Devotionals

CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27

MOMENTS OF PRAYER

☐ Pray for the items listed in your Prayer Journal

☐ Pray for the five individuals/families you chose

☐ Pray for God’s work in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Newfoundland and Labrador

☐ Pray for God’s will to be done in your life

That which brings sickness of body and mind to nearly all is dissatisfied feelings and discontented repinings. They have not God, they have not the hope which reaches to that within the veil, which is as an anchor to the soul both sure and steadfast. All who possess this hope will purify themselves even as He is pure. Such are free from restless longings, repinings, and discontent; they are not continually looking for evil and brooding over borrowed trouble. But we see many who are having a time of trouble beforehand; anxiety is stamped upon every feature; they seem to find no consolation, but have a continual fearful looking for of some dreadful evil…. Vain amusements will never correct the minds of such. They need the transforming influence of the Spirit of God in order to be happy.

They need to be benefited by the mediation of Christ, in order to realize consolation, divine and substantial. “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him … eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.” … Those who have an experimental knowledge of this scripture are truly happy…. Christ in them the hope of glory will be health to the body and strength to the soul.

The soul that is imbued with the love of Jesus … loves to contemplate Jesus, and by beholding Him, will become changed into His likeness. Christ is formed within, the hope of glory. His confidence increases … and his love deepens and widens, as he has the assurance that he is abiding in Christ, and Christ in him…. And we may look to Jesus for His tenderest sympathy and be encouraged to persevere, putting our whole trust in Him who has said, “Be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.”

Ellen Gold White, Son and Daughters of God, pg. 310 – October 30

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I want to know one thing, — the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach me the way. For this very end He came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri [man of one book].”
John Wesley, Anglican minister and theologian

DID YOU KNOW?

In Scripture, according to the Hebrew and Greek words translated by the word “hope” and according to the biblical usage, hope is an indication of certainty. “Hope” in Scripture means “a strong and confident expectation.”

GOING DEEPER

In the nt, hope may be a desire or expectation regarding future life events in general, as when Herod hoped (ἐλπίζω, elpizō) that Jesus would perform miracles (Luke 23:8) or when Paul hoped (elpizō) to see the Roman Christians on his way to Spain (Rom 15:24). In the Gospels, the theological concept of hope is expressed in terms of waiting (προσδέχομαι, prosdechomai) for the kingdom of God (Mark 15:43). In the Letters, hope is directly related to and grows out of faith in God. While faith takes God at his word, believing that he will do as he has promised, hope is the anticipation of the fulfillment of God’s promises (Rom 4:18–21; Heb 6:11–18). Hope originates with God (Rom 15:13), is based on his calling (Eph 1:18; 4:4), and is facilitated by Scripture (Rom 15:4). Specific objects of hope include the future resurrection (Acts 23:6; Rom 8:20–24); the Parousia (Titus 2:13; 1 John 3:2–3); and eternal life (Titus 1:2; 3:7). Hope’s opposite is expressed in terms of unbelief (Heb 3:6–12), grief or despair (1 Thess 4:13), and shame or disappointment (Rom 5:5; Phil 1:20).

Fenlason, A. C. (2014). Hope. D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

QUESTION…

What was Peter constrained to say about Christ’s words? John 6:68

IN LETTERS OF GOLD

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” Philippians 2:13-15

THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK

Memorize: “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Romans 15:4
Deliver to the five individuals/families that you are praying for, the health resource that the church is making available during this 50 Days journey.