King James Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: A Part of The Family
For: Friday December 17, 2010
Chapters: Peter 1-2
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-december-17

Details of Today's Chapters: God's inheritance, the Spirit of Christ, a pure heart, newborn babes, a chosen generation, and Christ, our example to follow.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
The Book of I Peter is the twenty-first book of the New Testament, the sixtieth book of the Bible, and contains five chapters. The author of this epistle (letter) is Peter and it was written to the exiles who were being persecuted for their Christian faith. The purpose of the letter was to warn them of the danger of persecution from those outside of the Church and how to handle those situations. What we are to learn from the book is that our response to persecution need to be based on Scriptural principles not emotional. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” - I Peter 4:12,13.

A candy cane is a piece of hard candy in the shape of a staff with red stripes on it. Did you ever wonder why? Well, the candy cane is actually a symbol of Christ. The hard stick of candy represents the Solid Rock of Christ on which the church and believer stands upon. The white color represents purity of Christ, sinless and born of a virgin, and how He cleanses us when we receive Him as our Savior. The large red stripe represents the blood of Christ that was shed to save us. The three small red stripes stand for stripes (lashings) Jesus received to heal us. The shape has two meanings: a staff which represents our "Good Shepherd" who watches over His sheep and a "J" which stands for the name Jesus. Amazing huh? Now, every time you see a red and white candy cane you can rejoice knowing that you are a child of the living God because of the sacrifice that Jesus made for you. “And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.” - Romans 9:26.

If you accepted Christ into your life you are a child of the living God and since you are a child of the living God you will receive a part of His inheritance. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”- I Peter 1:3-5.

Being a child of the living God does not exempt you from facing some affliction and suffering, in fact, some of the circumstances you face will be because you are a child of the living God. However, God does make it easier to get through the circumstances when you put your trust in Him. Why do we have to suffer? We should not look at suffering to be a bad thing, but a good thing. Suffering brings us closer to God, strengthens us, teaches us, helps us help others, and above all, gets others saved. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” - I Peter 1:7-9.

I will tell you that there are times when I see someone getting blessed with things that is not living for God and I get envious. I wonder why they are being blessed and I am struggling so much, I wonder why I have been asking and asking God for something and never seem to get a taste of it. I do not question God and say why me, but I do have a habit of putting myself down and thinking that I do not deserve the things I am asking and that is why I have not gotten them. Then something hits me, that is not my thinking, that is Satan and his attempt to make me feel as though I am worthless to God. I have to remind myself just how blessed I am and how far I have come since I chose to live my life for God and just how much I mean to Him. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 8:38,39.

It may look as though God is blessing the unrighteous, but the truth is that it is Satan trying to keep them away from God and God allows it for the sole purpose of getting them to put their trust in Him, not the worldly things, that is once they lose everything. In order to find Christ we must first lose everything else and once we lose everything we will find that it was Christ that we needed all along. To know Christ is to know suffering and He chose you to use that suffering to reach others. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;..For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” - I Peter 2:9, 21-25.

Christ suffered more than anyone on earth ever will, He bared the stripes, the humiliation, the mocking, the pain, He shed His blood on a cross and died so we can live. He found you in the deepest whole that you were in, pulled you out, cleaned you up, and made you a part of His family. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” - Revelation 21:7. Praise God!

Be blessed, enjoy the rest of your day/night and have an awesome weekend.

Merry Christmas, Praise God, Jesus is the reason for the season.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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