Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Hope and prayer



Hope is an often overlooked  partner with prayer. First let's take a look at faith because without faith there is no hope.


Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of hoped  the evidence of things unseen.

Faith is a firm belief and complete trust for or in something for which there is no proof.
Substance is that which has foundation, is firm, a thing or being which has actual existence.
Hope  means to expect with confidence.
Evidence means something that furnishes proof.
Belief is conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of  evidence.

Now let's look at how hope partners with prayer.

Mark 11:24“Therefore I say to you, whatever things:[ substance, something that exists; (i.e. healing, salvation, provision)] you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, [hope for, expect], and you will have them.;[proof of things not yet seen.]


Think of it a little like this. A blind man uses a walking stick. Why? He holds onto that thing, [something of substance] with the hope, that expectation that he will not trip or fall.  He can not see that he won't fall but he believes, has faith  with a hopeful, confident expectation that he won't. The proof is that the blind man doesn't fall!

Image result for blind man walking stick