In our third episode, in this week-long series on the marks of a true Christian,

today we're going to explore together what it means to rejoice in hope.

In a world that can so often bring us down,

so often appear to be without hope. Today we have the

opportunity to make room for God to give us his perspective, that we might rejoice in his hope. May

God give us wisdom, joy, and eternal perspective today as we make space for him to fill. Welcome to the

First 15 podcast.

Welcome. Our scripture for today comes from Romans chapter 12 verse 12.

Scripture says,

rejoice in hope.

Be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

We are not promised a life without struggle here on earth.

In fact, the Bible makes clear that the world will hate us for our love of Jesus.

John 15 verses 18 through 19 says,

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own.

But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Jesus even promises us in John 1633, In the world you will have tribulation.

Except John, each disciple was martyred for his faith in Christ,

and John was exiled to the prison island of Patmos

for teaching that Jesus is God.

We live in an imperfect world,

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