Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

 Others:

 

            Born again to a living hope:  

 

1 Peter 1:3

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

 

            Before we were born again, we had no hope in the world. But when we asked Jesus into our hearts, we obtained a hope. This is a living hope, not some dead promise we’ve got our fingers crossed that it will come true. The hope of the Bible is a confident expectation. It’s just that it is in the future. Faith is now, and hope is concerning the future.

            You’ve heard the expression, “It was so real I could almost taste it.” That’s faith. Something is so real you can almost taste it. With hope you know what it looks like and that it’s coming for sure, but your taste buds can’t taste it yet.

 

If you could hear God speak, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are not dead, My children, but alive from the dead. You were once dead when you were in your sins, but now you have been made alive through the blood of My Son. He chose to come to this world to give Himself a ransom for the many. You did not choose Him, but He chose you; and He chose you, not to live in sin, but to live in righteousness for Him and through Him. You He has chosen to lead others into the paths of righteousness. You are not your own, but you have been bought with a very high price … His blood. Do not disregard it, nor think too little of it. It was a very high price, and He desires a very high commitment to Him.”

 

            94. When I was in the world, I had no hope. When He saved me, I was born again to a living hope.

We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him

 Enemy:

 

            Evil one does not touch us:  

 

1 John 5:18

18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him.

 

            Of course this doesn’t mean that if you sin, you’re not born of God. It is the one who continually sins that is not. We are set free from the power of sin and death. Sin no longer controls us. We also do not have to fear the devil. When we are born of God, God keeps us and we cannot be touched by the evil one. Our spirit man is perfect and cannot be harmed by the enemy. That doesn’t mean we will never have bad things happen to us, or that we’ve sinned if they do. Again that is like the disciples asking Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind.”

 

If you could hear God speak, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are special, My people. I have chosen you for great things … not as the world counts greatness, but as I count greatness. You are My light to a generation born in darkness. They cannot find their way, but you can shed light on their paths so that they can come into My Kingdom. You have no need to fear anything from anyone, not even the devil himself. You are under My special protection as long as you walk in My Word. You have nothing to fear in Me as long as you walk in the power of My Spirit. You are special, and it took something special … the blood of My Son … to bring you into the paths of righteousness that I desire My people to walk in.”

 

            93. Because of the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, the evil one does not dare touch me.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

 Light:

Out of darkness into His marvelous light:  

 

1 Peter 2:9

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

 

            Look at all the things this verse says that we, the people of God, are. We are a race, chosen by Him. A race has certain shared characteristics; in this case, those of Jesus. And He chose us; not because of anything we’ve done to deserve it. We are a priesthood that is royal. A priesthood has common characteristics. This is a royal one that ministers to God. Usually, royalty does not minister to others. We are a nation, holy. The people of a nation have certain shared characteristics. In this case, holiness is the main one. We are a people, possessed by God. A people have certain mutual characteristics. The main one is that we are possessed by God. He can ask anything He desires of us, and we will do it. What He desires is that we proclaim His excellencies. We were once in darkness and now we are in His marvelous light. We are to proclaim that to others so that they will have a desire to leave the darkness and come into His light.

           

If you could hear God speak, I believe this is what He would say:

            "You are My special people. You are the sheep of My pasture and I delight in you. You are more than some ordinary persons. You are special, and I will do special things through you. You are of royal lineage, for you are of My own blood. You were bought with a special price … the blood of My dear Son. You cannot be ordinary for He was not ordinary. You are the special people who will bring others into My Kingdom. You are not to hide your light under a bushel, but to bring it out so that others may see and believe in Me. You do not have to fear that I would desert you. I will always be with you and will always delight in you. You are My means to reach an obstinate world. Through you the world may see what I desire in a people.”

 

            92. He called me out of darkness. I am now living in His marvelous light.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him

                                                                         Chapter 11

Various

 

             Following are other verses that concern our destiny. Every one of these promises is ours. We can depend on them, because we can depend on the One who made them to us. They are settled in Heaven, and thus will come to pass here on earth for us.

 

Wrath:

 

            Delivers from the wrath of God:   

 

1 Thessalonians 1:10

10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

 

Romans 5:9

9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

 

            This wrath the verses are talking about is not a physical wrath, but a spiritual one. A physical wrath would last only a limited amount of time, but a spiritual one lasts forever. This wrath won’t happen until after Jesus returns from Heaven. We have nothing to fear … not because of anything that we have done. It’s because of Jesus’ blood. That is what justified us. God must be just and the justifier of those who believe in His Son. Our sins say the justice we deserve is eternal death, but the blood He shed says we receive eternal life.

 

If you could hear God speak, I believe this is what He would say:

            "Do not fear little ones. I will not harm you. I will not do anything to hurt you in any way. You are My precious ones, and I would do nothing to harm you. You have nothing to fear from Me. Those who are of the world have something to fear, but you do not. I would do nothing to harm My people. You are the light of the world and are My means of reaching the people of the world. You are My examples to them of what I want in My people. You should not have fear of what I intend to do to you or through you. I would do nothing to harm My people.”

 

            91. He delivers me from the wrath of God to come upon the sons of disobedience.