But the wicked will be blinded. They will have no escape. Their only hope is death.”
Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety.
The same happens to all who forget God. The hopes of the godless evaporate.
Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?
And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
The wicked and ungodly who don’t believe or have become lost souls walking from God’s glory have become blinded to the truths. They will have no escapes for saving. Their only Hope is death.
Having strong ambition will give you spirit. You will be embraced with protection and will rest in safety. The same blindness happens to those who have fallen from God and live a lifestyle in sin the hope of the godless evaporates Doesn’t admiration for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of uprightness give you hope? And acceptance develops strength of being, and that character strengthens our acceptance of ourselves to hope of being rescued and saved. Be the living light, let the light shine shine before all mankind, that they may see the things you do and have done, and then they will find reverence in God. That He will honor them and find favor with you.
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!
“Would you mind if I said something to you?
Under the circumstances it’s hard to keep quiet.
You yourself have done this plenty of times, spoken words
that clarify, encouraged those who were about to quit.
Your words have put stumbling people on their feet,
put fresh hope in people about to collapse.
But now you’re the one in trouble—you’re hurting!
You’ve been hit hard and you’re reeling from the blow.
But shouldn’t your devout life give you confidence now?
Shouldn’t your exemplary life give you hope?
“Think! Has a truly innocent person ever ended up on the scrap heap?
Do genuinely upright people ever lose out in the end?
It’s my observation that those who plow evil
and sow trouble reap evil and trouble.
One breath from God and they fall apart,
one blast of his anger and there’s nothing left of them.
The mighty lion, king of the beasts, roars mightily,
but when he’s toothless he’s useless—
No teeth, no prey—and the cubs
wander off to fend for themselves.
“Still, if you set your heart on God
and reach out to him,
If you scrub your hands of sin
and refuse to entertain evil in your home,
You’ll be able to face the world unashamed
and keep a firm grip on life, guiltless and fearless.
You’ll forget your troubles;
they’ll be like old, faded photographs.
Your world will be washed in sunshine,
every shadow dispersed by dayspring.
Full of hope, you’ll relax, confident again;
you’ll look around, sit back, and take it easy.
Expansive, without a care in the world,
you’ll be hunted out by many for your blessing.
But the wicked will see none of this.
They’re headed down a dead-end road
with nothing to look forward to—nothing.”
This is your hope. Your hope is in God.
Living Water Ministries 