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Romans 15:13 - Hope, Joy and Peace are in a Relationship with Jesus.

Romans 15:13 (NLT) I pray that God, the 
source of hope, will fill you completely with joy 
and peace because you trust in him. Then you 
will overflow with confident hope through the 
power of the Holy Spirit.  

INTRODUCTION

This is Paul's benediction to his letter. 
[Life Application Commentary] 

This is one of many beautiful appellations 
given to our God in the New Testament. 
[Defenders SB] 

Paul prays that their faith may give them a 
life full of joy and peace and hope, which are 
all the results of true faith and of the 
presence of the Holy Spirit. [SDA Bible Commentary] 

Paul again prays for the believers (as in 
15:5). This time Paul prays that the God who gives 
hope will give them joy (as they anticipate what 
God has in store for them) and peace (as they 
rest in the assurance that God will do as he has 
promised). Then, the believers can overflow with hope 
by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is by the 
power of the Holy Spirit that God accomplishes his 
care for his people"giving them endurance, 
encouragement, unity (15:5), hope, joy, and peace. Hope 
comes as a by-product of the Holy Spirit's work. 
It does not come from our own senses or 
experiences. [Life Application Commentary] 

WORD STUDY

Hope The Greek term denotes confident 
expectation or anticipation, not wishful 
thinking [Nelson SB] 

Hope is a unique word in Scripture, 
where it indicates confident expectation. 
The person with hope has complete assurance 
about the future. And the overflow of the hope we 
have as we trust in God fills us with joy and 
peace. [The 365-Day Devotional Commentary] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

The Only Place to Find Hope
   In 1927 an American submarine collided 
with a Coast Guard vessel off the coast of 
Provincetown, Mass., and began to sink. The Coast Guard 
and Navy sent divers to assess the damage and 
begin a rescue operation. As the divers got close 
to the submarine, they heard a sailor tapping 
on the hull in Morse code. He asked, Is 
there hope? 
   Thats a fundamental question of life. 
Its asked every day by countless people in 
countless ways: when sitting in the doctors office 
awaiting test results, when a couple puts months and 
months into counseling and gets nowhere, when 
dealing with a tax accountant in bankruptcy court, 
or when a family hears their child is missing. 
   You can survive 40 days without food, 
three days without water, and eight minutes 
without air. But you cant last a single second 
without hope. Its an essential part of life. When 
hope is gone, life is over. 
   People everywhere are looking for hope in 
all the wrong places. They look for it in their 
relationships, in self-help books, in religion, and in 
self-righteousness. 
   But there is only one place to find real 
hope. The Bible says real hope is found by turning 
to God: May God, the source of hope, fill 
you with joy and peace through your faith in 
him. Then you will overflow with hope by the 
power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13 GW). 
   You need that kind of hope. And its 
only available through a relationship with Jesus 
Christ. When you trust in him, the Holy Spirit works 
in you to fill you with hope that God is in 
control, he loves you, and he is working for your 
good. 
   That kind of hope will lift you from 
despair and give you room to breathe. [Daily 
Devotional by Rick Warren: 
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/] 

COMMENTARY 

Remember the Source of Hope
   HOPE. It's about looking forward, seeing 
beyond the here and now, and anticipating the 
future. Hope pulls the joys of the future into the 
present because it believes there's more to come, 
and it doesn't wait to celebrate. 
   God is all about hope. He is full of 
hopes and dreams for us. We can see it right there 
in the first chapter of his Word. He created an 
ideal environment to sustain us because he 
intended a future for us. Since he made us in his 
image, he created us to reflect his hope-filled 
character. 
   Even before God created us and placed his 
image in us, he knew we were headed for disaster. 
We're sinners, and sin is an enemy of hope. 
However, God also knew himself. He is hope, which 
means he reigns over every trouble that threatens 
us as well as every sin we commit. He is our 
ever-present reason to celebrate. 
   Consider these truths as you approach 
your day. 
   Will your attitudes, words, and actions 
reveal a confidence that God will continue to be 
God? Not just in the Garden of Eden, not just in 
Sally Somebody's life - but in your life. And not 
just today, but tomorrow, next month, and years 
from now. 
   Circumstances are never the real killers 
of hope. The death of hope lies in forgetting 
to focus on the One whose image you bear. 
   You can celebrate today, no matter what 
your current circumstances look like. Life often 
hurts - and you may not experience the answers or 
provisions right now - but God promises you a 
hope-filled future in him. [The Daily God Book By Erin 
Keeley Marshall] 

Make Hope Part of All You Do
   At a bookstore hours from home, I noticed 
the word hope in a beautiful script font on the 
wall, high above the shelves of books and racks of 
cards and gift items. It was an exact duplicate of 
a sign I have, but this one was in white, 
which would contrast more strikingly the chocolate 
walls of my dining room than the black version I 
already own. 
   I asked the salesperson to get it down 
for me. Did I really need another hope sign in 
my house? The other day, my college-student 
grandchild told a visiting friend, "This is one of 
Grammie's quirks. As you can see, she collects hope." 
The white hope sign, which had a reasonable 
price tag, would raise my collection to 
forty-eight, if I'm counting correctly. The black version 
could move to the front porch and the white 
version could take its place - light against the 
dark wall. 
   Moments later, the salesperson approached 
me apologetically. "I'm so sorry, but..." As 
she was boxing up the sign, it broke. Hope 
broke. I wonder how many people feel that way. They 
have hope, but it's busted. They still know what 
it is, but they can't display it in that 
condition. 
   The incident reminded me that real hope - 
the kind rooted in Christ - is invisible but 
strong. It's unbreakable. It fiercely protects the 
breakthroughs we long for. It holds brokenness to keep it 
from flying apart. It anchors the strongest and 
most fragile vessels through the fiercest 
storms. 
   Symbolically, I love being surrounded by 
the word hope. Far more important is being held 
by Jesus, hope personified. Cynthia Ruchti 
   Faith Step: Fill in this blank and repeat 
it often throughout the day to feed your hope: 
'The hope Jesus gives is _______________. 
[Mornings With Jesus 2021 Devotional by Guideposts and 
Zondervan] 

Taking A Hit 1
   It's funny how we sometimes remember the 
weirdest things. For example, I remember playing in a 
high school football game when a huge lineman 
from the other team appeared out of nowhere and 
literally took me out! He hit me so hard that I'm 
surprised I'm not still seeing stars. That incident 
seems almost funny to me now, but I have other 
memories that will never be funny. There were times 
when I was hit so hard right in the heart that I 
thought I would never heal. 
   I've learned that I may never forget the 
painful hits I've taken in the past, but I can allow 
God to heal them. I can forgive those who have 
bowled me over either accidentally or 
intentionally. I can think about those people and those 
hits without my blood pressure shooting up. 
   God doesn't want us to live in fear. He 
wants us to live confidently, courageously, 
knowing that he will help us today and tomorrow, 
just as he helped us overcome our wounds from the 
past. None of us will ever take a hit worse than 
the one Jesus took for us on the cross. Jesus 
knows what it is to feel pain. He overcame his 
own, and he will help us overcome ours. 
   Lord, I consider myself blessed to be on 
your team. I know that even when I'm knocked off 
my feet, you will be there to pick me up, dust 
me off and send me back into the game. In 
Jesus' name, Amen. [Celebrate Recovery Daily 
Devotional by John & Johnny Baker] 

Taking A Hit 2
   I was on the phone an hour with Ray. His 
wife had contacted me, distraught that he was 
depressed and had been lying in bed since he broke his 
neck. Ray was a former pastor and probably knew 
more scripture than I did. When he didn't respond 
after an hour, I took a different tact. "Did you 
see the movie The Shawshank Redemption?" He 
seemed surprised at my question. "Remember when 
Andy DuPhrane said to his fellow prisoner, 
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, 
and no good thing ever dies... so get busy 
living, or get busy dying." Ray was quiet for a long 
moment then said softly, "Hope is a good thing." 
From then on, he got busy living. 
   It's amazing how far we can go on a 
little bit of hope. Hope means "I know I can make 
it!" The source of all hope is none other than 
Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13 says, "Looking for that 
blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the 
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (KJV). No 
wonder today's verse tells us to trust in "the God 
of hope." From the Lord alone flows all joy and 
peace. I saw hope overflow in Ray's life when he 
and his wife finally came to one of our Family 
Retreats. There they were, passing on hope to others! 
   Hope happens when we gently point people 
to Jesus, whether through a few encouraging 
words, a scripture in a note card, or just spending 
an hour on the phone together. Today, nudge 
people toward "the Blessed Hope," the Lord Jesus. 
   Father, because you are the God of Hope, 
I have assurance that 1 can make it through 
the toughest of times. Help me to pass on your 
hope to a hurting friend today. [Joni Eareckson 
Tada Daily Devotional: 
http://www.joniandfriends.org/daily-devotional] 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

The God of Hope, Joy, Peace and All the 
Fruit of the Spirit 
   Even when our situation is full of 
challenges, we can confidently pray that the God of hope 
will fill us with the joy and peace that come 
from believing in him. He won't let us down. And 
in those moments when we feel we can't go any 
farther, placing our reliance wholly on him is 
crucial. We need the power of the Holy Spirit if we 
want to abound in hope. He is always right there, 
ready to help us when we ask.  
   God also asks for our participation in 
the process. We can integrate faith and fitness 
for maximum benefit because getting up and 
moving our bodies actually lifts our mood and 
alleviates anxiety, depression, and stress. Spending 
time with a friend is another way to connect with 
Gods hope. Consider taking a brisk and prayerful 
walk with a friend. He often provides his arms of 
love through those closest to us. 
   Joy and peace come from the God of hope. 
[The Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional] 

If we keep the Lord ever before us [via 
prayer, Bible study, service and worship], allowing 
our hearts to go out in thanksgiving and praise 
to Him, we shall have a continual freshness in 
our religious life. Our prayers will take the 
form of a conversation with God as we would talk 
with a friend. He will speak His mysteries to us 
personally. Often there will come to us a sweet joyful 
sense of the presence of Jesus. Often our hearts 
will burn within us as He draws nigh to commune 
with us as He did with Enoch. When this is in 
truth the experience of the Christian, there is 
seen in his life a simplicity, a humility, 
meekness, and lowliness of heart, that show to all 
with whom he associates that he has been with 
Jesus and learned of Him.  {COL 129} words in 
brackets added 

   Hope is a simple but confident 
expectation from a God who is so much bigger than we can 
imagine. Faith gives us the power to hold on to hope 
whether it rains or shines. When everything seems 
dark, hope is the light that comes through the 
crack in the door. The Bible says, "The Lord is 
good to those whose hope is in him, to the one 
who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for 
the salvation of the Lord.... there may be yet 
hope" (Lamentations 3:25, 29). 
   Do you need hope? Consider going off 
alone in silence, bowing, and waiting for the 
Lord. There's nothing you need to say unless you 
want to say it. Just be with God and let him show 
you the light coming through the crack in the 
door. 
   When we passionately wait for and 
diligently seek God, he will fill us with confident 
expectation that he will come through. [The Daniel Plan 
365-Day Devotional] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE

Romans 15:13 - Finding Hope In A 
Relationship With Jesus. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200418-0909.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: 
https://stepstopeace.org/ 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

Importance of Choice: 
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]  

Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David 
DeRose, MD, MPH: 
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides: 
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The 
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE 

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible 

Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor: 
https://www.revelationnow.com/ 

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657