HOPE AS A "KNOW SO"

Last month's The Best Times Faith and Hope section by Truth Seekers Fellowship Stacy Tyson focused of My One Word for 2024.....HOPE! Of course, I had to take notes. Cause, that's what I do!

One more Monday's Meditation on his scriptural truth notes.

HOPE---defined from a Biblical position. (my paraphrases with additions)

• Hope is a confident expectation things will turn out well turn out well because our Father God who promises is faithful. Hope is built on HIs past works. 
• Hope is NOT just wishful thinking. 
• Hope is built of Father God's trustworthy word and His past works..  
• My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; Cokesbury hymnal, p, 24)
• There is an old saying, A person can live 40 days with out food, 3 days without water, about 3 minutes without air, but not 3 seconds without hope."
• Hope is essential to life.

Everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and and through encouragement of the Scriptures we way have hope. (Romans 15:4, emphasis mine)

So.....Know the "know so" of True Hope!

CELEBRATE..........EASTER IS A-COMIN'

Easter will be here in a little over a week. It's celebrated by Jesus followers on March 31, this year.

For Christians, Easter is more a time of remembrance than bunnies, colored eggs and jelly beans. Easter is also a time of hope.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3)

"What kind of hope is that?" one might ask.

Hope is not wishful thinking. For believers in Jesus as Savior of our world hope is a confident expectation! It's hope for a future backed by the promises of Father God's Word and work for us.

Jesus, our living hope, resurrected from the dead,  

is cause for true celebration this Easter Season!

LORD'S PRAYER #3

Let your kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

(Matthew 6:10, New Heart English Bible)

Stacy Tyson has been giving such insight through his series on the Lord's Prayer. (thebesttimes.com e-version, May 2023, p.21) "God's kingdom is where truth defines reality and the lie has been rejected." Ponder that for awhile. 

Part of the kingdom coming shows a connection of Hallowing His name and His will to be done. The first coming of Jesus brought that kingdom but we still pray this prayer today for God's continued reign in the hearts of His children. His kingdom to come, His will to be done begins with each one of us. Tyson refers to that as "first taking root in us."

Stacy also shares a quote from Dallas Willard that sums up the link between "kingdom come and will be done," as God's effective will where what he prefers is actually what happens."

"In short, when we pray these lines, we are asking that all things be arranged and in line with the with the good and wise purposes of Father God. (Ibid, p.21)

Prayer warrior, JoLynn, ends most all of her prayers of petition with "if it be your will, O Lord" or "according to your good and perfect will."

That's "Thy will be done" in a nutshell.

THE LORD'S PRAYER #2

Our Father which art in heaven.....HALLOWED BE THY NAME! That must be the KJV because those word's came to mind as I recited the Lord's Prayer. NET, which Stacy Tyson quotes, translates "Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored."(NET) Holy. (NLV) Sanctified (TLV)P. D. Tripp says this second part of Jesus' model prayer frames everything that prayer is about.....as it reveals how precious the hallowed grace of Jesus is. (New Morning Mercies, May 5)

Tyson also states "be honored" more literally translates in modern terms as, "Let your name be sanctified." (The Best Times, March 2023)

Sanctified? 

Holy and unique. God worthy of reverential respect and awe as there is none like Him. (Psalm 86:8-9)

These days our prayers to our revered, glorified, worthy of praise Lord are the only Hope for the sanctity of our nation and the world.