* Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Rom. 15:13)

When we believe the Word of God we are filled with joy and peace and hope.

There are thousands upon thousands of great promises of God for us in the Bible.  

2 Peter 1:4

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

When the Holy Spirit of God reminds us of one of these promises of God in the situation of this present life, we can focus on that promise and live above the troubles of this world because we know the God who created this world is far greater than this world.  We hope in God!

The church is built upon that Word which God reveals to us in the problems of this life.  We stand upon "that word", the word that comes to us from God by HIS Spirit.  Therein is power.

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We have great joy and peace and hope for we believe Jesus will return and gather the church.  Jesus will raise the dead in Christ from the graves and Jesus will remove those who are still living who are of God from this present earth.

How do we know these things?

The Bible tells us this.

I Thessalonians 4

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with HIM.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

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We will all be changed into our new spiritual bodies:

I Corinthians 15   The apostle Paul says:

48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

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Then we will be taken to the new heaven and the new earth which is prepared by God for all who are righteous.

Revelation 21  The apostle John says:

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be HIS people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.

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There will be no unrighteous in that new heaven and new earth, the new Jerusalem.

Revelation 22  Jesus says:

12  And, behold, I come quickly; and MY reward is with ME, to give every man according as his work shall be.

13  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14 Blessed are they that do HIS commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

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In the end, God will destroy this present heaven and earth by fire.

II Peter 3

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.

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And this present heaven and earth will not even come to mind.

Isaiah 65  God says:

17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in MY people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

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