Living an Eternal Life Now Part 2: The Tested Genuineness of your Faith

The tested genuineness of your faith (1Peter 1:6-9)

                Dianne recognized the implications of the gospel. She said she was trusting in Jesus as her savior. Unfortunately, her response revealed that her acknowledgment of the gospel was only an intellectual consent to the facts mentioned in the bible.  She did not respond to her trials with a heartfelt conviction that God’s ways are the best ways. She chose to hold on to her pain and grow bitter rather than forgive, love, and confidently expect the fulfillment of the wonderful promises of God. She had not gained victory over sin! Instead, she was in the gall of bitterness and, ironically, enslaved to the same filth that she hated so much.  It was clear that her faith lacked genuineness. Her decision to disobey God brought him no honor or glory. I find that everyone is guilty of the same faithlessness when they rebel against God. True believers rejoice in loving and depending on Jesus Christ because God has given us the precious gift of salvation through him. Where does a person gain this confidence and joy?

Living an Eternal Life Now Part 1: Multiplied Grace and Peace

May Grace and Peace be Multiplied to You (1Peter 1:1-2)

                I met her yesterday while I was walking my dog. Dianne seemed to grasp at the attention she received from a simple hello. She began to tell me things, thing I did not particularly care to hear. It was obvious this woman was hurting and in bondage to her sin. I shared the gospel with her and let her know that Jesus Christ is the answer to her pain. Her response made me realize that this person had been receiving some form of spiritual training. She asked informed questions, she said the right things about salvation and who Jesus Christ was. That made the filth and corruption that came out of her mouth all the more astounding. I had to let her know that I could not listen to her anymore and left.  My heart sank. I considered how God’s grace had preserved me from becoming like Dianne. Then I realized how much like her I really am. Am I not tempted to adopt a victim mentality when things don’t go my way? Do I not vilify people who hurt me? Am I not tempted to absolve myself of any guilt or responsibility when my relationships are breaking apart? We are all tempted to resent difficult circumstances and the people through which they come. What grace have we been given to have peace in the midst of difficult circumstances? 

A Remedy for the Uncertainty of a New Year

Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

       A young woman who had recently given birth was admitted into the emergency room.  A young nurse took her vital signs and began to take her to the back room. With a nervous tremor in her voice the young mother begged the nurse not to let her die. Surprised, the nurse looked at her with a smile and said “you’re not going to die.” Minutes later the 20 something year-old mother of an in infant only days old went into cardiac arrest. Death came suddenly and completely unexpectedly. Years later that nurse told me this true story to alert me to the fact that you never know what is going to happen with a patient. The reality of the uncertainty of life made me uncomfortable at that moment. How can we prepare for the uncertainty of life? How can we make every day count even when confronted with adversity? The story of a young man named Daniel helps us answer these questions.