08-27-09
Here’s a Sneak Peek into my Quiet Time....well, almost quiet, I am listening to Rita Springer! You can join into the discussion if you would like. I can’t wait to read what insights you will bring. Blessing & peace be multiplied to you...I stole that from Peter....Thanks Pete!
1 Peter 1:1-14
Greeting
1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, I love how Peter reminds the “elect exiles” that God is in control. Arn’t these people who were exiled because they became Believers? in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: ....for sprinkling w/ His blood.....sweet, precious Blood of Jesus. Powerful!! May grace and peace be multiplied to you. I want to bless my friends with this blessing!! Not just grace & peace to you but....multiplied to you!!
Born Again to a Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope A Living Hope....a hope that is ALIVE! through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith I am being guarded (by God's power) through faith....guarded! What for? for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, So I guess when I am grieved by trials, it's not necessarily because I'm bad or sinful.....maybe the genuineness of my faith is being tested. 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire oooow tested by FIRE ouch!!—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. So when we receive a revelation of Jesus himself, the result is praise, glory & honor? 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. I love YOU, Jesus! Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, Thank you for JOY! Looks like JOY is tied up with believing in Jesus even though we do not see him & rejoicing...9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. I thought it was my spirit that was saved.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them (Isn’t Peter talking about old testament prophets here? They had the Spirit of Christ IN them? I always thought the Spirit of Christ came upon them & they would prophesy. Here it sound like the HS indwelled them.) was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, Man!! “Thanks” to the prophets for being such willing servants, serving me & you!! in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. This verse always intrigued me....even the angels longed to look into how Jesus was going to reconcile us to Himself. I wonder if they could see “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” Rev 13:8.?? The ESV bible says it really differently. So does the footnote for the KJV. What IS the right translation?
How blessed we are to be able not only to have it announced to us....but to get to LIVE it. Incredible! FYI.....a wonderful book along these lines is, “The Divine Romance” by Gene Edwards. Well worth your time!!
Called to Be Holy
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, [1] The little [1] at the bottom of the page says, “girding up the loins of your mind”. I’ve been asking the Lord a lot about the process of preparing my mind for action....girding up the loins of my mind...It seems that the only way I have been able to get victory in the area of my mind is by GIVING THANKS. It totally takes the “fight” out of it and focuses me back on Jesus. One of the only affective ways I have found to go from “setting my mind on the flesh and reaping DEATH, to setting my mind on the spirit and reaping LIFE (Romans 8:6)...is GIVING THANKS as it ushers me into His presence....”I enter His gates w/thanksgiving & His courts w/ praise!” (Ps.100:4) and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Again, is this of a revelation of who Christ is? (Col. 1:26 & 27) ???? More questions than answers when I read the Word....it keeps me digging and discussing....helps to bring about community! 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, It can be easy to get caught in passions of the flesh in what ever way they plague each one of us....but it comes back to vs. 13....preparing my mind for action, giving thanks among other things. (Jon Payne gave an amazing message that sort of ties in here. Again well worth your time!)
http://www.providencecommunitychurch.org/sermons2009/20090823msg.mp3
That’s all for now folks....what do you think?
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3 comments:
Love it mom!! Great insights and provoking questions. What you said about verse 7 reminded me of this excerpt from My Utmost For His Highest by Ozwald Chambers that my friend Anne sent me (I think it's from today's date 8/29.)
“Every time you venture out in the life of faith, you will find something in your common sense circumstances that flatly contradicts your faith. Common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense; they stand in the relation of the natural and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus where you common sense cannot trust him? can you venture heroically on Jesus’ statements when the facts of your common sense life shout- It’s a lie! On the mount it is easy to say- Oh Yet I believe God can do it!; but you have to come down into the demon-possessed valley and meet with fact that laugh ironically at the whole of your mount of transfiguration belief.
Every time my programme of belief is clear to my own mind, I come across something that contradicts it. let me say I believe God will supply all my need, and then let me run dry, with not outlook, and see whether I will go through the trial of faith or whether I will shrink back to something lower.
Faith must be tested, because it can be turned into a personal possession only through conflict. What is your faith up against now? The test will either prove that your faith is right, or it will kill it. blessed is he who is not offended by Me. the final thing is confidence in Jesus. Believe steadfastly on him and all you come up against will develop your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith, and the last great test is death. Faith is unutterable trust in God, trust which never dreams that he will not stand by us.”
Thank you Ozzie (and Anne)!! :) I also love the part in verse 4 "to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you," what an inheritance that is!! That's our birthright, what's waiting for us, what we have access to right now since we're already seated in heavenly places with Him! Woo!!! Thank you Jesus!
Oh yeah, so this is why I was "instant friends with you"...your love for Jesus and your in depth insight, your probing mind, your effervescent spirit. I've had many friends in my lifetime but I feel as though I have met my friend that matches my heart. Not to take away from the special people who all in their own way have touched my life and who I just love to pieces...but you are my match. It sounds like love...and it is isn't that God for ya? You challenge me, and I like that!
Love,
Kimberly
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