you know is qualifying you for your crown and reward.