Building One Another  

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

Turn from Wishes to Hopes!

Dear Friend,

Consider the difference is between a wish and a hope.

A wish is something you want to happen, but you have no reason to believe it will happen.

A hope is based on something – a reason for your hope to happen.

If you say, “I hope we have an early Spring.” “I hope the fish will bite,” but what you really mean is that you wish for those things because you have no basis to expect them.

Here is a marvelous thought: A promise turns a wish into a hope!

If you wish for a cup of coffee and then someone says, “I will bring it to you,” your wish turns into hope. You have a reason to believe it will happen.

The promises of God turn our deepest wishes into hopes. Our wish to be loved becomes hope when we hear “for God so loved the world.” John 3:16

Our wish for eternal life becomes hope when we hear Jesus, “Because I live, you also will live.”John 14:19

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices!

Joy to you – Stan

© Copyright 2022 E. Stanley Ott

Scripture from the ESV

1. What are some of your wishes in life? Do you have reason to believe they will happen? If you do, then they are hopes instead of wishes!

2. What are some of your hopes in life - for this present world and for the life to come? On what do you base your hope?

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Photo by Daniel Öberg on Unsplash