He who has the bride is the Bridegroom; but the groomsman who stands by and listens to Him rejoices greatly and heartily on account of the Bridegroom’s Voice. This then is my pleasure and joy, and it is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3: 29-30 Amplified Bible
Hope is a necessary spiritual commodity that our Bridegroom wants us to have abundantly. It feeds our soul with trust. In these scriptures, record every precept that will help you have hope and become a person of habitual hope so that it spills from your soul. God wants you to give hope, His hope, to those who don’t yet have it.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Romans 5: 1-5
‘Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us and he now declares us flawless in his eyes. This means we can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us. Our faith guarantees us permanent access into this marvelous kindness that has given us a perfect relationship with God. What incredible joy bursts forth within us as we keep on celebrating our hope of experiencing God’s glory! But that’s not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!’
My Groomsman’s Journaling
Hope is developed as we patiently endure the trials, the difficult situations of our lives. We were created in God’s Image and now as we become like Him, we develop a character that mirrors His, we reflect Him and the glory glow of this mirroring of God is hope. Our hope in God is part of our faith, which is a confidence in Him that develops as we stay in a vital-vertical relationship with Him. There is so much fake reality in our lives, yet the reality of truth we find in our relationship with God, is what feeds our hope in the future we have in Him.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Psalm 65: 1-13 ‘What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you, for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you. Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all. What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What festivities await us inside your holy Temple. You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas. You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength. You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations. Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy. You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so. You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges. You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops. You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout and sing for joy!’
My Groomsman’s Journaling
As we come to Jesus, submitting our lives to Him, He hears our prayers, He strengthens our inner spiritual core. Our hope is not anchored in anything in this world, it is a kingdom of God hope, what is coming, what will forever be our future. Nothing of this world should overwhelm us as we remember God’s faithfulness, and we recall how trustworthy He is. Thank you, Jesus, we stand in Awe of You. You are our Care-Taker. You created and You maintain excellently what You have created.
My favored one, you will know the true peace that rises above and beyond all human rationale and reasoning. My hope surpasses all discouragement, despondency, and despair. I pass on to you My hope and you will experience the authenticity of My kingdom joy.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Romans 15:13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.’
My Groomsman’s Journaling
How can I tell joy is authentic? It lasts, even in the hard times, it springs up out of my soul. Hope can override the sudden discouragements, disappointments that if we dwell on them negatively will definitely evolve into despondency. Trust is the pathway of joy and peace to my soul, it opens the door of my heart wide to God and in communion with God, there is an overflow of His hope, it creates a confidence in my future, when my present doesn’t look so good. When I listen up to God’s perspective, I have joy, I have unshakeable hope.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Revelations 3:10-13 Because you’ve passionately kept my message of perseverance, I will also keep you from the hour of proving that is coming to test every person on earth. 11But I come swiftly, so cling tightly to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown of victory. 12For the one who is victorious, I will make you to be a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, permanently secure. I will write on you the name of my God and the name of the city of my God—the New Jerusalem, descending from my God out of heaven. And I’ll write my own name on you. 13So the one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is now saying to all the churches. TPT 10″Because you kept my Word in passionate patience, I’ll keep you safe in the time of testing that will be here soon, and all over the earth, every man, woman, and child put to the test. 11″I’m on my way; I’ll be there soon. Keep a tight grip on what you have so no one distracts you and steals your crown. Message Translation
Nehemiah 8:8-12
‘They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage. Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, “Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.” For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, “Hush! Don’t weep! For this is a sacred day.” So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.’
My Groomsman’s Journaling
Passionate patience, this is not patience that comes with a groan from our hearts, it is patience that is exercised through hope and leaves a residue of peace in our soul. One thing that distracts me is unfairness, justice that is not meted out the same for everyone, this offends me and can be very distracting for me. God’s Word brings hope and when we read it and the Holy Spirit gives us discernment, applying it to our lives, it gives us great joy in the midst of our suffering, because we now have a kingdom perspective, which replaces our worldly viewpoint. Since we are not of this world, we are of the Kingdom, having a kingdom perspective as we grow through the trials in this world is very much a treasure, a heart treasure that can’t be bought with human money, but is gifted by the Holy Spirit.
I will renew the hope in your heart and it will ascend above the negative emotions in you. My hope is like a winter rose fragrantly breaking through the cold icy ambiance, bringing optimism for the newness of spring, a spring that by My Spirit, will come
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Psalm 25
https://my.bible.com/bible/1849/PSA.25.TPT
My Groomsman’s Journaling
God has entwined His heart with mine, He is making it personal with me and this relationship with God is the strong foundation of my hope. Trusting in God is key for feeding my hope because I know as I trust in God He is all in with me. God leads me by truth and it is in these Promises that I respond to by hope. God is so merciful to me and I know He is good, I know He will do what is right, and this is why I choose to hope in Him. God will always show me the way I need to go, He will navigate me day by day and I take great hope in this. God feels my pain, He knows what I am growing through, He is personally involved in my life, therefore I hope in Him.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Psalm 30:
https://my.bible.com/bible/116/PSA.30.NLT?parallel=1849
1 Lord, I will exalt you and lift you high, for you have lifted me up on high! Over all my boasting, gloating enemies, you made me to triumph.
My Groomsman’s Journaling
Lord, my hope is in You, because I know, You will not leave me to the will of my enemy to kill, steal and destroy me, but You will deliver me and set me high above the trials my enemy has planned for me. I hope in You to thwart my enemy to disengage the evil plans of my enemy.
What has the Bridegroom spoken to you about concerning hope? Hear His heart’s desire for you to be overflowing with hope, one who points others to the hope God freely offers.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Psalm 37:3-6 Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
My Groomsman’s Journaling
My Prayer: We praise You Lord, through our tears as we see the evil plan of our enemy in play in our worldly viewpoint. We grieve over the loss of our liberty and the downfall of our nation, we look to You, we hope in You knowing You will deliver us. This long dark night is hard on our soul, but we know without a doubt, joy comes in the morning, with You, our SONShine Who will shatter the darkness of this night, powerfully and completely making things right and just again. We position ourselves in hope. Watching in prayer, waiting in faith and hoping to see Your Glory. Jesus.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Job 11: 13-20 ‘”If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you. Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear. You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away. Your life will be brighter than the noonday. Even darkness will be as bright as morning. Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety. You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help. But the wicked will be blinded. They will have no escape. Their only hope is death.”NL
My Groomsman’s Journaling
A face bright with innocence is the result of hands lifted up to God in prayer, hope raised from our soul for His purity of righteousness to touch our lives and freedom from all fear. Hope gives us courage to do life afraid and press through the enemies stumbling blocks to the victory of Jesus. Hope gives us a bright countenance, a glory glow that attracts people to us. Hope is an attractive anointing.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Psalm 130
https://my.bible.com/bible/116/PSA.130.NLT
Psalm 130: 3 Lord, if you measured us and marked us with our sins, who would ever have their prayers answered?
My Groomsman’s Journaling
Despair is like a road block to hope if we let it stand up as a barricade between us and God. We must step out with courage, even if our faith is under-fire, we need to step around the barricade, and walk freely with hope.
What brings us hope in a hopeless situation? God’s Words! The Word of God is powerful and it helps us to have that patient endurance to wait on God, expecting God to breakthrough. This is hope, waiting in faith, trusting God in that wholly-holy way.
Church, where there is hope, there is strength, peace, and joy. Find your hope in Me and live your life from the inside out. Don’t take the external, with all its confusion and anxiety, inside to your inner man. Instead, be found in My presence during the tempest and anchor your spirit to the hope that is found in Me.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Hosea 14:3-7 Assyria cannot save us, nor can our warhorses. Never again will we say to the idols we have made, ‘You are our gods.’ No, in you alone do the orphans find mercy.” The Lord says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever. I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel will blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. Its branches will spread out like beautiful olive trees, as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon. My people will again live under my shade. They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines. They will be as fragrant as the wines of Lebanon.
My Groomsman’s Journaling
Idols steal from us so much, but then again, we sacrifice, we choose to sacrifice so many good things to our idols. We sacrifice our common sense, our civility, our compassion, and our conscious. Yet, not one idol will offer us mercy like God does. When we have made wrong choices, there is always hope for mercy and healing for our faithlessness. God’s love is boundless, refreshing and fragrant and it covers over the stank of our sin. In God’s love we will flourish, this is our hope.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
1 Peter 2: 7-10 As believers you know his great worth—indeed, his preciousness is imparted to you. But for those who do not believe: The stone that the builders rejected and discarded has now become the cornerstone 8 And A stone that makes them stumble. They keep stumbling over the message because they refuse to believe it. And this they were destined to do. 9 But you are God’s chosen treasure He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world. 10 For at one time you were not God’s people, but now you are. At one time you knew nothing of God’s mercy, because you hadn’t received it yet, but now you are drenched with it!
Song Of Solomon 4:10 Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride. Your love is better than wine, your perfume more fragrant than spices.
God says that each believer is a priest and king, his unique and special treasure of great importance—a treasure above all other treasures.
My Groomsman’s Journaling
I have not rejected Jesus, I have embraced Him and it is in this belief that the mercy of God flows in me. The hope I have is because of Jesus, God’s Mercy, I have been claimed by God as His. I am no longer in the dark, I walk in the Light of His life in me. I am navigated, taught, loved and empowered to grow through, not because I deserve it, but because of God’s mercy. It is God’s mercy which is the very thing that is the undergirding power of my hope. I know because of God’s mercy, I am God’s special treasure.
Precious one, I AM your peace in the storms of life and I will teach you how to ascend like an eagle above the squalls, where you will experience an infilling of My everlasting strength and soar in My joy. My church, hope is the cornerstone of your faith’s foundation and during the trials of life, you will rest on a secure bedrock.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Isaiah 28:16 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken. NLTS
https://my.bible.com/bible/1849/PSA.62.tpt
Psalm 62:1-2 He alone is my safe place; his wraparound presence always protects me. For he is my champion defender; there’s no risk of failure with God. So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me? I stand silently to listen for the one I love, waiting as long as it takes for the Lord to rescue me. For God alone has become my Savior.
My Groomsman’s Journaling
I know if you think on God’s Word tonight, you will sleep without worry and get up refreshed to a really good morning. Our thoughts really matter and when we think on scriptures such as Psalm 62, our soul is saturated with hope. The Word is truly a bearer of hope for us. When we think on things that are not hopeful, that are negative, we begin acting out of negative soul emotions. We all have troubles and if we talk it up with God, hope rises up in us.
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Psalm 62: 8 Trust only in God every moment! Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to him. Believe me when I tell you—he will help you! Pause in His presence.
My Groomsman’s Journaling
I will not be shaken if I don’t buck up my will, but I wait, humbly before God. All that I am waits, patiently endures, trusts. God is my victory; He is my honor an I trust Him completely. The people who think they are powerful, they are not, power belongs to God. I don’t know why I worry instead of putting my hope in God. He is with me constantly as a protector, defender and savior whose victory I walk out of daily. There is no risk of failure as I walk with God. There are forces of illegitimate authority in play in our world today, making our lives harder, yet as I hope in God, I cling to the truth that He is Supreme and I am underneath His Banner of Love. He is the one Who rules over me. I hope in God because I know He is Supreme and corrupt illegitimate power has no control over the outcome of my life. There is nothing He can’t do, even to the point of having illegal corrupt authority in our nations, this does not even stop Him. He does what He wants to do, His rulership over us is Supreme and this is why I wholly-holy hope in Him!
The Bridegroom Speaks Through His Word
Isaiah 40:25-31 The Holy One asks: “Can you find anyone or anything to compare to me? Where is the one equal to me?” 26 Lift up your eyes to the sky and see for yourself. Who do you think created the cosmos? He lit every shining star and formed every glowing galaxy, and stationed them all where they belong. He has numbered, counted, and given everyone a name. They shine because of God’s incredible power and awesome might; not one fails to appear! 27 Why, then, O Jacob’s tribes, would you ever complain? And my chosen Israel, why would you say, “Yahweh isn’t paying attention to my situation. He has lost all interest in what happens to me.” 28 Don’t you know? Haven’t you been listening? Yahweh is the one and only everlasting God, the Creator of all you can see and imagine! He never gets weary or worn out. His intelligence is unlimited; he is never puzzled over what to do! 29 He empowers the feeble and infuses the powerless with increasing strength.30 Even young people faint and get exhausted; athletic ones may stumble and fall. 31 But those who wait for Yahweh’s grace will experience divine strength. They will rise up on soaring wings and fly like eagles, run their race without growing weary, and walk-through life without giving up. The Passion Translation
My Groomsman’s Journaling
My Thoughts: Hope in Christ, this is where we see through the eyes of faith, a faith that is personal, a faith heart to heart with God. We are soul saturated with God’s incredible love and power, therefore our characteristic of heart is seeded in divine strength and we run the race of our life, diligently pressing forward with hope. We do not grow weary in our pursuit of kingdom mission and we walk the second mile without giving up, we soar and we thrive in the midst of chaotic cultural corruption, with our eyes focused on our future and hope and our feet firmly planted on God’s truth, a reality of truth, dually anchoring us to our actuality here and our future with God. Why is hope so powerful? Because our God is living, here, Present, now, with us, for us, and giving us a purposeful mission of followship and a great God adventure in this life. Believe me, it is never boring when hope lights your way and you move in the sway of God’s Sovereignty, being found in Him. He is the Creator and maintainer of all, and as we live, move and breath, having our being in Him, we are changed up to reflect Him, we are visionary, bold, faith-filled and courageous people, not afraid of a challenge, because we know the purposes of God in every challenge we face are greater than the challenge itself. We wholly-holy belong to Jesus, we hope in Him and Him alone, we are soul saturated with His Life, Christ in us, the hope of glory. KimberlyMac
I hope you enjoyed your time in The Bridegroom’s Café, where your soul is always well nourished by Chef Jesus. The Bridegroom’s Voice, My Groomsman’s Journal – Week Four – The Bridegroom Speaks About Hope, was a great week for me as I journeyed through with my Bridegroom, Jesus, listening up to Him, learning and being changed by His Voice. The Bridegroom’s Voice is an incredible Journey with Jesus and His Word. I hope you purchase one today and start your God Adventure listening up to Jesus. Make sure you share this post with your friends on your social media platforms and please subscribe to this blog with your email, so you don’t miss one meal on any of our Café Tables. God bless you MUCH, KimberlyMac
