Kept by God's Power (1 Peter 1:5)

SPIRITUAL DIARY

                                                                                                            Date:  11-29-03

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Kept by God’s power

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  1Peter 1:5

            1.  Message of the verse:  “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  (KJV)  “…who, in the power of God are being guarded, through faith, unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time,”  (YLT) 

            The word “kept” has this meaning from the Greek:  “to guard, protect by a military guard, either to prevent hostile invasion, or to keep the inhabitants of a besieged city from flight.”  The verse says that we are kept by the power of God through faith.  Dr. Macarthur says this concerning the phrase “kept by the power of God”  “Supreme power, omniscience, omnipotence, and sovereignty, not only keep the inheritance (v-4), but also keep the believer secure.  No one can steal the Christian’s treasure, and no one can disqualify him from receiving it.”  He goes one to write about the phrase “through faith:”  The Christian’s response to Gob’s election and the Spirit’s conviction is faith, but even faith is empowered by God (see note on Eph 2:8,9).  Moreover, the Christian’s continued faith in God is evidence of God’s keeping power.  At the time of salvation, God energizes faith, and continues to preserve it.  Saving faith is permanent; it never dies.”  The phrase “unto salvation” need to be explained a bit, for indeed the completeness of our salvation does not occur at the point of being saved from sin.  For example I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior on Jan. 26, 1974, but my salvation will not be complete until I am with Jesus Christ at the rapture of the Church, even if I die before the rapture, however the certainty of my salvation is not in question for it is God who has made it certain.

      There is a quote for Dr. Wiersbe’s book “Be Hopeful” that I wish to use at this time.  “If suffering today means glory tomorrow, then suffering becomes a blessing to us. The unsaved have their “glory” now, but it will be followed by eternal suffering away from the glory of God (2 Thes. 1:3-10). In the light of this, ponder 2 Corinthians 4:7-18—and rejoice!”

The Word of God brought assurance to my soul as I read it this morning.

My Steps of Faith Today:  Seek help from the Lord to get along with my wife better.

Memory verse for the week:  Philippians 3:12b

            12b.  but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.