Imperishable, Undefiled, and Unfading!

That's what our heavenly inheritance is!  Friends, as I get older, the more this means to me.  To put our hope in ANYTHING in this world is folly.  This world and everyone/everything in it suffers from the effects of sin (Rom 8:19-24).  Therefore our hope cannot be put here if we are to have true joy in this life!  Here is how the Apostle Peter put it....

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1 Peter 1:1-25 (ESV)

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (2) according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

(3) 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, (4) to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, (5) who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (6) In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, (7) 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. (8) 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, (9) obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (10) Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, (11) inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. (12) It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

(13) Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (14) As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, (15) but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, (16) since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." (17) And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, (18) knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, (19) but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (20) He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you (21) who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (22) Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, (23) since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

(24) for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, (25) but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
 

One Week Fast

Hey friends,

As I mentioned today, we are fasting for one week for healing throughout our congregation....starting on Monday Feb 20 and ending Sunday 26th after service.  The goal is to separate ourselves a bit for worldly pursuits, and ask God for...

1.  Healing for 5-year old Yulissa Epting, at CHKD with a serious blood disorder.

2.  Healing for all the children in PICUs everywhere, and in our congregation.

3.  Healing for our community.

4.  Healing for our marriages and singles, especially as they disciple their children.

5.  Healing for CRCC members' finances, and for jobs for the unemployed.

We can always trust in the sovereign power and decisions of our God, yet we also have the privilege of laying our petitions before Him.

When Obedience Hurts

Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. (25) My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! (26) When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes! (27) Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. (28) My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! (29) Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! (30) I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. (31) I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame!  --Psalms 119:24-31 (ESV)

I love Psalms 119.  As I grow in the Lord, the parts where the psalmist speaks about his love for God's Word is becoming my testimony as well.  But there are times when obedience hurts.  I mean really hurts.  Like telling the truth when you know it will cause loss of some kind.  Or taking a stand when you know it will be misunderstood.  Or speaking a word in a sermon that will not go over well.  Or denying yourself something you really want but God says no.  Or having to deal in uncomfortable realities when everyone around you seems to be going in the other direction...and glad about it!

I believe that there will be many moments in the life of true believers where doing the right thing hurts.  Paul said he suffered the loss of all things, but it was ok because he was trying to gain something far greater....

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. (8) Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ (9) and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- (10) that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, (11) that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (12) Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. (13) Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, (14) I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (15) Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. (Php 3:7-15 ESV)

Since the Lord told me that "Jesus is Enough" from the Scriptures a few years ago, I've gone back to this verse again and again....

Now Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. (2) Then Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the house of the LORD. (3) The next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, "The LORD does not call your name Pashhur, but Terror On Every Side. (4) For thus says the LORD: Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They shall fall by the sword of their enemies while you look on. And I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon. He shall carry them captive to Babylon, and shall strike them down with the sword. (5) Moreover, I will give all the wealth of the city, all its gains, all its prized belongings, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hand of their enemies, who shall plunder them and seize them and carry them to Babylon. (6) And you, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house, shall go into captivity. To Babylon you shall go, and there you shall die, and there you shall be buried, you and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsely." (7) O LORD, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. (8) For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, "Violence and destruction!" For the word of the LORD has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. (9) If I say, "I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name," there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. (Jer 20:1-9 ESV)

Have you ever felt like this?  Beaten and bruised for trying to do something right?  Wanting to quit, but unable because the Word was like "fire shut up in your bones?"

Sometimes, obedience hurts.  My encouragement to my readers is this: no matter what the cost, pay that price.  Love Christ enough to lovingly obey His Holy Word.  It will hurt sometimes.  It will cost you.  They'll be days where the cost seems too high.  Press on in there anyway.  Give your life for Christ.  He alone is worth it.....