reetings, holy children of God, in the wonderful name of our lord and saviour Jesus, the Christ. The sermon subject for today is:

WHAT IS HOPE? HOPE IS THE EXPECTING OF FUTURE GOOD. READING FROM THE NEW LIVING TRANSLATION. JOB:17:15 But where then is my hope? Can anyone find it? 16. No, my hope will go down with me to the grave. We will rest together in the dust." HOPE IS WHAT MAKES LIFE WORTH LIVING. HOPE IS THE MAJOR PART OF FAITH. Heb:11:1: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. WHAT GOOD WOULD FAITH BE IF WE COULD NOT HOPE FOR FUTURE GOOD? HOPE IS NOT THE GREATEST DEVOTION BUT IT APPEARS TO BE SECOND ONLY TO CHARITY WHICH IS TRUE LOVE. 1Cor:13:13: And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. ENCOURAGE YOURSELF BY SAYING THESE WORDS, "SOMETHING GOOD, SOMETHING WONDERFUL, IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME TODAY." MOTIVATE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS, “Phil:4:13: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. IN THIS WORLD, WE AS CHRISTIANS ARE ALWAYS EXPECTING SOME GOOD THING TO HAPPEN TO US. WE HOPE FOR A GOOD EDUCATION, A GOOD JOB OR PROFESSION, A LOVING SPOUSE, CHILDREN, HOME, GOOD TRANSPORTATION, NICE CLOTHES, AND OTHER THINGS THAT MAKE LIFE PLEASANT. WHAT GIVES US, THE CHILDREN OF GOD, HOPE? IT IS THE PROMISES OF GOD. PROMISES SUCH AS THIS. Jn:14:14: If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. PS:119:114 You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my only source of hope. THESE WORDS ARE RECORDED IN NEW LIVING TRANSLATION. JOB6:8 Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant my hope. BUT WITHIN A HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS THESE PEOPLE YOU SEE TODAY WILL BE GONE AND ANOTHER SHALL INHERIT. JOB SAID THESE WORDS. Jb:7:6: My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. OUR LIFE IS LIKE A VAPOR; WE ARE IN THIS WORLD FOR A VERY SHORT TIME COMPARED TO ETERNITY. Jms:4:13: Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15: For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. IF A PERSON THINKS THAT THE GRAVE IS THE END, THEN IN THIS LIFE HE IS MOST MISERABLE. 1Cor:15:19: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. AS ONE SONG WRITER WROTE "THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME I AM JUST PASSING THROUGH." WHEN GOD RAISED JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD, HE GAVE US HOPE THAT HE SHALL ALSO RAISE US FROM THE DEAD. 1Pt:1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD, HAS THE ONLY NAME UNDER HEAVEN WHEREBY MEN MAY HOPE FOR SALVATION. HOW ARE WE SAVED BY THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST? WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH IN HIS NAME . BY BEING BAPTIZED IN HIS NAME, BY PRAYING TO GOD, THE FATHER, IN HIS NAME. WHY DID GOD CREATE ALL HUMANITY? GOD CREATED MANKIND FOR HIS PLEASURE. Rv:4:10: The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Rv:4:11: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. WHATSOEVER GOD DOTH IT SHALL BE FOR EVER. GOD HAS CREATED YOU, AND I, AND WE SHALL SPEND ETERNITY SOMEWHERE. Eccl:3:14: I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. EACH ONE OF US HAS BEEN CREATED, WE SHALL SPEND ETERNITY IN ONE OF THREE PLACES, IN THE HEAVENLY CITY NEW JERUSALEM, ON THE EARTH, OR IN THE LAKE OF FIRE. Is:66:20: And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. Is:66:23: And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. 24: And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. WHAT WE, THE ELECT OF GOD, DO IN THIS PRESENT WORLD WILL DETERMINE WERE WE SPEND ETERNITY. THEREFORE BE STRONG IN FAITH, AND WHAT SOEVER THE LORD SAYS TO DO; DO IT. Jn:2:5: His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. AND WHAT SOEVER HE SAYS NOT TO DO, DO NOT DO IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. FILL YOUR LIFE WITH GOOD WORKS. 2Tm:2:5: And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. STRIVE FOR PERFECTION. Mt:5:44: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Mt:5:45: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46: For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47: And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. HOW DO WE AS SAINTS OF GOD BECOME PERFECT IN WORD, THOUGHT, AND DEED? WHEN WE PLACE OUR FAITH, AND TRUST IN THE LORD JESUS FOR OUR SALVATION, AND PLACE OUR FAITH, AND TRUST IN THE BLOOD HE SHED ON CALVARIES CROSS FOR OUR REDEMPTION; THEN GOD THE FATHER ALLOWS US TO DECLARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS. Rom:3:24: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Rom:3:25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Rom:3:26: To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. BEFORE A MAN RECEIVES THE HOLY GHOST, HE CANNOT LIVE THE CHRIST LIFE. FOR THE CARNAL MIND, THE MIND OF SENSE, AND REASON WITHOUT THE HOLY GHOST, IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE LAWS OF GOD. Rom:8:6: For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Rom:8:7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. WE HAVE ALL SINNED, BUT AFTER WE RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST WE DO NOT CONTINUE IN SIN. WHY NOT? BECAUSE THE PRICE IS TO HIGH. THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS WORLD WORTH SPENDING ETERNITY IN THE LAKE OF FIRE Rom:6:1: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Rom: 2: God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? WHEN WE, THE ELECT OF GOD, ARE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR SINS ARE REMITTED, WASHED AWAY, AND WE COME INTO THE PROMISE THAT WE SHALL RECEIVE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST. Acts:2:38: Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. WHEN WE RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST THE INNER MAN THE SOUL COMES TO LIFE. THAT PART OF MAN COMES TO LIFE THAT SHALL LIVE IN ETERNITY. 2Cor:4:16: For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. THE NAME JESUS CHRIST IS THE MASTER KEY TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. WHEN THE ELECT OF GOD ARE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, THEY ARE TRANSLATED OUT OF THE WORLD, AND INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST. Gal:3:27: For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. IN THE BODY OF CHRIST IS WHERE WE RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE. 1Jn:5:11: And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. WHEN A MAN RECEIVES THE HOLY GHOST HE RECEIVES THE POWER TO LIVE THE SIN FREE LIFE. 1Jn:3:9: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 1Jn:3:10: In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. IT IS THE HOLY GHOST (THAT GIVES US THE POWER TO LIVE A LIFE OF INTEGRITY, AND UPRIGHTNESS) WHICH GIVES US HOPE AS WE WAIT FOR THE LORD’S RETURN. Ps:25:21: Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. WHEN WE, THE ELECT OF GOD, FIRST RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST WE ARE BABES IN CHRIST. AND IF WE SIN IN IGNORANCE WE CAN CONFESS THAT SIN AND BE FORGIVEN. 1Jn:1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. WHEN WE, AS A BORN AGAIN CHILD OF GOD, COMES INTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH WE MUST BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO TRANSGRESS THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. FOR THE PENALTY IS SEVER TO DO SO. Rom:11:22: Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. WHEN WE, THE CHILDREN OF GOD, RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST, THEN COMES THE GREAT HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE FOR THE RECEIVING OF THE HOLY GHOST IS THE EARNEST OF OUR INHERITANCE. Eph:1:13: In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Eph:1:14: Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. IN THE WORLD TO COME WE ARE SAVED FROM THE WRATH OF GOD BY HOPE. Rom:8:23: And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Rom:8:24: For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? Rom:8:25: But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS LIFE THERE SHALL BE TRIALS, AND TRIBULATIONS. THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS INSPIRED OF GOD TO RECORD THESE WORDS. Acts:14:21: And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 22: Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. IN THE STORMS OF LIFE HOPE IS A STEDFAST ANCHOR FOR OUR SOULS. Heb:6:18: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Heb:6:19: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; IF YOU WANT TO PLEASE GOD OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS, AND SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT HIS SON. HAVE THIS GOAL IN MIND AS YOU GO ABOUT YOUR DAILY CHORES TO MAKE HEAVEN YOUR ETERNAL HOME. DO THOSE THINGS THAT WILL GIVE PLEASURE TO GOD THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE A BETTER RESURRECTION. JOB SAID THESE WORDS CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION. Jb:19:25: For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: Jb:19:26: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Jb:19:27: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. THE LORD JESUS INSPIRED THE APOSTLE PAUL TO RECORD THESE WORDS. 1Cor:15:19: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. THE BLESSED HOPE FOR CHRISTIANS IS THAT JESUS CHRIST SHALL RETURN FOR HIS BRIDE THE CHURCH, AND WE SHALL BE HEIR, AND JOINT HEIRS WITH HIM IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. JOB SAID THESE WORDS. Jb:13:15: Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. WHAT GIVES US HOPE? THE HOLY SCRIPTURE GIVE US HOPE, ESPECIALLY THE PROMISES THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US. MEDITATE UPON THIS SCRIPTURE. Ps:32:1: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2: Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. WHEN THE STORMS OF LIFE HAVE MADE YOU WEARY. JESUS HAS SAID THESE WORDS. Mt:11:28: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mt:11:29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Mt:11:30: For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. SALVATION DEPENDS ON BELIEF AND CONFESSION. Rom:10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. YOUR WORKS WILL FOLLOW YOU IN THE RESURRECTION. 1Thes:2:19: For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?