Being Sure of Yourself in Christ

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make you calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

II Peter 1:10-11

First of all I think that you only worry about your salvation if you  are saved. If you are not saved you don't care. Peter is talking to people of faith. Not just faith in general, but, faith in Christ. He's talking about knowing Christ. Peter is all about effective and productive knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Sometimes we don't see the work of Christ in our lives because we  sense the battle within ourselves. For example, I am a teacher and this year I am teaching sixth graders English and History. An aide who works with some special needs students I have in a few classes tells me she doesn't know how I stay so calm because there are several students who struggle with their behavior. I don't always feel so calm, but my reactions apparently reflect that I am continually trying to be patient and redirect students to be on task and help them understand the tasks at hand. 

My point is that sometimes while we are fighting the good fight we may only sense the tension of the battle, but, because we are seeking Christ our faith is becoming effective and productive, even if we don't notice it. Remember, Christ is faithful to complete the work he started in our lives (Philippians 1:6). 

Father, help us to keep sowing seeds of righteousness. Open our eyes to see the effective and productive fruit your Spirit is producing in our lives. Praise be to you in us today!

DO YOU NEED A LIFT?

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

I don't know about you, but for me it can be awfully hard to wait for anything. Waiting for God should be easier because I should realize that he is Sovereign and has everything under his control. My problem is I can't see it. Sometimes it doesn't look like he is in control to me. But, the truth is that God is in control. 

What does humility have to do with trusting God? Let's go back to Moses. He got God upset at him twice. Once when God was telling him to go back to Egypt and once when he struck the rock twice and said, "Must we". Think about that. When Moses said "must we bring you water out of this rock?" (Numbers 20:10) he was implying that he and God were bringing the water. No. God was. Moses was just supposed to hit the rock. Before that Moses wrote "Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3). He could write that because humility is knowing who you are before God. As long as Moses knew his place before God he was fine. But, the moment he thought it was him and God, not God through him, he was not allowed to bring the Israelites into the promised land. 

The point is that faith is knowing, whether you feel it or see it or not, God is in control and trust him to lift you up in due time. 

Father, lift us up! Praise be to you in us today!

GOT SHEEP?

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

1 Peter 5:1-4 (NIV)

I am a shepherd. I am entrusted with a marriage, a family, six classrooms full of kids, and few endeavours where I volunteer. 

You may not think that you have any influence because you are not "the leader" or a minister or evangelist, but, it is the Holy Spirit that moves and works in each of us. You may not know what God is doing, but he does. 

I was blessed to be involved with my youngest son's Cub Scout pack. This year he (we) moved up to the Boy Scouts. When I left several of the other parents told me they looked at me as a spiritual leader. I was just trying to be a good parent and friend as I believe Christ would have me be. I actually didn't think God was using me, but, he was. 

My point is that you should just try to be Christlike and serve in what ever way you can. God will decide how to use you. 

Father, help us to be Christlike and serve.  Praise be to you in us today!

DO YOU KNOW YOUR PART?

One of the truly gracious aspects of our relationship with God is that as part of our inheritance he has allotted to each of us a gift as a functioning part in his kingdom. 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV)

What is your gift? What is the function you play as a part of the body of Christ? Are you where you need to be to function as a participant in the church? 

If I am not participating in church as a functional part, I am not fully experiencing my relationship with Christ and to be transparent on this, I am not where I think I should be. I am involved with the men's study at my church. But, I am not really serving. So, these verses speak to me to encourage me to do what the Spirit has put upon my heart. I ask you to join me and seek to serve where you see the need.

Father, may you lead us by your Spirit to do what you have called and purposed for us to do. We believe you  are faithful and will complete what you have started in us. Praise be to you in us today!

DO YOU NEED A BREAKTHROUGH?

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

I Peter 4:8

The very life of Christ, his death, his resurrection and his intercession demonstrate the truth of this verse! His love covers over the multitude of our sins.

I am a sinner, married to a sinner and we have four children who are also sinners. That means we all need God's love. God so loved us that he sent his One and Only Son to die for our sins, to forgive us. That act of love open a way for us to be his children, to have a relationship with the Father. Our forgiveness, our love opens the way for our relationships with each other. Without this forgiveness, this love we just have walls. There is much more to love than just forgiveness, as I Corinthians 13 points out, but forgiveness is a fundamental ingredient of our Christianity.  

Is there someone coming to mind as you read this? Is there a relationship where you have been hurt or you know you have hurt someone? Love, forgiveness covers a multitude of sins. 

Father, help us to love each other as you have loved us in Christ. Praise be to you in us today!

WHO ME? SUFFER?

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 

I Peter 4:1-2

I think one of our normal impulses is to avoid bodily suffering. Also, physical or maybe corporal punishment kind of went out of vogue in the sixties and seventies. That may be part of the reason why these verses can seem so foreign to us. Early Christians who suffered for their faith in Christ, often suffered physically. Peter and John were threatened before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4) and later flogged (Acts 5:40). Although I believe Christianity is under attack here in the United States, we generally don't suffer physically for our faith. 

The suffering of Christ, not just on the cross, but leading up to the cross is so radical because he chose to suffer for our sins. Suffering is to remind us that Christ suffered for our sins. Life is not really about fulfilling all our desires. True life can only be found in knowing Christ. Knowing Christ is knowing his death and resurrection. That is why Paul spoke of "the fellowship of sharing in his suffering, becoming like him in his death" (Philippians 3:10-11). 

The point is that in whatever form suffering comes, let it remind you of the death Christ bore on the cross for you. 

Father, thank you for counting us worthy to suffer in any way for you. Praise be to you in us today!

IT'S NOT ABOUT MANAGING SIN

For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 

1 Peter 3:17-18 (NIV)

One of the books I am currently reading is Sticky Faith by Dr. Kara E. Powell & Dr. Chap Clark. One of the topics it discusses is sin management. Quite often we tend to just manage our sin rather than truly seeking to know God. The point is that Christ already dealt with our sin. All our sin. Past, present and future sins. 

Of course I don't want to sin. Of course I want to do what is right. But the issue is knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection. Many moons ago I attended a small Bible college named Columbia Bible College, in Columbia, South Carolina (it is now named Columbia International University). It's motto is, "To Know Him and Make Him Known". At the time I thought it was a bit hokey. But, as I have matured I have come to understand its simple depth. 

Christ, the righteous, died for me, the unrighteous, to bring me to God. He did not do this to give me a second chance at being perfect. He died to bring me to God. 

In Genesis chapter three the story of the fall of man is told. In verse 9 it says, "But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"" In Christ we, without fear, say, "Here I am" and enjoy the very presence of God. Think about that...

Father, help us to enjoy your presence. Praise be to you in us today!