JCSM's Weekly Devotions (click here to listen!)

"The Hope That is Within Us"

1 Peter 3:15  "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear."

Romans 8:24  "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."

Titus 1:2  "(We live) in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began."

Hebrews 11:1-3  "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.  By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."

Romans 5:1-5  "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Insight: God has given us the awesome hope of eternal life in Heaven.  Appreciate that hope and have faith.  God has kept His promises and will keep that promise to us as well.  Every believer in Jesus Christ has the hope of God in them.

Prayer: "Dear Lord, bless us and make us like You.  Thank you for the awesome hope that you've given us!  There is no other like You.  Forgive our sins.  Purify us and make us holy.  Remind us that You love us deeply.  Increase our faith in You and our love for You and others.  Give us boldness and courage to tell others about the hope that is in us.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Robert Aitken (1734-1802), on January 21, 1781, as publisher of The Pennsylvania Magazine, petitioned Congress for permission to print Bibles, as there was a shortage in America due to trade with England being cut off. The Continental Congress, September 10, 1782, in response to this shortage of Bibles, approved and recommended to the people that The Holy Bible be printed by Robert Aitken of Philadelphia. This first American Bible was to be “a neat edition of the Holy Scriptures for the use of schools”:

Whereupon, Resolved, That the United States in Congress assembled.... recommend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the Unites States, and hereby authorize [Robert Aitken] to publish this recommendation in the manner he shall think proper.

If you'd like to have the citations for the footnotes above, please email us.  If you'd like to see more quotes from those who framed and founded America, please click here: http://jcsm.org/AmericasFounders/.

(This explanation came from "The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained", by Dr. Jason Gastrich.  This book is on CD and gives over 4,000 answers to alleged Bible errors, regarding the entire Bible at http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.org.  There is also a 300 question workbook that accompanies the CD-ROM.)

These quotes are from my upcoming book called, "10,000 Wise Quotes and Spiritual Sayings" (ISBN 978-0-9732797-8-8), which will be released in September.  The following are quotes on hope.

What hope does Christ's resurrection offer?

Since Jesus overcame every sin, we can have hope to overcome sin, too.

Jesus offers hope, healing and new life to all who come to Him in faith.

Don't let hopeless, negative opinions make you hopeless and negative.

Hope and history won't rhyme.

When trials come, you can reveal the hope that's inside of you.

I have had enough happiness to make me sweet, enough trials to make me strong, enough sorrow to keep me human and enough hope to make me happy.

You're the hope that can pull me through.

When God gives you hope, don't listen to the people who don't believe.

Givers inspire hope in others.

Hope is an expectant desire.

If you'd like to read more quotes, we have thousands in our archive!  Visit http://quotes.jcsm.org.