Bible League: Living His Word But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect...— 1 Peter 3:15 ESV The apostle Peter honored Jesus Christ as being holy, and , given this, he believed that all we should honor Jesus as holy as well. By hHonoring Jesus in this way, Peter had Isaiah 8:13 in the back of his mind: "But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy." In effect, Peter is saying that Jesus is holy in the same sense that the Lord God is holy. In effect, Peter is saying that. We should regard Jesus with the same kind of honor and respect that we should have for the Lord God Himself. That means we should honor and respect Jesus Christ by, among other things, believing what He says. We should especially believe what He said about Himself. He said, for example, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me," (John 14:6). He said, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life," (John 3:16). He said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father," (John 14:12). And He said many other things about Himself as well. Since we know He is holy, even holy like the Lord God is holy, it would be disrespectful not to believe Him. Moreover, it would be disrespectful notis our duty to publicly and unashamedly confess that we believe in Him and that we hope in Him. And when we do this, we should always be prepared to defend the hope that we have. This does not necessarily mean that we should have sophisticated apologetic reasons ready for the defense, although that could certainly be a part of it; but we should have our personal reasons ready. We should be prepared to defend our hope by sharing our personal testimonies. We should do this, of course, with "gentleness and respect,." allowing the Spirit room to work. We should realize that no one is convinced of what we have to say simply because we say it, say it with good reasoning and arguments, or say it forcefully. Only the Lord God can change hearts. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 120-123 Psalm 120 -- In my distress, I cried to the Lord. He answered me. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 121 -- I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 122 -- I was glad when they said to me, "Let's go to the Lord's house!" NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 123 -- To you I do lift up my eyes, you who sit in the heavens. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 Corinthians 6 1 Corinthians 6 -- Lawsuits between Believers; Honor God with Your Body NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.Insight To love others was not a new commandment, but to love others as much as Christ loved others was revolutionary. Challenge Now we are to love others based on Jesus' sacrificial love for us. Such love will not only bring unbelievers to Christ; it will also keep believers strong and united in a world hostile to God. Jesus was a living example of God's love, as we are to be living examples of Jesus' love. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Micah 2:13 The breaker is come up before them.Inasmuch as Jesus has gone before us, things remain not as they would have been had he never passed that way. He has conquered every foe that obstructed the way. Cheer up now thou faint-hearted warrior. Not only has Christ travelled the road, but he has slain thine enemies. Dost thou dread sin? He has nailed it to his cross. Dost thou fear death? He has been the death of Death. Art thou afraid of hell? He has barred it against the advent of any of his children; they shall never see the gulf of perdition. Whatever foes may be before the Christian, they are all overcome. There are lions, but their teeth are broken; there are serpents, but their fangs are extracted; there are rivers, but they are bridged or fordable; there are flames, but we wear that matchless garment which renders us invulnerable to fire. The sword that has been forged against us is already blunted; the instruments of war which the enemy is preparing have already lost their point. God has taken away in the person of Christ all the power that anything can have to hurt us. Well then, the army may safely march on, and you may go joyously along your journey, for all your enemies are conquered beforehand. What shall you do but march on to take the prey? They are beaten, they are vanquished; all you have to do is to divide the spoil. You shall, it is true, often engage in combat; but your fight shall be with a vanquished foe. His head is broken; he may attempt to injure you, but his strength shall not be sufficient for his malicious design. Your victory shall be easy, and your treasure shall be beyond all count. "Proclaim aloud the Saviour's fame, Who bears the Breaker's wond'rous name; Sweet name; and it becomes him well, Who breaks down earth, sin, death, and hell." Daily Light on the Daily Path Exodus 3:7 The LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings.Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Matthew 8:17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES." John 4:6 and Jacob's well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. John 11:33,35 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, • Jesus wept. Hebrews 2:18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Psalm 102:19,20 For He looked down from His holy height; From heaven the LORD gazed upon the earth, • To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To set free those who were doomed to death, Job 23:10 "But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Psalm 142:3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path. In the way where I walk They have hidden a trap for me. Zechariah 2:8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, "After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye. Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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