(By Pastor Jean)

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen” (Heb 11:1; NLT). Hope and faith are closely tied together. Biblical hope is the expectation that God will do what He promises to do compared to worldly hope which is just wishful thinking. God spoke through the prophet Hosea saying that He would, “transform the valley of trouble into a gateway of hope” (Hos 2:15; NLT). Have you ever been in a “valley of trouble”? It is important to have hope in your heart in those times, a confident expectation that God will come through “Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him” (Ps 42:11; AMP). Heb 6:19 tells us that this kind of hope is an anchor for the soul, in other words it keeps us secure despite what is going on around us. The verse goes on to say that it keeps us anchored, “within the veil” meaning in God’s presence and there is no safer place to be. How can we be sure of this? Because Heb 6:18 reveals that it is, “impossible for God to lie.” It is interesting that 1 Cor 13:7 tells us that “love hopes all things (remaining steadfast during difficult times)” (AMP). In Rom 4:18 we read about Abraham who is a good example of Bible hope, “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping – believing that he would become the father of many nations” (NLT). People in the world tell us not to get our hopes up but the Bible says the exact opposite! So, if you are believing God for something put your hope and trust in God and be expectant!