DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FAITH CENTERED IN GOD

 FAITH CENTERED IN GOD
I Peter 1:20-21
 
"He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."
 
In God's omniscience, He knew that His beloved creation – man – would never be holy enough to merit salvation by his own strength and ability. Even before He created the world God ordained that Jesus would die, be raised again, and be glorified to provide a way of salvation. Christ, the Lamb, was "slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8). So my salvation is all God's work. Even in living life, I have to depend entirely on God "who gives me everything that pertains to life and godliness" (II Peter 1:3). My faith and my hope are entirely centered in God, not in anything that I can do by my own strength. All I can do is believe Him.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God has provided everything needed for salvation.
 
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Have a "faith-centered" day.   Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- VALUE AND PURPOSE

 VALUE AND PURPOSE
I Peter 1:18-19
 
"Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."
 
I suppose that all humans have the desire to know that their lives have value and purpose. They want to know that they are worth something, and that their life has meaning – that it is not "aimless." The value of my life does not depend on anything I have received from my ancestors or anything I have accomplished. My worth is based in God's love for me. I was valuable enough in His eyes that He sent Jesus to the cross to shed His precious blood for me. He was sinless, yet He died for me. The price He paid to purchase me was beyond comprehension. That alone makes my life valuable.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The value of a human life is based in God's great love, not in human position, achievement or accomplishment.
 
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Have a "valuable" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE RESTRAINING INFLUENCE

THE RESTRAINING INFLUENCE
I Peter 1:17
 
"And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves through the time of your stay here in fear."
 
Yesterday, there was another senseless murder. The tragedy was even more so because it was broadcast on social media in real time. Why is there so much sin in our world? Murder, immorality, theft, lying – they all seem to be abounding increasingly in our society. I believe it is because of a diminishing belief that there is a Judge to whom we will be accountable. If there is no consequence to my evil action, why not do whatever my heart desires? Fear of God is a restraining influence in society, so as belief in God declines, there will be a corresponding increase in evil. The Lord Jesus said that we will give account in the day of judgment for every idle word we speak (Matthew 12:36), and we are admonished that "each of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12). As children of the Father, we conduct ourselves during our time on earth with fear, knowing we will stand before Him some day to give an account.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The decline in the fear of God will result in a corresponding increase in evil because there is no restraining influence.
 
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Have a "fearsome" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE CHAMELEON

 THE CHAMELEON
I Peter 1:14-16
 
"...as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.' "
 
A chameleon changes color as a camouflage to match its surrounding in order to avoid being attacked by its enemies. So it blends into the background. Being a chameleon is safer and easier than being different than the world system. If I blend into the culture, I will not be attacked for my faith. But God calls me to be holy, that is, set apart – separate, different. As a chameleon, I am indistinguishable from the way the world lives. As a holy person I think, look, and act like my Heavenly Father. I can choose to conform myself to God's way or to the world system. God's way is holiness. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." (Romans 12:2). I want to be like my Father.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The way of holiness is a different way of living than conforming to the surrounding world culture.
 
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Have a "different" day.   Love you.

THE CHAMELEON

 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE GIRDED-UP MIND

 THE GIRDED-UP MIND
I Peter 1:13
 
"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
 
The context of this verse is the return of Jesus. Peter said that in light of this (therefore), we should pay attention to how we think concerning His return. "Gird of the loins" is a picture of a traveler. In the ancient culture, people wore long robes which would hinder the stride, and also get dirty from the dust and filth of the unpaved road. So they would prepare for their journey by tucking the bottom of the robe into the belt or sash around their loins or hips. It is like when I walk through a muddy path of hiking my pants to keep them out of the filth. So Peter admonishes me to keep my mind out of the filth that litters the path, pure and unspotted by the world (James 1:27), and prepared and ready for Jesus' return. I can't become sloppy in my thinking about sin. I need to keep a sober attitude, "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13), resting my faith fully upon His grace.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: In light of Jesus' promised return, the Christian should keep his mind clean and ready for His appearing.
 
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Have a "girded-up" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE AGONY AND THE ECSTACY

 THE AGONY AND THE ECSTACY
I Peter 1:10-12
 
"Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ an the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things which angels desire to look into."
 
Our faith has a solid foundation in the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets who spoke of the coming of the Messiah. They spoke of the sufferings and even the manner of time of the Messiah's coming (see Daniel 9:20-27). So after the Resurrection, the Lord Jesus reminded his disciples of all that was written in the Old Testament about Himself in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms (Luke 24:44).  But the prophetic messages were not just for people "back then," but also for us. They also spoke of the glories that would follow. So, based on the prophetic word, we look for the second advent when Jesus will come in all His glory. We inquire and search carefully how and what manner of time He will come. We may not know the day or the hour, but come He will, just as surely as He came the first time. It will be a wonderful day for those who "love His appearing" (II Timothy 4:8). "Even so, come Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Jesus will come again just as surely as He came the first time, according to the prophets.
 
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Have an expectant day. Love you.