Biblical hope is not wishful like hoping to win the lottery.  It is not human optimism.  It is not self-reliance.

Biblical hope is based on the person and character of God; it is based on who He is and what He has done.

Our world needs hope; we need hope.  So Paul urges us to pray that the God of hope would fill us with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit we may abound in hope.

Jesus and Paul both pray for unity.  Unity in the Church draws others to Christ.  It brings glory to God.  And it protects against outside attacks.

Unity is not conformity.

The New Testament uses three images to speak of the unity of the church:  A family, a fellowship, and a body.

Only God's mercy is sufficient to forgive our sins!

Paul prays that the church in Ephesus, and in turn we would be grounded in love.  He prays we would be grounded in the love of Jesus and thus love like Jesus.

Psalm 49 reminds us of our mortality.  It reminds us to put our trust in God not in riches or what we can accomplish!

Ultimately it reminds us to put our trust in Jesus who gave "his life as a ransom for many" (Mk. 10:45)

Paul prays for the sanctification of the Thessalonians and in turn for us.

Sanctification is a life-long process of growing in spiritual maturity.

It is both the work of the Holy Spirit and the work of our wills and our actions.

Psalm 48 is another call to Praise God.

The theme is found in the opening verse, "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!"

Paul prays that the Colossians and in turn we would be filled with the knowledge of God's will.  This is a daily call.  We tend to seek God's will for future, grand events; but seeking God's will includes seeking it in the things of everyday life.

Paul also prays we will live in a manner worthy of our Lord.  He's praying that we live in a manner worthy of all it means to be a Christian.

Psalm 47 urges us all to praise God.

Sing praises to God, sing praises!

As Paul prayed for wisdom for the Ephesians, we too should pray for wisdom.

Pray that God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit would reveal more of himself to us.

Pray we would know:

The hope to which God has called us

The riches of our glorious inheritance

The immeasurable greatness of God's power