Month: April 2018

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” I Peter 2:5 (NIV) It is hard to picture what a living stone would look like but we are living spiritual stones and God is carving us into perfect pieces of a magnificent spiritual temple of God’s presence. Just as the Garden of Eden was a temple of God’s presence so now the collective of all believers is the new garden of God, the superior temple of God. And we are priests with direct access to God and we offer our hearts and actions to God which God gladly welcomes because we come to God through Jesus. This is our spiritual reality. Whether we feel it or not this is God’s revelation and encouragement for us. Application: Put your name in the verse and repeat Continue Reading →

“You have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith . . . may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” I Pet 1:6b-7 (ESV) This passage encourages us with three experiences believers will have if their faith passes the test of trials in their life. Some of us have difficult external trials, some of us have difficult internal trials and some of us have both, but I have never known anyone who doesn’t have some trials. We all have the opportunity to grow our faith through trials. When Jesus returns and reveals himself to all then he will bless His people for enduring trials in ways that may even embarrass us because of their lavishness. First, Jesus will actually praise us for passing the trials.  How melodious will be the sound of Jesus actually speaking Continue Reading →