How to Stand on the Promises of Truth

I had an unusual dream the other night, one that I'm sure was a spin off from a news article I had read (you can click on link) recently, albeit the dream came several nights after the fact. In the dream, I was packing up moving boxes for some random person, and, at the same time, having a spiritual discussion, which somehow turned to a reflection on the promises of God (no surprise, since this is where my study on hope has taken me). My dream was a menagerie of a million little bits and bobs of things that had been crossing my mind...

I made this comment in my dream, "You can no more box up God's Promises, than you can box up your dog for this move. To do so, will suffocate HOPE. That's exactly how hope dies."

No one questions this fact:

Hope is greatly needed in our world.

Hope needs room to breathe, so it can thrive.

In order to thrive, HOPE needs FAITH. 

And, faith is so much more than head knowledge.

Head-knowledge has to be transferred to a heart-knowledge...and more...

 HEAD, HEART, and HANDS are required in ACTIVE FAITH. 

Scripture uses two words: believe and receive...

Believing begins with understanding of the TRUTH of God's Promises (head)

However, to receive means that I seize hold of TRUTH for myself (heart).

In other words, I firmly grasp that understanding to myself in order to experience it....I own God's Promises emotionally!

Then, I act on it (hands).

HOPE needs a three legged stool of FAITH in order for us to stand on God's Promises.

This all may seem as confusing as the dream I just shared.

It is simple, however...and all I am trying to say is this:

If I am to be HOPE-FULL, I must KNOW God's promises, take ahold of them as my own (they are for me), and then use them as they are meant to be used.

Promises are gifts of grace.

Gifts given to me from the sweet hands of God.

I take the gift.

Open it.

Use it.

When I do, HOPE thrives:

A thriving hope is a living hope that becomes contagious. 

Just don't put God's Promises in a box...
Or leave them in the Bible and close the cover.

There, confined in darkness, HOPE will suffocate.

But, open up the box, or the cover of your Bible, believe, receive, and act on the promises you find and you will stand firm...rejoicing in hope.