Bible League: Living His Word Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has great mercy, and because of his mercy he gave us a new life. This new life brings us a living hope through Jesus Christ's resurrection from death.— 1 Peter 1:3 ERV What do we hope for? A quote from Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, says, "The essence of a human being is determined by what he hopes and how he hopes." In short, we are what we hope. There are three categories of hope: no hope, false hope, and true hope. Those without hope say, "Let us eat and drink, because tomorrow we will die" (1 Corinthians 15:32). Don't fool yourself about a better future, they will say. Instead, make the best of what you have while you have it. Others have lost all hope because of the predicaments they find themselves in. Depressed, they throw in the towel. Others have false hope. Some trust in the ability of humankind to overcome all problems, benefiting from the achievements of science and technology. Others hold on to religious tenets that promise them all sorts of blessings, either in or after this life. In today's verse, Peter points to the only source of true hope: Jesus Christ's resurrection from death. Throughout the Bible, you will find that hope is linked with God's plan in Christ to renew His creation. That already starts in Genesis 3, right after the fall of Adam and Eve, when God promises the child that will crush the head of the snake. That hope resounds in every book of the Bible! Back to Plato, who mentioned not only "what" but also "how" people hope. Some people say, "Let's hope for a better future," but they act like they know it won't happen. Other people's hope is overstrained—they so eagerly desire for things to change that they lose reality. Again, Peter shows another way. The hope he refers to is not weak but "living." Christ lives, and in Him, our hope is alive! Also, even though Peter is highly excited ("Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"), he is not talking about an irrational hope. The following verse makes that clear: "Now we wait to receive the blessings God has for his children. These blessings are kept for you in heaven. They cannot be ruined or be destroyed or lose their beauty" (1 Peter 1:4). We still live in the reality of this sinful world. Trials and tribulations will come our way. But we don't lose hope because God's power protects us and keeps us safe (see verse 5). So, with one final reference to Plato's statement, how does the hope we have determine us? Will people see the hope of Christ in us? Do we make them jealous of that hope? Do we encourage those with no hope or false hope to turn to Christ and find the only true hope? Let our lives be beacons of hope in a hopeless world! By Anton de Vreugd, Bible League International staff, the Netherlands Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingGenesis 23, 24 Genesis 23 -- Death and Burial of Sarah NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Genesis 24 -- Isaac and Rebekah NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 8 Matthew 8 -- Jesus Heals Leper; Centurion's Servant; Peter's Mother-in-Law; Cost of Discipleship; Rebuking the Storm; Demons into Pigs NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But Moses pleaded with the LORD, “O Lord, I'm not very good with words. I never have been, and I'm not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”Then the LORD asked Moses, “Who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.” But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.” Insight Moses pleaded with God to let him out of his mission. After all, he was not a good speaker and would probably embarrass both himself and God. But God looked at Moses' problem quite differently. All Moses needed was some help, and who better than God to help him say and do the right things? God made his mouth and would give him the words to say. Challenge It is easy for us to focus on our weaknesses, but if God asks us to do something, then he will help us get the job done. If the job involves some of our weak areas, then we can trust that he will provide words, strength, courage, and ability where needed. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Jeremiah 31:33 I will be their God.Christian! here is all thou canst require. To make thee happy thou wantest something that shall "satisfy" thee; and is not this enough? If thou canst pour this promise into thy cup, wilt thou not say, with David, "My cup runneth over; I have more than heart can wish"? When this is fulfilled, "I am thy God", art thou not possessor of all things? Desire is insatiable as death, but He who filleth all in all can fill it. The capacity of our wishes who can measure? but the immeasurable wealth of God can more than overflow it. I ask thee if thou art not complete when God is thine? Dost thou want anything but God? Is not his all-sufficiency enough to satisfy thee if all else should fail? But thou wantest more than quiet satisfaction; thou desirest rapturous delight. Come, soul, here is music fit for heaven in this thy portion, for God is the Maker of Heaven. Not all the music blown from sweet instruments, or drawn from living strings, can yield such melody as this sweet promise, "I will be their God." Here is a deep sea of bliss, a shoreless ocean of delight; come, bathe thy spirit in it; swim an age, and thou shalt find no shore; dive throughout eternity, and thou shalt find no bottom."I will be their God." If this do not make thine eyes sparkle, and thy heart beat high with bliss, then assuredly thy soul is not in a healthy state. But thou wantest more than present delights--thou cravest something concerning which thou mayest exercise hope; and what more canst thou hope for than the fulfilment of this great promise, "I will be their God"? This is the masterpiece of all the promises; its enjoyment makes a heaven below, and will make a heaven above. Dwell in the light of thy Lord, and let thy soul be always ravished with His love. Get out the marrow and fatness which this portion yields thee. Live up to thy privileges, and rejoice with unspeakable joy. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 60:4 You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.Exodus 17:15 Moses built an altar and named it The LORD is My Banner; Isaiah 59:19 So they will fear the name of the LORD from the west And His glory from the rising of the sun, For He will come like a rushing stream Which the wind of the LORD drives. Psalm 20:5 We will sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions. Jeremiah 51:10 The LORD has brought about our vindication; Come and let us recount in Zion The work of the LORD our God! Romans 8:37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 1 Corinthians 15:57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Jeremiah 9:3 "They bend their tongue like their bow; Lies and not truth prevail in the land; For they proceed from evil to evil, And they do not know Me," declares the LORD. 1 Samuel 18:17 Then Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me and fight the LORD'S battles." For Saul thought, "My hand shall not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him." Haggai 2:4,5 'But now take courage, Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD, 'take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,' declares the LORD, 'and work; for I am with you,' declares the LORD of hosts. • 'As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!' John 4:35 "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest '? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Hebrews 10:37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. 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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