I arrived back in Ukraine after a year in America. 

I saw hope. Despite enemy assaults, people continue to hope for victory and peace here. Their hope has helped them endure very difficult circumstances.

Lives everywhere are full of hopes. People hope for things they do not have with some notion, however vague, these hopes will materialise. Hope for good health, success in business, a happy marriage and family are all hopes nearly universal among mankind.

But these hopes, however good and proper, are “hopes” only. That is, they are uncertain to occur. And people may be very devastated if they fail to realize their hopes.

The Bible tells us about a different kind of hope. A hope in God for who he is, his love for us, what he has done, is doing now and will do in the future.

Bible hope is confident anticipation of the goodness of God. 

1) We can be confident of God’s love. 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

2) We can be confident God has forgiven all our sins if we trust Jesus as our Savior.

“He who believes is justified from all things” (Acts 13:39).

3) We can be confident of God’s care for us in this life if we trust Jesus as our Savior.

Jesus said, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

4) We can be confident of life after death.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he die yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

5) We can be confident that heaven with Jesus will be our home forever.

Jesus said, “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3).

6) We can be confident our hope in God will not be disappointed.

“Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:11).

7) Hope in God is certain.

King David said, “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (Psalm 42:11).

Amen.