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Growing Faith and Hope
A Growing Faith and Hope strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.” – Jeremiah “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his
17:5-6.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” - Jeremiah 17:7-8.
Researchers in Illinois and Maryland have found that people with strong religious faith are less likely to suffer clinical depression. They found strong religious faith had an even greater impact on reducing hopelessness, which typically accompanies and can cause depression. Jeremiah relayed a message from God stating in vivid terms much the same thing.
If you are without hope and clinically depressed you will be “like a shrub in the desert.” Even when good comes you will not recognize it and you will “inhabit the parched places in the wilderness.” But if we trust in the Lord and the Lord is our hope we will instead be like “a tree planted by the waters.” Even when the bad times, the “drought” comes those trusting in the Lord will not be “anxious.”
This passage in Jeremiah reminds me of Psalm 1 and from this we see how we can increase our faith and our hope. For where does our eternal life come? From the living water of our God (John 4:10). In Revelation 22 John sees this vision:
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” The waters Jeremiah and the Psalmist are referring to are the waters of life flowing from God. To increase our faith and hope we must put down our roots deep into the things of God growing ever closer to Him.
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).”
Author Unknown
Submitted by Richard
A Growing Faith and Hope strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.” – Jeremiah “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his
17:5-6.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” - Jeremiah 17:7-8.
Researchers in Illinois and Maryland have found that people with strong religious faith are less likely to suffer clinical depression. They found strong religious faith had an even greater impact on reducing hopelessness, which typically accompanies and can cause depression. Jeremiah relayed a message from God stating in vivid terms much the same thing.
If you are without hope and clinically depressed you will be “like a shrub in the desert.” Even when good comes you will not recognize it and you will “inhabit the parched places in the wilderness.” But if we trust in the Lord and the Lord is our hope we will instead be like “a tree planted by the waters.” Even when the bad times, the “drought” comes those trusting in the Lord will not be “anxious.”
This passage in Jeremiah reminds me of Psalm 1 and from this we see how we can increase our faith and our hope. For where does our eternal life come? From the living water of our God (John 4:10). In Revelation 22 John sees this vision:
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” The waters Jeremiah and the Psalmist are referring to are the waters of life flowing from God. To increase our faith and hope we must put down our roots deep into the things of God growing ever closer to Him.
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).”
Author Unknown
Submitted by Richard
