INTRODUCTION

A man who loses hope loses any reason to do right. If there is no hope, "let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die" (1 Corinthians 15:32If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
See All...). If there is no hope, man might as well continue to go after strange gods (Jeremiah 2:25Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
See All...) and follow "the imagination of his evil heart" (Jeremiah 18:12And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.
See All...). If there is no judgment after death, or if the Lord is not soon returning, then why should man concern himself with living a life of purity? He should not. The problem is that the Lord is coming soon, and man will stand before Him to give an account, and all those who have this hope will purify themselves, "even as he [the Lord Jesus] is pure." Hope makes all the difference!

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Paul told Titus to teach the people to live right because the Lord is coming back (Titus 2:11-15 [11] For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, [12] Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; [13] Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; [14] Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. [15] These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
  See All...). Peter warned of the same thing (2 Peter 3:3-4 [3] Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, [4] And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
  See All..., 9-11, 14). We would not want to be ashamed when He comes (1 John 2:28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
  See All...).
• Have you given up on the Lord’s return? Are you expecting Him to return today? How has your hope, or lack of hope, changed how you live your life?
• What happened in Acts 27:20And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
  See All... when the people on the ship lost hope that their lives would be spared? How could this be applied spiritually to your own life?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to allow hope to purify your heart.
• Ask the Lord to strengthen your hope in His return.

HYMN

My Faith Looks Up to Thee

LTB DEVOTIONS ON FACEBOOK

Receive the daily devotions on your facebook wall by clicking "Like" on http://www.facebook.com/kingjamesbibledailydevotions.