Seeds of the Kingdom | 15 January 2022 | By Ellel Ministries International
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Topic: The God of Hope
Today’s Scripture: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13, NIV
Seeds of the Kingdom | 15 January 2022 | By Ellel Ministries
During January in the UK, the traditional greeting is “Happy New Year!” I have been thinking about this and wondering if this is the best way to greet people, and whether happiness is what we would wish for them above all else. Happiness is dependent on circumstances to make us feel good, whereas joy can be present even in the most desperate of situations. Today’s verse says: ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.’ What a wonderful prayer! Perhaps that would be a better greeting for the new year!
Hope seems to be the key here. Paul calls the Lord ‘The God of Hope’ in this verse. Hope is one of the things that sets us apart from the world, where so many people seem to be despairing, hopeless and fearful of the future, especially in the current pandemic. As Christians we can have hope in any and every situation when we trust in the God of hope. Hope in the Bible means assurance and certainty – not the vague sort of hope we speak of when we say, “I hope it won’t rain tomorrow!”
Hope in God brings assurance of so many promises – eternal life, provision, healing, comfort, guidance, relationship, love and acceptance, and so much more. As we trust in God for each of His promises, we will overflow with hope and be filled, not only with joy, but also with peace – the peace that passes human understanding (Philippians 4:7).
It is winter now in the UK. The days are short, and the weather can be grey and dull, but even now in my garden there are signs of spring. Bulbs are appearing through the frosty ground, bringing hope of beauty and colour to come. The God of hope has designed His creation to offer hope to us through the changing seasons, and this can be mirrored in our lives. Just as spring always follows winter in the natural world, so God is always wanting to bring new beginnings and seasons of growth and beauty into our lives. Be encouraged by the God of hope and let Him fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him!
Prayer: Lord, thank You that You are the God of hope, and that You will fill us with joy and peace if we trust in You. Thank You for the hope we have in You and in Your promises. Help me to trust in You at all times and in every situation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Today’s Author: Jilly Lyon-Taylor; Jilly Lyon Taylor has been involved with Ellel Ministries since 2001. Her early career was in publishing, and she then spent three years working with children in Hong Kong. When she returned to the UK, she married, had three sons and spent the next years being a full-time wife and mother, at the same time serving in the local church with her husband. She was involved in running Alpha courses, children’s programmes and Bible study groups. During this time, she began to see how many people were being held back in their Christian lives because of issues in their past. A desire to see people healed and set free led her to undertake the NETS training at Pierrepont in 2001. Following this, she joined the ministry team at Pierrepont and began to teach on courses. She was asked to join the leadership team in 2004. She has since had the privilege of teaching with Ellel in many different countries.
She was widowed in 2017, but continues to live locally to Pierrepont. Her sons are all married and she has eight grandchildren.
