Monday, Pentecost Week -- June 9
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Meditation
Monday, Pentecost Week, addressed the hope of the future. The Psalmist prophesied about the future of God’s blessing on Israel—a time when God would return things to their glory—in an all new world. The prophet, Joel, also spoke of the future times when God would restore the land, even deserts which had been destroyed would be rejuvenated with growing grass and animals seeking nourishment would find it.
The promises of a better life offered hope. The power of hope cannot be overstated. As a chaplain, we taught classes on survival and how ‘hope’ kept more prisoners alive than any other common aspect. Story upon story about people, who found themselves in traumatic situations of sinking ships, or being captured and tortured, or crashing air craft, those that had hope—belief—faith in someone (usually a higher power) survived in much greater numbers than those, who gave up.
The movie, Gravity, dealt with keeping hope alive in the unbelievably tense moments of seemingly hopeless options. Hope engenders courage. Hope causes people to ‘hold on’ when they would normally give up.
The French Open winner, Rafael Nadal, played with pain and fatigue, but he hoped and believed in his ability to out play his opponent in grueling heat and long matches.
Hope. The New Testament lesson in Romans placed ‘hope’ front and center. Paul recognized that things were in troubled times and yet, gave a perspective of one, whose encounter with Christ left him with a clear vision of the world beyond death. In I Corinthians 15, he mentioned that like a seed must die before becoming the wonderful plant it will be—a tomato plant, a rose bush, or an oak tree, so much we will ‘die’ physically in order to be the better person in the afterlife.
There will be a new heaven and new earth.
Hope in things being better. Like a woman giving birth hopes for the time when her pain is over, and is rewarded with a healthy child, so do Christians hope for the time after this life, with all its pains and tribulations.
There are levels of tribulations—for some, it might be mental challenges and burdens of leadership. For others, it could be torture, like being a prisoner of war, such as Bowe Bergdahl. Whatever the challenge, pain, or trial, the hope we have in the Lord can sustain us and cause us to overcome unbelievable odds.
The late, great, Dr. Maya Angelou, wrote the beautiful and inspirational poem, Still I Rise.
“Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.” Dr. Maya Angelou – Still I Rise
Dr. Angelou gave hope to so many, but her hope was in God. The New Testament lesson reminded, too, that salvation comes via hope and that it happens when the outcome is not certain.
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?
Hope underscored the lessons and hope lifts the spirit up, so that things are possible where they seemed impossible. Our hope is in the Lord.
Thanks be to God.¬¬
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Pentecost Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 104:24-35;Joel 2:18-29;Romans 8:18-24&version=KJV;ERV;NCV;NIV;GNT (multiple versions)
Monday, Pentecost Week
Psalm 104:24-35
Joel 2:18-29
Romans 8:18-24
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Romans 8:14-15
New Century Version (NCV)
14 The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them.
15 The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, “Father.”
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Romans 8:18-24
King James Version (KJV)
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
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.
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?
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God, we thank you that your promises are true and that when we hope in you, you are there for us. We are confident even in uncertainty that life is better with your love and grace sustaining us in times of trouble. Protect the girls that were kidnapped—give them hope; protect Ms Ibrahim from hanging—give her hope; protect the family of Bowe Bergdahl from those that threatened to kill them—give them hope; protect Bowe Bergdahl as he recovers—give him hope. Across our world, so many need hope. Help Christians lead all to believe in hope. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Monday, Pentecost Week zeroed in on hope, and how hope could transform life. Believe and hope in God, and things can become better, whether it happens right away or it may not happen until much later—maybe after death, when a new life begins.
Hope changes things. We must never give up hope…especially when things seem most bleak. While on my first ship, USS Pyro (AE-24), I was building a command religious program from scratch. The captain had assigned a ‘chapel’ space, which the chief engineer eyed jealousy. I was hated for having the space—close to where the crew ate. The captain called me in and informed me that I would lose the space when we went into the repair yards. They were going to give me a ‘hallway’ where people would traipse through during services etc. I protested, but the captain said it was done.
I went to the chapel and knelt on the floor.
“Lord, this is your space, not the captain’s. You have sanctified it for your service. If you want it gone, then you can take it away, but I commit it to you. It is in your hands. My hope is in you.”
Two months later, when we sailed into the yards, the chief engineer gleefully triumphant that I was going to lose my space, shifted abruptly. The captain was informed his budget was drastically cut—only absolute essential repairs were to be made, because we were going to war.
The chapel remained for our services. Praise be to God. My hope in the Lord was affirmed. God is true to promises.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
Monday, Pentecost Week, addressed the hope of the future. The Psalmist prophesied about the future of God’s blessing on Israel—a time when God would return things to their glory—in an all new world. The prophet, Joel, also spoke of the future times when God would restore the land, even deserts which had been destroyed would be rejuvenated with growing grass and animals seeking nourishment would find it.
The promises of a better life offered hope. The power of hope cannot be overstated. As a chaplain, we taught classes on survival and how ‘hope’ kept more prisoners alive than any other common aspect. Story upon story about people, who found themselves in traumatic situations of sinking ships, or being captured and tortured, or crashing air craft, those that had hope—belief—faith in someone (usually a higher power) survived in much greater numbers than those, who gave up.
The movie, Gravity, dealt with keeping hope alive in the unbelievably tense moments of seemingly hopeless options. Hope engenders courage. Hope causes people to ‘hold on’ when they would normally give up.
The French Open winner, Rafael Nadal, played with pain and fatigue, but he hoped and believed in his ability to out play his opponent in grueling heat and long matches.
Hope. The New Testament lesson in Romans placed ‘hope’ front and center. Paul recognized that things were in troubled times and yet, gave a perspective of one, whose encounter with Christ left him with a clear vision of the world beyond death. In I Corinthians 15, he mentioned that like a seed must die before becoming the wonderful plant it will be—a tomato plant, a rose bush, or an oak tree, so much we will ‘die’ physically in order to be the better person in the afterlife.
There will be a new heaven and new earth.
Hope in things being better. Like a woman giving birth hopes for the time when her pain is over, and is rewarded with a healthy child, so do Christians hope for the time after this life, with all its pains and tribulations.
There are levels of tribulations—for some, it might be mental challenges and burdens of leadership. For others, it could be torture, like being a prisoner of war, such as Bowe Bergdahl. Whatever the challenge, pain, or trial, the hope we have in the Lord can sustain us and cause us to overcome unbelievable odds.
The late, great, Dr. Maya Angelou, wrote the beautiful and inspirational poem, Still I Rise.
“Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.” Dr. Maya Angelou – Still I Rise
Dr. Angelou gave hope to so many, but her hope was in God. The New Testament lesson reminded, too, that salvation comes via hope and that it happens when the outcome is not certain.
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?
Hope underscored the lessons and hope lifts the spirit up, so that things are possible where they seemed impossible. Our hope is in the Lord.
Thanks be to God.¬¬
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Pentecost Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 104:24-35;Joel 2:18-29;Romans 8:18-24&version=KJV;ERV;NCV;NIV;GNT (multiple versions)
Monday, Pentecost Week
Psalm 104:24-35
Joel 2:18-29
Romans 8:18-24
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Romans 8:14-15
New Century Version (NCV)
14 The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them.
15 The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, “Father.”
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Romans 8:18-24
King James Version (KJV)
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
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.
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?
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God, we thank you that your promises are true and that when we hope in you, you are there for us. We are confident even in uncertainty that life is better with your love and grace sustaining us in times of trouble. Protect the girls that were kidnapped—give them hope; protect Ms Ibrahim from hanging—give her hope; protect the family of Bowe Bergdahl from those that threatened to kill them—give them hope; protect Bowe Bergdahl as he recovers—give him hope. Across our world, so many need hope. Help Christians lead all to believe in hope. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Monday, Pentecost Week zeroed in on hope, and how hope could transform life. Believe and hope in God, and things can become better, whether it happens right away or it may not happen until much later—maybe after death, when a new life begins.
Hope changes things. We must never give up hope…especially when things seem most bleak. While on my first ship, USS Pyro (AE-24), I was building a command religious program from scratch. The captain had assigned a ‘chapel’ space, which the chief engineer eyed jealousy. I was hated for having the space—close to where the crew ate. The captain called me in and informed me that I would lose the space when we went into the repair yards. They were going to give me a ‘hallway’ where people would traipse through during services etc. I protested, but the captain said it was done.
I went to the chapel and knelt on the floor.
“Lord, this is your space, not the captain’s. You have sanctified it for your service. If you want it gone, then you can take it away, but I commit it to you. It is in your hands. My hope is in you.”
Two months later, when we sailed into the yards, the chief engineer gleefully triumphant that I was going to lose my space, shifted abruptly. The captain was informed his budget was drastically cut—only absolute essential repairs were to be made, because we were going to war.
The chapel remained for our services. Praise be to God. My hope in the Lord was affirmed. God is true to promises.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
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Replies
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I liked this lesson on HOPE. I would rather hope than to become a person that has given up. When we know God we know that Hope is a positive response. To the many suffering in the world hope is critical. Also for those who are oppressed that know others pray and have hope for good outcomes it is important. Many lives have been changed by those over the course of many years never gave up. Blessings to those who are suffering.0
