Passage of the Day:
It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b] Since we have that same spirit of[c] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal, 2 Corinthians 4:13-18.
Reflection:
One of the themes throughout the New Testament of the Bible is the hope found in Jesus. Serving as an atoning sacrifice for sin in exchange for the free gift of eternal life, Romans 6:23. This passage is the inspiration behind the Bridge Illustration used in Evangelism Explosion. This analogy is designed to help good people realize that they can’t earn their way into heaven, Ephesians 2:8. According to the apostle Paul, while your earthly body gradually wastes away, hope is found in the promise of eternal life in heaven, 1 John 5:13. Therefore, don’t let present circumstance steal your joy for life, John 10:10. Rather, seize each new day God gives you with the hope of making spiritual progress.
Prayerful Action:
I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Lamentations 3:20-21.
Clinging to a Glimmer of Hope this Fall:
Biblical hope is an optimistic state of mind fueled by expectations of positive outcomes grounded in the promises of God. Moses reminds the Israelites of this biblical truth in Deuteronomy 28:1-3 as obedience to God’s commands result in spiritual blessings. Although there is a modern belief that good guys finish last in today’s culture. Whenever I cling to God’s promises, my hope is strengthened by the thought of making spiritual progress daily as I walk with God.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
I know from experience how one bad day can rattle your soul and shatter your confidence. May the hope of making spiritual progress give you the strength to press on.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 