areliablefaith

Any blog post written is only as good as the source material used. I wrote earlier today about the difference between Optimism and Hope. Hope has its foundation on the promises of God and the reality of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial life, death, and resurrection. Thanks to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for sending me a daily word of encouragement. I am forwarding these 15 scriptural promises they shared with me for you to read and use as a foundation for your hope today.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
—Jeremiah 29:11, ESV This was a life verse given to me when the entire office where I worked was notified we had been downsized. They said they needed us to stick around a few months for transition. That entire first week, this verse kept coming to mind unbidden. I knew it was the Holy Spirit building my faith for what was likely to be a challenging time. Because of this verse and other ways the Lord chose to encourage us, our hope never waned. In the end, after 15 months, they gave me a new job within the company that became one of the best jobs I ever had.

He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.
—1 Peter 1:3–4, ESV

Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
—Philippians 3:20, ESV

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
—Zephaniah 3:17, ESV

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
—Romans 15:13, ESV

They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
—Isaiah 40:31, ESV, I’ve lost track of the number of times I have sung this as a reminder of God’s mercy and grace when I was worn and weary. And every time His Word has lifted and refreshed me for my next steps. And I am still stepping because He is my strength and my refreshing.

And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.
—Psalm 39:7, ESV

… waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ …
—Titus 2:13, ESV

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
—Romans 12:12

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.
—2 Corinthians 4:17–18, ESV, This scripture is such a comfort in times of difficulty. Sudden job loss, two near death episodes, a cancer diagnosis, and other challenges of life truly shrink to insignificance when compared to life with God that will go on into eternity. This life is but a prelude to the larger, brighter, better life God has prepared for His children.

The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
—Romans 8:18, ESV

Behold, I am coming soon.
—Revelation 22:12, ESV

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

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
—Revelation 21:4, ESV

This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
—Lamentations 3:21–23, ESV, Context is important. Jeremiah wrote this as the southern kingdom of Judah has been crushed, most of those not killed have been carried off into exile in a foreign land, and Jeremiah is left with a group of the poorest of the land with enemies all around ready to swoop in and crush whoever remains. His prophesies went unheeded yet came true. Even now the people ask for his prophetic word but then ignore it. If anyone had reason to lose hope and feel sorry for himself, it was the weeping prophet Jeremiah. Yet he reminds himself of God’s faithfulness and then hope rises.