“Prisoners of Hope” 8-16-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me start well, so I can do well and end well today, by Your grace. … “As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double” (Zechariah 9:11-12). Hope is a stronghold, a high tower, a mighty fortress against the attacks of discouragement, doubt, and fear. It’s the measure of the good things I’m expecting to come forth that I do not yet see with my eyes but anticipate deep within my heart. And the measure of my hope is related to the measure of my faith. Hope is like the field where I sow my seeds of faith and position myself for the harvest I expect to receive. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). So it seems my faith can only reach to the extent of my hope. My faith is the assurance and conviction that what I am hoping for will come to pass, so my hope sets the boundaries for what my faith can receive. In that way, I’m a “prisoner of hope”—my hope determines the limits of my faith. And if those limits are right, if those boundary lines are set in good places in response to the leading of Your Spirit and in accordance with the truth of Your Word, there is safety and security in the stronghold of my hope. And somehow, in the mathematics of Your Kingdom, I’ll even receive a double portion of what You’ve placed in my heart to hope. Lord, I have much to learn about hope and faith. I know “faith, hope, and love abide, these three” (1 Corinthians 13:13). But I’m realizing today how much more I need to know about the definitions and dynamics of these Kingdom principles if I am to be all You created me to be and to do all You created me to do. You’ve created me to love You and love others, but that love is somehow activated in the context of faith and hope—“Love … believes all things, hopes all things …” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). And it will be done for me “according to (my) faith” (Matthew 8:13 and 9:29). So don’t let my love be limited by my faith, and don’t let my faith be limited by my hope. Teach me how to hope well. Help me to hope for the things that are in Your heart—a prisoner of hope bound by nothing but Your will, secured in the stronghold of Your Word by the leading of Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe for free by email to me at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!