Living Authentically in Love

Monday, September 16, 2024

This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.mIf anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth. This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and will reassure our hearts before him1 John 3:16-19

After the message: Read 1John 3:11-18. What is the message that John’s readers had heard from the beginning? What is the state of those who do not love? How do we know love? How should we live a life of love?

Living Authentically in Love

John was one of the twelve disciples that Jesus called to follow Him. He spent time with Jesus, learning how to be a disciple. He got to watch Jesus and learn to live and love like Him first hand. John wrote these letters (1,2, and 3 John) to the church to encourage the believers after a group of false teachers came and caused confusion and dissention in the congregation. The old testament was not complete at this time so many churches and believers were caught up in the false teaching.

 

John had been speaking about the command to love and reminding them of where they heard about it in the first place. The old command is the word you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother or sister is in the darkness until now.The one who loves his brother or sister remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.  1 John 2:7-11

They already knew about the command to love so they should be getting the picture that love is a central theme in living for Jesus. Those who do not love, but instead hate, cannot know God because God is love. As believers, when we love others, we love them with a pure love that comes from God. Those who do not love, walk in darkness. When we love, we walk in light. If we have hate in our hearts we cannot walk in the light.

For believers, love for others is proof of the love of God in us. Non believers can love of course, but it is not with the pure love that comes from God. If we say we are a Christian and this love is not evident in our lives, people will notice because Jesus said that loving others would be the way the world would know that we are His disciples - if we love one another.  “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

We know love because Jesus loves us with His boundless, never ending, love, grace, and mercy. We are filled with this love and so should pour it out into the lives of those around us.                                                                                                  

The 9: Learning to Live Authentically “Love”

 

The 9: Learning to Live Authentically
“Love” 
1John 4:7-21 (CSB)

Key Truth: “How we live will be determined by the transformation of our character.”

Spiritual Formation- “The process of being formed into the image of Christ for the sake of others.”-Robert Mulholland, Invitation to a Journey, 16.

Main Question: What does the fruit of love demonstrate in the life of the believer as the Spirit forms it in us?

1.    Love demonstrates knowledge of God. 
(1John 4:7-8;13,16) 

2.    Love demonstrates evidence of God. 
(1John 4: 9-10;14-15)

 

3.    Love demonstrates the presence of God. 
(1John 4:11-12;17-21)

 

After the Message:
Read 1John 3:11-18. What is the message that John’s readers had heard from the beginning? What is the state of those who do not love? How do we know love? How should we live a life of love?  

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Friday, September 13, 2024

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn – Matthew 5:4 Submitted by Kay Crumley

We have studied the Beatitudes many times over the years is you, like me, have been in church much. When reading this one I have always thought it had to do with those who are sad about having lost a loved one or property, something of great value. However, this was a verse of the day. I had been studying and had my Bible app set to the Amplified version so when this came up it had a different meaning which led me to wonder what I should learn about this verse. 

Below is Matthew 5:4 in the CSB version. It is the wording for most versions and is what I have always learned or studied. 

Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted. CSB

The Amplified versions add expanded meaning to several of the words in that verse as you see below. I like the expansion of the meaning of ‘blessed’ in the AMPC version. 

Blessed and enviably happy [with a happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted! AMP Classic

Then I compared the two Amplified versions. 

“Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted]. AMP

The first AMPC version broadens the understanding of the word Blessed. Have you ever been enviably happy? Can you think of a time when the circumstances all fell into place, and you were just beyond able to express your happiness? Maybe it was at your marriage, the birth of a child, or landing the prefect job or promotion. Everyone who knows you well envies your happiness. However, even that doesn’t compare with the happiness we experience because of God’s favor and grace. Nothing measures up to His love for us demonstrated by His death on the cross for our sins. The revelation or mystery that we are the recipients of His forgiveness, His gift of mercy and matchless grace is beyond my comprehension. All I can do is accept it and then give Him all my praise and worship. We are only blessed because of Him in our lives. John 1:6 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. In Him alone can we be forgiven and refreshed by God’s grace that comes from His fullness, Jesus being fully God and fully man.

Let’s consider who the mourners are? Jesus promised that they will be blessed. They are those who I have always considered are being addressed, those who have lost something of great value. However, we see that they are also all of us who realize the great debt we owe for the sin and are repentant for our sins. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 ⁹ I now rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us. ¹⁰ For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death. We are to grieve over our sin because that will cause us to repent. In that sense all of us should be mourners. As such we are blessed. But even more, we are comforted. We are never alone in our grief. our burden of sin lifted. Jesus made a promise in John 14:16 that we will always have a comforter; And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. The AMP version shows that ‘counselor’ can also mean advocate or comforter. Jesus’ promises never fail. When we repent and follow Him, we are given the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. He is our advocate between us and God, He is our comforter in times of trouble, and He is our counselor advising us to stay on the right path. 

So, this verse for me takes on more meaning for the blessing I have in Him. I need to grieve every time I sin and repent so that I can live with the full benefits of His blessings and comfort.

 

 

 

Biting and Devouring One Another

Thursday, September 12, 2024

For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh but serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another. Galatians 5:13-14

Biting and Devouring One Another

Jesus set us free from our sin and gave us eternal life. Paul is reminding the church in Galatia here that we are not to abuse that grace but use our freedom as an opportunity to serve each other in love. This past Sunday Pastor Jim said that the way we live will be determined by the transformation of our character. If we are truly transformed by Jesus, we will live and love like He does. When we live in the flesh, we bite and devour one another instead of loving each other.

The scripture above says that the whole of the law is fulfilled in one statement: love your neighbor as yourself. I love how the MSG puts it: For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. Sometimes people think they find freedom in having more – more money, more things, more friends, etc., but Paul seems to be saying that we find freedom in what we give away. We give love away to others and find true freedom. We also find freedom in self-control, not in using our freedom in Christ as an opportunity for the flesh.  When we give love away and surrender all to Jesus, we find true freedom. 

When we are living in this freedom, walking in the Spirit with Him, we will be serving one another in love. If we are serving one another in love, we will not be biting and devouring one another. When we are transformed by a relationship with Him, we will be outwardly focused – focused on others. When we are walking in the flesh, we will be inwardly focused, only thinking of our selfish desires and serving ourselves, not others. We will bite and devour one another out of selfish ambition. 

Before Jesus was crucified and went to heaven, He gave His disciples a new commandment. “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 6:34-35  He wanted them to know that the world would know they were His disciples by the way they loved each other. This is still trueother, the world will believe our actions over our words. If we are walking with Jesus, we will learn to liv for us today. We will be known by our actions. If we say we are a Christian but bite and devour eache and love like He does, loving and serving one another instead of biting and devouring each other. 

Distracted From Jesus

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

You were running well. Who prevented you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough. I myself am persuaded in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty.Galatians 5:7-10

Distracted From Jesus

Paul remembers the strong faith that the church in Galatia had starting out. They had fresh fire for the Gospel, and they were unhindered in their faith, running well. But now they were getting caught up in the teachings of legalism. They were distracted by these teachings that prevented them from obeying the truth. It was not Jesus – who called them – that they were pursuing now. It was false teachings. The similarity of a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough is in reference to a little false teaching will corrupt the whole congregation. A little false teaching can disrupt our lives, distracting us from Jesus and walking and loving like He does. 

There are so many platforms today where anyone who wants to, regardless of educational accomplishment, can say whatever they believe or want people to believe.  And people will believe them. They will accept their truth, without checking it against the Bible, or they choose this false truth over the Bible. Sometimes they choose the false truth because they like what it says more than they like the truth of the Bible. These modern day false teachers prevent us from obeying the truth when we choose to turn away from Jesus, just for a moment, and fix our gaze on something or someone else.  

How can we protect ourselves from being distracted by false teaching? We can protect ourselves from false teachers and being distracted from Jesus by anything by abiding and remaining in Him. John 15:4 says Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. John uses the concept of "remaining" in Christ in slightly different ways, but always includes the idea of someone who expresses saving faith and "holds fast" to that belief. The ESV version says Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. When we remain or abide in something, we stay there. As a Christian, apart from Christ, not only will we not bear fruit, but we can lose our way. When we remain in Him, we stay with Him. We learn from Him – how to live and how to love – and we are not distracted by false teaching. We walk in obedience to His word. To abide in Him is to know Him. John 10:27 says My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. Jesus is our Good Shepherd and when we know Him well, we will hear His voice over everything else, and follow Him. We will not be distracted from Jesus when we are listening to His voice and following Him. 

Are you abiding and remaining in Jesus? Do you know His voice so that you can hear it above everything else?  

Faith Over Fear

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

 For God did not give us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  2 Timothy 1:7

Faith Over Fear

Sometimes God asks us to do something that is out of our comfort zone or feeling of competence. He tests our faith as to whether we will believe enough to follow.  It may simply be a Scripture passage that calls for us to obey Him, to change our lifestyle, or to reorient our thoughts toward God.  It may be to speak out when we are not sure we know what to say. (Ask Moses about this one.)  It may be to pick up from where we are and move, change jobs, enter full-time Christian service, go back to school, or any number of things in our lives.  It seems there is one common denominator to God’s requests…He wants us to change something. But we may balk at His request.  In the history of God’s people, you will find many people who, when God spoke, had an immediate crisis of belief.

Would God ever ask you to do something that you were not able to do? All the time!  How significant is it when God speaks to you?  What you do next will reveal what you believe about God.  The greatest crisis is not that we don’t know the will of God; it is when we know the will of God but choose not to obey. 

 Many different things can cause us to ignore God’s direction in our lives:

·          Family

·          Career

·           Not feeling equipped

   ·      FEAR

Fear may be one of the greatest factors to us not following God’s direction, or living the abundant life he plans for us.  Fear whispers that we are not worthy to be used, not capable, not good enough.  We also like to be in control and know what is going to happen.  We struggle when we have to hand over that control to God, but we can be assured that whatever it is that God wants for our lives, He has already made the way. What we truly believe changes and directs our lives.  If I believe that God is the ultimate authority and source of blessing in my life, I will follow His direction, willingly,    

You will never experience God without obedience, and partial obedience is simply disobedience.  Serving looks different for everyone.  It is really not about how much you do.   It is about being willing to go and do, to listen and stay, or anything, in any way. 

Living Faithfully In True Freedom

Monday, September 9, 2024

For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh but serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. Galatians 5:13-14

Living In True Freedom

Debt is heavy. If you have ever known financial debt, then you know that the weight of carrying debt around with you every day is crushing. Sin is debt as well and even more crushing than financial debt. Sin debt keeps us from having the relationship with Jesus Christ we are meant to have, the abundant life in freedom He gives, and eternal life with Him forever.

Paul, who wrote Galatians, makes the point over and over again – the Christian life is a life of liberty. Jesus came to set the captives free, not to keep them in bondage or put them in bondage all over again. Often, Christians are seen as people more bound up and hung up than anyone else is.

What does freedom in Christ look like and how does it move us to live faithfully for Him?

Paul is telling them that freedom is the very core of being a Christian. Christ’s shed blood on the cross bought our freedom from the sin debt that we have. That freedom is available for everyone everywhere who believes and follows Him.

Jesus' shed blood has bought our freedom so that we do not have to live in the bondage of sin anymore. We can have abundant life, free from chains, shame, or the weight that comes with sin. We are no longer captive or in debt for the sins we have committed. When we accept His gift of salvation, that debt is wiped away, paid for by His blood. We have Christ, and that means we have eternal life, forgiven completely, totally, and eternally. Being freed from sin allows us to live in what Christ has freed us for - to live and to thrive in a relationship with Him and living in His purpose for our lives. 

This freedom also allows us to walk with Him – stepping where He steps. We are free to live and love how He lives and loves and give that to the rest of the world. That is how we live faithfully in the freedom He gives. We walk where He walks and our faith informs every word, action, thought, or deed we have or do. We live and breathe and move in Him every step of the way, glorifying Him, so that others may come to know this freedom as well. 

The 9: Learning to Live Authentically “Learning to Walk”

The 9: Learning to Live Authentically
“Learning to Walk” 
Galatians 5:1-26 (CSB)

Key Truth: “How we live will be determined by the transformation of our character.”

Main Question: What does freedom in Christ look like and how does it move us to live faithfully for Him?

1.    Law-Keepers (Galatians 5:1-12)

- Living for Christ is about keeping all the rules.

- The answer to law-keeping is love.

2.    Law-Breakers (Galatians 5:13-15)

- Living for Christ is about keeping no rules at all.

- The answer to law-breaking is the same for law-keeping: love.

 

3.    Spirit-Walkers (Galatians 5:16-26)

- Living for Christ is about stepping where the Spirit steps.

After the Message:
Read Galatians 3:1-9. How do we come to know Christ? How are we to live for Christ? Who, then, are considered followers of Christ?  

Clean House

Friday, September 6, 2024

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word,[a] so that by it you may grow up into your salvation. 1 Peter 2:1-2

Clean House

Most of us like to clean our house when we know someone is coming. We also like to clean our houses sometimes when we just feel like getting rid of all the junk. Maybe Christmas is coming, and we need to clean out all our kids toys that they don’t play with to make room for what might be coming. Maybe we can’t wear the clothes in our closets anymore or we don’t like them, so we clean out all the clothes that need to go. Sometimes we just simply need to clean – to get rid of the cobwebs and all the things we do not need anymore. 

Peter gives us some good advice for trying to live a godly life in this sinful, broken world. The Message translation puts it this way: So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. v1 Our body is a temple for Jesus to dwell in. We are called to keep that house clean and when it gets dirty, and gunked up with the muck of the world, we need to clean it out. The ways of the world do not belong in the house that Jesus inhabits. 

Peter tells us to rid ourselves of some things – all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. These are not characteristics of someone who is walking daily in a relationship with the Lord. When we walk in relationship with Him, He is reflected in every aspect of our lives. Every decision, action, word, or conversation should glorify Him. Do we always glorify Him in all our actions, deeds and words? No, because we are human. But when we let it in and it starts piling up, it begins to affect our relationship with Him, others, and our testimony. It has to go. If we do not get rid of it, we cannot show the world the difference Christ can make in their lives. We will be showing the world the world. They are looking for something different and Jesus is that difference. We need to always be ready to show Him and His love to everyone around us.3

What do we need to rid ourselves of? We need to rid ourselves of anything we love more than we love Him. We need to rid ourselves of anything that keeps us away from Him or does not bring us closer to Him – even anything that simply draws our attention away from Him because that is the beginning of idolatry. We need to rid our hearts of anger, hatred, gossip, deceit, hypocrisy, and envy. The desire to talk about the person that hurt your feelings needs to be squelched. The urge to retaliate against someone who has been unkind needs to be stopped. The thought that has creeped in that is perpetuating more wrong thoughts, or even plans, needs to be surrendered – given as captive to the Lord. 

A clean house feels good. A clean heart feels better and is essential for our relationship with God. Is it time for you to clean house?  

Ask yourself what do you need to be rid of?  How can you demonstrate the difference Christ makes in your life this week?

Our Cornerstone and Capstone

 Thursday, September 5, 2024

For it stands in Scripture: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame. So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected, this one has become the cornerstone, and A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this. 1 Peter 2:6-8

Our Cornerstone and Capstone 

A cornerstone of a building is the principal stone, usually placed at the corner of a structure, as a guide for workers as they build. The cornerstone is usually the largest, the most solid, and the most carefully constructed stone in a building. Once the cornerstone is set, it becomes the basis for determining every measurement in the rest of the construction. Every other stone is aligned to it.

As the cornerstone of the building of the church, Jesus is our standard of measure, and our lives should be aligned with Him. He comes first and everything else is determined by our relationship with Him.  

Just as the cornerstone of the building has to be the most reliable part of the foundation that the whole structure rests upon, Jesus is our cornerstone that we can rest upon and put our trust in Him fully and build our lives upon. 

A capstone is a finishing stone atop an outer wall or roof. The capstone protects the masonry, causing water to flow in a certain way to prevent erosion. The capstone acts as a shield of sorts.  The capstone is the final stone placed on top that helps hold the structure together. 

The capstone, like the cornerstone, is an important metaphor for Jesus and His prominence as Head of the church and the kingdom of God. Jesus serves as a protector for us, just as a capstone does. He is a shield for us as a capstone shields the other stones from erosion from water. And just as a capstone is the final stone placed on a structure that holds it together, Jesus is what holds us together from top to bottom, beginning to end.

In the scripture above Peter was talking about how Jesus – the chosen and honored cornerstone – would be the stone the builders rejected. Those who believe in Him will find honor but those who reject the cornerstone will instead stumble over Him. Instead of being their salvation, Jesus becomes to a rock they trip over. For those who believe, Jesus is not only the cornerstone but also the capstone of the church and of our lives. Jesus is the Author and Perfector of our faith - meaning that He was the reason for our belief and He will bring it all the way to maturity. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end - and everything in between. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is holding the beginning and the ending of our journey. He wrote our story from start to finish and He knows every twist and turn along the way. We can look to Him for our direction, our safety, our peace, our comfort, and everything else we need. 

God’s Refreshing Rain

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

God’s Refreshing Rain Submitted by Kay Crumley

As I sit in the sunroom listening to the very light patter of rain, ok, it’s really more of a light shower, on the metal roof, it is almost impossible for me to read a book. I just can’t stay focused. I look up and see the birds at the feeder and hummingbirds at the flowers. I feel the light cool breeze and smell the wonderful smell of rain in the air. As my senses are engaged my mind is filled with gratitude to our Father, provider, sustainer, creator, and giver of all good gifts for bringing rain to my house today. I prayed for some rain this morning as I got up. The plants need rain. God knows our needs before we ask but He wants us to ask anyway to show our dependence on and love for Him. I then began to wonder if I could write a devotional centered on rain. Which raised the question, ‘what does devotional mean?’ I found several definitions but a couple I like and believe are accurate to my understanding is ‘the obedient submission to God’ or ‘connected with the act of religious worship.’ As I express my gratitude to God today, I am sharing my worship with you in this devotional.

What then does the Bible have to say about rain? There are many passages about rain.  Let’s consider a few that align with my thoughts today that show refreshing results of His rain.

Psalm 68

7 When you, God, went out before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness, 
8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
    before God, the One of Sinai,
    before God, the God of Israel.
9 You gave abundant showers, O God;
    you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
    and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.

In this passage we see a psalm written by King David. It is reviewing the faithfulness of God to the people of Israel. God went out before His people as a General leads his troops into battle. We see many instances when God went before the armies of Israel which resulted in their success against their enemies. He also went before them in the wilderness leading them in the wilderness as a pilar of fire by night and a pilar of cloud in the day. He is our powerful leader; we are to follow Him. Under His great strength the earth shook, and rains poured down. He is the creator of all, all powerful God. The Mount Sinai in the wilderness was the place He met Moses and gave him the ten commandments establishing a set of rules for His people to live by because He is the God, the King of His people. Just like us, they needed guidance for daily living. Then, He gave them abundant showers, a lot of rain. That refreshed, renewed the strength of His people. The wilderness was dry, God provided the rain that would cool, refresh, and provide food for His people. Without God’s presence we are dry and without what we need to be fruitful in His service.

Hosea 6:3

Let us acknowledge the Lord;
    let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
    he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
    like the spring rains that water the earth.

Hosea, the prophet, was married to an unfaithful wife as an example of the Israelites unfaithfulness to God. She would leave him but because of his obedience to God and love for his wife he would rescue her and bring her back to him. That was just an example of how God dealt with the nation of Israel as they turned away from Him many times, but He rescued them because He is faithful to the covenant. Now in Chapter 6 Hosea is pleading with the people to return to Yahweh, I Am, by acknowledging Him and pressing into the knowledge of Him. They knew His love and faithfulness to them. He is reminding them to admit to their need for Him. Hosea uses an example we all see throughout the seasons. He will appear to us just as the sun rises in the morning. God is dependable. When He comes, He will replenish us with His blessings just as He refreshes the earth with rain that enables the seeds to sprout, the plants to grow, and the animals to be fed. We need that nourishment from Him in our lives. He provides our every need.

Acts 14

16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.

Paul had set out with Barnabas on his first missionary journey. The people of Lystra are so impressed by Paul when he healed a lame man that they began to offer him and Barnabas worship and honor as gods like Zeus. Paul stopped them immediately. He then explained that in the past men had gone their own way, ignoring God our Father, the one true God. But even then, He showed Himself to them by giving them good things. He is the creator and sustainer even for those who don’t know Him. He provided rain which caused crops to provide food for them. They benefited from Him even when they didn’t know who He was. You and I have no excuse to fail to honor Him with our worship. We know who He is and how many ways He provides for us. Do we fall on our knees and worship Him each time we are blessed by Him?

In a recent Bible study group one of our members requested prayer for rain. I saw a member of that group today who reminded me that our prayers were answered. Do we keep a record of our requests and then His answers? I believe we should so we can be aware and acknowledge His goodness and faithfulness to us just as Hosea said. He provides for the just and unjust. We can rely on Him even when we are unfaithful to Him. In obedient submission to Him I praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.

Chosen

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  

1 Peter 2:9

 

Chosen

During the time this scripture was written, the people understood that the Jews were called God’s chosen people.  But here in 1 Peter, Peter is proclaiming that all believers are chosen by Him, and we are also all a royal priesthood – every last one of us. We have been chosen by Him – chosen by God!   What a beautiful word that is - chosen.  Many of us have known, and never forget, the pain of having not been chosen. It is hard to get our minds around an idea so powerful, that we, as believers, have been chosen.

 

Being chosen by God ranks higher than any other popularity contest you may have going on.  Being chosen by God is greater than any amount of likes and follows on social media. It cancels out every time you were not chosen – by parents, friends, family, spouse, etc. Who is better, higher, and counts more than God?  With our election we inherit all that God has in store for His children.  We cannot buy, earn, or find what He gives only to those He chooses.  

 

There is no question about God's ultimate will for us and that is that we shall recognize ourselves to be members of His own family.  When we realize that we are chosen from the beginning of time to be members of that family we come to see ourselves as we really are - sons and daughters of the King of Kings. We walk with confidence and live with purpose. We have a new motivation, identification, and reputation, built on the foundation of Christ. We have something special and it will be evident to those around us that we are different as we begin to walk in our new life with Him. 

 

Everyone in this world has a need to feel like he or she counts. Being a part of the family of God will not keep us from ever feeling like we are not chosen on earth. We live in a broken world full of sinners and sometimes we hurt each other. But we can rest assured that we will never be “unchosen” by God. No matter how much we mess up our lives, we can never erase or invalidate His choice to choose us. He chooses us forever. In our identity as His son or daughter lies everything we could ever need or want. Every need we could have fulfilled, every empty inch satisfied. We have an eternal identity that never changes, no matter what season we are in or what our circumstances are. The one identity that we have from the moment we are His can only be found in Him. Everything else in our lives should be built on this foundation.

 

As a result of being chosen by Him, He has called us out of darkness and into His light. We are to live as though we have been delivered from darkness into light and we are give that light to others around us. We have been chosen and brought from darkness to His marvelous light so that we can proclaim His praises because of what He has done for us. When we have a relationship with Him, walking The Jesus Way, everyone will see His marvelous light shining through us. Let’s live in our inheritance and carry His light to as many people as we can. 

A Living Hope

Monday, September 2, 2024

A Living Hope  1Peter 1:3-9 Submitted by Kay Crumley

 

What do you mean when you hope for something? The dictionary definition includes desire, wish, aim, plan, and ambition. None of those sound reassuring. That kind of hope is more like wishful thinking. It’s what we would like the outcome to be, but it will happen only if.  What is the hope we read about in the Bible? The biblical definition of hope is “the sure and confident expectation of receiving what God has promised us in the future.” When we trust, have faith in God we can believe wholeheartedly that His promises are true. Our hope is founded on faith in Him, the author and creator of all.

 

Peter is writing to the Gentile churches in the province of what is today Turkey who were experiencing persecution because of their faith. They needed encouragement and direction. I have never experienced persecution because of my belief. The early church faced extreme persecution because of their belief. He is reminding them who they are and why they have reason to hope in Christ.

 

In verses 3-5 Peter provides the meaning of our salvation. We are saved because of His mercy. You and I can never do anything to earn or pay for our salvation. We are saved by grace through faith lest anyone should brag about their salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our hope is based on the evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is the first to be restored to eternal life. We have the assurance that we too will be raised to be with Him at His return. Peter called this a living hope, one that never dies is alive now by our hope in Him. As His sons and daughters, we have been given an inheritance with Jesus Christ that is eternal, never decays, and never disappears. He is keeping it for us in heaven (John 14:3). Jesus promised He was going back to the Father to prepare a place for us, those who have believed, repented, and followed Him. He is our protector, our refuge, and our place of shelter under His wings. Verse 5 tells us we are being guarded by God’s power for that salvation. He is all powerful, the creator of all and is our guard until Jesus returns.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 

 

At this point, just considering all that Peter has reminded me of in those the verses above I don’t think I need to be told to rejoice! However, he does just that. Why? Because he recognizes that they are facing trials. Our time here in a fallen world will include suffering and grief. Man is sinful and Satan is active in this world. We are promised that we will face trials. We don’t currently face persecution in this part of the world, but it does happen in our time in some areas. We are to be ready should that happen here. But the encouragement he gives these believers is that those hardships grow our faith, makes us stronger, more resolute in our belief in God. Our Godly character is valuable to God. This strengthened faith results in praise, glory and honor for Jesus as He is revealed. We will spend eternity worshipping Him. We should begin now practicing worship to God our Father now, here on earth, in every situation.

6 You rejoice in this,  even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

As for now, Peter writes, we haven’t and cannot see Him, but we are filled with joy. We don’t have to see Him to believe in Him. Jesus told Thomas in John 20:29 that those who believe and have not seen Him are blessed. Peter describes our joy as inexpressible and glorious. We don’t have the words to explain the depth of our joy in Him, but we know it is glorious, magnificent beyond description. Why such joy? Because we have received the salvation of our souls through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who paid the debt for our sins.

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

 

In way of review, hope is not just a pipe dream. Hope in Christ is trust in His promises. We are confident that He will fulfill those promises to us. We have received the promise of His inheritance through our faith in Him. It is ours because He saw fit to give it to us, we cannot earn it, we don’t have to work for it. But because of the enormity of the gift, we willingly give ourselves to Him, we are His. As such we are to be obedient to Him and His plan for our lives regardless of the trials we encounter. The unavoidable result of knowing what we have from and in Him is unimaginable joy. We are in Him Kingdom now we will live with Him in Heaven.

 

Romans 12:1-2 is a great summation for how we should live our lives following His will daily.

1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.