We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

Surely it is not wrong for us to think and talk about Heaven. I like to find out all I can about it. I expect to live there through all eternity. If I were going to dwell in any place in this country, if I were going to make it my home, I would inquire about its climate, about the neighbors I would have – about everything, in fact, that I could learn concerning it. If soon you were going to emigrate, that is the way you would feel. Well, we are all going to emigrate in a very little while. We are going to spend eternity in another world… Is it not natural that we should look and listen and try to find out who is already there and what is the route to take?
D.L. Moody

We are not called to rejoice at suffering in and of itself. Suffering is bad, suffering is hard, and suffering often comes at the hands of wicked people. Therefore, we do not rejoice in suffering because we love the suffering in and of itself. We rejoice in suffering because we look forward to what God is able to do through our suffering. Paul [in Romans 5:1-5] celebrated the fact that through our sufferings and afflictions God is bringing about endurance, proven character, and hope.
Heath Lambert

    • Bible Reading: DEC23: I Peter

    Posted on

    The Apostle Peter was the author of the Books
    of I and II Peter. Peter was continuing to fulfill the
    commandment of Christ to feed His sheep. The Book of I
    Peter was written to the saints in Asia Minor, and if we
    were to make an in-depth study we would see that I Peter
    and Ephesians parallel in teaching and in wording. It is
    as though the Spirit is telling us that Peter and Paul
    agree on the spiritual truths.

    The major theme of I Peter is grace, and the
    word “grace” is used in every chapter. Peter is striving
    to testify from experience of the all-sufficiency of
    God’s grace. Peter’s instructions to the believers
    describe the type lives that should be lived by them. A
    believer should live in hope. A person who is born-again
    has a living hope within him. The unsaved person is
    without hope. Because Christ is a living Saviour, He is

    our hope and our soon-coming King. This hope is not only
    a living hope, but a lasting hope. Too many times the
    devil is able to deceive a believer and dampen the fire
    of hope within his spirit. We lose sight of the fact
    that God’s promises are eternal. He will never leave us
    nor forsake us, and when we are born-again, He seals us
    unto that day of redemption when He shall come for His
    own. Peter also tells us in chapter 1 that Christians
    should live in holiness and harmony.

    The key thought in chapter 2 is submission.
    Throughout this chapter and chapter 3 Peter gives the
    areas n which Christians should be in submission. One of
    our earthly responsibilities is to be in submission to
    the ordinances and laws of our land. The servant should
    be in submission to his master; there should be
    submission in the home; there should be submission under
    suffering. Peter also tells us that our entire lives
    should be in submission, or subjection, to Christ.

    Chapters 4 and 5 deal with God’s grace in
    suffering. Peter seems to be reemphasizing the fact that
    there will be sufferings for the Christians, but God’s
    grace is sufficient and adequate for them throughout any
    situation, and Peter wants them to know for sure that
    God will sustain them.

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