Meyer - Get your hopes up!: expect something good to happen to you every day

Without faith, it is impossible to please God, and those who come to Him must believe that He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (see Hebrews 11:6). Faith is the title deed of the things we hope for (see Hebrews 11:1). We are promised in Gods Word that faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain (see Matthew 17:20). Abraham hoped in faith that he would receive the promise of God (see Romans 4:18). Some people try to have faith, but they have no hope. They dont have a positive expectation that something good is going to happen to them because of Gods great goodness. I believe hope precedes and is connected with faith. We cannot have one without the other. How could a negative, hopeless person be walking and living by faith? The person may believe in God, but a man or woman of faith does more than trust that God is alive; they also believe that He is good, and that He rewards those who seek Him. They wait for and expect the goodness of God, not because they deserve it, but because God promises to give it.

Ive spent the last 38 years of my life traveling the world, preaching and teaching the Word of God. Over that time, Ive met so many incredible peoplepeople just like you. Business owners, housewives, working moms, artists, ministers, entrepreneurs, politicians, volunteers, single moms, single dads. Ive had the privilege of meeting men and women from nearly every walk of life.

Some are doing great, seemingly on top of the world. Others have confided to me that theyre barely getting by, living day to day, trying to make ends meet. And many others are dealing with circumstances so difficult that, quite frankly, they feel defeated and overwhelmed by life.

But no matter the person, and no matter the situation, Ive discovered there is one thing they all desperately needone thing we all desperately need: hope.

Hope is the happy and confident anticipation of good. Its a powerful and universal inspiration, a rising tide that lifts all boats. Whether we are limping into port, stuck at the dock, or sailing boldly out to sea, hope buoys our spirits, daring us to believe You know what? Things might just work out after all. Its the sometimes unexplainable, but always undeniable, feeling that today would be a bad day to give up. Hope is a belief that something good is about to happen at any moment!

This is why I believe a book on hope is necessary and that it will help you see hopes amazing possibilities. In fact, the Bible tells us it is one of the three things that remain when all else fails (see 1 Corinthians 13:13). Regardless of who you are or what condition your life is in right now, you cant function successfully in life without hope. If circumstances are bad, you surely need hope, and if they are good, you need hope that they will stay that way. When you live in the garden of hope, something is always blooming!

But as great as hope is, it can easily be misplaced. If your hope clings to a person, its an unreliable source of strength. If your hope is in your place of employment, your ability to make money, or your retirement fund, it may disappoint you. If your hope rests in your own ability, it will fade when your confidence is shaken.

Its pretty simple, really: Hope is only as strong as its source. Thats why the foundation of our hope must be God and the promises found in His Word. If God is not the source, hope is just a wishful thought, a momentary respite. As a matter of fact, the hope I am urging you to have is very different from what the world might call hope. The believers hope is in the unshakable, all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present one true God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

You could say it this way: Without hope in God, there isnt much you can do, but with hope in God, there isnt much you cant do.

Dedicated reading and study of the Word shows us what happens when Gods children dared to live with hope. Throughout the Old and New Testament, we see regular peoplepeople with flaws and failures just like usovercome impossible odds because they chose to hope that God had something incredible on the horizon they put their faith in Him.

Though the Hebrew children had been slaves in Egypt for many generations, the hope of freedom compelled Moses to dream of deliverance from their cruel oppressors.

While the Israelite army hid in the trenches in fear of Goliath, the hope for victory caused David to ask What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? (1 Samuel 17:26).

In the face of Hamans evil plot to destroy her people, the hope that she could make a difference gave Esther the courage to break convention and request an audience with the king.

Leaving jobs, friends, and even family behind, the hope that Jesus could be the promised Messiah caused ordinary men to drop everything and follow Him all the way to the cross.