Acceptable and Pleasing Sacrifices

1 Peter 2:4-5 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

"A holy priesthood"; that is what we, as a body of believers, are referred to. We are holy, set apart for the purpose of offering up spiritual sacrifices to God. But wait...what sacrifices? Let us go to Hebrews 13:15-16 and take a closer look at what are some of the spiritual sacrifices we are called to offer up to God. Note, that verse 15 tells us to bring our sacrifice of praise to God, through Jesus. In that same verse it describes that sacrifice as "the fruit of our lips that give thanks to His Name". However, let me ask this, "When is giving thanks a sacrifice?" It is easy to thank God and be grateful when things are going well. It is a completely different story to give thanks to God when everything seems to be going wrong; in the midst of suffering. That, my brothers and sisters, is when giving thanks becomes a true sacrifice. Verse 16 goes on to tell us to "not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased". Let us consider the heart and intention with which we do those good works. If we are doing them with the intention of earning our salvation, or with the thought that our good works will gain us more favor than the next person, then our motives are misguided. Our good works and sharing should be driven by our faith. In other words, it is one thing to give to someone out of the abundance of what God has blessed us with, and then wave a big flag so that everyone will see what a good Christian we are; as opposed to giving someone our last dollar, quietly and privately, and trusting that our provision will come from God. As a holy priesthood, God wants us to offer up thanks, praise, and our good works, by faith, and in Christ Jesus; for our sacrifices are only acceptable and pleasing when they are offered up in the manner that God commands.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Someone Else's Property

1 Peter 2:4-5 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

This is a beautiful reminder that the sacrifices we offer up to God, in Christ, are acceptable and precious. Note that I said, "in Christ"; for all our works of righteousness, in and of themselves and outside of Christ, are like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). However, because Jesus was chosen by the Father and precious to Him; now that we are in Him, the sacrifices we bring to Him are now acceptable. The question now becomes, "To where do we bring our sacrifices?" The Jews had the Temple to where they could bring their sacrifices. We, on the other hand, have a different type of temple; that temple is our body, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6; 2 Corinthians 6). Sadly, today many followers of Jesus are more concerned with the condition of physical church buildings than of the living temples which are our bodies, and which also make up the actual church of Jesus. There are so many things that we are so careful do and not to do while in a physical church building; uet, we carelessly mistreat our bodies which do not belong to us, because we were bought by the Blood of Jesus. So, the next time we are tempted to use our bodies for something other than glorifying God, as living sacrifices on His altar, let us stop and ponder the fact that whatever we do with our bodies, we do with someone else's property, and that someone is Jesus.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Put Away, Crave, and Grow

Put Away, Crave, and Grow

1 Peter 2:1-3 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

We were reminded in the previous chapter that life is very short, and we wither away in an instant. The frailty of life ought to make us continually reevaluate how we are living this life. Are we loving God and loving others? Are we striving to live a life of obedience, which is the evidence that proves that we love Jesus? Peter continues his narrative here, admonishing us to put away those things which not only put a wall of separation between us and God, but also cause division within the body. Instead, he calls us to desire, or crave, the Word of God. Just like a baby craves milk, and will cry and have a fit, until it is fed; so should we crave time in intimate fellowship with God, in His Word. It is this time of reading, studying, praying, and obediently applying, that we will mature enough to begin feeding on the meat of God's Word. As we grow, we will then realize the importance of unity, and how destructive our selfish actions and behavior can be to the advancement of the Gospel. Once we have tasted and truly appreciated God's grace, we will realize that nothing compares to time spent in intimate fellowship with the One who has given us such unmerited favor.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Fervency and Urgency

1 Peter 1:22-25 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

We spoke previously of the expectation, as followers of Jesus, to love one another as Jesus loved us. Today, we will speak of the urgency of loving one another, as the Lord has commanded us to love. Peter reminds us over and over that our salvation was not cheap. It cost Jesus His life, and there is nothing here on earth that compares, or even comes close in value, to what Jesus gave in order to redeem us. Having the knowledge that such a great sacrifice was made on our behalf should drive us with an overwhelming desire to respond to Jesus with obedience, and a willingness to put forth the greatest effort to love the brethren as the Lord has commanded. Peter tells us that the urgency with which we do this comes from the fact that our life here on earth is fragile and short. As born again believers, our goal on earth, where we are strangers and pilgrims, is to live for what is eternal; that which will last forever. We are not called to live for the flesh, which withers and dies. No...we are called to live for God, in accordance with His Word, which will last forever, because it is eternal. The bottom line is that there is not much time left for us to win as many people to Christ as possible; and there is not much time to learn how to truly love one another with the kind of love that the Word of God describes. Let us love one another with fervency, and urgency, for there is much to do, but not much time to do it in.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

By This Kind of Love

1 Peter 1:22-25 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

Today we are reminded that, even though we can never earn our salvation or repay what Jesus has done for us, there is a clear expectation that we, as followers of Jesus, are to love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. However, that love is not to be any ordinary love, or love as defined by the world, but a love that is only possible when grounded in a personal, intimate, relationship with Jesus. John 15 commands us to love one another, as Jesus loved us. Just as He sacrificed Himself for us, we must be willing to take up our cross daily and sacrifice our own wants and desires, if necessary, in order to serve one another in the Name of Jesus. Peter tells us that the love we have for one another should come from a pure heart. A heart that desires good for our brethren. A love that is without hypocrisy. A love that sets us apart from the world, and communicates to the world that we belong to Jesus. We live in a world where there is hatred, division, and darkness. Let us be the instruments God uses to bring forth the love of Christ, the unity that should be seen in the Body, and the light of Jesus that dispels the darkness; for it is by this kind of love that the world will see Jesus and know that we belong to Him.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Are We Proclaiming It?

1 Peter 1:18-21 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

What are we putting our hope in during trying times? When tribulation and persecution arise, what are we putting our faith in? Peter reminds us that our hope should always be found in Christ Jesus. Why? Well, because God did something that should have solidified our faith and hope in Him. What was that "something" He did? He resurrected the Lord Jesus from the dead, giving us the proof we needed to reassure us that our salvation in Christ is sure. Here is the wonderful and mind-blowing truth about God's plan of salvation, and Jesus' resurrection; it was planned long before any of us existed. As a matter of fact, it was planned long before God ever created a single solitary thing. Salvation was not a last minute emergency plan. Man's fall was not a surprise, and God did not panic when the devil deceived Eve, or when Adam willingly disobeyed God's command not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God's love existed, for us, long before the earth was formed. What an amazing truth! Yet, how often we panic when troubles come our way. The same God whose plan overcame sin and death is the same God who is with us, and who already has a plan in place to get us through times of suffering. God's plan of salvation is proof that His plans are always perfect, and that He can be trusted one hundred and ten percent, thereby solidifying our hope in the One who is our Living Hope. God's salvation is not cheap, and it is the only way to an intimate relationship with Him. It is the only way to become a citizen of Heaven. A salvation that is this valuable, and that was carried out with such great and perfect love, is a salvation that is worth being proclaimed and shared with a lost and dying world. Do we truly believe that? If so, are we proclaiming it? If not, then why not?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Our Word and Actions Will Show It

1 Peter 1:17-19 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Reading God's Word in context is of utmost importance when it comes to interpretation and application. When Peter says, "And if you call on the Father", we must remember what he said just before that, about being holy (separated unto God) and living a holy life in the midst of persecution. Our motivation for being holy, as our God is holy, is not only our love for Jesus, but it should also be grounded in a reverent fear, or respect, for the Lord. God is not a God who is partial to anyone. He does not overlook the deeds and action of one person over another as if He finds more favor with one or the other. No one, and I mean no one, is exempt from obeying God's Word, and no one will escape giving an account for their life. So Peter tells us that not only are we to live holy, but we are to do so in reverent fear of offending a perfect and holy God. Joseph was a great example of what living in holy reverent fear looks like. He refused to sleep with his master's wife, not primarily because he would sin against his master, but because His reverent fear of God caused him to realize that the offense would be against the Lord. Our salvation was not cheap. It was bought with something more precious than all the silver and gold in the world. We did not earn it, and we will never be able to earn it. It was bought with the Blood of Jesus; and it was that Blood that purchased us. We now belong to Him, and as such we must live as if we are not our own, because we are not. We belong to Jesus. So today, before we interact with the people the Lord puts before us, let us be mindful of our words, actions, and deeds; and ask ourselves, "Is what I am about to say or do going to show my love for Jesus, and demonstrate respect and fear for my Lord?"

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Let Him Turn Up the Brightness

1 Peter 1:13-16 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

While in the midst of persecution, trials, and suffering, it is tempting to compromise our faith, and seek ungodly solutions. It can become easy to forget what we have gained in Christ Jesus, and allow the enemy to convince us that somehow our previous life was better. After all, we were not suffering as much before we called upon Jesus. It has only been since trusting Him that we suddenly found ourselves losing friends, and having family make fun of us. When we started trying to live the right way, in accordance with God's Word, things started going upside down. We can easily become like the Israelites who murmured and complained against Moses and God, when they faced challenges in the wilderness, after being delivered from slavery in Egypt. They quickly forgot how cruel the Egyptians were toward them, and how much they suffered as slaves. Peter was reminding the persecuted saints of his day that they were now God's children, and no longer slaves to their previous life or its sinful lusts. They, and we, are now called to be holy, set apart, especially in the midst of suffering, for God's purposes. We are to persevere and live righteously, in Christ, before a lost and dying world; so that when the Lord opens doors of opportunity, we will be able to not only tell others about Jesus, but also be living examples of what it means to call upon and trust the Lord. Our lives can shine brighter than ever as times get darker. The darker life gets, the brighter Jesus' light should shine through us. Rather than focus on all the negative things that are happening in the world, that may be affecting us, and causing us to look away from God; let us keep our eyes on Jesus and remember that these dark days are opportunities to let the Lord turn up the brightness of the Light that lives within us!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Gird Up, Be Sober, and Hope

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

In the midst of persecution, Peter reminds these saints, and us, that in Christ we all have grace and peace. We are reminded that there is an inheritance waiting for us when we finally arrive home to be with Jesus. We can be certain of this because we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, and we are kept by His power and strength. Even in the midst of intense persecution and suffering we can rejoice with joy unspeakable, knowing that we have a great salvation that we must not only proclaim, but also be living examples for others to see. In today's verse, Peter begins to encourage them, and us, to live holy lives in the face of whatever suffering God allows. He tells us to prepare our minds. When a person girded themselves, they tied up any loose ends of their garments so that they would be able to run or defend themselves without being entangled. So we too must continually renew our minds with the Word of God, and through the power of God, in prayer, and take captive all empty and useless thoughts. The enemy loves to invade our thought life in order to create doubts about God and His truth. We must keep thoughts under control and be sober, meaning disciplined and self-controlled in our thinking. Rather than fill our minds with the garbage the world offers via the news and social media outlets, we need to fill our mind with God's truth. Peter reminds us that as we strive to live a holy life of obedience, we must continue to hope in the grace that will be brought to us at the coming, and return, of Jesus our Lord and Savior. Let us not be shaken and tempted to stray from holy living when tough times come upon us. Instead, let us keep our focus on Jesus and the wonderful salvation we enjoy; keeping our minds renewed and the hope of His return alive.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Powerful and Timeless

1 Peter 1:10-12 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

In Psalm 51:12, David asked God to renew the joy of His salvation. Sin had robbed David of the joy there is in having an intimate relationship with God, and the salvation he hoped in, by faith. Today we are reminded that we have a great and wonderful salvation that was announced, preached about, and prophesied by the prophets. These men of God brought forth a message they knew was for us today; yet, they rejoiced in bringing that message to the people. Today, we reap the eternal benefits of accepting and knowing Jesus as our Savior; yet, we walk around like people with no hope. We have allowed sin, and the distractions of the world, and the devils, to rob us of the joy and peace we have in Jesus. The angels marvel and desire to know more about this wonderful salvation that has been offered exclusively to us, in Christ. How is it that we walk around as miserable as the world, and wonder why the Gospel message is not making more of an impact? It is long past the time we wake up! We need to stop behaving like the world. We need to stop coveting the things of the world, and we need to stop allowing the enemy to convince us that we serve a small God who is limited in His ability to do all things. Brothers and sisters...listen up!! We have an all-powerful, all-present, and all-knowing God! Nothing is impossible for Him. He proved it by going to the cross, giving His life, and then taking it up again. Do we not realize that even death obeys Him? We serve the only true God who commands death to stand aside, and it immediately gives way to life. Why, because God commanded it. This is the God we serve. This is the God in whom we have salvation; the salvation that was preached long before we existed, and the salvation that angels long to know more about. So what excuse(s) can we possibly have not to live a life of faith, peace, and joy, for Jesus today? What is keeping us from doing what the prophets did so long ago, to preach a salvation that is available today to ALL who will call upon Jesus' Name, by faith, and tell of the imminent return of our Lord? The time is running out! Jesus will return one day soon to get His church, then return to establish His Kingdom. Let us get busy focusing on the mission we have been given, and stop allowing our flesh, the world, and our enemies, rob us of the joy of the salvation we have in Jesus, the joy of serving Him, and joy of seeing others come to Him when we share the powerful and timeless Gospel message that we have been commanded to preach to every creature (Mark 16:15).

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Not Even the Worst Persecution

1 Peter 1:7-9 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

What was the proof of these early Christians' love for Jesus? Although many may not have seen Him physically, they were willing to live for Him, even if it meant losing their lives. It is so easy to say we love someone, but a completely different story to prove it by our actions. God did not just say that He loves us, He proved it first, then recorded it for us in the pages of the Bible. Are we loving Him in the same manner? In John 14:15 He told us that if we love Him, we must keep His commandments. How are we doing at living in obedience to God's Word? For these Christians, who were predominantly Jewish, the fact that they were willing to die for their faith speaks volumes. Why? Because the Jews were waiting for a Messiah who would deliver them physically from their oppression at the hands of the Romans. Instead, they put their faith in One they had not seen, who was now allowing them to suffer, once again; but believed that there was a greater reward...the salvation of their soul. Do we have that kind of love and faith today? Have we become way too comfortable in our salvation? Let us step back today and ask God to help us examine our faith and love for Jesus. Are we loving Jesus as we say we do? Is the evidence of that love being displayed by our obedience? Is our obedience to His word only evident when there is no danger of persecution? Is our love for Jesus based on what He has done for us, and based on the faith and hope we have in the life to come; or is it more because of what we hope to gain physically here on earth? If our joy and ability to rejoice is grounded in true faith, and a real love for Jesus, then not even the worst persecution will be able to shake our faith or desire to serve Him. I guess the real test will be when fiery persecution finally arrives...and one day it will.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

His Faithfulness

His Faithfulness

1 Peter 1:7-8 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

As we read these verses, we need to stop and ask ourselves, "Are the trials that God allows in my life about me?" The short answer to that question is a resounding, "No!" Yes, we are the ones who have to walk through them, and yes, they help us to grow and learn to trust the Lord; but ultimately our trials are really about the Lord Himself. I have said this before, that when we read about the life of Abraham, Noah, David, or any other person in the Bible, it is really not about them, but about God and how He deals with them and their circumstances. It is no different for us. How things turn out in our life, in each circumstance, is about God and what He does. It is about how God deals with us, and how He shows Himself faithful, even when we are unfaithful. It is about how God molds us and shapes us, with the outcome being praise, honor and glory for Him. In the end it also shows whether or not we are truly loving the Lord. In the midst of the testing of our faith, are we really demonstrating a true love for Jesus? At this point you might say, "Wait, I thought you said this wasn't about us!" Well, it isn't. Yes, trials do test our love for God, but when we demonstrate our love for God, by obeying His commands, and applying His truth, even in the midst of difficulties, He develops a testimony in us, for His glory, that opens doors for us to tell others about Him. Sadly, we often take those opportunities to brag about ourselves and tell others about how much we have grown, rather than tell them about the faithful God who never failed us, even though we gave up, and failed Him. The testing of our faith, by fire, is an opportunity to tell others that God still walks with us through fiery times, as He did with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The testing of our faith is not about us...it is about Jesus and His faithfulness.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Far More Precious than Gold

1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

As born again followers of Jesus, we need to change our perspective in respect to life on earth. Keeping in mind that we are pilgrims and strangers, and that this place is not our home, we need to view our circumstances from Heaven's perspective. With that said, why are our trials more precious than gold? Well, let's stop and consider this...what if we were allowed to gather as much gold as we wanted, while here on earth? At the end of our life, regardless of how many years the Lord allows us to have, can we take any of it with us? If after just a few months of having that gold, we are suddenly diagnosed with an incurable disease, will it matter how much gold we gathered? If we were told that by accepting the offer of gathering that gold, we forfeited our salvation, would it be worth it? Now stop and consider this...we are suddenly faced with trials and persecution, and in the midst of it we choose to trust the Lord. As a result, we bring our concerns to Him, and He gives us the peace that passes all understanding. Now we begin to rejoice in the midst of our troubles, and make ourselves available to serve and bless others. While we do all this, the Spirit works in us to make us more like Jesus in our response to life and dealing with others; all the while gaining more and more heavenly reward, as we win others to Christ, love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and continue to walk by faith. At the end of our life, as we live out our final moments, would we be willing then to trade what we are about to gain, for the perishable gold the world offers? I personally would not even give it a moment of consideration. Yet, this is exactly what we do. We trade heavenly reward, in the midst of tribulations, because we fail to trust God, and instead seek worldly solutions to challenging times here on earth. The rewards that come from enduring trials, with Heaven in view, are that we end up with something of eternal value to look forward to, but while we are still here we live a life that brings praise, honor, and glory to the Lord. That, my brothers and sister, is more important and valuable than any amount of gold we could ever gather here on earth. A life that truly honors Jesus is a life that will see more fruit in the area of winning others and personal growth in Christ. Let us change our perspective, and allow the Spirit to remind us, and show us, that our trials are not only temporary, but one of the best investment avenues we have toward gaining something more precious than gold...praise, honor, and glory for Jesus, and heavenly reward for us.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Friendship with the Enemy

1 Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

"In this you greatly rejoice", are not the words most of us want to hear while we are going through difficult times. Yet, this is exactly what the Lord wants us to do; and just so that we get a real sense of the kind of rejoicing James is talking about, he is saying that we are to "jump for joy". Today's verse is a reminder that in spite of our moments of suffering, we need to remember that they are temporary in comparison to eternity; that we have every reason to have joy and peace because we are saved, sealed, and on our way to receiving the inheritance that has been reserved just for us. Interestingly, in making reference to our trials, James says, "if need be". Sadly, there are far too many of us that get comfortable in the world. When we begin to prosper and gain more of what the world offers, we forget that our purpose in being here is to serve the Lord and tell the world about Jesus. We start trying to avoid "stirring the pot" because things are going so well, and we do not want to invite trouble to come knocking on our door and possibly rob us of our "blessings". However, God does not see things the way we see them. What He sees is His children being sucked into friendship with the world and being disobedient to what He called us to. What He sees is His children getting comfortable, and settling into a world that is not our home. Therefore, He must, out of need, allow tribulation and persecution to come so that we are reminded that the world is not our friend, that the world is not our home, and that all that it offers has not eternal value. The bottom line is that without trials and persecution our faith, and walk with the Lord, become stagnant. Trials should be a reminder for us that we have a God who loves us. We have a God who wants the best for us; therefore, He allows trials to come our way in order to keep our faith growing, to remind us that we have a mission while we are here, and that we must stay focused on that mission until we finally make it home. The bottom line is that there is nothing here on earth that equals what awaits us in Heaven. So the next time we find ourselves in the midst of persecution or some other trial, "jump for joy" knowing that it may be God's loving reminder that we are getting too comfortable in our friendship with the enemy.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

His Unfailing Promises

1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Even in the midst of severe persecution, James focuses on the hope and joy we have in Christ Jesus. He did not open his letter with a "woe is me" kind of attitude, but with praise and adoration for God because of the wonderful mercy He imparted to His children, giving us new life in Christ. In the midst of trials and tribulations we need to remember that we have been born again unto a living hope. Our hope is not in this world or what it offers, because it has nothing of real value to offer. It is filled with evil and corruption. Our hope lies in what is to come. Just like Israel's hope was in reaching the Promised Land of Canaan, so our hope is in reaching our Promised Land, where we will be reunited with Jesus. Our hope is in the inheritance we have been promised, and that has been reserved for us in Heaven. It is an inheritance that is guarded, secure, and unlike anything we could gain here on earth. The hope that we have in seeing this inheritance is founded, not on our ability to maintain our salvation; but because our salvation and this promise are kept by the power of God through faith. One way or another, whether through death or the Lord's return, we will see this promise fulfilled, because the One who made the promise is faithful and never breaks His promises. It is in the midst of persecution and suffering that our testimony for Jesus will truly shine, if we, by faith, hold on to His unfailing promises.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

How Are We Doing?

1 Peter 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

As Peter writes to these persecuted Christians, he reminds them that they were chosen and set apart by God. He reminded them that the Spirit purified them, and that by the work of the Spirit they had the ability to live in obedience to God's Word. All of this is possible, of course, because of what Jesus did on Calvary. His Blood has washed us, cleansed us, and made us pure and acceptable before the Father. This is certainly the case for us today. A true follower of Jesus is chosen and set apart. Our acceptance of the Gospel was not a surprise to God. He knew we would be one of His children long before we were even conceived. What we need to remember, especially in the midst of trials and persecution, is that we belong to Jesus, we were bought with a price (His Blood), and we have been set apart for HIS purposes. Therefore, regardless of what He allows us to face, we must stay focused on what we are called to do...proclaim Jesus to the world (or at least the circle of influence He has placed us in). How are we doing with that? If we are not willing to share Christ now, while persecution is not that intense, what will we do when it reaches the level of possible martyrdom? We have been chosen, set apart, and called to live a life of obedience. How are we doing so far?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Are We Ready?

1 Peter 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

The Apostle Peter wrote this letter to Christians who had been scattered throughout the region. These Christians had suffered, and were suffering, at the hands of Romans, Jews, both strangers and family members. This letter was meant to be a letter of hope during difficult times. These Christians were running for their lives, being displaced from their homes, and being discriminated against for their faith. This still happens today in many places around the world. In our country, we have yet to experience this sort of persecution; and as a result, the church has a very weak testimony for Jesus. Our attempts to "fit in" has caused much compromise for the sake of "winning them". Many local churches are preaching a watered down version of the Gospel. We have allowed a worldly mentality to permeate our congregations; and we have been drawn into friendship with the world through prosperity preaching that feeds the flesh and our corrupt desires. Sadly, the church today is setting itself up for great pain when the world, and our country, finally make that sharp turn toward the persecution of anyone who is a true follower of Jesus. It will serve us well to read Peter's letter to the pilgrims and sojourners of his day, and be reminded, today, that this is not our home. Our citizenship has been changed by the One who gave His life for us. We, as born again followers of Jesus, need to reevaluate our walk with Him. We need to be reminded of who we are in Jesus, and what that will cost us, if we are truly living for Him, and walking according to His Word. It will mean persecution, rejection, and at some point could even cost us our lives. The comfortable life we live today is on course to be a very uncomfortable one. However, if we have Jesus, we know that no matter what happens, we have hope. It may very well be that God will allow strong persecution to come so that we will wake up and go out, as He commanded, to boldly tell others about Jesus who loves them and gave His life for them. I only have one question to ask..."Are we ready?"

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).