All Entries Tagged With: "blessed"

1 Peter 3:18-22

We are continuing to look at 1 Peter here on God’s Daytimer. We have been looking at different verses in light of Peter’s challenge to us to live good lives. Lives that not only please God and satisfy us, but also lives that make a difference for the Kingdom of God. Today’s verse is very interesting:

1 Peter 3:18-22
18For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19through whom[d] also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge[e] of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

I believe this verse talks about Jesus (pre-incarnate), through the Holy Spirit, being with Noah before the flood. The message of how to be saved was being demonstrated all during the building of the ark and yet through all of that, ultimately only eight people were saved. I think we are to remember that Jesus, who is also with us through the Holy Spirit, wants us to continue to share with people the way of salvation, and just like in the days of Noah, the final results are on God. We are to live our lives in such a way that people can see and feel the love of God that they might also be saved. I would encourage you to keep thinking about different ways that you can “share your hope” in Jesus so that people will have an opportunity to get in the “ark” before the Lord returns.

Be blessed and kept!

1 Peter 3:15-16

Today on God’s Daytimer we are going to continue looking at the challenge to live good lives that Peter gives us in 1 Peter. Today’s verse is:

1 Peter 3:15-16
15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

I want to talk about the idea of being “prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have”. I think that often when we are encouraged to talk to someone about Jesus, we would consider it sharing our faith. I like the way Peter puts it in this verse. He calls it sharing our “hope”. I believe that “sharing our faith” often makes us feel like we need to know a lot about the Bible and be ready to answer every deep theological question that might be given us. But, “sharing our hope” is different. To share your hope, you really only need to tell people about your own personal Jesus story. All of us should be able to tell people who ask us why we are Christians, our own story of how Jesus has moved in our lives and the hope we have in Him. Take some time this week to “be prepared” by thinking about how you might share your Jesus story with someone who asks.

Be blessed and kept!

1 Peter 3:8-9

Here on God’s Daytimer we are continuing to look at 1 Peter and contemplate the challenge that Peter sets before us to live good lives. Here is the verse for today:

1 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV)
8Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

In today’s verse Peter is exhorting us to live in harmony with one another. He then proceeds to give us a number of ideas to follow through with the idea. He encourages us to be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate, be humble, and to extend mercy. We will look at these ideas in the next few devotionals. Today let’s consider what it means to be sympathetic.

I beleive that all of us have a deep desire to be understood. When we take time to try and understand another person, we are being sympathetic. We don’t have to agree with them, we just need to try and understand where they are coming from. I think the best way to do that is to be a good listener. We need to listen without thinking about what we will say when it is our turn. James called it being quick to listen:

James 1:19 (NIV)
19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

If we are quick to listen, and slow to speak, we will be slow to become angry and we will be much more sympathetic to what others are feeling. Think about how you might be a better listener today and show someone that you care about what they are going through. As you do, you will be blessed!

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