Jesus Suffered for Us and Redeemed Us

Scripture: 1 Peter 2: 21-25

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Scripture Commentary: Where would you be now if not for Jesus?

We are not lost if we have Jesus Christ in our lives. We cannot go astray as long as we walk with Him. He suffered for us and gave His life for our sins, and as a result He has redeemed us and we have been set free.

O what a day it was for you and for me when we chose to take Jesus into our lives! Jesus didn’t sin – there was no guilt in Him. We cannot say the same about ourselves but it doesn’t matter because when we ask Jesus to forgive us our sins, we are washed clean.

The stripes they beat into Jesus are our stripes, but He took them for us! When Jesus leads us to His Father, He keeps us from going astray. Where would you be now if not for Jesus? You may have suffered some but it was the direct result of your own sin.

Christ has set us free. He died in our place for our sins so that we wouldn’t suffer the punishment we deserve. This is called substitutionary atonement.

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1 Peter Chapter 2

Christ’s Life Is an Example of How to Live

Scripture: 1 Peter 2: 17-22

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

Scripture Commentary: Free yourself from sin using Christ’s life as an example of how to live

A person is a slave to whatever controls him or her. Many believe that freedom means doing anything you want. But no one is ever completely free in that sense. If you refuse to follow God, you will follow your own sinful desires and become enslaved to what your body wants. But Christ, with did no sin, provided us with an example of how to live.

If you submit your life to Christ, He will free you from slavery to sin. Christ frees you to serve Him, which is a freedom that results in our ultimate good.

When we reject Christ and return to our sinful ways we are worse off than before because we are rejecting the only way to salvation. The one who turns away from Christ casts aside his or her only means of escape.

Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.

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1 Peter Chapter 2

All You Have Is a Gift of God

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5: 18-20

Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Scripture Commentary: Rejoice – every good thing you have is a gift of God

How did you get your job, or home, or your family? Do you think it was luck? Or do you see it as a gift of God?

Look around you. What do you see? If you’re honest about it, you’ll see the hand of God at work in your life. We are drawn into the falsehood of thinking that we are running on our own steam. You can do nothing by yourself.

Did you get here by yourself? God has placed you here at this time for a reason. God wants you to see that what you have – whether it is much or it is little – with the correct perspective. Your possessions are a gift from God. Although they are not the source of joy, they are a reason to rejoice because everything good thing comes from God.

Focus more on the giver than the gift. Be content with what you have and realize that you have everything you need with God.

Live as God wants you to live. Be content!

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Ecclesiastes Chapter 5

Praise Ye the Lord, Place Your Trust in Him

Scripture: Psalms 146: 1-4

Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Scripture Commentary: Praise Ye the Lord for his splendor and majesty

Praise ye the Lord, for God lasts forever. We, on the other hand, are here for a moment only. Think about it – we may have known our parents, grandparents, and maybe our great grandparents, but chances are we don’t personally know our family further back.

We are but a moment, but Our Lord is forever. That said, we have his Holy Spirit within us. When we praise God, we see His power and His love. Praising God takes our mind off our problems and shortcomings and focuses us on Him.

Praises cause us to consider and appreciate God’s character. Praise lifts our perspective from the earthly to the heavenly. God is able to lift us up because His greatness is unfathomable. The Lord is full of glorious splendor and majesty. He is righteous, gracious, compassionate, patient and loving. He is our source in this life.

Jesus is ready to lift us up and bear our burdens if only we will let Him. What will you do?

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Psalms Chapter 146

Jesus Is the Lamb of God Without Blemish

Scripture: 1 Peter 1: 17-24

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.

Scripture Commentary: God gave us His Son who was without blemish and without spot as a sacrifice for our sins

“Reverent fear” is not the fear of a slave for a ruthless master, but the healthy respect of a believer for the all-powerful God. God is the judge of all the earth and we dare not ignore Him or treat Him casually. It is vitally important to place your faith and hope in Jesus Christ who is the only one without blemish or spot.

We should not assume that our privileged status as God’s children gives us freedom to do whatever we want. We should not be spoiled children, but grateful children who love to show respect for our heavenly Father.

During slavery, a slave was redeemed when someone paid money to buy his or her freedom. God redeemed us from the tyranny of sin, not with money but with the precious blood of His own Son. We cannot escape from sin on our own, only the life of God’s Son Jesus Christ can free us.

God’s love and forgiveness frees you to take your eyes off yourselves, so you can truly help others. Everything in this life – possessions, accomplishments, people, and more will eventually fade away. Only God’s will, word, and work are permanent.

Let God prepare you and give you His gift of everlasting life.

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1 Peter Chapter 1

Let Your New Year’s Resolution Be to Learn God’s Word!

Scripture: Psalms 119: 97-104

MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

Scripture Commentary: Wisdom comes when you learn and apply God’s word to your life

God’s word makes us wise – wiser than our enemies and wiser than any teacher who ignores it. True wisdom goes beyond amassing knowledge; it is applying knowledge in a life-changing way.

Intelligent or experienced people are not necessarily wise. Wisdom comes from allowing what God teaches to guide us. In this life, we walk through a dark forest of evil. But the Bible can be our light to show us the way ahead so we won’t stumble as we walk.

It reveals the entangling roots of false values and philosophies. Study the Bible so you will be able to see your way clear enough to stay on the right path.

God Bless You and Yours, and Happy New Year!

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Psalms Chapter 119

To Build Without God Is Futile

Scripture: Psalms 127: 1-5

(A Song of degrees for Solomon.) Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Scripture Commentary: All you have is a gift from God

Families build homes and watchmen guard cities but both of these activities are futile unless God is with them. A family without God can never experience the spiritual bond God brings to relationships. A city without God will crumble from evil and corruption on the inside.

Don’t make the mistake of leaving God out of your life. If you do, all of your accomplishments will be futile. All that you have – home, car, family – is a gift from God. He gave you the ability to have all of this, but without His grace and mercy, what would you have and/or who would you be?

Look at some of the homeless and say to yourself, “If not for God, this would be me.”

Make God your highest priority, and let Him do the building. Get from being into yourself and get into the Lord Jesus Christ, Our Savior.

God Is Rich in Mercy – He Loves You

Scripture: Ephesians 2: 1-5

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Scripture Commentary: “God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ”

Be honest with yourself. You have sinned. You have followed the prince of the air, Satan and were part of his evil spiritual kingdom.

It’s a fact that all people, without exception, commit sin. Without Jesus Christ you have a sinful nature. You can’t save yourself.

Paul tells us that we do not need to live any longer under sin’s power. Jesus destroyed the penalty of sin and satan’s power over us by His death on the cross.

Satan’s power and rule is temporary to those who choose to follow him. Why spend an eternity in hell with the devil when Christ is victorious? Through faith in Christ we stand acquitted of our sins when you accept Him as Savior.

God gave you choice. You choose good or evil.

God loves you so much that sent His son to save you. Our eternal life with Christ is certain because you are united with Him in His powerful victory.

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Ephesians Chapter 2

Return to God and Ask His Forgiveness

Scripture: Hosea 14: 1-2,4

Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall!(1) Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.”(2) “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.”(4)

Scripture Commentary: Our only hope is in God’s mercy – we cannot save ourselves

God punished Israel for its gross repeated violations of his law, but he did so with a heavy heart. God wanted to restore the nation and make it prosper. The people could return to God by asking him to forgive their sins. The same is true for us. Return to God. We can pray Hosea’s prayer and know our sins are forgiven because Christ died for them on the cross.

Forgiveness begins when we see the destructiveness of sin and the futility of life without God. Then we must admit we cannot save ourselves; our only hope is in God’s mercy. When we request forgiveness, we must recognize that we do not deserve it and therefore cannot demand it. Our appeal must be for God’s love and mercy, not for His justice.

Although we cannot demand forgiveness, we can be confident that we have received it because God is gracious and loving and wants to restore us to Himself just as He wanted to restore Israel.

God never fails!

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Hosea Chapter 14

Delight Yourself in God’s Never-Changing Word

Scripture: Psalms 119: 65-72

TETH. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

Scripture Commentary: Delight yourself in the goodness of God

The psalmist talks about keeping the laws and yet being free. Contrary to what we often expect, obeying God’s laws does not inhibit or restrain us. Instead it frees us to be what God designed us to be.

By seeking God’s salvation and forgiveness, we have freedom from sin and the resulting oppressive guilt. By living God’s way, we have freedom to fulfill God’s plan for our lives.

God’s word makes us wise – wiser than our enemies and wiser than any teachers who ignore it. Wisdom comes from allowing what God teaches to guide us.

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Psalms Chapter 119