verse 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."
What an incredible statement about a group of people! Even though they have never seen Jesus they love Him. And even though they haven't seen Jesus they still believe in Him. There is also a great little word in there - "yet". We will see Him.
We live in a world today that seeing is believing. We live in a time that love is based on emotions not relationships.
I don't want my love and faith for Jesus to be based on any need to see Him or on an emotional feeling. My heart and my mind know that Jesus is my Savior. When I ponder that relationship and what Jesus was willing to endure for me I am filled with inexpressible and glorious joy! I will see Jesus, but not yet.
1 Peter 1:22-25 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers [and sisters], love one another deeply from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For "All men [and women] are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever."
When I read this scripture, I am reminded of the process of CR, learning to recognize the truth of the Word and apply it to one's journey toward recovery. I have watched this same process occur over and over again . . . once a person begins to experience freedom from hurts, habits or hang ups . . . "a sincere love" for others blossoms and they become examples of the "living word" in the lives of others. For the lives and deeds of men and women will "wither and fall" but "the word of the Lord stands forever." It is in the building of healthy relationships through loving one another "deeply from the heart" that Christ's work is accomplished,and we become the "redeeming influence" for a lost world and future generations.
Dear Father,
Thank you for the love of my CR brothers and sisters, who give unselfishly of their time, energy and hearts to bring the message of Christ's healing love to those who are hurting, lost, alone, afraid. I am humbled and honored by their courage and commitment. Amen
5 who through faith are shielded by God's power ... 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Thru Faith we are Shielded. How big is our Faith (Shield) ?? Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The more we read God's word and get to understand our Father, the bigger our shield !! Ask yourself how big is yours... Is it enough to cover a mouse, a dog, or your entire family ???
Then to think... Our faith is more important than Gold ??? How awesome is that. To know that we don't have to have riches, but just to be rich in Christ's Love ??? I would rather stay poor in worldly goods, and be rich in God's Love.
God shielded me today. I was filled with anxiety and strife today and almost walked from my job. So on my break, I prayed, and God brought to mind the teachings he gave me on strife this week, he also showed me I had not clothed myself with armour today. I prayed, put it on, and God gave me the wisdom and the words, to speak peacefully to the manager who upset me so. When we were done, she hugged me, said "praise God, I needed that" and the burden was lifted, because I asked God to handle my problems, and help me speak to her in a christian manner.
Charter Oak Church is a family of Jesus followers who want to reach out to those who are searching and equip believers to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.
verse 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."
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible statement about a group of people! Even though they have never seen Jesus they love Him. And even though they haven't seen Jesus they still believe in Him. There is also a great little word in there - "yet". We will see Him.
We live in a world today that seeing is believing. We live in a time that love is based on emotions not relationships.
I don't want my love and faith for Jesus to be based on any need to see Him or on an emotional feeling. My heart and my mind know that Jesus is my Savior. When I ponder that relationship and what Jesus was willing to endure for me I am filled with inexpressible and glorious joy! I will see Jesus, but not yet.
1 Peter 1:22-25 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers [and sisters], love one another deeply from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For "All men [and women] are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever."
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this scripture, I am reminded of the process of CR, learning to recognize the truth of the Word and apply it to one's journey toward recovery. I have watched this same process occur over and over again . . . once a person begins to experience freedom from hurts, habits or hang ups . . . "a sincere love" for others blossoms and they become examples of the "living word" in the lives of others. For the lives and deeds of men and women will "wither and fall" but "the word of the Lord stands forever." It is in the building of healthy relationships through loving one another "deeply from the heart" that Christ's work is accomplished,and we become the "redeeming influence" for a lost world and future generations.
Dear Father,
Thank you for the love of my CR brothers and sisters, who give unselfishly of their time, energy and hearts to bring the message of Christ's healing love to those who are hurting, lost, alone, afraid. I am humbled and honored by their courage and commitment.
Amen
5 who through faith are shielded by God's power ... 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
ReplyDeleteThru Faith we are Shielded. How big is our Faith (Shield) ?? Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The more we read God's word and get to understand our Father, the bigger our shield !! Ask yourself how big is yours... Is it enough to cover a mouse, a dog, or your entire family ???
Then to think... Our faith is more important than Gold ??? How awesome is that. To know that we don't have to have riches, but just to be rich in Christ's Love ??? I would rather stay poor in worldly goods, and be rich in God's Love.
God shielded me today. I was filled with anxiety and strife today and almost walked from my job. So on my break, I prayed, and God brought to mind the teachings he gave me on strife this week, he also showed me I had not clothed myself with armour today. I prayed, put it on, and God gave me the wisdom and the words, to speak peacefully to the manager who upset me so. When we were done, she hugged me, said "praise God, I needed that" and the burden was lifted, because I asked God to handle my problems, and help me speak to her in a christian manner.
PRAISE GOD FOR HE IS FAITHFUL !!!!!!