Are You Convinced? - A Devotion

Psalm 130:5-6 (NLT)
I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.

Confident hope is cultivated faith that has been established in our heart with a certain staying power that allows us to remain in the Presence of God doing the Will of the Lord when all “hell” is breaking loose in our life. Where is your hope today? Faith must be developed into hope or it is useless in life. To say that one has faith in the Lord, yet never allow such a commitment to mature and develop will remain lacking in the staying power necessary to claim the rich inheritance intended for all God’s Children. Hope is faith that has been tested and tried claimed by believers who refuse to let go of God’s Word no matter how many enticing lies are hurled at them by the enemy. It is owned by those who dig in and are convinced that God is able. There are many enablers in the Body of Christ today who pray for others without believing anything will happen. They offer encouragement that is not valid for there is no faith or trust to back it up. I believe that is why hope is described in solitude. As a sentry waits for dawn, it is a lone position watching the horizon. It is one’s duty. Confident hope is not given as everyone is born with a measure of faith. (Romans 12:3) Hope comes when we take the “measure of faith” and invest effort in it. Seeds in a packet on a shelf will never reach their full potential as a harvest. Faith preserved in the soul for another day will never become confident hope as God intended.

Romans 5:3-5 (NLT)
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Endurance and effort is required to turn faith into confident hope. Confident hope is intended for salvation. It has an expiration date. When you die, you immediately come face-to-face with the Lord. The time to develop endurance that becomes strong character which in turn develops confident hope is now before it is too late. Faith is not to get through life it is to survive the judgment of God. Hope will not lead to disappointment if we take the time to develop confident hope that extends past the date on our death certificate into Eternity with God. Problem is most people cannot see past tomorrow much less the “problems and trials” of today. If your perspective is limited to there here and now, you will never fully understand how much God loves you. He has invested His Spirit to fill our hearts with His Love and expand our thinking beyond today into forever. We must develop endurance to learn to wait for God’s Goodness to overtake us. We must endure as our character is strengthened in human weakness to God’s Prevailing Purpose which is to spend Eternity with you. He will do whatever it takes to develop confident hope that leads to salvation.

Romans 8:24-25 (NLT)
We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

If we already have something, we do not need to hope for it. Think about this. “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) If by faith and trust in the Lord we believe that He has already provided all our needs and it has been given to us by Jesus, then why would we need to hope for a raise, a job, a car, money or any “thing” else? It says in the Word of God, that He WILL supply all your needs. It does not take faith to have this much less confident hope. God says that He has given it to you. Done! This allows believers to concentrate on what really counts which is what comes after this life. Do you have confidence in what comes after this life? That is where our hope is needed. We must wait patiently and confidently for that day not for the little things we spend all our time worrying about. God has already provided for this life. Faith is required to step out of this life into Eternity. Confident hope in the resurrection power of God that allows us to remain firmly planted in our faith no matter what happens in this lifetime. “And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.” (I Corinthians 15:19)

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NLT)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

Sin claimed our future and hope. God’s Plans for us included His Goodness and Unfailing Love. He saw the impending doom and disaster ahead of His People so He decided to give us a “future and hope.” Jesus Christ is the Name of Hope. (Matthew 12:18-22) God sent Him to this world to pay sin’s price to reclaim our freedom to journey past this life into forever. So now when we pray, God will listen. If we look for Him wholeheartedly, He will be found. Notice there is effort in both promises. We must seek the Lord. It will require endurance. It will take some effort. It will require a heart dedicated to the future not living for today. People who remain unconvinced that they will see the Lord face-to-face struggle with sin and darkness. It is because they cannot see beyond the seventy or so years that we are promised on this earth. What good is the resurrection power of God if it cannot steal us from the grave? What good is faith it is only good for today? Why do we need confident hope if there is no heaven? Without faith that has become confident hope in the Lord, we are all destined to die. But those who choose to claim God’s Plan for their life and believe that it is a good plan including a future and hope will ever claim the reward of salvation. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and faith without works is dead because it will never become confident hope.

Lamentation 3:21-24 (NLT)
Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

There is good in Christianity and religion. Some people will pursue these two things and be very successful in this life. God’s Word will always prosper in your life even it is simply sowing God’s Word and reaping His Benefits. God’s Faithful Love is for more than yesterday, today or tomorrow – it is forever. His Mercy concerning you will never cease no matter how many times we goof up. God is still faithful waiting on us the next morning with more grace, mercy and love for those who choose to believe that God really does have something to offer. Weak faith reaches out to God for the daily sustenance that has already been provided. There is no hope in simply believing God for our every day needs. Rain falls on the just and unjust. God is going to meet your needs if allowed to do so. However, who will say that I dare hope reaching beyond faith in light and momentary things to Eternity? Those who believe that God has more to offer than what they can see and those who search for the truth of what is to come will build confident hope in the reality of Eternity and the many benefits of His Inheritance. In Jeremiah 29:11, God already revealed that it is a part of His Plan and His Plan is a good one. How much of your inheritance are you going to claim today? It will require looking past this life and gaining Godly wisdom and knowledge that expands one’s perspective to a God’s-eye view of life.

Hebrews 6:17-19 (NLT)
God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.

Confident hope is developed by those who keep pushing their faith into every situation. When the storms of life come, and they WILL come, those who choose to use their faith will find it becomes an anchor for their soul. Hope is the weight of faith. It is the evidence of our trust in God. Do you believe it is impossible for God to lie, change his mind or go back on His Word? All three of this lies nullify faith and shatter hope. God has given us many promises that are all revealed in His Word and discerned by His Spirit as this partnership works to take our faith and make it hope. God’s Word feeds our starving souls in the wilderness of life. (Psalm 119:49-50) It is where our source of hope is revealed as we know what is to come and become willing to wait on it. (Psalm 119:43-44) It shows us how to keep on keeping on in the midst of worry and doubt. It is the Light in the darkness. Faithfulness in following God’s Instruction that leads to this hope that never disappoints is not about perfection but persistence in believing our way to confident hope. (Psalm 94:18-19)

Romans 4:18-22 (NLT)
Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.

We are closest to confident hope in the Lord when we feel the farthest. Weak faith gives way to strong character and endurance when we have no reason of hope but still believe in the Word of the Lord. We have all been there. The moment when all hope seems lost and the only thing keep you in the Presence of God is the weakest thread of redemption, a sense of salvation, a seedling of faith and strong determination to remain righteous in spite of it all. It is in that moment that confident hope bursts forth. It strengthens weak knees as we decide to remain true to God’s Promise no matter what it looks like outside. Inside our spirit is strong and flesh is defeated. Now strong character endures making confident hope a reality. Don’t give up today! Be convinced that your promise is about to arrive. The best is yet to come. God has a good plan for your life with a future. He has not given up on you but is investing an inheritance that nothing can corrupt or destroy! Your faith is being counted as righteousness. Your Promise is coming! Are you fully convinced?

Job 4:3-6 (NLT)
“In the past you have encouraged many people; you have strengthened those who were weak. Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees. But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you. Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?”

God wants to end the cycle of worry and doubt. You keep moving two steps forward by faith and are drug three feet back by the lie of the enemy. God is ready to fortify your heart today. Jesus has overcome the world so there is nothing keeping you from God’s Promises for your life. Daily needs are part of God’s Provision. You do not need to spend time or energy hoping for rent or grocery money. God has already provided for your daily needs just use your faith to claim it. What is trying to develop in your life is confident hope that will never lead to disappointment? If you lack confidence in God’s Promises, read on. Get into the Word of God and discover the Truth about God’s Intentions for you. He has a plan. It is a good one. You will only make it to Eternity with confident hope that He who has promised is able and willing to give you the inheritance that the Lord has promised. Without it, you will never know the happily ever after of the greatest love story ever told. The Lord will show you the way. (Psalm 25:4-5) You must make the choice to put your hope in the Lord. (Psalm 25:21) Wrap your life in God’s Love tightly by choosing to walk away from evil and do good. He will become your help and shield in the midst of your struggle to build such a hope. (Psalm33:20-22) Your heart will rejoice in trials as endurance grows. Consistency builds hope like a well-worn pathway into the Presence of God. (Psalm 37:34) Hope is built when we decide to trust the Lord and wait not stubbornly but peacefully! (Psalm 62:5-8) It is God’s Mercy that gives us time to invest our faith into confident hope that leads to salvation. (Psalm 25:16) Hope is the reward of well-invested faith that has been given a chance to grow, develop and mature. (Proverbs 13:11-12) Finally, God delights in our hope! (Psalm 147:10-11) We make God glad when we allow faith to become confident hope.

Ephesians 1:18-20 (NLT)
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

Confident hope allows us to experience God’s Greatness now and forevermore. It is not reserved for Heaven but begins now. The Lord is making all things new but can only do it when we incorporate forever into today. You do not only live once. You will die once though and what comes after is totally up to you. It is called freedom. Jesus died so you could have it. What will you choose today? We have a glorious inheritance that will fill our life when we plant our faith into Eternity and claim the unseen rich and glorious inheritance that God has promised us as His Children. Faith is not needed for today but forever. Confidence in the Lord is essential to trust, believe and wait on His Plan. Are you convinced? Don’t worry God has resurrection power that will give new life to dead faith and Jesus is the Rock which confident hope is built upon. Make your faith useful today by allowing the Lord to make it the basis of confident hope that allows us to live in His Presence every day from now until Eternity!

Romans 15:13 (NLT)
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.