Verse of the Day 11/29

Verse of the Day 11/29

1 Peter 1:3-4

English Standard Version

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,

My daily New Testament reading has been in the book of 1 Peter and for the next few posts, Lord willing, we'll be considering some of these verses.  Today's verses serve as an opening to the book and point out several "benefits" and blessings that we receive through faith in Christ.  It is all in accordance with His "great mercy".  Radio financial advisor David Ramsey when asked the question 'how are you doiing" will commonly respond with "better than I deserve".  That is because of God's mercy, and each of us is in the same position, we've received grace, God's pardon with power, not only forgiveness of sins but the power to overcome them in the future.

From there we go to a "living hope".  As in Hebrews 4:12 where the Word of God is referred to as being "living and active", so is our hope.  By God's grace it works in our lives, it takes residence there and is an "anchor of the soul" (Hebrews 6:19) when we feel that we lack the power to hold on.

We also have "an inheritance kept in heaven" for us.  When God says kept, there is nothing that can take it away from us.  Again back to Hebrews knowing that is is being held, kept for us, should anchor us in our faith.

David Jeremiah writes, "The sweet mercy of God covers the highway in front of every sinner headed toward judgment. He blesses the just and the unjust, and His handiwork is manifested in all directions. He is merciful beyond measure and loving beyond limits. Those determined to head down the broad road leading to destruction must wade through the merciful blessings of God who seeks to turn them back. Oh, that the tracks of all who reject Him would be slowed by His mercy until they turn toward eternal life! "

Take some time today' to consider God's mercy and the living hope that we have through Jesus Christ. 

Once there was a holy place
Evidence of God's embrace
And I can almost see mercy's face
Pressed against the veil

Looking down with longing eyes
Mercy must have realized
That once His blood was sacrificed
Freedom would prevail

And as the sky grew dark
And the earth began to shake
With justice no longer in the way

Mercy came running
Like a prisoner set free
Past all my failures
To the point of my need
When the sin that I carried
Was all I could see
And when I could not reach mercy
Mercy came running to me. (Mercy Came Running - Philips, Craig and Dean)

Blessings,

Mike

Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV

1 Peter 1:3-5

English Standard Version

Born Again to a Living Hope

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.