Faith, Love, Hope & Joy

I Peter 1:3-9

³ 願頌讚歸於我們主耶穌基督的父上帝！祂有無窮的憐憫，藉著耶穌基督從死裡復活使我們獲得重生，有活潑的盼望， ⁴ 可以承受那不會朽壞、沒有污點、不會衰殘、為你們存留在天上的產業。 ⁵ 你們這些因信而蒙上帝用大能保守的人，必能得到那已經預備好、在末世要顯明的救恩。

⁶ 為此，即使現今你們必須暫時在百般試煉中忍受痛苦，也要滿懷喜樂。 ⁷ 這樣，你們的信心經過試驗便顯明是真實的，比那經過火煉仍會壞掉的金子更加寶貴，使你們可以在耶穌基督顯現時得到稱讚、榮耀和尊貴。 ⁸ 你們雖然沒有見過基督，卻愛祂；雖然現在看不見祂，卻信祂，並且有無法形容、充滿榮耀的喜樂。 ⁹ 因為你們得到了信心帶來的果效，就是你們的靈魂得救。

³ Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ [born anew] into an inheritance which is imperishable [beyond the reach of change] and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ who are being protected and shielded by the power of God through your faith for salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time. ⁶ In this you rejoice greatly, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, ⁷ so that the genuineness of your faith, which is much more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested and purified by fire, may be found to result in [your] praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ⁸ Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not even see Him now, you believe and trust in Him and you greatly rejoice and delight with inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ receiving as the result [the outcome, the consummation] of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

This past Sunday we had the joy of having Abraham and Lillian Poon at House of Praise. As this month's theme is In His Resurrection, the Scripture was from our theme verse in I Peter 1. Pastor Poon brought forth many points that spoke to my heart. I just wanted to highligh three:

1. In this present faith walk, we will experience trials. We will be distressed. God uses those to proof the genuineness of our faith. He refines our faith walk relationship through trials. Are we solely focused on Him? Or has God become an 'idol', a genie, who answers to our every bidding?

2. In this present faith walk, we have a living hope. Christ who rose from the dead has conquored all. We are victorious because Christ is victorious. We are born again, meaning we are spiritually transformed, renewed and set apart. That's what the word, church, mean. The Holy Spirit lives in us. As the passage says, we have confident assurance.

3. In this present faith walk, our love relationship with Christ brings rejoicing and delight with inexpressible and glorious joy. Even in the midst of trials and distresses, our lives cannot contain the glorious joy of Jesus. Our spirit knows the good that the Lord has through the refining fire. The impurity are brought forth and removed. We should be grateful. God has His good purpose and when we can see that, the inexpressible joy comes. I am reminded of Hebrews 12:1-2:

   Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let's lay aside every weight and sin and run with endurance. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Fix our eyes on Him. Align our lives to His Truth... in every season of our faith walk.