Do you “hope” or have hope?

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

Do you “hope” or do you have hope?

I asked a man recently where he thinks he will spend eternity.  “Well I hope in heaven” was his response.  Many will say they hope that they will go to heaven or they say I think I will go to heaven…

“On what basis do you think this” is my typical reply?  The answers are predictable.  “I’m a good person”, or “I go to church”, or “I haven’t really thought about it but I just think that”.

This is not a reason for hope but only hoping somehow it’s going to work out for them.  There is no plan, no vision for what the future holds, simply living for today.  I would imagine most people have made some plans for the future.  People plan to get married (well some still do), they plan their retirement, or plan how and where their kids will be educated.  These things most people view as important.

Is eternity important?  Is it important enough to really think about?

Believer you must be prepared to give a defense for your hope, you must always be ready.  We can then encourage others that true hope lies only in the finished work of Jesus Christ.  There is no other hope.  Any other hope is a false hope.

Today I ask you to consider your testimony and if you are ready to share that with others.  I pray that your testimony will impact the life of another to the glory of God when you are willing to step out in faith and take a chance that you might be reviled and defamed.

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher?

Be prepared to give hope so they can believe.

Kevin