Loving Him (1 Peter 1:8)

SPIRITUAL DIARY

                                                                                                            Date:  12-02-03

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  Loving Him

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  1Peter 1:8

            1.  Message of the verse:  “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”  (AV)  “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy.”  (NLT) 

             Christianity carries with it a present dynamic that can turn suffering into glory today.  This statement is one that is worth listening to and to think about, for indeed this is not something that seems even possible.

            Peter gives us four directions for enjoying the glory now. 

1. Love Christ (1:8).  This verse tells me that even though I have never seen Christ in person that I love Him, and that is true.   “John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”  “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”  (Romans 5:5)  This verse in Romans tells me why I love the Lord, and it is because He first loved me.  I was not capable of loving God before He first loved me.  In order to experience this glory when we go through trials believers are to lift our hearts t o Christ in true love and worship.  Dr. Wiersbe says “that this will take the poison out of the experience and replace it with healing medicine.  If we love ourselves more than we love Christ, then we will not experience any of the glory now.  The fire will burn us, not purify us.” 
2. Trust Christ (1:8).  True Bible Faith means we are to surrender all to God and obey His Word is spite of circumstance or consequences.  Faith and love go together and strengthen our hope.  Romans 8:28 tells us that we know that God causes everything to work together for good, we don’t always see it though, that is where faith comes into play.  God has taken care of our biggest need when we were His enemies, so if we trust Him for salvation then we can trust Him to get us through the trails we encounter.
3. Rejoice in Christ (1:8).  It is true that believers cannot rejoice over trials and circumstances that are no to their liking, however they can rejoice in them, knowing that they worship an all wise, all knowing God who will never leave them nor forsake them.  The verse goes on to say that this joy is “unspeakable and full of glory.”  I have seen first hand that in the midst of trials God has brought unspeakable joy into my life, an amazing demonstration of His grace and mercy.
4. Receive from Christ (1:9).  Believers experience glory the moment that they are saved, for they are born for glory, they are also kept for glory, and while they go through trials God is preparing them for glory.  When they love Him trust Him and rejoice in Him they can experience glory here and now.  Getting back to verse 9 it teaches about our salvation, and there are two parts of salvation.  Verse 9 could read, “presently receiving for yourselves.”  Dr. MaCarthur writes this about verse nine:  “In one sense, Christians now possess the result of their faith, a constant deliverance from the power of sin.  In another sense, we are waiting to receive the full salvation of eternal glory in the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:23).  “And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As stated above God has blessed me first hand in our investment trial by moving a wonderful family in next-door, and He has given me the privilege of seeing seven of them come to know Him in a personal way through Jesus Christ.  God has been true to His Word and it has truly brought a “joy unspeakable and full of glory” to my heart.

The Word of God was refreshing and also challenging to my heart as I read it this morning.

My Steps of Faith Today:  Even though I do not feel well, (I think I am coming down with the flue), I do trust the Lord, for He is in control of all things. 

Memory verse for the week:  Philippians 3:12b

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