I Will Wait Series

I Will Wait

Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV) Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Lamentations 3:19-26 (NIV) I remember my affliction and my wandering,

the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

What is Hope?

"Everything that is done in the world is done by hope." - Martin Luther

 Cultural Hope is merely an optimistic desire that something will be fulfilled

This hope is not a guaranteed hope because it is subject to changeable people and circumstances.

Hope (Webster)– Desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment…to desire with expectation of obtainment…to expect with confidence.

 Biblical Hope is an optimistic assurance that something will be fulfilled

This hope is a guaranteed hope not subject to change, but rather anchored in our unchangeable God and His promises. Favorable and confident expectation relating to the future

(Psalm 119:81 NIV) “My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word.”

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. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 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.

(Psalm 71:14) “But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.”

“The idea of waiting for something makes it more exciting - Andy Warhol

Are You…….

 Disoriented.

(Job 17:13) “Where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?”

 Drifting.

(Isaiah 53:6) “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.”

 Despair.

(2 Corinthians 1:8) “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.”

The Feelings

Deceived, Disliked, Dejected, Downcast, Deprived, Disqualified, Degraded, Detached, Doomed, Damned, Drained, Debilitated, Disinterested, Defeated, Disgusted, Disconnected, Displaced, Distraught, Discouraged, Doubt, Disappointment

(Job 30:26 NIV) “Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness.”

Hope is a Wonderful gift from God, a source of strength & courage in the face of life’s harshest trials. It’s not an option, it’s essential to our faith.

The Old Fisherman’s Letter

When we are trapped in a tunnel of misery, hope points to the light at the end.

When we are overworked & exhausted, hope gives us fresh energy

When we are discouraged, hope lifts our spirits

When we are tempted to quit, hope keeps us going

When we lose our way & confusion blurs the destination, hope dulls the edge of panic

When we struggle with a crippling disease or a lingering illness, hope helps us perservere beyond the pain.

When we fear the worst, hope brings reminders that God is still in control

When we must endure the consequences of bad decisions, hope fuels our recovery

When we find ourselves unemployed, hope tells us we still have a future

When we are forced to sit back & wait, hope gives us the patience to trust

When we feel rejected & abandoned, hope reminds us we’re not alone, we’ll make it

When we say our final farewell to someone we love, hope in the life beyond gets us through our grief.

When life hurts & dreams fade, nothing helps like hope.

Psalm 25:5 NIV - Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Have you or Are you feeling Hopeless?

"There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them."

(Job 17:13 NIV) “Where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?”