Tag: triumph

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Gospel, Triumphs over Trials

A Heavenly Perspective

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w3d4

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:1-6; SOAP: 1 Peter 4:5-6

They will face a reckoning before Jesus Christ who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 Now it was for this very purpose that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead, so that though they were judged in the flesh by human standards they may live spiritually by God’s standards.

1 Peter 4:5-6 NET

From the journal of Love God Greatly, Trials over Triumphs / p106

There is a profound reality that we, often conveniently, keep in the back of our minds: one day, we will all stand before the throne of God. That moment will be the most significant in our existence – a divine appointment where all people will be judged. For believers, this will be a time when we will be viewed, not by our sins, but through Christ’s atoning sacrifice and the faith and forgiveness we have found in Him (Romans 8:1). We will also receive the rewards for a life lived in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 22:12). For unbelievers, it is a sobering reality of facing punishment for rejecting the free gift of salvation in Jesus.

Imagine standing there, in the presence of God, giving an account for every word, every action, and every thought of our lives. Peter’s words are not meant to paralyze us with fear but to ignite a holy urgency within us. He urges us to live our lives with a heavenly perspective, knowing that our time here is but a breath in light of eternity. We are to steward this life – every second of it – as a precious gift, intentionally living in ways that are honoring to God.

So, how are we spending our days? Are we investing in what is eternal – loving others, deepening our relationship with Jesus, and sharing the Gospel – or are we getting sidetracked by this world’s fleeting comforts and pursuits?

Peter emphasizes why the Gospel is preached. It stands as a beacon of hope, offering the promise of eternal life – a life with God and untouched by sickness, pain, or sin (John 17:3; Revelation 21:4). This message is the treasure we hold in our hearts and the very message the world desperately needs to hear.

Sweet friends, Jesus is returning, but His second coming will be vastly different from His first. He will not return as a helpless infant; He will come as a righteous Judge. In light of this impending reality, now is the critical time for us to share the Gospel – far and wide – with the precious days we have been given.

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

Invest in what is eternal:

  • loving others
  • deepening our relationship with Jesus
  • sharing the Gospel
  • live by God’s standards
  • turn away from the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.

This is not simply a list of sins to avoid but a list of addictions that entangle those who live for comfort and pleasure. Those who live for the will of God (like Christ)—with a willingness to experience physical suffering to accomplish it—set the course of their lives in a different direction.

Bibleref.com / 1 Peter 4:3
Question FOR THE JOURNEY

How can we shift our daily perspective to be more in line with eternity? What steps can you take to live a life that faithfully stewards the time you’ve been given in light of the coming judgment?

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the life You have given me. Help me to live it with a constant awareness of eternity. Give me the strength and grace to live a life that is pleasing to You. Prepare my heart for that day when I will stand before You and give an account for my life. Let my life be an offering of love and gratitude to You—Amen.

THE MORE WE KNOW

1And yet, God is paying attention. Pleasure-seekers will stand before God and “give account” of their lives at the final judgment. God—More insight on 1 Peter 4:5

2More insight on 1 Peter 4:6

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Triumphs over Trials

Be Ready With an Answer

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w3d3

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15-22 and SOAP: verses 15-16

 But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. 16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you.

1 Peter 3:15-16 NET

Just prior to this passage, Peter wrote these words:  “But in fact, if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them or be shaken.” – “But,” he goes on to say, “set Christ apart as Lord in your heart …” Peter understood the surprising ease of being terrified and/or shaken, he also knew the importance of being ready with an answer for the hope that believers possess through/in Christ. Peter had learned and was passing on to other believers the need to be intentional in their relationship with Christ and the role He played in their lives. Peter wanted them to understand the relationship is meant to be personal; it is multifaceted – for when we know Christ as our Savior – we also know Him as friend, brother, Redeemer, teacher, and as Peter suggests – “Lord”. On top of that, it is an ongoing, neverending, ever-evolving (deepening and root-growing) relationship in the good and in the difficult seasons of life – which, I imagine, is why Peter instructs us to “always be ready to give an answer for the hope we possess.”

Don’t miss the phrase at the end of verse fifteen, “the hope you possess.” What a hidden gem this is! A treasure that should stir hope in every believer, the reminder that Christ lives in us! Or, as the NET translation so beautifully puts it: “the hope you possess.” – We are assured of this throughout the Scriptures but one of my favorite references to this truth is found in 1 John 3:24, where we read:

Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

1 John 3:24 NET
LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

Set Christ apart (in your heart) as Lord—that is, intentionally make Him more important than anything or anyone else in your life. Be ready with an answer for the hope His Lordship brings to your life. Have a good attitude when presenting your answer, being careful that it doesn’t come across as smug or defensive but rather points others to Christ and quiets not only the accuser but also their accusations. – Suffering comes into everyone’s life, whether we are believers or not, however, when we have intentionally placed Christ on the throne of our heart when the crises come – be it a cancer diagnosis, marital problems, financial struggles, family feuds, aging parents, death, household disasters or other catastrophes – they may disrupt our lives and bring much sorrow but they will not – and cannot destroy us when we have set Christ apart as Lord of our life!

When we set apart Christ as Lord, it will change us. Peter says those who observe us will notice the difference. That difference is hope. Even in the midst of our suffering, our hopefulness should be apparent. So, Peter instructs us to be ready to answer the question our life should inspire: “How can you be so hopeful in such difficult circumstances?”

Bibleref.com1

Believe it or not – while setting apart Christ apart as Lord is important, being ready with an answer for the hope that is within us is also vital – since we have been called to not only know Christ but to make Him known. This is why Peter encourages us to be ready with an answer for the Hope that is within us. Hope that allows us to stand strong in the storms of life is meant to be shared- it is meant to change not just our lives but to impact the lives of those around us. Consider these words of encouragement from today’s LGG Journal entry:

When we walk through life with Christ enthroned in our hearts, our reactions to crises — like a destroyed home — become opportunities for testimonies. They make people stop and wonder, and that wonder cracks open the door for us to point them to Jesus our everlasting hope.”

Love God Greatly Journal Enthr / w3d3
Question FOR THE JOURNEY

How can you prepare your heart today so that your hope in Christ shines through in times of crisis?

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father make us instruments of Your love and peace. Let us neither murmur nor complain when troubles are near but let us keep Jesus firmly established on the throne of our heart so that our struggles become opportunities for testimonies. May they be testimonies that make people stop and wonder, and may that wonder crack open the door for us to point others to Jesus, our everlasting hope. When the opportunity arises, let us speak of You with gentleness, love, and respect. Father, You are my true hope and comfort, and I want others to know this peace that You so freely give to all who trust in You – all who fix their eyes and thoughts on You. – Amen! (borrowed in part from the “Triumph and Trials, journal – p102

THE MORE WE KNOW

For more insight be sure to visit Lovegodgreatly.com for today’s blog post

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Triumphs over Trials

A Royal Identity

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THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture:  1 Peter 2:4-10 / SOAP: 1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:9

I would venture to say that most, or at least very few, of us, count ourselves among the royals or consider ourselves to be priests. However, in today’s journey through the Word, we read a message from Peter, who declares that we, as believers, are indeed – a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people!

When we believe in Jesus, who is Christ the King, we are given a new identity. In Peter’s words from today’s Scripture, a portion of that identity includes being part of a royal priesthood.

Peter’s words give believers today the same qualities or attributes that were used to describe the tribe of Israel, God’s natural-born children, and particularly the Levites who served as priests, “Very few held the honor and responsibility of actually coming into God’s presence. But in and through Christ, the King, all believers are priests with direct access to our Father. We need no other mediator.”

Christians, together, are a royal priesthood. In Israel, under the Law, one tribe was given the task of serving as priests, performing the duties of mediators between God and the rest of the nation. Very few held the honor and responsibility of actually coming into God’s presence. But in and through Christ, the King, all believers are priests with direct access to our Father. We need no other mediator.1

Bibleref.com/1 Peter 2:9

While Peter’s words do identify us as God’s chosen people, “a chosen race,“ there is a difference that must be noted and appreciated. “Unlike Israel, – we are not a race in the sense of our family, ethnicity, skin color, or country of origin. We are a spiritual race, in the sense that, in Christ, we share a single spiritual Father. In that same meaning, we are a “holy nation,” a specific group of people called out and set apart from all other nations.”

God has formed this nation, this race, this priesthood to take possession of us. We are His people in a very real way. It’s not just that we pledge our allegiance to Him; it’s that He has taken ownership of us. We belong to Him.

Bibleref.com/1 Peter 2:9

We are “God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Yes, I realize I have already said this – more than once – it is not a mistake but rather a repetition that I hope will stick with us as we go about our day(s). We are sons and daughters of the KING, chosen by God – not because He had to – but because He wanted to make us His own. Because He did, we not only have bold access to His throne, but friends – we have the hope of eternity through the blood of God’s only begotten Son.

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

As God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of His own – we have been given the privilege of proclaiming God and Christ to the world (Mark 6:15). We are called out of the darkness, which means we are no longer to live like those of the world (Rom.12:2) who chase after their own pleasures and give no consideration to God. We are to love and honor Him above all else and we are to love others as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). We are to bring Him honor and glory in all that we do and say (Col. 3:17). Our choices are to reflect His presence in us and lead others to see and follow Him (Matt 5:14-16). We are to live as the royals we were made to be not the slaves (Romans 6:14-15) and orphans (Galatians 4:4) we once were. We have the honor(Hebrews 4:16) and responsibility (1 Thessalonians 5 16-17) of coming into His presence, and we should do so faithfully(Colossians 4:2) – not just on behalf of ourselves but as mediators for others (Ephesians 6:18).

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, we are Your Children, sons and daughters of the King of Kings. You have chosen us to be Yours – a spiritual race, in the sense that, in Christ, we share a single spiritual Father. In that same meaning, we are a holy nation, a specific group of people called out and set apart from all other nations. Help us to walk in the light for you have called us out of the darkness. Help us to love You more than anyone or anything and others as ourselves. Help us to be salt and light to the world around us, to live in ways that make You known and bring You praise. Help us to remember whose we are and to faithfully live as representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to You through Him. You have graciously given us a beautiful identity, help us claim it with joy and live it out loud – in Jesus’ name – amen.

Question for the Journey

How can you live this week in a way that reflects your identity as a chosen, royal, and holy child of God? How can you contribute to the harmony and unity within the body of Christ?

THE MORE WE KNOw
  1. In and through Christ our King ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Triumphs over Trials

Where’s the Milk?

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w2d1

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3/ SOAP: 1 Peter 2:1-2

So get rid of all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation,

1 Peter 2:1-2

Having just instructed the people to love others and cling to the word that had been proclaimed to them, Peter dives right in with a direct instruction, a first step so to speak, to believers to get rid of things that don’t belong in their lives. As a follower of Christ, Peter has learned and, at times, struggled with these things. He knew that loving others and following Christ meant there was no room for selfish intent, ways, or focus. Each of the five things that Peter says to get rid of “represent a choice to focus on my benefit over and above the interest of someone else.”1 Focusing on self – does not and cannot promote love for each other or obedience to God, nor will it allow us to digest the pure, spiritual milk that Peter says we should crave.

Remember, Peter just reminded the believers that they were ‘born again’—or ‘new creations’, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17. As such, we are like newborn babies who crave, or yearn for, milk. The nourishment from the milk causes them to grow strong and healthy. Peter says this happens for believers through “pure spiritual milk.” This ‘milk’, which is the undiluted, uncontaminated Word of God, will help us grow strong and healthy in our faith and relationship with God— just like newborn babies grow close to the one(s) who feed and care for them.

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

So get rid of all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

1 Peter 2:1 NLT

The term “Get rid of” (1) is a very common statement in the New Testament and critical to the life of a Christ follower. Here, Peter names five things to get rid of, five things that work against them: living a holy life, loving others, and all other instructions they had been given. Why? Because anything that causes our focus to be on self diverts our loyalty away from God and His ways. Here Peter includes:

  • all evil (or malice) – a wicked ill-will, hoping for another person to be harmed.
  • all deceit – intentional dishonesty
  • hypocrisy – another form of falseness, holding others to standards we don’t live up to for the sake of pride.
  • all envy which has been called “resentful discontent,” – focusing our angst on someone who has what we crave.
  • all slander – using false or misleading words to harm another’s reputation.

The next step of Peter’s instructions includes:

  • a call to yearn for the “pure spiritual milk,” which is the undiluted, uncontaminated Word of God,
    • We must intentionally seek out pure spiritual milk and set dates/times with God to dwell with Him and drink in the spiritual nourishment He alone can provide.
PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father God, help us to get rid of all evil, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander so that we might live the holy lives You have called us to, setting our focus on You and loving others as Christ has loved us. Help, even cause us – to yearn for and immerse ourselves in Your Word, the pure spiritual milk that Peter spoke of, for by it we will grow in wisdom and truth and the roots of our faith will grow deeper and stronger against the winds of temptation and troubles in this world. – In Jesus’ name – Amen

Question for the Journey

Do you hunger for God’s Word as nourishment for your soul? What steps can you take this week to deepen your appetite for its rich and sustaining truths?

THE MORE WE KNOW

For more insight please read today’s LGG Blog @ lovegodgreatly.com

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Triumphs over Trials

God Provided for our Triumph

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w1d5

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 1 Peter1:22-25 / SOAP: 1 Peter 1:24-25

22 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.  24 For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers and the flower falls off, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

1 Peter 1:22-25

Before making observations on verses 24 and 25, it is interesting and helpful to examine verses 22 and 23. Bibleref.com

Peter says, we should go for it with everything we’ve got. We should abandon our own “evil desires” and work hard at loving each other, instead. The word translated as “earnestly” or “deeply” in this verse—ektenōs in Greek—means “at full stretch” or “in an all-out manner, with an intense strain.” Just as an athletics coach might tell a player to “leave it all on the field,” Peter tells us to completely exhaust all of our resources in a single-hearted effort to give love to each other.

Bibleref.com / 1 Peter 1:22

I particularly love v23, which talks of our new birth. Peter emphasizes an important truth that when we place our faith in Jesus we are born again – born to a new life in Christ – but not by a seed that eventually dies but rather by an “undying seed, through God’s undying word,” as Bibleref.com explains. The undying word is also known as the Gospel, which is the truth and message of Jesus Christ. “It is the message from God that He will forgive our sins and make us spiritually alive forever in Christ.” (all quotes from bibleref.com/1 Peter 1:23)

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the flesh, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NET

Verse twenty-four and twenty-five are first found in Isaiah 40:6-8 and quoted here by Peter.

As I read these verses, two things stood out to me. The first was that the mortal, perishable body decays through the years and eventually succumbs to physical death. This is a harsh reality for sure, but the second thing that grabbed my attention trumped the harsh reality with the glorious hope and joy in knowing that, as believers, we will live forever through the precious blood of Jesus – by which, as Peter said, we are made new. Paul explained it like this in 1 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if anyone is in Christ the new has come, the old has gone, the new is here.”

Humans are like grass that withers and flowers that fade. Whatever glory we possess is soon gone, but if our foundation is based on the solid rock of God’s unfailing Word, our future is eternally secure .

Gotquestions.org /(Matthew 7:24–27)
LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)
  • believe the Gospel message, which is the Word of God
  • obey God’s Word – obedience is a key factor in the life of a believer
  • stand firm on the Word of God – of course, this means you need to know it and remember it
  • love others as Christ loves us is one of the most important commands we have been given
PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, thank You for redeeming us through the blood of Jesus! Through Him, the living Word, You have ensured our triumph—over trials and sins and all of life! Through His death, burial, and resurrection, we have hope; through His Spirit, we have power; and through Your Word, which has been proclaimed, we have the promise of eternal life! We are not invincible in and of ourselves, but through FAITH in Jesus—His Spirit in us—and God’s Word before us, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. We are new creations in Christ Jesus and the lives we now live in the flesh, we live by faith in Your Son who loved us and gave Himself for us – so that we might have eternal life! For this, we give You, the God of mercy and grace, the praise and glory due to Your name – Amen!

THE MORE WE KNOW

What does 1 Peter 1:22 mean?

In his letter, Peter has described what our lives were like before we trusted in Christ for our salvation by God’s grace. We lived in ignorance, driven along our empty, futile way by our selfish passions or evil desires. We served ourselves, to our own destruction, and could do nothing else. All of that changed when God saved us. He declared our lives worthy of the blood of His Son. He rescued us from emptiness and set us apart for one thing: His purposes. Then, Peter wrote, God commanded us to “be holy,” to stop living for self and to be fully available to Him.

Now Peter writes that our obedience to the truth has a purifying effect on our souls. It’s not that we make ourselves clean from sin by our obedience. God has declared us clean from sin through the blood of Jesus, His death in our place. Rather, it’s that when we obey, we are not sinning! We are living the pure, holy lives God intends for His people. When we obey Him, we stop being double-minded, torn between our selfishness and fulfilling His will for us. Setting our desires aside allows us to give ourselves over fully to loving each other—without being half-hearted or false.

So, Peter says, we should go for it with everything we’ve got. We should abandon our own “evil desires” and work hard at loving each other, instead. The word translated as “earnestly” or “deeply” in this verse—ektenōs in Greek—means “at full stretch” or “in an all-out manner, with an intense strain.” Just as an athletics coach might tell a player to “leave it all on the field,” Peter tells us to completely exhaust all of our resources in a single-hearted effort to give love to each other.

Bibleref.com/1 Peter 1:22

Don’t forget to check out lovegodgreatly.com for more insight