Believing God is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)
Every Sunday I share a verse of the week. Use this verse to meditate, pray, ponder, and memorize during the week. See how taking just one verse into your heart each week can be transformational.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10, ESV)
Every Sunday we share a verse of the week. Use this verse to meditate, pray, ponder, and memorize during the week. See how taking just one verse into your heart each week can be transformational.
All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:24–25, ESV)
Every Sunday we share a verse of the week. Use this verse to meditate, pray, ponder, and memorize during the week. See how taking just one verse into your heart each week can be transformational.
“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,” (1 Peter 1:3, ESV)
Hope is something lacking today. We see nuclear missiles being shot from North Korea and chemical missiles being shot in Syria. There are killers on Facebook and a whole bunch of other terrible things that don’t even make the daily news feed. For example, every 4 seconds someone dies of hunger and most often it is children.
It is not only the big world filled with troubling circumstances. Our personal lives are filled with challenges. We may face cancer, divorce, or financial ruin. There are many reasons we have left to despair. Our hope is continually challenged.
But 1 Peter 1:3 reminds us that we are born again into a living hope. We may still face the challenges of life, but we have a hope and that makes all the difference. Hope is what gets us through. The hope you have will determine your outlook.
Some people have no hope. It is a terrible place. If you know of someone who lives with no hope, they are often paralyzed to function. They have trouble getting out of bed. They don’t see a future or anything ever changing. The way to cope is alcohol or drugs to numb the pain. In extreme cases it is suicide.
Other people have a false hope. Their hope might be in personal achievement. They believe if they work harder, smarter, or more efficiently they can change things. Or they put their hope in stuff. They think: “if I have enough stored up for myself everything will be okay.” The problem with false hope is that we don’t realize that it is false hope until it is exposed for what it is.
Then there is a living hope. It is Jesus. It is a cross. It is a resurrection. It is a hope that is alive because Jesus is alive. It is eternal hope. It is hope that never fails. It is hope received through faith. It is hope that makes all the difference. It is living hope that is calling us. It is living hope we need.
“He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:6, ESV)
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
This is our triumphant day. Light has dawned. The Son is risen. The tomb is empty. Nothing is impossible with God. He is full of surprises. He has greater things in store for you. The resurrection makes all the difference. Because Jesus lives, you too can live a new and transformed life.
Happy Easter to you and your family.