April 9 – At the Right Time

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6 (NASB)

Easter is on the horizon of our calendars in one week. Over this next week our focus will be on the last days of our Lord Jesus before he died on the cross. It was no accident and not a happenstance in God’s timing. It was planned, intentional for us who believe in Him. During His last days He knew what was going to happen because He had always known it. That is what he had come for and our verse reminds us that He submitted to death for us at just the right time – the time God had set.  And the reason He had to suffer and the reason he died was because we are helpless and cannot save ourselves – we could not and cannot avoid the consequence of rejecting God. We are powerless before the God of heaven to clear ourselves of the penalty of death. Jesus did this for us what we could not do for ourselves. And now by faith we become members of God's eternal family. God did not wait until we were good enough because we never would be so he did it when we were utterly helpless. 

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January 1 – A Little While

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”  1 Peter 5:10-11 (ESV)

Perhaps it seems out of place to begin the New Year with a benediction. The New Year may not always be as “Happy” as we would wish, but as Christians we are blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3) and can look forward to a “Blessed New Year” throughout the problems that may come. Suffering is a common experience for all humans. None seek it out but we know that it is part of our walk with Jesus Christ for He promises that we will suffer for His sake as we proclaim our faith in Him. So, Peter confirms for us that suffering is going to be ours for a “little while.” But, afterward, God promises that He Himself will be the one who will restore us, and confirm us, and strengthen us, and then establish us. What a promise that is! We are members of God’s family and we live in His dominion. This is what will be ours for eternity. So, the suffering of last year and the suffering we will encounter this year is all but for “a little while” when the rest will be ours for eternity. 

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February 4 – A Little While

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”  -  1 Peter 5:10 (ESV)

Since we know our suffering for righteousness is a part of our lives as believers, we also know that it is not forever.  We may not be able to see beyond today’s pain or fears, and our trials, but God promises to provide the grace we need so that we can endure.  What will tomorrow bring?  We don’t know. Will we be there for that affliction as well?  Jesus said, “The one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mark 13:13) Suffering threatens our faith in God’s provision of future grace. It is not a light matter; it is very serious that in our suffering we do not “shrink back” (Hebrews 10:39).  For, that is the path to destruction.  But God promises our suffering is only for a little while and as we in faith endure through His grace, we learn to believe and claim God’s promises.  God Himself will restore us and confirm us righteous. He will strengthen us and establish us as His own.  How do we know this for sure? Because God has called us to His eternal glory in Christ and that calling will prove true – it will happen.

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August 7 – Greater Value

“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,”  Philippians 3:8 -   (NASB)

Before the Apostle Paul became a follower of Jesus Christ, he was an accomplished and respected man.  He was successfully attaining top marks and best practices in his religious education and practice.  As a fierce defender of the Jewish Law, he was on his way to becoming a significant man of influence.  With his help and reputation, the religious leaders of his time were going to stamp our the new cult of Christ followers.  But then God invaded his life and Paul met Jesus Christ while he was on the road to Damascus.  Everything in his life from before, all the accomplishments of his life became insignificant and of no value.  Tossing his resume aside as worthless garbage, Paul lost it all because he knew the promises that came from knowing Christ Jesus as his Lord.  These are our promises too.    There is a much greater value in knowing Christ Jesus our Lord than in having a superb curriculum vitae. That was the value of gaining Christ as Savior.  This is true for us also, nothing has greater value than being in Christ Jesus.

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September 14 – Joy Fulfilled

“But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” John 17:13 (ESV)

Yesterday we read some of the things Jesus said to His disciples on His the last evening with them before His crucifixion the next day. Today's verse is from the same time but it was spoken in a prayer by Jesus to His Father, God Almighty.  With these words Jesus was praying for His disciples.  It is remarkable that Jesus could even talk about joy when He knew that the next day he was to suffer severely and die on a cross.  He would be arrested, tried, beaten, and nailed to the cross where He would hang in shame and pain before the world having done no crime or any wrong thing.  While knowing all that, He also knew that He would be fulfilling God's great purpose in sending Him to earth.  Jesus knew He would make a way for us to become God's children.  What a wonderful Savior we have. He knew that soon He would be in glory with His Father and He asks God to fill those of us, still here on earth with His joy.  This joy comes only from Him who made it possible.

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March 24 – At the Right Time

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6 (NASB)

Easter is on the horizon of our calendars. We will spend the next week looking at the last days of our Lord Jesus before he was crucified and died on the cross. We rejoice because we know “Sunday is coming” after that. When Jesus died on the cross it was no accident. During His last days He knew what was going to happen as He had always known it. That is what he had come for and our verse reminds us that He died at just the right time – the time God had set.  And the reason He had to suffer and the reason he did die was because we could not save ourselves – we could not and can not bear the penalty of rejecting God. We were powerless to clear ourselves before the God of heaven. Jesus did this for us what we could not do for ourselves. And now by faith we become members of God's eternal family. God did not wait until we were good enough, he did it when we were utterly helpless. 

June 27

“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.’”  Isaiah 30:15 (NIV)

We read this verse because the offer that God made to His people is still true. The people then did not take advantage of it and they suffered for their neglect. But we do not need to follow their example. Let us think especially of the words: “in quietness and trust is your strength.” I hope that you have found this to be true in your life. When we face problems and things we don’t understand, we need to remember that God is ready to help us. Let us not try to work things out on our own. Let us put our trust in God and depend on Him.

May 26

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”  1 Peter 5:10 (NIV)

Our God is concerned about those of His children who are experiencing difficulties. Peter writes encouraging words to believers who were going through times of difficulties. The Lord does not promise that there will be no suffering for His children, but that suffering is only for a time.  God Himself will restore those going through difficulties.  He will supply the strength. Isn’t it wonderful to have a God who gets personally involved when we go through the dark hours? “He will Himself restore and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 

April 21

“The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.”  Isaiah 50:4 (NIV)

It sounds like the prophet is speaking from his own experience. We recognize, however, that some of the verses that follow seem to refer to the experiences of Jesus who suffered for us. So why do we read this verse? It is because God does sometimes deal with us as he did with prophets and even with His own Son while He was here. Is it not true that we awaken sometimes with thoughts of the Lord, and we realize He is teaching us? He knows what we need to learn. Let’s listen to Him – in the morning and through the day.