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“So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.” 1 Peter 1:13
Yesterday we talked about the importance of being ready, being prepared for action. Peter warned his readers that difficult times were ahead. He reminds us to be prepared for action and committed to the ways of God so we will be able to endure everything that lies ahead of us.
There’s one more aspect of this verse that should not be ignored. Peter tells us to put our hope in Jesus and in the salvation he offers. But there’s also a line in this verse that I don’t think we should forget. Peter reminds us that our salvation, the hope that we have, won’t be fully realized until Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
Salvation through Jesus has both a present and a future aspect to it. As we go through life, we know we are forgiven,. As we live for Jesus , we experience the peace and the love of God. But our salvation won’t be complete until Jesus is revealed to the whole world.
This is important because the people that Peter wrote to, and millions after that, never saw that hope revealed. They never saw Jesus revealed to the world because that will not come until his second coming. That time we are still waiting for and I believe is very imminent.
Hebrews chapter 11 tells us of people of faith who put their hope in God but never saw the promise of the Messiah in their lifetime. In spite of that, they are in God’s Hall of Fame of faith because they never let go of the hope he promised them.
We may not see Jesus come in our time. We always need to be ready for his return but patient and realizing his kingdom will never be in this world until he comes in great power and glory.
In the meantime as Peter says in the beginning of this verse, we need to be ready. We need to be prepared. Continue to keep the faith. Remember our citizenship is in heaven. There will come a day when our salvation will be complete and Jesus will be revealed in all his power.
There are two things we can know about God. He never acts the way we expect him to. Secondly he always acts in the way he said he would, according to his character and his love. Be faithful. Be hopeful. Be ready. But be patient. God has always come through on his promises.
“So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.” 1 Peter 1:13
This verse is part of a passage in which Peter encourages his readers in a time of extreme struggle.
Believers in Jesus at this time were considered the enemy to all facets of society. The government, religion, and social opinion we’re all against those who followed Christ. There were some that were calling for the complete eradication of these believers in THE WAY!
Peter’s message is as clear to us now as it was to the first readers of his letter. We need to prepare ourselves for the tough times ahead. We need to be disciplined in our faith. We need to put our hope in Jesus and in the glorious salvation he will bring us. Hope will never be found in people, society, culture or government.
There are tough times ahead but we must be a shining light in the darkness. The light of Jesus offers hope to those around us through forgiveness, peace of heart and mind and most of all love for all people.
So prepare yourself for action. Cloth yourself in the hope and love only Jesus can offer those around us. Now more than ever they need to see his light.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” Psalms 27:1
Fear is one of the most paralyzing tools of the enemy. He uses it to keep our eyes off of God and on our problems. Fear is almost always focused on the future and the unknown. Even if your fear is based on something from your past, the fear concerns the consequences of your actions.
From a human perspective, the level of fear we have is based on our ability to handle what’s coming. If we know we have the knowledge and resources to handle what’s ahead, our fear is minimal. But when the unknown faces us, and we aren’t sure we have the resources to tackle the challenge fear takes over.
Fear can keep us awake at night. Fear can take away our appetite. Fear can destroy relationships. Fear can kill you! The saying “scared to death” can actually be a reality!
Fear is often synonymous with darkness and danger. The Psalmist writes that “God is our light…” The smallest light amount of light can penetrate the deepest darkness. You don’t need a large amount of light to see your way through the darkness. You don’t need a large amount of faith in Jesus to see your way into the unknown.
If you can allow God‘s light to shine on your fears, he will, through the power of his Holy Spirit that lives within you, give you his peace that passes understanding. He’s given us his Spirit of power, not fear so you can face the future knowing you have the resources you need to overcome.
He is your light. He is your fortress. He alone is your salvation.
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33
There really are only two kingdoms. There is the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of Satan, our enemy. There is no middle ground.
The kingdom of God is a kingdom of light and love and forgiveness and acceptance.
The Kingdom of Satan is the kingdom of darkness and hate and anger and doubt.
Within each of us there is a battle as to which kingdom we will follow. Our passions and emotions scream at us to take care of ourselves and fight for our own rights through our own power. Those are the voices of the kingdom of the enemy.
God‘s kingdom is completely different. To the human mind God’s kingdom makes no sense. While the enemy screams at us that we need to take care of ourselves, God’s Kingdom quietly tells us we need to give up ourselves and trust God.
It doesn’t seem logical, but the more I give up, the more I gain. With God’s kingdom less is more because when we give ourselves entirely over to him he needs our emotional and spiritual needs. When we find that contentment, the physical becomes less important and the spiritual becomes our passion.
When we align our lives with God’s word, our desires will follow. So don’t listen to the voices to tell you your destiny is your responsibility. Give God your destiny and he will give you a peace that passes all understanding
“He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Psalms 23:3
One of the most well-known psalms is the 23rd Psalm. It’s been memorized by Sunday School classes and confirmation groups, put to music and had entire books written on it.
Unfortunately, many know this psalm as a funeral psalm. Virtually every funeral or celebration of life service includes the 23rd psalm somewhere in the service. That’s unfortunate because Psalm 23 has little to do with death and much to do with life and love!
Todays verse is a great example. There are times in our lives, like now, when the trials and fears of life weigh us down. One more news report, one more doctors visit, one more call from the bill collector, one more car breaking down. We need strength! We need the power to push through.
When life gets confusing, and people let us down, by nature we look for someplace to get our strength. God, as our good shepherd, does two things to help us move forward when we don’t think we can.
First of all, he renews our strength. Like a drink of fresh cold water he revives us. Like a strong hug, he encourages us. Like a reassuring word he comforts us. He strengthens us physically, emotionally and spiritually when we rest in his arms.
Secondly he guides us to the path that we should move forward on. The voices of society and culture scream at us and tell us where we should go. But their voices conflict. The way they tell us changes with the wind. There’s no stability, no trust, no truth in what they preach.
With the strength and guidance of our good shepherd we can be strong. We can see the path clearly, although He may only show us a few steps at a time. When we have direction, we feel good about ourselves. And when we feel good about ourselves God is glorified.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 