Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Paul uses the word hope
46 times in his epistles. Only once does he use the word
mixed with some measure of doubt, and then only because he is speaking
of his desire to send Timothy to them, which he knew could
be affected by circumstances beyond his control. His description
of Abraham's faith is a commentary upon his normal usage of the
word hope. Who against hope believed in
hope that he might become the father of many nations according
to that which was spoken. So shall thy seed be. He is saying
that humanly speaking Abraham had no reason to expect that
these things which God had promised could or would come to pass.
He was a hundred years old and well past the normal age of having
children as well as his wife Sarah being 90. Yet because he
trusted in the Lord of the promise, he expected the promise to be
fulfilled, even though he staggered at the weakness of his own flesh.
And being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was
able also to perform, and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Many have erred in believing
that it was Abraham's act of faith that was imputed to him
for righteousness. It was not his act of faith,
but rather his object of faith that became his righteousness.
This is the same confession that Paul made when he said, I am
not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded
that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him
against that day. that by two immutable things
in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong
consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope
set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within
the veil. In writing to Timothy, Paul plainly declares who the
hope of the sons of God is, the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope.
Christ has been the hope of the sons of God in all ages past,
even as we saw with Abraham who gave answer to Isaac's question.
And Abraham said, my son, God will provide himself a lamb for
a burnt offering. Job confessed, For I know that
my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter
day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms
destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I
shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another,
though my reins be consumed within me. Christ is the hope of the
sons of God in the present time. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.
God is our refuge and strength, the very present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed and though
the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. The justification
of the sons of God is the grounds of their rejoicing now. rejoicing
in hope. Therefore, being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein
we stand, that is, presently, and rejoice in hope of the glory
of God. The basis of our hope for the
future rests upon the same basis in the present time. For we are
saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For what
a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for it? But if we hope for
that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Christ
is the hope of the sons of God in the future. If in this life
only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits
of them that slept. If a man is without hope in the
present time, then he has no basis upon which to have hope
in the ages to come. My soul, wait thou only upon
God, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my
salvation. He is my defense, I shall not
be moved. In God is my salvation and my
glory. The rock of my strength and my
refuge is in God. Because we rest in Christ as
our hope in exceeding great reward, we expect that He shall preserve
us in the ages to come. According to my earnest expectation
and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all
boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in
my body, whether it be by life or by death, for me to live is
Christ and to die is gain. Though we may often find little
evidence in ourselves that we are the sons of God, yet in Christ
we have hope, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Now
the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing
that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Is Christ your hope? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.