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Hope
The document reflects on the concept of hope, particularly from a Christian perspective, using various scripture references to emphasize its importance in times of suffering and adversity. It discusses personal challenges faced by individuals and reiterates the belief that hope can sustain through trials, with a focus on the promises of Jesus. The writing culminates in an encouragement for readers to embrace hope, which is freely available to everyone.
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Hope
- 2. I don’t ownthe copyright to any of this material but I’m using it under the following conditions. "Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non- profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.“ It is not intended for sale, rental or any other remuneration for either private or public use.
- 3. • “Man canlive about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air...but only for one second without hope.” Hal Lindsey • We who are Christians have a blessed hope we are looking forward to. • It’s what has kept Christians going through hard times, through persecution and through times of martyrdom. • It’s found in the following verse: • Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; • Titus 2:13 คอยความสุขซึ่งจะได้รับตามความหวังได้แก่การปรากฏของพระสิริของพระเจ้าใหญ่ยิ่งคือ พระเยซูคริสต์พระผู้ช่วยให้รอดของเรา • Titus 2:13 等候所盼望的应验，就是伟大的 神和救主耶稣基督荣耀的显现。
- 4. • With thatin mind, I’ll share the following meditation that I made. • I Have Hope: • The situations mentioned here are not all personal situations but some are situations that I have known about from my own experience and from people who went through their own dark times, and of the causes of the dark times. • (One in particular had to suffer terrible persecution and abuse by her mother and relatives before God took her out of the situation and began to use her in service to Him.) • God brought them all out and made them strong and their testimony has brought many to Jesus.
- 5. • I maynot have the money to get any of the luxury items I see around me daily on TV and in billboard advertisements. • I may even have only enough for food for this month, this week, this day. • My job situation may be bad and I may not have the training to do the kind of job that pays "a decent wage" or one that is "suitable for me". • Maybe no one will hire me. • But I have hope.
- 6. • My healthmay be broken, or I may be housebound or bed ridden in pain. • The prognosis may be "incurable" and I have to adjust my lifestyle to the bokenness, suffering and pain. • Medication may be hard for me to come by and at best only marginally effective. • It may be difficult to afford to see a doctor. • But I have hope.
- 7. • My familymay be dysfunctional to the point that everyone is against me and nobody even wants to live for good. • They may all be unsaved, and I the only one who knows the Lord. • They may be persecuting me severely for my stand and belief, inflicting untold mental and physical tortures on me to try to shake me from my belief. • They may even kick me out of the house because of my belief in Jesus. • Or they may totally ignore me and my needs. • But I have hope.
- 8. • I havehope that the sunshine will outlast the clouds of the storm around me and flood my world with its warmth and light. • I have hope that there will be tomorrow, regardless how dismal and hopeless today seems to be in my life and in the world. • I have hope because I am still here and that means I have a another chance to trust the Lord for the help I need for today and to praise Him when He supplies my needs. • I have hope that He will not forsake me or leave me in this valley of trials, but will bring me out to the other side where I will walk in the sunlight of His love for me. • I have hope.
- 9. • Finally, Ihave a hope that even when the world seems to be falling apart and there is sin, immorality, hatred, cruelty and selfishness in people around me Jesus is with me. • I have a hope that there are people in the Body of Christ who care for me, who are supporting me with encouragement, love and prayer. • I have a hope that Jesus promised to be with me and to never forsake me so I can say: Rom. 8:31-35: 31 …If God be for us, who can be against us? …33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ …who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? • I have the blessed hope that soon Jesus will come back and take His bride to Father’s house to be with Him forever. (Titus 2:13)
- 10. • My hopestems from two promises that Jesus made in His • last days on this earth. "Lo, I am with you always, even to the • end of this age." (Matt. 28:20) • นี่แหละเราจะอยู่กับเจ้าทั้งหลายเสมอไปจนกว่าจะสิ้นยุค • 我就常与你们同在，直到世界的末了. • and "In my Father's house are many mansions.... I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again to receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:2-3) • 2 ในพระนิเวศของพระบิดาเรามีที่อยู่เป็นอันมาก…เราไปจัดเตรียมที่ไว้สาหรับท่านทั้งหลาย เมื่อเราไป จัดเตรียมที่ไว้สาหรับท่านแล้วเราจะกลับมาอีกรับท่านไปอยู่กับเราเพื่อว่าเราอยู่ที่ไหนท่านทั้งหลายจะ ได้อยู่ที่นั่นด้วย • 2 在我父的家里，有许多住处…；我去原是为你们预备地方。3 我若去为你们预备好 了地方，就必再来接你们到我那里去；我在那里，叫你们也在那里。
- 11. • I alsohave hope that "Weeping may endure for a night/ But joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5) • การร้องไห้อาจจะอ้อยอิ่งอยู่สักคืนหนึ่งแต่ความชื่นบานจะมาเวลาเช้า • 一宿虽然有哭泣，早晨便必欢呼。 • I have hope and it's my prayer that you will have that hope, too. • It's there for you and it's free. • By Mathew A. Varnado • 22 September 1999
- 12. • Some versesrelated to hope that we need to be aware of: • Psalm 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. • Ps 42:5 จิตใจของข้าพเจ้าเอ๋ยไฉนเจ้าจึงฝ่ ออยู่ไฉนเจ้าจึงกระสับกระส่ายภายในข้าพเจ้าจงหวังใจในพระ เจ้าเพราะข้าพเจ้าจะถวายสดุดีแด่พระองค์อีกผู้ทรงเป็นความอุปถัมภ์และพระเจ้าของข้าพเจ้า • Ps 42:5 我的心哪，你为何忧闷？为何难过？仰望 神！因他必救助我， 我要再次称赞他。 • Psalm 147:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. • Ps 147:11 แต่พระเจ้าทรงปรีดีในคนที่ยาเกรงพระองค์และในคนที่ความหวังของเขาอยู่ในความรักมั่นคง ของพระองค์ • Ps 147:11 耶和华喜爱敬畏他和等候他慈爱的人。
- 13. • Romans 5:1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 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. • Rom 5:1 เหตุฉะนั้นเมื่อเราได้เป็นคนชอบธรรมเพราะความเชื่อแล้วเราจึงมีสันติสุขในพระเจ้าทาง พระเยซูคริสตเจ้าของเรา 2 โดยทางพระองค์เราจึงได้เข้าในร่มพระคุณที่เรายืนอยู่และเราชื่นชมยินดีใน ความไว้วางใจว่าจะได้มีส่วนในพระสิริของพระเจ้า 3 ยิ่งกว่านั้นเราชื่นชมยินดีในความทุกข์ยากของเรา ด้วยเพราะเรารู้ว่าความทุกข์ยากนั้นทาให้เกิดความอดทน 4 และความอดทนทาให้เห็นว่าเราเป็นคนที่ พระเจ้าทรงใช้ได้และการที่เราเห็นเช่นนั้นทาให้เกิดมีความหวังใจ 5 และความหวังใจมิได้ทาให้เกิด ความเสียใจเพราะผิดหวังเพราะเหตุว่าความรักของพระเจ้าได้หลั่งเข้าสู่จิตใจของเราโดยทางพระ
- 14. • Rom 5:1我们既因信称义，就藉着我们的主耶稣基督得与 神相和。 • 2 我们又藉着他，因信得进入现在所站的这恩典中，并且欢欢喜喜盼望 神的荣耀。 3 不但如此，就是在患难中，也是欢欢喜喜的，因为知道患难生忍耐，4 忍耐生品格， 品格生盼望，5 盼望不至于落空，因为所赐给我们的圣灵将 神的爱浇灌在我们心 里。