(Psalms 12:1-8) To the choirmaster: according to The
Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone; for the
faithful have vanished from among the children of man. Everyone utters lies to
his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the LORD
cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say,
"With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over
us?" "Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will
now arise," says the LORD; "I will place him in the safety for which
he longs." The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a
furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O LORD, will keep them; you
will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, as
vileness is exalted among the children of man.
(1 Peter 1:3-7) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again
to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an
inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for
you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready
to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little
while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the
tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though
it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at
the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The world seems full of unbelievers who hate, oppress, and
persecute God and His people. They consider themselves wise, self-sufficient,
strong, and independent from God, and quite often they appear that way even to
those who walk in God's light.
The reality is that through God's strength we are like the
solid granite boulders that waves continuously pound against but on which have
absolutely no affect. The wicked are like crashing cymbals that make tremendous
noise but have no real substance. Fear of the wicked is lack of faith and trust
in the Lord, as everything of this world, even gold that is tested by fire,
will ultimately perish, but what God has stored up for us in heaven is
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.
Place your faith and trust in the Lord and not in the world.
Find your confidence in knowing that you are living according to God's Word and
thus pleasing Him. Be strong by standing on the solid rock of Jesus Christ who
will live forever.
Questions For Discussion
What is faith, trust, and confidence?
Why does the world and its ways seem so strong and the Lord
and His ways seem so weak?
When will you as a believer be vindicated?
No comments:
Post a Comment