07-20-2009, 09:26 PM
:heartbeat:Hello friends! Today's Scriptural gem is from
1 Peter 2:21 -
15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.
17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.
18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.
19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.
20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
And what an excellent example our Lord left for us! In a world that tries to teach us that we must "stand up and fight" lest someone take advantage of our mild demeanor - in a world of anger, revenge and rage that progress to murder, war and chaos - in this world we are indeed aliens in a stange land and feel very 'out of place'. But we are never alone - there are many many who feel the same way we do - and we always have God's Word, His Holy Spirit, and Christ Jesus himself as guides to walk in God's ways, not the world's.
Some corresponding Scriptures -
Hebrews 12:3
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
1 Corinthians 4:12
and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;
2 Corinthians 4:9
persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
2 Corinthians 6
2 for He says,
"AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU,
AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU."
Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION"--
3 giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,
6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;
9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,
10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
Acts 14:22
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."
1 Peter 3:9
not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus (A)will be persecuted.
Words of comfort directly from our Lord's lips to our eagerly inclined ears -
John 15:18
"If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
John 15:20
"Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master ' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
John 16:33
"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
He set the perfect example for us to follow him in sincere love -
John 13
34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
:heartbeat:Much love from
Your friend and sister in faith,
Willa:heartbeat:
1 Peter 2:21 -
15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.
17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.
18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.
19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.
20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
And what an excellent example our Lord left for us! In a world that tries to teach us that we must "stand up and fight" lest someone take advantage of our mild demeanor - in a world of anger, revenge and rage that progress to murder, war and chaos - in this world we are indeed aliens in a stange land and feel very 'out of place'. But we are never alone - there are many many who feel the same way we do - and we always have God's Word, His Holy Spirit, and Christ Jesus himself as guides to walk in God's ways, not the world's.
Some corresponding Scriptures -
Hebrews 12:3
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
1 Corinthians 4:12
and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;
2 Corinthians 4:9
persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
2 Corinthians 6
2 for He says,
"AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU,
AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU."
Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION"--
3 giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,
6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;
9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,
10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
Acts 14:22
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."
1 Peter 3:9
not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus (A)will be persecuted.
Words of comfort directly from our Lord's lips to our eagerly inclined ears -
John 15:18
"If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
John 15:20
"Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master ' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
John 16:33
"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
He set the perfect example for us to follow him in sincere love -
John 13
34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
:heartbeat:Much love from
Your friend and sister in faith,
Willa:heartbeat: