Holy

1 Peter 1:13-25

 

My Takeaway:

 

Gotta be honest, this is a passage I struggle with; I struggle with a command to be holy and obedient. It’s different now, I used to struggle with these commands with a rebellious attitude, but now it is from knowing I will never be perfectly holy or obedient (or even near perfect, or even half way perfect…oh you get the picture and even if I could somehow rise to this level I would probably be self-righteous about it).  So I prayed that God’s amazing grace and mercy would shine through during this passage.  I will also admit that while studying this passage, I was amazed to see the grace shining through and was somehow encouraged as I set my hope fully on the grace that will brought to me at the revelation of Jesus Christ!

 

Going forward, as I try to be an obedient child of God, I can no longer claim ignorance as an excuse - but here is another point where I got a little encouraged - while I can no longer claim ignorance, I can claim Christ and his finished work, I can trust in the amazing grace and tender mercies of God. In fact, it is the only thing that truly offers hope to me.  So, I will strive to be holy (set apart for God), I will strive to be noticeable different knowing the price that was paid on my behalf, knowing all that Jesus had to endure for me (because of me). 

 

And knowing that precious sacrifice, knowing that love for me a sinner, I will remain thankful for the beautiful truths of God, I will keep trying to love others with a pure heart - especially those different, those that are not easy for me to love and I will do it because Jesus loved me when I was not easy to love, I will keep trying not in any effort to earn, but because I have been born again.  I will be thankful that no matter the trial, no matter the problems I invent, no matter the mistakes of my heart that I can turn to the living and abiding word of God, the word of the Lord that remains forever, that speaks of love, forgiveness and mercy, that is more than good advice, that is good news!

 

Grace and Peace!

Endurance

1 Peter is a book in the Bible that I have read through a few times, but I have never really dwelled in it.  I have never dug deep and immersed myself in this letter.  Since our church is doing a series on this, I thought I would take the opportunity to do just that. I will post some thoughts, big ideas or takeaways...things I learn or things that make an impact on me.

1 Peter 1:1-12 

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Born Again to a Living Hope

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷ so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹ obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰ Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,¹¹ inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. ¹² It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

My Takeaway...

In this fallen world we will experience storms, hurricanes, pandemics, trouble, illness, divisions and strife…all kinds of trials, but as believers, as elect exiles, as the chosen children of God, we can endure because of all Christ endured for us. We can endure because of the living hope we have in Christ, We can endure with love and we can endure even though we cannot see him now, knowing we will see him again. We can press on in the wondrous grace of God filled with and inexpressible and glorious joy, filled with confidence in the knowledge and assurance of our eternal salvation.

 

Hey everyone, in this world we will have trouble, but take heart!  Jesus has overcome the world…

Grace and Peace!