Imitators of Christ (I Peter 2:21-25)
I Peter 2:21-25, For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. A minister filling in for a teacher of a Sunday school class asked, "What do you think Jesus was like?" Doubtless the pastor expected an answer like: He was a good man; He was a poet; He was a carpenter; He was like God. But no. One little boy raised his hand and replied, "I think Jesus was like my Sunday School teacher." Think back to the time when you were a kid. Back when you had a childhood hero and you followed their every move. You wanted to be like them when you grew up. When it come to being an example, there is no greater example than the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ did no sin. He lived His life free of sin. Humanity had never witnessed prior to Christ, nor since anyone who lived life in its entirety free of sin. He never once had to seek forgiveness because He had missed the mark. He lived the life that God demanded that we never could. When Adam fell in sin, that fellowship was broken and the curse of sin was passed on to every succeeding generation. Sadly, each of us were born under the curse of sin and separated from God because of it. God is holy and righteous and He cannot condone or approve of sin. His holiness demands that sin be atoned and reconciliation be made. At salvation we were born into the family of God. We have been given the name of Christ and are charged to bear it among men. Jesus never once knew what it was like to wander from the ways of God or violate His holy ordinances. Peter, reveals that all believers have an obligation to follow after the Lord and live as it pleases Him. The name Christian literally means "a follower of Christ." Christ has left the example that we are to copy. We are to strive to live our lives just as He lived His. People are to change, not Christ (Hebrews 13:8). It is not the business of the church to adapt Christ to men, but men to Christ. We have been called to live a life that honors the Lord in all that we do, even if that involves enduring suffering for His sake. We are to mimic and imitate every detail. Now I know that we will never achieve that level of perfection, living above sin and in perfect communion with the Father, but we are charged to strive for that. As Christians, we ought to live and look more like Jesus today than we did when we were babes in the faith! As believers, we are to mature as we grow in the faith. Our overall purpose is to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ by obeying His command to make disciples of all nations. The Prince of Wales was invited to visit 36 men that had been severely wounded in World War I. These men were in a hospital on the outskirts of London. He graciously accepted the invitation, and upon his arrival, he was ushered into the main ward. He shook hands with some, and spoke encouraging words to many of the men. Then he looked around and said, "I thought there were 36 men. I have seen only 30." It was explained to the prince that the other six were so severely injured, they were put into a special ward that was not usually visited. The prince said, "I must see them, too." He was taken to these men who were in terrible shape. He counted, however, only five men, and asked, "Where is the other man." The prince was told that the poor man was so badly mutilated that he was kept in a room alone and that it would be wiser not to see him. The prince insisted, "I must see him, too." Taken into a little room, the Prince of Wales saw an unforgettable sight. There lay what remained of a brave soldier. He was blind, deaf, legless, armless, and disfigured beyond recognition as a man. Standing silent for a moment, deeply touched, the prince stooped down and kissed the soldier on the brow. With a broken voice he whispered, "Wounded for me!" The soldier did die for his country in the cause of freedom. This is exactly what Christ did for us. He was wounded for me and for you that you should be free from the bondage and penalty of sin. PRAYER: Lord, You have given us the example to follow, help me to walk in Your way. I know that the closer and longer I identify with You I will face ridicule and encounter sufferings. Help me and strengthen me that I may reflect You in my life. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
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Seeking God’s Wisdom (Proverbs 4:7)
Proverbs 4:7, Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. There is an ancient Indian legend of a king who loved chess. He challenged visitors to a game, and was usually victorious. One day a traveling sage visited the kingdom and was challenged to a game. To entice him to play, the king offered to give the sage whatever reward he asked if he won. When the king was defeated, to honor his word he asked the sage what prize he would like. The sage asked for one grain of rice to be placed on the first square of the chessboard, and then that it be doubled on each following square. The request seemed modest, and the king ordered a bag of rice to be brought. One grain was placed on the first square, two on the second, four on the third, eight on the fourth and so on. But it quickly became apparent the terms of the request were impossible to meet. By the twenty-first square more than one million grains of rice would be required. By the thirty-first square the total would go over one billion—with more than half of the chessboard still left to go. Small things have a big impact when they are added together. It is important that we seek God’s wisdom for every decision we make, regardless of how small it seems to us. When we add to our wisdom and understanding, it grows stronger and stronger. We should set our priorities in life to be the same as God's priorities. Our priorities are wrong if our Father tells us to put something first in our lives and we fail to comply with His instructions. Let's look at the Word of God to see what our Father says about the priority His wisdom should have in our lives. Proverbs 4:7, Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Our Father begins this passage of Scripture by telling us to "get" His wisdom. We then are told that God's wisdom is "the principal thing." Webster's says that "principal" means "first in rank, authority, importance, degree." Our Father tells us to place our desire to receive His wisdom in first place ahead of our other desires. We should be very thankful for all of the wisdom and understanding our Father has made available to us. Because of His grace we have been given the opportunity to put His wisdom to practical use throughout every day of our lives. The depth of God's wisdom and knowledge is immeasurable by any human standard of measurement We are told that God's ways are "unsearchable." Romans 11:33, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! We must not underestimate the magnitude of the wisdom of God that has been given to us. PRAYER: Father, Your Word says that You will give us wisdom if we will ask for it. Forgive me for all the times that failed to ask You for it. Your wisdom is available to me at all times. Thank You for those You have allowed to come into my life to help me become wiser. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Lord, Deliver Me from Distractions (Colossians 3:1-2)
Colossians 3:1-2, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. In the summer of 1996 several thoroughbred racehorses in Kentucky developed foul nasal odors and bloody noses followed by infections in their nostrils. When veterinarians examined the horses, to their shock they found small egg-shaped sponges deep in the horses' nasal passages. Where did the sponges come from? Authorities determined that someone wanting to fix races had tampered with the horses, inserting the sponges to interfere with the horses' breathing, cut down their oxygen intake, and slow them down. Ten instances of such "sponging" were reported within a nine-month period, and the FBI was called in to investigate. Like sponges in a thoroughbred's nostrils, sins and distractions weaken a Christian. They distract us and take away from what God wants us to be and do. Distractions take our eyes off those things that really matter. We have no idea what hangs in the balance of our preparedness to focus through the distractions and serve the Lord. Remember…in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Since the fall of man, people have had trouble staying focused. The world we live in today is in an age of unprecedented distraction. Since you’re already reading this on some electronic device, I don’t need to elaborate. There will always be distractions and opportunities to turn away from what we are supposed to be doing. One of the devil’s most effective tactics is not to get us to sin outright. Instead, he gets us to turn aside from what is truly important and focus on things of little importance. If we are not careful, we can find that we have succeeded to stay busy without getting anything accomplished. Jesus never lost sight of the pivotal purpose for which He came into the world. Every day of His life was spent on things that truly counted. This is the pattern that we should be following day by day. Focus leads to success. When we stay focused on what is important, we can accomplish great things for God. Where we focus our minds and hearts today counts forever. The very essence of what we believe to be true about the world hangs on where we direct our attention. One of the important and practical issues in the Christian life is where and how we set our minds. Regardless of how hard it may seem, you really can control your thoughts. To put it in terms of Colossians 3:2, we set our minds either on “things that are above” or “things that are on earth.” Setting our minds does not mean we only ever think of God and heaven, but it does mean that as we engage in our earthly callings, such as our family and work, in the world — we don’t mentally turn our backs on Him. All of us set our minds on something and you will set it somewhere — or if you leave it alone, it will go somewhere. Questions to Consider: What is distracting you from being focused on the Lord? If there was one change you made to your daily routine or thought life that could help your eyes stay fixed on Jesus, what would it be? Points to Ponder: Don’t let good things keep you from the best things God has for you. When you are tempted to give up, remind yourself, that your labour is not in vain in the LORD. Prayer: Father, I confess I’ve allowed myself to be distracted, and I don’t want to be anymore. Please forgive me. Give me a clear sense of Your calling on my life. Help me to stay focused and attentive on serving You. Give me the strength and self-control I need to fix my eyes on You so that I can learn what You want me to learn and be who You want me to be. You are worthy of my full attention. I want to hear Your voice. Whatever it takes, Lord, help me to pursue only what You call me to do, and deliver me from distractions. In Jesus’ name, amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com God is Faithful and Satan is Frustrated (Deuteronomy 7:9; James 4:7)
God is Faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9) Deuteronomy 7:9, Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; God is holy and just and faithful. Holiness is His fundamental attribute, and Christians should emulate Him and live pure lives. Today, God continues to pour out His blessings on us. Opportunities are opening for the ministry globally. Churches are being planted around the world. People are coming to the Lord. Souls are being won to Christ all over the world. Particularly, people in Muslim countries. All of this we couldn't possibly orchestrate on our own without Him. God's doing it and we get to have a part in His work. Satan is Frustrated (James 4:7) James 4:7, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. The existence of a personal Devil is scoffed at by many, and doubted by more. Modernists believe evil exists, but not an “evil one.” Satan is often regarded as an impersonal force, an imagination, a medieval invention designed to scare people into the “church,” or an excuse on which to blame our shortcomings. None of these are so, for the Bible clearly teaches the existence of a personal, malevolent, evil one, the Devil. It is the duty of each Christian ‘soldier’ to know as much about his or her adversary as possible II Corinthians 2:11. Ignorance on this subject is a dangerous thing. The word submit is a military term that means to yield; arrange oneself under, like a good soldier places himself under one of higher rank. We submit to God by recognizing His authority. Submission means we offer all we are and have to God without any reservations. When we do, he will flee from us. Never in the Bible are we told to attack the devil. He does the attacking; we must do the resisting. The devil wants to destroy your marriage, your church, and all your good relationships, and he does it most effectively through conflict. When we give in to the Evil One, we argue, cause confusion, hurt one another's feelings, and get angry. He loves to get us to do these things, and he is successful when he plays on our pride. He will do this by whispering in our ears things like, "You don't have to put up with this kind of stuff." "Who do they think they are?" "You need to give them a piece of your mind." He tells us what our pride loves to hear. However, we resist him the same way Jesus did—by quoting Scripture. Satan knows his time is short. As a result, Satan scratches and claws. As the ministry impacts more lives, he roars. I John 4:4, Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. We have deepened our prayer life, helped each other resolve stress, and kept our eyes fixed on Christ. We must submit ourselves to God and stop trusting in the power of our flesh or human resources to bring victory. We must recognize the authority of God as our king and submit to it. If we stand for God we can see the victory. Satan will not get the victory if we do not compromise with him. We need to seek the Lord with all our heart. God is not hiding. He wants us to come to Him. When we surrender to God and follow Him by faith He will exalt us for His glory. Christ destroyed the works of Satan in I John 3:8, He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. This means He has frustrated, or undone, the works of the Devil. Those in Christ can overcome Satan and live fruitful, productive lives. According to the following Scriptures Christ sealed Satan’s doom on the cross (Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14; John 16:11). We are on the victory side! Questions to Consider: Are you standing on the truth of God’s Word today? Points to Ponder: You will be tempted and attacked, but you must take your stand and leave the results with God. PRAYER: Father, lead me in this spiritual warfare to stand strong and never surrender. Help me to be wise to Satan’s snares and his temptations. Direct my steps that I may not get sidetracked in pursuing Your will and work. I ask that You would confound the devil and give me courage in times of testing. I know that You are with me and that You will never forsake or fail me. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post has blessed you in any way, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com One Thing Thou Lackest (Mark 10:21)
Mark 10:21, Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. One of the most memorable Super Bowl football games ever played in NFL history took place on January 30, 2000. This game was Super Bowl 34 and it was played between the St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans. The game was close from start to end. With six seconds left in the final quarter of the game, the score was 23-16 with St. Louis in the lead. The Tennessee Titans, however, had the ball on the ten-yard line and had time for one more play. If they could score, they would tie the game and put it into overtime. The ball was hiked and quarterback Steve McNair threw a short pass to his wide receiver Kevin Dyson, who caught the ball, headed for the goal line, but was met by linebacker Mike Jones at the 2 1/2 yard-line. With his legs wrapped by the strong arms of Mike Jones, Dyson stretched out his hand with the football as far as possible, and tried to get it over the goal line to score, but the ball came down one.... yard.... short, and time was out. The game was over. Oh, the frustration of being one....yard...short. Both teams gave their best, their all, but the Titans were still one...yard...short! Can you relate to this situation? Have there ever been times in your life when there was something you wanted to do, to accomplish, to be, or to purchase, but you were short of your goal or what you needed by a little margin? Do you remember the frustration? Such was the case of a ruler who came to Jesus and wanted eternal life. He was a good man that had kept the commandments, but Jesus told him, "There is one thing thou lackest." We are just like this guy in many ways. There are many things we do right, yet there is usually at least one thing, just one key thing, we are lacking that we need to work on or change in our lives. 1. He was Looking (Mark 10:17) This man sought Jesus asking how he might obtain eternal life. Jesus expounded the demands of God’s Law to this man in order to show him his sinfulness and his need for redemption. 2. He was Lacking (Mark 10:21) Christ touched the weak point in the man's character. It was his passion for wealth. Selling his possessions and then giving them away was too much for the man, for he was too attached to his possessions to give them away. Jesus is not advocating a "works" salvation, nor is He saying that it is wrong to be wealthy. He is advocating faith in Christ. He is asking this particular ruler to trust in Him by selling all that he had to give to the poor and follow the Lord. That would require this young ruler to first of all humble himself. It would require him to trust in the Lord by faith to meet all of his needs. Surrendering his possessions would be the test of whether he would put the Lord first in his life or his possessions. Would he deny himself or keep "self number one?” Would this young man seek heavenly treasures or earthly ones? 3. He was Loved (Mark 10:21) Though this fellow’s attitude was wrong, Jesus nevertheless, had compassion on him and loved him. Jesus knew the man needed first to have a change of attitude. His god was his wealth. Jesus instructed him to get rid of that first and then he could have treasure in heaven. The cross, to the world of that day, was a symbol of death. Jesus, essentially, told him to not only come to Himself, but to die to self, thus following Him. Implicit is not only repentance leading to saving faith, but also self-denial. Some had accused Jesus of lacking love for this man because he asked much of him. Keep in mind, Christ gave up great riches to save mankind. 4. He was Lost (Mark 10:22) The man went away sorrowful because he was unwilling to part with his possessions. This young man possessed everything except that which mattered most. His home was filled with valuables, while his soul remained poor. All of us have one thing we lack. When you think about it, in our own lives, there is almost always at least one thing or one area we lack. A Christian can be outstanding in many areas of their life, but there is usually one thing they lack. Regardless of who they are, what they do, or where they have been, there is at least one weak area in each one of us. Are you searching for that means of peace and comfort that this world has not been able to provide? Understand, as beneficial as church attendance and living a moral life are, it is not enough, they cannot save. Have you realized you are lacking? If so, you don't have to continue in that state. I urge you, if you are trusting in anything but the shed blood of Jesus, come to Him today and receive salvation. All the wealth and influence in this life cannot prevent death and it cannot secure salvation. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I thank You for seeking me long before I sought You. Help me to remember that You will never force anyone to surrender to You. Help me to keep Your Gospel simple and to be sensitive to those I encounter. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com One Thing I Have Desired (Psalm 27:4)
Psalm 27:4, One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. Worship is a pure and precise antidote for worry. David understood that praising the Lord and being in His presence was the one thing that could disperse fear. There is safety and security in the Lord’s presence. David did not isolate himself, nor did he face his troubles alone. He gathered himself with the fellowship of believers. David didn’t enter the Lord’s house to watch, but to worship. He was personally involved. We must not allow the struggles of life to seize our time spent with the Lord. 1. Daily Passion: David’s heart cried out for the Lord." Where could he find eternal security? Where could the desires of his soul be fully satisfied? When his eyes turned toward the sanctuary, he cried, " One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. David is not just praying for deliverance from his present condition, but he also wanted to get a grip on the Lord in his relationship with Him. David wanted to live in uninterrupted enjoyment of the Lord’s presence throughout life. Most often our prayers are centered around asking the Lord for His hand on our behalf rather than seeking His face to behold His glory and holiness. 2. Devout Passion: Prayer means to ask. We pray because God is faithful. We thank God because He is good. We praise God because He is great. David was very clear about what mattered most to him and what he desired. Above all else, with all his heart, David’s desire was to be in God’s presence. The man after God’s own heart desired but “one thing” and sought but “one thing” from the Lord that, I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever (Psalm 23:6b). David loved the sweet communion on earth and longed for the perfect communion in Heaven with the Lord. “To behold the beauty of the Lord” by faith here, and face to face for eternity. This long period of David's weakness and vulnerability was serving a good purpose. God was using David’s circumstances to strengthen his faith. Having no other to protect him he was cast totally on God. He longed after God Himself, both in this time of trouble and forever. His troubles and fear drove him to a deeper experience with the Lord. 3. Determined Passion: He had a burning desire to be faithful to the house of God throughout his entire life. His determination was not to be an occasional or casual attendee. David vowed to dwell in the house of the Lord. This speaks of is durability and dependability. As far as he was concerned, God’s house was his home. There he would seek the Lord’s face and focus upon His blessedness. He desired the Lord’s presence in his life, and it is the supreme focus of his prayer. God calls all of us to this same purpose. David wanted to live in the Lord’s presence to enquire or seek Him. His foremost priority was to know God. This is the desire of the true worshipper: not to receive something from God, but to know God. Scripture reveals that God’s beauty is in His holiness (I Corinthians 16:29; II Chronicles 20:21; Psalm 96:9). Every object and piece of furniture in the tabernacle testified to the Lord’s holiness. True worship is to bask in the presence of God, adoring His perfect holiness. Psalm 92:13, Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. If we are going to dwell in the house of the Lord forever, then it goes without saying that we should want to dwell there all the days of our life. If we have no love for the meeting place of God's people, no passion to be there, then there's something radically wrong with our belief. Fewer people today view His Word as a thing of beauty and a thing of great value. Many are not interested in spiritual things. They are more interested in dwelling in sports' stadiums, shopping malls, and social media rather than in church sanctuaries. As with anything in life, we will only spend time in fellowship with the Lord if we are willing to make time for Him and make Him a priority. May we be determined to live in unceasing fellowship with the Father. Points to Ponder: Daily seek unbroken, enjoyable fellowship with God Every believer needs a time and a place to commune with the Lord. Questions to Consider: Where does your security lie? What is your satisfaction in? PRAYER: Father in Heaven, my desire, is to seek Your face, to know You, and to dwell in Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Confidence in Christ (Romans 8:28)
Romans 8:28, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. This passage should be a great encouragement to God’s children when they must endure suffering in this life. God will bring good out of all difficulties, troubles, persecution, and suffering. In all things, God works out His purpose. And His purpose is that we might “be conformed to the image of his Son,” (Romans 8:29). Through faith, we can see that suffering in human life can become God’s gift. We see that our suffering does not disrupt God’s plan but can be used to fulfill God’s plan. God uses the suffering of human life like a tool to chisel us into the person He wants us to be. God is very compassionate and caring toward us, but He is also concerned about us as well. God is more interested in our character than in our comfort. The highest good is that we will better relate to and become more like Jesus Christ. One of the most beneficial things that you can learn concerning your Christian life is how to handle the trials that inevitably will come your way. Let's face it. No one likes trials. Nobody wants to go through difficult circumstances. We don't particularly like the idea that suffering or persecution might be God's will for us. However, God is far more concerned with our character than with our circumstances. Circumstances are one of His tools to shape our character. He would like us to learn our lessons through studying the Word, but He also lets us learn them by putting us into situations where we have to apply what the Word says. If we aren't careful, we will mistake our fleshly desires for ease and comfort for God's leading. It isn't surprising that people buy into wrong doctrines—those teaching that, if we'll just have enough faith, we'll have all the money we want, all the healing we want, everything. Sure, we really want those things to be true, but God doesn't fit neatly into our box, and often His use of providential circumstances means difficult times for us. However, there is good news. God is sovereign, He is able to turn the difficult times around and cause them to work for our good. I am not saying that God causes bad things to happen to His people. What I am saying is that, because He is sovereign, He can use anything that happens to us to accomplish His will. And when we grumble and complain about our circumstances, in effect, we are accusing God of mishandling our life. Because God is sovereign, He is able to accomplish His purpose through whatever life throws at us. He causes all things to work toward His ultimate purpose. What an incredible principle! Perhaps as you look back over your past, there are places where you stumbled over the circumstance’s life brought. Circumstance after circumstance Joseph found life sending him where he did not want to go. His jealous brothers sold him as a slave. The vindictive wife of Potiphar had him thrown in prison on false charges. The man whom Joseph helped in prison forgot about him once he was set free. If most of us were faced with similar circumstances, we would become bitter and angry. Those who become sour with life simply do not understand or trust God's sovereignty. Again, and again in Genesis 45, when his brothers are grieving, Joseph basically says to them, "You didn't do this; God did this." In Genesis 50:20, he gives further clarity. He responds, But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. In his responses when questioned by his brothers about what had happened to him, Joseph teaches us to trust God with His providential circumstances in our lives. Joseph trusted God's purpose of those circumstances, and saw them as evidence of His will. Question to Consider: What are the most difficult trials that you have been through? How might God be working them for your ultimate good? Are there any situations from your past that make you bitter toward someone or some event? Point to Ponder: There is no comfort in the view that God is not sovereign over the shocking circumstances that happen to us. There is great comfort in knowing that the sovereign God is working all things together for good for His people. Although you may not be where you need to be in your Christian walk, you can trust the Lord is working for the good! PRAYER: Father in Heaven I know You love me and it amazes me that You made plans for me before the foundations of the world. Thank You Father for caring for me. I know the thoughts and plans You have for me are for Your glory and for my good. Whatever I may face today, I can expect that You are working for good in all of it. So, I’m going to step forward in faith, trusting You in all things and seeking to cooperate fully with Your plans for me. I know I can’t imagine all the good You have planned for my life, but I also know it’s all coming in Jesus’ name, so I can say, amen! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Precious Things (I & II Peter)
Peter had ups and downs spiritually. He had mountain tops and valleys. Peter had lived long enough to know the importance of helping to encourage believers at various times in their life. He had faced many discouraging things in his life, and he wanted to be a blessing to others. Peter not only wanted to inform other believers, but had a Scriptural view and he wanted to inspire them as well. Peter understood that we all need encouragement and at times motivation to do what is right. He had a mature, godly perspective and he was seeking to encourage other believers to move forward in their life. God allowed him to pen down the Scriptures concerning “Precious Things”. Because of Jesus, God loves us, cares for us, accepts us, takes pleasure in us, and views us as precious to Him. God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ. The word "precious" means of great honor and price; of great value and privilege. We must take notice of some things in the Scriptures that are said to be “precious” in the passages. When the Lord speaks of something being “precious”, we should realize it is important to seriously consider it. Below are five of ‘the precious things of heaven’ revealed to us. 1. Our Precious Saviour (I Peter 2:7). I Peter 2:7, Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, Christ is the treasure hid in a field, the pearl of great price, for which every believer has gladly sold all that he has to obtain that treasure and have that pearl. 2. His Precious Blood (I Peter 1:18-19). I Peter 1:18-19, Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: The blood of Christ is precious because it is His blood, the blood of the God-man. The blood was foreordained of God as the atonement for our sins. The blood reveals our Saviour’s love. The blood satisfies divine justice of a holy God and removes our sin. The blood secures our forgiveness, pardon, justification and eternal glory. The blood was shed for us. All these things make the blood of Christ precious. 3. The Precious Promises of our God (II Peter 1:4). II 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. The promises of God are precious because they are His promises. There are mega promises hidden for us in His Word as we become familiar with it. The Bible is full of promises which give us insight and help us in the issues of life. They speak of exceedingly great and precious things: pardon, peace, protection, provision, preservation, providence, and perfection. 4. Our Precious Faith (II Peter 1:1). II Peter 1:1, Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: The doctrine of faith, the Gospel, is precious. And the grace of faith is precious because it is rare. Faith in the Lord honors God and it saves the soul. The faith of Jesus Christ is precious because it makes us acceptable to God. It ushers us into the very presence of God Himself. 5. Our Precious Trials (I Peter 1:7). I Peter 1:7, That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Your faith is genuine and reveals your Father’s love. The trial of faith is precious because it causes your love, faith and joy in Christ to grow and causes you to enjoy and anticipate your inheritance in heaven. It will give you great cause to praise and honor God in heaven. We may find it difficult to fathom God’s incredible love for us. In and of ourselves, there would be nothing to attract Him, nothing for Him to delight in. But He has made us new creations in Christ, created in the likeness of Jesus, in whom is all His delight. Points to Ponder: Jesus loves you and rejoices in your faithful service. As we learn more about Jesus and draw closer to him it will help us greatly in our life. Questions to Consider: What five precious things of God can you write down right now? How did each of them become memorable to you? PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I thank You already for what You are going to do for me and for Your Son’s promise to always be with me. Thank You for the confidence to face the uncertainties ahead because I can have confidence in You. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Divine Washing Machine (Revelation 1:5)
Revelation 1:5, And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, He “loved us”. This shows continual action. His love resulted in action. He washed us from our sins in his own blood. What a price He paid for our redemption! The price was blood. There is only one ransom, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Concerning sin, the Bible declares, without shedding of blood is no remission (Hebrews 9:22). Blood is the Divine requirement to pay for sin. The word “wash” means to “cleanse; to be loosed, set free, and released from sin! Jesus shed His blood on the cross and when we trust Him; His blood washes us whiter than snow and cleanses us from every stain of sin (I John 1:7). The text says, …”washed us from our sins in his own blood.” Notice: “our sins” and “His Own blood”. All we had to contribute to our salvation was sin. He contributed His blood. And, His blood washes away all of our sins (Ephesians 1:7). The only Source of the cleansing our sins is by and through the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our good works and own righteousness are as filthy rags in God's sight! He has washed us from our sins in His own blood! Jesus shed His own blood on the cross of Calvary in fulfilling that Divine requirement so that He might wash us from our sins in his own blood. He loved us before we were washed. He “loved us” all the way through; backward in time and eternity or forward as far as is possible. Before God created the Heavens and the earth, He loved us. We were stained in sins. Being washed means the stain has been taken away. Nobody can de-stain us like the Lord. The blood of Jesus is so powerful that it can get the stain out. As a matter of fact, the Lord used what you might call a divine washing machine. He takes that washing machine and once He places you in the divine washing machine, when you come out, you're whiter than snow. You are washed and free of stains. He has “washed us from our sins in his own blood.” The cleansing property of the blood of Christ is made clear. It is not the “washing” but what’s in the “water” that cleanses. Detergent has a synthetic substance that wipes away and cleanses any dirty or foul matter. The blood of Christ is a “detergent” in that it separates us, frees us, loosens us “from our sins.” He is our surfactant for the guilt of sin. A surfactant is a surface-active agent or solution used for purging or cleansing. The detergent has agents that dissolve the dirt from the fabric and attaches the dirt to itself and is then flushed away. This fact can be read on the back of any detergent product. How did the blood of Jesus Christ set us free from sin? He had lived a sinless and perfect life as a Man upon earth. He was able to take our sins upon Himself and bear the punishment for them. He took our sins off of us, removed them, and died for them. Therefore, we are free and loosed from sin. Sin has been removed from us. We stand before God free of sin and acceptable to Him. But remember how: by the shed blood of Jesus Christ upon the cross. It is the shed blood of Christ upon the cross, His dying for our sins that frees us from sin (Galatians 1:4, Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; I Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 5:9). John 8:36, If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. God alone can remove sin. This means that, for God, every sin you have ever committed, every evil thing you have ever done, you are still doing, and will continue to do forever, apart from God’s forgiveness. Only the omnipotent, eternal God, who controls all the factors of time, space and matter, could ever remove sin. He gives us freedom from the stain of sin. Guilt is the stain of sin. For many people, a visual stain on their clothes leads one to become embarrassed or ashamed. Christ’s cleansing power frees us from any and all guilt before God. PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the blood Jesus shed on the cross for my sins. I stand justified before You because of Christ’s sacrifice. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com A New Man with New Plans (II Corinthians 5:17)
II Corinthians 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. We are truly a new person in Christ. The grip of a great God molds us into new creations in Christ. The transformation that is brought about by the new birth is not only an instantaneous miracle, but also a lifelong process of sanctification. Everything changes. The old things have passed away. All things "become" new. This carries the idea on continual results. God is continually working in our lives. When we become new in Christ, old values, ideas, plans, loves, desires, and beliefs vanish, replaced by the new things that accompany salvation. Jack Eckerd, the founder of the Eckerd Drug Stores, the second largest drug store chain in America years ago, trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior after reading about the resurrection of Christ in Chuck Colson's book, Loving God. Eckerd wondered why he did not feel anything, but Colson assured him he was saved because he was trusting in Christ. The Spirit of God immediately began to work in Jack's life. One of the first things he did after he was saved was to walk into one of his drugstores. When he walked down through the book shelves, he saw Playboy and Penthouse pornographic magazines. He had seen them there many times before, but it never bothered him. Now he saw them with new eyes. He had become a Christian. Jack Eckerd went back to his office and called in his president. He said, "Take Playboy and Penthouse out of my stores." The president said, "You can't mean that, Mr. Eckerd. We make three million dollars a year on those magazines." He said, "Take 'em out of my stores." And in his 1,700 stores across America at that time, by one man's decision, those magazines and smut were removed from the shelves of Eckerd Drug Stores because a man had given his life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Colson called Mr. Eckerd and asked, "Did you do that because of your commitment to Christ?" He said, "Why else would I give away three million dollars? The Lord wouldn't let me off the hook." Mr. Eckerd was submitting to the lordship of Christ in his own life. He did not stop with his own stores. Jack Eckerd wrote a letter to all the other drugstore operators, all the other chains, and he said, "I've taken it out of my store. Why don't you take it out of yours?" Not a one answered him. He wrote them some more letters. Meanwhile, God blessed Eckerd's decision. Eckerd's Drug Stores began to get floods of people coming in to buy things at Eckerd's because they had taken Playboy and Penthouse out of their stores. Then People's Drugs removed the magazines from their shelves and then Dart Drug removed them from their shelves and then Revco removed them from their shelves. Over a period of twelve months, while the pornography commission in Washington was debating over what to do about pornography, stores across America were removing pornography from their shelves. The chairman of 7-11 stores, who sits on Jack Eckerd's board, finally gave in and five thousand 7-11 stores removed the magazines. In a period of twelve months, 11,000 retail outlets in America removed Playboy and Penthouse, not because somebody passed a law, but because God wouldn't let one of his men off the hook. God used a changed man to bring a change in society. God is passionate about the total transformation of people. Let Him change you. God is willing to do whatever it takes to make you more like Jesus. PRAYER: Lord, today I am dedicating myself as a living sacrifice to be used in whatever way You choose. With all my heart I vow to give You my soul, my emotions, my spirit, my body, and everything else that I am and that I possess. I consecrate myself to You. I want to live a life that is pleasing to You. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com |
AuthorDr. Blackman is passionate about helping others grow in the grace of the Lord. His devotions are centered on how to grow closer to the Lord through a personal relationship with Christ. Archives
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