Joy Unspeakable in Jesus - Part 561

Today is the day that the Lord Jesus hath made. Rejoice in Him. Rejoice in the abundant mercies and grace of Jesus Christ, our Lord God and Saviour. It is He who has begotten us again unto a lively hope by His own resurrection. This is why our lively hope is in Jesus. The same Jesus who arose from the dead. The same Jesus who shed His precious blood on an old rugged cross, as a lamb without blemish and spot so that we might know His abundant love and grace. The same Jesus, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but manifest in these last times for you and I.

In the first chapter of I Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ named Peter is preaching to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. Herein, the strangers the  "Elect according through the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus."

Peter wanted these people to know that the trial of their faith, our faith, being much more precious than gold -- even though our faith may be tried with fire -- that we would be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Rejoicing in our Father who loved us so much that He Himself would choose to become a living sacrifice for you and I. Those of us who have not seen the miracles and healings that Jesus performed while on earth and yet, we love Jesus in whom, though now we see Him not, still believe and rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Those of us who were once strangers to the gospel of Jesus but now receive the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls because of Jesus. "Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you [in these latter times]. Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow."

It is unto us that the love of Jesus was revealed. Not unto themselves writes Peter but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you and I by them that have preached the gospel with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. 

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot ... who by Him do believe in God that raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever." (I Peter 1:18-22)

Rejoice in our Lord and Saviour Jesus today. The Lily of the Valley. The Father that desires to give us -- once strangers to the gospel -- everlasting peace in an inheritance that is not only reserved in heaven for us but a peace that is incorruptible and undefiled on this earth today. Established as Peter wrote, to those who believe in Jesus -- our Lord God and Saviour -- and thus "are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time." Grace be unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Stand in the offering plate.