Hope

 

Oh, Glorious thought, I must proclaim

That hope it has a name

‘Cause Jesus freely died for me

That I enslaved might be set free

From quilt lade chains that bound despair

And trapped this heart in sin’s dark lair

 

Miraculous thought that God chose me

Through Hope’s View I might see

God’s mighty hand reached from above

Encircling me with His pure love

Cradled in His mighty arms

Protected from all evil’s harms

 

Precious thought, God’s son became a man

As Hope revealed a plan

That as I die to selfish thought

Because it was my life He bought

I now display His light in me

A world in darkness might now see

 

Peace filled thought, when storms tempest blow

Hope’s anchor won’t let go

It is firmly held by God’s own hand

And never caught in sifting sand

With chain encircling, heart firmly held

The Holy Spirit’s strength doth weld

 

What Marvelous thought that I have known

My Hope secured by Grace Alone

To Fill the void my heart doth yearn

No merit could I ever earn

His Grace had opened first the door

His Grace will lead me evermore

© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to any brands, products or services that I have mentioned . I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides regarding the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Throughout my Christian journey, I must say the moments where hope seemed to dim the most was when I became so over laden with guilt from my own failures.  Though I understand and have understood throughout that my salvation was by grace alone; somehow, I felt that blessings were dependent upon my ability to perform this Christian walk perfectly.  All the efforts in my own strength fell so far short and I seemed to fall deep within the same pits over and over again; thus, my hope for any blessings on earth would fall and in a pit of despair I would think the trials that came were a result of my failure, my sin and were so deserved.  How could I hope for more?  When blessings came, how much more in awe and wonder did I stand before God?  How much more did I want to work harder to please Him? And how much more despairing did I feel in my failure?  I rode that roller coaster of great high mountaintops of joy and deep dark valleys of despair much of my Christian journey.  Then it happened, I came to the very end of myself and my efforts. 

Artwork used by Permission “A Broken and Contrite Heart” by Ronald Barba

There I was with a spirit so broken and a heart contrite from the emptiness of my own hands, lying prostrate before God.  There it was God reached down as He gently took my hand, lifted me up and said, “What sin, my Child?  I don’t see any (as I suddenly realized He was looking at me through the blood of Christ),

Let us go—there is work to be done.  Look around you—the field is ripe for harvest.  I am your righteousness, I am your hope, I am your joy, I am your life, and I am your peace.  Stop looking at yourself and look at me.  I am the Author and the Finisher of your faith.”  That was when I wrote the book, “A Broken and Contrite Heart" 

Hebrews 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:¹⁹ Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast,”

Continue reading Hope Secured by Grace Alone →

Where does hope come from? We look around us and see very little hope. We search for some anchor to hold onto. Perhaps the man who diligently worked and saved so that he could enjoy his retirement; only to learn that he had advanced metastatic cancer and only 3 months to live. What happened to the anchor that he had tightly placed his hope? Or, the market failed and all his retirement funds were gone in one mighty sweep. Again, what happened to the anchor of his hope? What about the woman who hopes so in the love of her husband and he comes home to say that he is leaving her and the children to marry someone else. The anchor on which she placed her hope once more failed and she is left crushed, broken-hearted. The man who places his hope in his own ability and strength to accomplish whatever he wants; suddenly is found hopeless when trials come.  So where is the only hope to which we can cling? God.  Look at how Paul described God-“the God of Hope.” 

God is our hope and becomes the very anchor on which to hold fast. Romans 15: ¹³ Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

photo courtesy of @istockphoto.com

The anchor of our hope is not anchored into the bottom of the ocean on sifting sand. Rather our anchor is tightly, firmly held by God’s righteous right hand in heaven—never to be loosed.

The God of hope with all of His covenant promises toward us stands firm that He will accomplish all of His will toward you.  This is His promise. Let us read

Continue reading Hope has An Anchor →

So what does Hope look like in one’s life?  I have pointed out that hope has a name and that name is Jesus. Not only is He the treasure for which we hope for, He is the anchor of our faith. 

Hope stands upon the truth of His love, His omnipotence, His omniscience and His perfect plan for each and every one who has been called by His name.  I was chosen, not by any merit of my own.

Chosen and Redeemed by His own Sacrificial love.  Do you believe that?  If you do, then what would be the actions associated with that—what would your hope look like?

Continue reading Hope Revealed →

Yesterday we looked at the truths that our greatest joy and greatest treasure is found in a relationship with God.  Our greatest hope is in one day having the grand opportunity to stand before Him, clothed in His own righteousness and glory having been bathed in His love and joy.  What a wondrous thought.

Photo used courtesy of @istockphoto.com

Here on this pilgrimage journey, I am blessed with little glimpses of His Glory through His word, through His acts of mercies, through the Holy Spirit’s comforting presence and through watching Him unfold the story of my life.

   As I have told you before, I have no memory of 5 except that of the moment I stood in the corner of the kitchen overwhelmed with the thoughts of my unworthiness before God and my need of Christ to save me.  There listening to Dr. DeHaan on the radio, I accepted Christ as my Savior.  What a miracle in itself.  Yet, God called and like the apostles, I answered with a resounding yes to follow Him.  My mother didn’t believe me at first; but, I started even then memorizing scripture and seeking Him.  Having begun so young, one might think my life would be as I dreamed:  the perfect husband, the white picket fences, PTA meeting and happy ever after.  Never did I dream or hope for failure, divorce, remarriage, widowhood, cancer, ulcerative colitis, pain, brokenhearted, financial disasters, and loneliness.   Still, above all other pain

Continue reading Hope Has a View →