Hymn From the Heart - My Hope Is in the Lord

One of the reasons why I love the old songs so much is that most of them were written for congregational singing, NOT for performance or entertainment. That means that even I can sing them!  Most of the oldies have simple chords and meaningful, memorable lyrics that give testimony to who Jesus is and what he has done.  Just about 100% of contemporary Christian music is written for entertainment or performance.  Besides the fact that much of it sounds like carnal love ballads (who is "he"?), or has lyrics that center on the singer or his/her feelings, the music by itself is plain worldly.  Most of that stuff, if it were played in stores, would blend right in with the garbage that we are already made to endure while we are out and about, and no one would know the difference.  I know you all don't agree with my estimation, but that's okay.  Love me anyway.

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My Hope Is in the Lord

HOPE, n.   1. A desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable. Hope differs from wish and desire in this, that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired, or the possibility of possessing it. Hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with pain and anxiety.
2. Confidence in a future event; the highest degree of well founded expectation of good; as a hope founded on God's gracious promises; a scriptural sense.

Are you going to heaven when you die?  The answer many people give is this, "I hope so."  Hope is a funny word.  It's one of those words which has changed over the years with the English language.  As Noah Webster pointed out in his first definition of the word, "hope" is more than just a wish or a desire. Hope is accompanied by a well-founded expectation, and in the case of a hope of going to heaven, it is founded on the promise of God. 
 

In Titus 1:2, the apostle Paul said of himself that he was "in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."   See that?  Paul's hope was in the promise of God.  That is where my hope lies, also.  I don't just hope I am going to heaven.  I know I am, because God keeps his word!  I am resting and secure, not on my own faith, but in HIM!

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:3,4

 [...] if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, [then] thou shalt be saved. Romans 10:9

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19

My hope is in the Lord
Who gave Himself for me
And paid the price of all my sin
At Calvary.

Refrain:
For me He died;
For me He lives,
And everlasting life and light
He freely gives.

No merit of my own
His anger to suppress,
My only hope is found in Jesus’
Righteousness.

And now for me He stands
Before the Father’s throne;
He shows His wounded hands and names me
As His own. (Refrain)

His grace has planned it all,
‘Tis mine but to believe
And recognize His work of love
And Christ receive.

For me He died;
For me He lives,
And everlasting life and light
He freely gives!

by Noman J. Clayton