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Showing posts with label 1 Peter 1:3-5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1 Peter 1:3-5. Show all posts

Sunday, August 22, 2021

Sunday Words of Encouragement August 22, 2021

Our service today opened, after worship songs, with prayers for the church to Rise and prayers for protection of the innocents, particularly Christians, in Afghanistan. Pastor continued the sermon series: Rising.

Have you ever had someone offer “anything you need, call on me?” Or maybe you have said that to someone in trouble. Was that a true statement? Did they mean it? Did you?

When was the last time you offered God everything without restrictions?
We should be offering our resources and our bodies without restrictions.
This might be a dangerous prayer when we say “God, I am Yours, use me as You wish.”
Do we trust God to use us for HIS best interest… regardless what it means in our own lives?

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

We count the costs... but don’t we trust that God has already counted the cost?

Even Moses tried to say no, He said he wasn’t qualified, couldn’t speak. But Moses obeyed and God let Aaron help him.

God wants someone to say “yes”. God will use the person who obeys through faith, then God will supply the tools and the resources.

Our whole life journey is built on faith

The Point: Rising faith builds a rising victorious church that God can use.

Pray first for rising faith; then let God use you.
In Acts 3:1-8 Peter and John had no gold but offered healing: Get up and walk. The crippled man was healed by faith.

Right now in the world, Afghanistan Christians have to decide if they have faith to keep their printed Bible in their homes or to keep the Bible App on their phones. They are being faced with a point of rising faith. How would you respond?

Are we prepared to say “Yes” even before God asks? How is the level of our faith?

The end result of our faith is the salvation of our souls. 1 Peter 1:3-5. Rising faith helps us understand the difference between this world, this life and what we will have for all eternity.
Are we willing to see that this corporal world is of less value than the promise of eternal life?

Today’s challenge: Will you offer God every part of you without restriction? Will you say “yes” before he asks?

Trust Him fully and completely – with every day, all of our resources, all of our talents… all of us.

We may not see ourselves as important. Why would God choose me to do something? But we are important to God! He has a plan for each of us. He is ready to use those who are willing to say “yes”.

I used this song video four years ago but it fits today.

Verses for today:
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.


Lord, please help my faith and willingness to serve You be stronger than my worldliness.


1 Peter 1:3-4 | International Full Gospel Church

1 Peter – Truth in Palmyra

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Sunday Words of Encouragement June 3, 2018

Our Sunday School teacher was away again so we shared praises, prayers and testimonies. There have been some tragedies in our community over the past several weeks – two teens killed in an ATM accident, a young teen accused of murder. All agreed that there is no guarantee we will not have troubles in this life, but we are assured we have a hope for a better future in our home world.

Our Youth Pastor shared the first sermon on a new series titled “The Strong”. The message was based on 1 Peter 1:3-9. How do we navigate our lives in today's world? Peter is speaking to the persecuted, scattered church. (Saul was going house to house to arrest believers. Acts 8:3.)

Most Christians experience a point in life where they say “yes” to God. There is excitement and they often convince themselves that life will be easier. But that is not necessarily so as the early Christians and many since have learned. More often life goes through a shifting while God prepares the individual for His plans.

Peter focuses on positive hope. 1 Peter 1:3-9. He gives all praise to God. He briefly notes that there will be trials the purpose of which is to will show your faith is genuine. (Verse 6-7.) Our hope in eternity is greater than anything in this passing life.

Negativity can grow like bonfire; creating hurts. Choose positive over negative. We do not see the bigger picture. But often what Satan means for evil, God intends for good. Genesis 50:20.
Speak life and love into all situations. Rely on your future Hope.

I had several songs listed for Hope. This one fits.
Verses for Today:
1 Peter 1:3-5 (NIV)
Praise to God for a Living Hope
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Lord – I praise you for this life even if there be trouble. I give greater praise for the hope you have given me in a glorious future.

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