When All Hope Is Lost, Believe God’s Promises

[When All Hope Is Lost, Believe God’s Promises]( Current Teaching Series [50 Days of Faith]( [Listen to Today's Broadcast]( [When All Hope Is Lost, Believe God’s Promises]( By Rick Warren — 09/20/2023 [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email](mailto:?subject=I'd%20like%20to%20share%20a%20Daily%20Devotional%20from%20Pastor%20Rick%20with%20you&body= “While God was testing him, Abraham still trusted in God and his promises, and so he offered up his son Isaac and was ready to slay him on the altar of sacrifice; yes, to slay even Isaac, through whom God had promised to give Abraham a whole nation of descendants!” Hebrews 11:17-18 (TLB) Have you ever felt your hope die? You can know hope is dying when you hear yourself say the word “never”: “I’ll never get married. I’ll never get that job. I’ll never have children.” You’re certainly not alone. One of the greatest heroes of faith in the Bible, Abraham, felt like that. Romans 4:18 tells us, “Abraham, when hope was dead within him, went on hoping in faith, believing that he would become ‘the father of many nations.’ He relied on the word of God which definitely referred to ‘your descendants’” (Phillips). What do you do when hope dies and you’re ready to give up? You rely on what God has promised. Where do you turn when everything in you feels like doubting God? You turn to God’s Word. To become a person of faith, you need God’s Word in you. Notice the Bible says that Abraham “relied on God’s Word.” Nothing is more reliable than God’s Word! Even when Abraham faced his biggest test—God asking him to sacrifice his son—he relied on God’s promises. “While God was testing him, Abraham still trusted in God and his promises, and so he offered up his son Isaac and was ready to slay him on the altar of sacrifice; yes, to slay even Isaac, through whom God had promised to give Abraham a whole nation of descendants!” (Hebrews 11:17-18 TLB). After Abraham and Sarah waited years for a child, God gave them Isaac. And then God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham didn’t panic. The Bible shows three ways Abraham responded in faith: - Abraham believed God could raise his son from the dead (Hebrews 11:19). - Abraham told his servant, “We’ll be back,” not, “I’ll be back” as he and Isaac headed up the hill for the sacrifice (Genesis 22:5). - When Isaac asked Abraham, “Where is the lamb we will sacrifice?” Abraham answered, “The Lord will provide” (Genesis 22:8). Abraham believed the promises of God. He knew God would either spare his son or resurrect him. When all hope seems lost, put your hope in God. “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5 NLT). [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>]( Talk It Over - Have you ever felt like all your hope was gone? How did you respond—with panic or with faith?
 - How can you start or continue to cultivate a faith like Abraham’s?
 - Which of God’s promises has been helpful to you when you have lost hope? How can you help someone else grab hold of that promise? The post [When All Hope Is Lost, Believe God’s Promises]( appeared first on [Pastor Rick's Daily Hope](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email](mailto:?subject=I'd%20like%20to%20share%20a%20Daily%20Devotional%20from%20Pastor%20Rick%20with%20you&body= [Get the God's Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible when you give a gift to support Daily Hope!]( Help the children in your life understand God’s Word and discover his incredible plans for their life with Pastor Rick’s God’s Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible. This 223-page hardcover book includes 40 beloved Bible stories to help kids get excited about God’s love, truth, and purpose for his children. A great gift for your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, or even the kids in your neighborhood, each Bible story includes . . . • An introduction just for kids from Pastor Rick • A closing thought to help kids apply what they learn • Beautifully illustrated pages kids will love [LEARN MORE]( [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)]( Includes 7 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series 50 Days of Faith. [LEARN MORE]( [Series Summary]( Message 1: Expecting the Best Message 2: Stretching My Imagination Message 3: Taking the Initiative Message 4: Persisting in Faith Message 5: God's Way of Meeting My Needs Message 6: Following God's Directions Message 7: How to Keep on Believing [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST]( Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com]( Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.]( Rick Warren is the founding pastor of [Saddleback Church]( one of America’s largest and most influential churches. Pastor Rick is the author of the New York Times bestseller [The Purpose Driven Life](. His book [The Purpose Driven Church]( was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Pastor Rick created [The PEACE Plan]( to address the five global giants—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. His Daily Hope broadcast and daily devotionals are offered around the world. You can listen to the broadcast or sign up for the free devotionals at [PastorRick.com](. © 2023 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. Sent to: {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, PO Box 80448, Rancho Santa Margarita, California 92688, United States