Hello all.
It's that time of week, again.
Hope that you're having a nice week, and looking forward to the week ahead.
I want to turn to a few bible parts of the bible, 1st Peter chapter 1, verse 3-21.
And 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2:13 and all of chapter 3 of Thessalonians.
Before I start, my bible study, I want to pray, because what I'm going to share with you, is going to be hard, and I hope it's what the Lord wants, me to give you to.
"Dear Lord, I ask you to be with the people that are reading this, Lord for those people who are struggling to hang in there, the people who are wondering what the point, is. Where their life is going, and what are we going to do about it, Lord for those struggling in the fight would you lift them up and give them the power through your holy spirit to keep walking, for those who have full hands of blessings, lord thank you for them, I pray that they will be rejoicing over their trials, for those who love you lord, for those people who are behind the scenes, Lord to keep them going strong, and keep walking, when people don't notice them, Lord you do.
For the people lonely, who struggle, lord give them friends who lift them up and good friends, Lord the encouragement to keep going, to have their feet walk the straight path in times of deep loneliness., Lord for the people who have had lies spoke about them, lord keep them going for you, give them encouragement every day, even if it's the spring sunshine that comes, give them a happiness that won't fade.'' Amen.
We need to do a bit of back story to 1st Peter,
We need to ask ourselves, who wrote it?
Date written, A.D 60s before peter was martyred in 67-68
Written from, Babylon, where he lived out his last years of his life.
Key passage;
1st Peter, 1 3-15
This is from the N.I.V study bible.
When Christ died for us on the cross, he took all of our sin and condemnation away, he removed it, and he also removed the fear of death.
And we await for his second coming, because he came as a man, fully knowing what we are like, what we have achieved and what we haven't, what we've planned and have done.
He came with hope, and praise.
It is so important, to keep things in perspective, to not get ourselves worried and tangled up in all sorts of teachings, rumors, rather to be wary of things, but not so afraid to do the things that God has called us to do.
Peter, knew that, he was a fishermen, and you know when Jesus was walking along, he knew the ones he wanted in his boat and on his team.
We 2 are on Christ's team, you don't need to do anymore, stuff to try and get noticed, you know you're not labelled or boxed up and set aside for your special time to come out of your box.
God is using you right now.
We have a living hope in us, when all things seem like they are going south, Christ is going south with us when everything just seems beyond pain, each step a screaming voice of pain, Christ is there with us.
Peter knew that, he wrote these 2 books while he was in prison, awaiting his death.
Because being a Christian costs you, and God knows the cost he paid when Jesus died on the cross, but we can't fully walk away with washed hands, because he will ask us to do some things, and we will have to do it, weather we like it or not.
Yes he blesses us, and it's good, but we have also got to give out, as well, and if we are just taking, from God, we are robbing him, and deceiving ourselves that we can just come to god like Santa Claus, and he'll just do what we say.
Peter talks about praising God, we all need to praise God, and sometimes it's hard, sometimes you just have to pray, but not give up my friend. For your redemption is near.
We have even a bigger blessing, because as it says in the bible that we will get a bigger and inexpressive and glorious joy because we still believe in him even when we don't see him ( meaning Christ.)
We have a double blessing my friends, when we still believe God, and we believe for the best.
There's a hope rising in you, and even if you think that there's no hope, there is, God hasn't walked out of your life, there's no pointing finger, there's no condemnation, blame or guilt.
Peter then goes on to tell us, in verse 13, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be self controlled, set your hope full on on the grace given when Jesus, Christ revealed.'' We are called to set our minds into action, to keep going when the going gets incredibly hard, tough, and love, when we get pulled through by the hands of Christ, we can love anyone.
Love isn't a warm feeling, it can be such a hard feeling, at times, and it even is hard to love the people who have hurt you there most.
We can be found in Christ.
We never leave Christ's hands, he's always got us, and he'll never let go.
Peter instructs us to live Holy lives, that means, not to be drawn in by wrong things, and to prepare, for action, we're called not to sit around waiting things to happen. But prepared for anything.
And we need to pray for ourselves and also others.
We need to pray for protection, from evil, and spiritual awareness, and sometimes, we need to be on our knees, prayer is so important, and sometimes we need to ask people to pray for us.
Sometimes we need to take time out of our lives, and see where we are dry in our walk with Christ.
We can always say we're fine, but the well of spiritual life is getting dry, in fact we can get so dry that we forget Christ, and we can drop out of church.
All because we haven't prayed, and perhaps the church isn't you anymore, or your student group, or your home group, or whatever group you're in, what do we do if we notice that thing are getting a bit dry and we're getting frayed?
We talk about it, we talk, and pray, and we get used to prayer, and we get used to talking.
We shouldn't isolate ourselves from church if it's just not working.
One thing, about church if church isn't doing it for you, don't be too quick to sign up to a church, or get involved, keep your options open.
Pray hard, pray for whatever you need, pray, pray before you leave your house, flat, living place, pray while you're studying, pray for strength, to go through the day.
And don't forget if people are wondering what you're doing, or how things are, get someone to pray for you.
God is loving, and he's story for you never finishes.
Chloe
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