The Way of Hope

1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV
… And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of
these is love.
Colossians 1:4-5 NLT
For we have heard of your FAITH in Christ Jesus and your LOVE for
all of God’s people, 5 which come from your confident HOPE of what
God has reserved for you in heaven.
HOPE (elpís) — 1680: joyful and confident expectation of eternal
salvation
FAITH is NOW IN THE PRESENT and HOPE is LATER IN THE
FUTURE.
Hebrews 6:19 NLT
This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.
1 Corinthians 15:19 KJV
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most
miserable.
Luke 22:31-32 NKJV
And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you,
that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, THAT
YOUR FAITH SHOULD NOT FAIL; and WHEN YOU HAVE
RETURNED to Me, STRENGTHEN YOUR BRETHREN.”
Through the Fire, God Will:

1. REFINE our hearts (sift you as wheat)
2. RESTORE our lives (when you have returned)
3. REDEEM our stories (strengthen your brethren)
   Through the Fire, God Will:

1. REFINE our hearts
   Luke 22:54-62 NKJV
   Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high
   priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when THEY
   HAD KINDLED A FIRE IN THE MIDST OF THE COURTYARD and
   sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain servant girl,
   seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This
   man was also with Him.” But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do
   not know Him.” And after a little while another saw him and said, “You
   also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” Then after about
   an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this
   fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I
   do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still
   speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at
   Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had
   said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
   So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
   Psalm 1:1 NIV
   Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or
   stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers
   …
   1 Peter 4:12 NLT
   Dear friends, don’t be surprised at THE FIERY TRIALS you are going
   through, as if something strange were happening to you.

Through the Fire, God Will:

1. REFINE our hearts
2. RESTORE our lives
   Mark 16:6-7 NKJV
   …“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was
   crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid
   Him. 7 BUT GO, TELL HIS DISCIPLES—AND PETER—that He is
   going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to
   you.”
   1 Peter 1:6-7 NKJV
   In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be,
   you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of
   your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes,
   THOUGH IT IS TESTED BY FIRE, may be found to praise, honor,
   and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ …
   1 Peter 1:15 NKJV
   … but as HE WHO CALLED YOU IS HOLY, YOU ALSO BE HOLY
   IN ALL YOUR CONDUCT, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am
   holy.”
   1 Peter 2:9 NKJV
   But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
   nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises
   of Him WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS into His marvelous
   light …
   John 21:9, 15-19 NKJV
   Then, as soon as they had come to land, THEY SAW A FIRE OF
   COALS THERE, and fish laid on it, and bread … So when they had
   eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do
   you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You
   know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to
   him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He
   said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him,
   “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah,
   do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third
   time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all
   things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My
   sheep. Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you
   girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old,
   you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry
   you where you do not wish.” This He spoke, signifying by what death
   he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him,
   “Follow Me.”
   1 Peter 4:13 NLT
   13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with
   Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of
   seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

Through the Fire, God Will:

1. REFINE our hearts
2. RESTORE our lives
3. REDEEM our stories
   Revelation 12:10-11 NASB
   Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and
   the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ
   have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down,
   he who accuses them before our God day and night. “And they
   overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and BECAUSE OF
   THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY, and they did not love their life
   even when faced with death.