Igniting Your Faith
This morning�s scripture started me off on a chain of thought. I am still amazed that one passage can take you so many places. Places where you repeatedly see the truth of the Word. Not a new truth just one you have not seen before. The hope is what captured my mind the hope that is more than hope but assurance. A promise of life abundant and everlasting. A closer inspection of this HOPE that we have in us�shows us it is a living hope�not a lifeless, dead hope. It is a hope that transcends the grave�not a probable hope, but a hope that is real and true�a hope that really exists in real time. It binds the heart of the believer with the reality of heaven...and embraces a spiritual world that to us is more real than this earthly existence. � When you were a child you hoped for many things. � You hoped for a new bicycle. � You hoped for a day off from school. � You hoped for a dollar from your Grandparents. � You hoped for bounty under the tree at Christmas. � You hoped for a passing grade on your final exam. But when you became a Christian adult, your hope took on a new dimension. You put away childish things, and began to hope for 'things' that the carnal world might deem intangible. Things like: Serenity Silence Satisfaction Salvation Sanctification. Our hope rests in the knowledge that the Lord has promised and secured this new life for us. We rest in the knowledge that God is our Source of the hope� verse 3 tells us Our salvation is grounded only in God�s boundless mercy. This act of compassion in spite of our fallen condition, we have been born again as believers. We have been given a new spiritual life putting us on an entirely different plane than our physical birth could ever do. We are now continually looking forward to the eternal world not as a diversion from our all too real and present world, is it not wishful thinking, or merely a pleasant little daydream. For us it is a reality and looking to the Lord is exactly where our hearts and minds are supposed to be but, we are not to leave the world as we find it but improved through faith and in confidence Of our Lord. Christian history shows us that those who endured many trials and persecution thought not about the now but about the next world did amazing work in their present the apostles and hundreds of martyrs through the years. Giving all in this world while keeping their mind on the next. Verse 4 Look at the word inheritance in particular in this context the word inheritance translated from the Greek suggests a present and future reality. Notice that Peter says that one of two reasons God has granted us this special inheritance, this new life in Jesus Christ. This never ending�never to be destroyed� never to be corrupted� never losing its special attraction�This not one thing we did or did not do to earn inheritance. This is totally free to all who would receive Christ and give their lives completely over to Him. NOW verse 5 God is protecting us keeping us safe from all forces not only from realm of darkenss that seems incomprehensible to us but right now you most minor concern has His attention. Therefore� � If God is the Source, the Inheritance and the Assurance of our salvation and our hope why then do so many Christians live their lives as if they are without hope? � If Christ is our Lord, to whom we have submitted ourselves and given control over our lives. � If He is the One who sits in the at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. � If He is as promised interceding on our behalf. � If He is our Messiah promised by God to save the souls of men. Why do so many doubt? Why do so many seek to alter His Words to us and in turn set themselves to be in oppsistion to God. No, Peter's letter comes to Asia minor not a moment to soon�the Word came to fan the flame of faith and re-ignite the hope they had once had�that God HAS also PROMISED US eternal life�if we believe, we receive. It is that simple. Fan the flame of faith with some very simple truths. Fan the flame with the knowledge that God is not, some detached deity, an unconcerned watchmaker god who wound us up and left us to run our course. He is not a god who takes no interest in our care and welfare. God is�Even present He is all around us, and is longing to relate to us to look after to care for us, and to give all who truly listen to His Word not only a blessed life now but life eternal through Christ our Lord. The One who proved that He has the power to grant eternal life�for we have the record of Christ's resurrection and ascension as tangible proof that God can, and WILL, deliver. We must let God's promise fan the flame of faith? Yes we live in this world. A world full of corruption, still God is able to preserve us always and forever. Even today in this world filled with sin, shame, accident, disease, suffering, evil, cursing, lying, stealing, deception, and every kind of addiction you could ever think of. HIS MERCY protects and guides us. In a world of sin and death, we are protected. God is our ONLY hope. Though man has mistreated his Creator, God has not forsaken us, for His mercy endureth forever. (Psalm 103:17). "But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children." Then Peter fans the flame of faith by reminding us of our new birth. Remember that OLD MAN?�the one who rejected and rebelled against God? Peter reminds us that through our faith, we have been born anew�that old man is dead�and we are alive now in Christ, who has taken up residence in our heart. This NEW BODY is part of our living hope, for we are born again by the Spirit of Living God and regenerated into newness of life. (John 3:6)."That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.� Let these words fan the flame of your FAITH� (2 Cor. 5:17). "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" Finally, Peter fans the flame of our faith with the assurance of the Resurrection. As Christ has been raised from the dead to live forever in heaven with His Father, so shall we who are believers in Him! Christ's resurrection from the dead assures us that God is ABLE, that CHRIST IS WHO HE CLAIMS TO BE, and that, LIKE CHRIST, we can be victorious over sin while we serve the Lord upon this earth. What will it take to fan the embers to a white-hot flame? What will it take to cause spiritual combustion in a world opposed to the very Idea of Christ and Him crucfied�to feel the heat of God's promise�.to know, what you know that Christ, has conquered death, will surely return to claim His own unto Himself? We are covered by His blood, cleansed by His pain and redeemed by His sacrifice. Made co heirs with Christ. I�ll tell how I know this to be true its right here in the God breathed Word in the perfect incorruptible Word. (Galatians 4:4-7; 1 John 3:1). That we are the adopted sons and daughters of God (Phil. 2:15). That we shall stand before our Creator, blameless and harmless (John 3:16; 1 Tim. 6:19). That we shall receive the gift of eternal life (Phil. 3:11, 21; 1 Cor. 15:42-44) That we shall receive a new and glorious body. (Hebrews 4:9; Rev. 14:13). That we will be given eternal rest and peace (Proverbs 10:22) That we will receive the blessings of the Lord. (Phil. 3:8) That we will come into the FULL knowledge of Christ Jesus. (Proverbs 8:18) That we will receive riches and righteousness. (Rev. 20:6) That we will become Christ's priests. (1 Cor. 9:25) That we will be given a crown of incorruption. (2 Tim. 4:8) That we will be given a crown of righteousness. (James 1:12) That we will receive a crown of life. (1 Peter 5:4) That we will receive a crown of glory. (Rev. 7:9-13; Rev. 20:4) And that we shall surround the throne and reign with God forever. Let the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus, who is STILL the Christ; fan the flame of faith today. He is ALIVE in you, and one day you shall see Him...face to face! Lets never for a second forget the Sacrifice of our Savior; The Grace of our God; The cost of our redemption; The proof of our pardon; The necessity of our commitment; And the glory of our future! (Rev. 22:14). "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" AMEN!
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