Title: Our attitude towards hope
Contents
Our attitude towards hope
<Romans 8:24-25, 12:12>
[1] Have fun
Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope!” We Christians who live with the hope of eternal life are to rejoice and rejoice in our lives. If those who live with the hope of eternal life breathe deeply, this indicates that they have not yet firmly grasped the hope of eternal life. We have to live with eternal hope as if it were right before our eyes, and rejoice in that hope.
I see a lot of Christians today who believe in Jesus, but still groan every day, rather than enjoy the joy of hope in the face of real problems, and live in depression. Of course, we say that we live with the hope of eternal life, but the reality we live in today is not so easy. Because these are the things that never leave me and make it hard for me to ignore. Therefore, if we Christians are also swayed by the problems of reality, we can live in sorrow and suffering, forgetting the joy that comes from the hope of eternal life. But this is not the will of the Lord who called us. The Lord says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16, “Rejoice always,” and this is the will of the Lord who called us.
“Rejoice always!” is teaching us Christians who live with the hope of eternal life to have a positive and optimistic attitude in life. If our hearts break down and become pessimistic, people lose their direction in life, their day-to-day lives become lethargic, and they just live as the world flows. He wants to be comforted by the pleasures of the world, because peace and joy disappear from his heart.
The author of Psalm 42 writes, “Psalm 42:5 My soul, why are you discouraged, and why are you troubled within me? Put your hope in God, and I will still sing praises to him because he has appeared and helped." And again, "Psalm 42:11 Why are you discouraged, my soul, and why are you troubled within me? You put your hope in God! I will still praise my God for his appearance and help.” Rather than getting discouraged and anxious by reality, instead, look to God who helps us and praise me. Hymns are a healing remedy that illuminates and heals our dark minds.
The people of the world seek pleasure in their hearts by singing worldly songs. But secular songs make people's hearts secular. It is harmful to us spiritually. But praise adds faith and hope to our hearts, and adds true comfort and joy.
When Paul and Silas healed a woman possessed by a demon in the city of Philippi, the woman's owner sued the government, so they were caught, beaten, and imprisoned. When they think about what they have suffered, it is unfair and bitter. They did not steal, nor did they harass anyone. He was just being beaten and imprisoned because he only healed a woman who was suffering from demon possession. In a way, this was a situation of great discouragement and disappointment. But Paul and Silas prayed and praised God. What happened as a result? An earthquake shook the prison grounds, and the miracle of opening the prison doors occurred. A little later, however, an even greater miracle occurred. It is that the jailer who was guarding the prison received Paul's evangelism and came to believe in Jesus on the spot.
[2] Be patient and wait!
Also, Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction”. Believers with hope should not only praise and rejoice, but also endure tribulation. Romans 8:24-25 “For through hope we have been saved, and hope that is seen is not hope. If we hope for what we do not see, let us wait with patience.”
Those who have hope should rejoice in everything, but it is difficult to rejoice when they are in trouble. This is because it is difficult to sing in a situation where an earthquake occurs and people are killed by shells. But those who have the hope of eternal life must also learn to persevere in the face of adversity.
Exodus, the Israelites could not bear it and sinned against God. If it is difficult or difficult, we should pray and ask God and wait patiently, but they complained to God that they could not bear it, could not wait, were thirsty, and wanted to eat meat. At first, God tolerated and forgave their complaints and resentments, but He severely punished them for their habitual complaints and resentments.
Being patient means taking care of your mouth above all else. Job suffered great tribulation for unknown reasons. But he did not sin with his mouth, and he endured and persevered. As a result, he overcame the test and received a double blessing from God.
It is what a person matures with patience. When a woman gives birth to a baby, she bears it through patience. If this is not tolerated, the child will be stillborn. Jesus endured the pain of childbirth to the end on the cross to save us. If the Lord could not bear it and came down from the cross and destroyed the people, we would not be saved today.
[3] Always focus on prayer
Third, Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in afflictions, be steadfast in prayer!” This is because it is through prayer that we are able to sing and rejoice in tribulation and to be patient and bearable.
Before Jesus was crucified, he prayed earnestly to God the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus said to God, “If it is possible, please move my cup. But not as I will, but as you will!” He said the same prayer three times.
Prayer is the lifeline of us Christians. If you miss the lifeline, you die. A long time ago, a fire broke out at the Daeyeongak Hotel in Seoul. At that time, a man hanging from the hotel window grabbed the rope that the helicopter had dropped off, but while the helicopter was moving, he couldn't bear it and lost the rope and died. So is prayer. Prayer is the lifeline of our souls, even if it is difficult. You must set a time and place to pray, and pray with all your might every day. Church is the best place to pray. If not at church or at home... At home or while walking... In any way, you must set a time, place, and subject of prayer and pray earnestly.
[4] A life worthy of hope - a righteous life.. a life of love
As difficult and difficult situations approach, we must live worthy of God's grace and blessings. Because when the period of suffering is over and God gives grace, we need to prepare to receive it. If Christians who pray earnestly and hope for God's grace lie, get angry, quarrel, and harass others, God cannot give them grace. Then the duration of the podium will be longer. If we want to end our trials, tribulations and storms soon and receive a life of abundant grace, we must develop our faith into a more perfect faith.
Therefore, in the time of tribulation, we need to fight sin even more and win. The Apostle Paul said in Romans 12:20-21, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink, and you will heap coals of coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
A test came to Joseph, who was a slave. The wife of Potiphar, the mistress of the house, seduced him very strongly. What if Joseph had succumbed to Potiphar's temptation? It would have taken longer for Joseph to become more perfect if he did not or had received the grace of becoming prime minister of Egypt. But because he overcame temptation, he was able to go to prison, and because of that, he was blessed to become the prime minister of Egypt. It is easy for a person to commit a crime when it is difficult and difficult. It is easy to succumb to temptation. However, if we fall into temptation, we will realize that the grace of God that we have been waiting for will be further away, so we should not lose heart even in the midst of difficulties, strive for righteousness and good deeds, and overcome the world with the filling of the Holy Spirit.