The Jesus Bible Reading Plan / MISPLACED HOPE

The Jesus Bible Reading Plan

Day 337 of 365 MISPLACED HOPE People are created to have hope. Be it a person, a place, a thing, a status or a destination - everyone hopes in something or someone. God's people, the Israelites, were supposed to hope in God, but they frequently struggled to do so and instead placed their security in alliances with foreign nations. God promised to bring down the neighboring nation of Egypt, and then Judah would no longer look to them as a source of hope and help. God took seriously his people's tendency to misplace their trust and hope. Jesus rebuked those who trusted in anything other than God - those who trusted in riches (Mt 6:19 - 21), in religious heritage (Mt 3:9) or in their religious activities (Mk 13:1 - 2). Confidence in anyone or anything other than God is an issue of misplaced hope. Like the Israelites before, all of God's people must learn to trust him today. Jesus, I see so many friends and loved ones putting their hope in foolish things. Help me to trust and hope in you alone-and to lead others to do the same. Amen. Ezekiel 29:16 NASB 16 And it will never again be the confidence of the house of Israel, bringing to mind the iniquity of their having turned to Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord God ."'" Matthew 6:19-21 NASB 19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;  21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 3:9 NASB 9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. Mark 13:1-2 NASB 1 As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" 2 And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down."