Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s focus on the Source of hope.

Today’s scripture, Romans 15:13 (NLT) says…
[13] 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.

Consider…
Paul’s short and sweet prayer above provides four mind transforming thoughts.

• God is the Source of hope
• We need to be filled with joy from Him
• We need to be filled with peace from Him
• The Holy Spirit provides confident hope

The first thought that God is the source of hope makes me meditate on the wisdom found in Psalms 39:4-7 (NLT), which says…
[4] “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. [5] You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude [6] We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. [7] And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.

As I meditate, Aaron Shust sings…

I meet with You and my soul sings out
As your word throws doubt far away
I sing to You and my heart cries
“Holy! Hallelujah, Father, You’re near!”

My hope is in You, Lord
All the day long, I won’t be shaken by drought or storm
A peace that passes understanding is my song

And I sing my hope is in You, Lord
I wait for You and my soul finds rest
In my selfishness, You show me grace
I worship You and my heart cries “Glory
Hallelujah, Father, You’re here!”

My hope is in You, Lord
All the day long I won’t be shaken by drought or storm
A peace that passes understanding is my song
And I sing my hope is in You, Lord

Like I encouraged earlier this week, stop wishing on falling stars and place your Hope in the Risen Son!

The second thought of being filled with joy makes me pause and ponder what is it? In my Google search I found Joy is a long-lasting state of being, characterized by contentment and satisfaction with life overall.

That definition makes me meditate on Jesus’ words in John 15:9-12 (NLT)…
[9] “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. [10] When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. [11] I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! [12] This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

Jesus says we can experience overflowing joy by abiding in His love.

Jesus’ promise makes me Imagine soaking in God’s love is like relaxing in a warm soothing bubble bath. However instead of saying, “Calgon take me away”, we would pray, “LORD, let me stay”.

While meditating on the Joy found in Jesus’ love, I hear Yolanda Adams singing…

Something deep inside makes me smile when otherwise
I would cry in hopeless wonder ´cause I have no peace inside
Joy picks me up and takes me through
It so real I´m telling you
So many trails I´ve endured
God has given me the cure
I have a joy, a joy that´s unspeakable
It soothes my doubts
When the way gets hard
Although, I lived in sin
He cleansed my heart
Now lives within
Saved my soul from a burning hell
Christ lives in me now
Oh

This joy that I have
No the world didn´t give this joy to me
This joy that I have
And this world can´t take it away
This joy that I have
This world didn´t to me no no no
This joy that I have the world didn´t give it

I found a friend who´s all the world to me
His love is so ever true
I love to tell how He growed me out
And He changed my Life
With christ in my heart without a doubt
I am satisfied
Now I am save from sin
And hard leaning on His mighty arm
Secured my soul
Each day in every way
I know He´ll guide me

This joy that I have
No the world didn´t give this joy to me
This joy that I have
And this world can´t take it away
This joy that I have
This world didn´t to me no no no
This joy that I have the world didn´t give it

My last thought on joy found in Christ’s love is found in the Apostle Paul’s testimony in Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT)…
[11] Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. [12] I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. [13] For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

What Paul is describing in his testimony is pure joy. He said that he learned to be content in every circumstance because he was empowered by Christ.

I pray that we too maintain a confident joy, bathing in Christ’s love and let Him empower us to handle any situation.

The third thought from today’s scriptural prayer was we can be filled with peace. This makes me meditate on Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT), where Paul wrote…
[6] Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. [7] Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Notice the passage ends with, “His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Don’t miss that, our peace is found in Jesus! That makes me think of the saying…

Know Jesus, know peace
No Jesus, no peace

Peace found in Christ also reminds me of His promise in John 14:27 (NIV)…
[27] Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

And that verse specifically presses play on New Direction’s song with the lyrics…

Peace I give to you my peace
I leave with you when trouble
Trouble comes in your life
Peace I leave with you

When darkness comes I am with you
And when in fear I live for you
No matter what you’re going through
Peace I leave with you

These lyrics emphasize the fact that peace is found in the presence of God. And since God is omnipresent, that means we can experience His peace everywhere at all times.

The fourth and final thought from today’s prayer is that the Holy Spirit holds the key to unlocking a confident hope in God. I think of the Holy Spirit’s role in operating in God’s hope this way. Imagine getting in a car without the key, although you have the potential and ability to go anywhere, you’re stranded because you can’t unlock the power under the hood. In the same way, trying to do anything with God, without the help of the Holy Spirit will leave you stranded and frustrated.

The importance of the Holy Spirit to the promised joy and peace from today’s prayer makes me meditate on Romans 14:17 (NLT) which says…
[17] For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

It just clicked for me that only with the help of the Holy Spirit are we able to have the joy and peace found in Christ.

Galatians 5:22 (NLT)
confirms…
[22] But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

God has given us His Spirit so that we can experience, and live for, Him fully! Think of the Holy Spirit as God’s keyfob that allows us to experience all that He has stored up for us.

While writing this I hear Donald Lawrence & Company singing…

You’re not a natural being
Having a spiritual experience
But you’re a spiritual being
Living this natural experience

Everyday when you wake
Your confession should constantly say
Oh Lord
Let me be spiritual, spiritual
Let me be spiritual, spiritual

This is a wonderful reminder that we need to remember to focus on our spiritual man more than our physical one. When we do, we will…

• Look to God, the Source of hope
• Be filled with His Joy and peace
• Live confidently with hope unlocked and ignited by the Holy Spirit.

Don’t waste your time wishing on fallable resources when you have direct access to hope’s infallible Source.

Today’s Song is…
Hope’s Anthem

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)