1 PETER 1:3-9 – 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 through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
THEME OF THE DAY: OH WHAT GOD HAS DONE! So, here is a quick question. While living out your Christian life, do you spend more time focusing on how you are performing or pondering the staggering truths of what God has done so you could live the Christian life? Basically, the question I am challenging us with is simply this – “Are we focusing more on us living the Christian life or God’s work enabling us to live the Christian life?”
It is an extremely important question because if our focus is more on our performance than God’s “performance”, welcome discouragement, welcome depression, welcome the sickening feeling of realizing we never measure up. But oh, what God has done! And if we shift our attention to what He has done in the Gospel more than upon ourselves, welcome encouragement, welcome joy, and welcome soul-satisfying fellowship with the living God!
In today’s scripture, marvel over what God has done. First, exclusively out of the abundance of His mercy, He caused us to be born again; has given us new life, not earned, or merited, but based on His own will and power. Fellow Christian, we are not believers because we decided for Christ. Yes, we receive Him by faith (John 1:12), but our response is really a reaction to God’s work. He makes us Christians. He brings new life. Salvation is of the Lord from start to finish. Remember this when we fail, which we will. It will help us maintain our joy in the Lord. But there is much more.
This new life is grounded upon the resurrection of His Son, the Lord Jesus, which takes us from a position of hopelessness to hope. It is the hope that brings to us a sure and certain inheritance that will never perish and is pure. Again, not based on what we have done but on what God has done! By now, we should be experiencing joy; joy swelling up within that comes from focusing on God’s great work of mercy in Christ, not our always falling short Christian conduct.
So, as we strive to live the Christian life as God commands, don’t neglect time pondering the work of the Gospel. Don’t be so wrapped up in our conduct that we forget Christ’s “conduct” in fulfilling the work of the Gospel. More of Him and less of us is the key to a life of sustained joy in the Lord. Oh, what God has done! Take time today and shout out a hearty amen!
PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for the Gospel. Please help me to do so more and more.”
QUOTE: “Give more time meditating upon what God has done for You than what you do for Him.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim