Hope is built upon faith. Faith is that by which we know God exists, that we are Elect, and that we are loved by Him. Faith is also that by which we walk, live righteously, and are sanctified. By faith we are justified before ourselves. But faith also is the substance (hupostasis) of things hoped for (Heb. 11:1). Hope is much more than the modern definition and usage of the word (a wish or desire). Scriptures call Hope the anchor of the soul (Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we [that is, the author and Hebrew audience of the epistle] might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;). Paul says we are saved by Hope (Ro. 8:24). He also prays that we may given the spirit of the truly revealed wisdom in the detailed knowledge (epiginosko) of him, that the eyes of our understanding would be enlightened, that we may know (eido 1492, know by perception) what is the Hope of His calling (Eph. 1:18). Peter tells his audience to be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks them a reason of the hope that is in them (1Pe. 3:15). John says of his hope that every man that has it in him purifies himself (1Jn. 3:3).
The Scriptures everywhere exhort God's people to pray,and in the epistles of Paul we find greater cause,greater reason and greater incentive than ever to pray—to pray "always," "in everything," "without ceasing." The example of our Lord and of His apostles—particularly Paul—is a call to prayer. Every need,every anxiety,every heartache is a call to prayer. Every temptation,every defeat—yes,and every victory is a call to prayer. Yet,merely praying,or even spending much time in prayer,is not in itself evidence of true spirituality. Many carnal Christians,still "babes in Christ," and even many unsaved people,spend much time in prayer. But the truly spiritual believer will join the Apostle Paul in saying: "I will pray with the spirit,and I will pray with the understanding also" (I Cor. 14:15). "With the spirit," earnestly,fervently,pouring out to God my adoration,my supplications and my thanks. And "with the understanding...
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