Latest / A Chapter a Day Bible Reading / April 30 - 1 Peter 4

Transcript

April 30 - 1 Peter 4 · A Chapter a Day Bible Reading

• 0:11
  Hello friends. Sean, here it is Wednesday, the
• 0:15
  middle of the week. It's hump day.
• 0:18
  You are doing it. You're making it through the
• 0:20
  week. Well done you.
• 0:21
  It is the 30th of April. Here we are at the end of the
• 0:25
  fourth month. This year is already 1/3 of the
• 0:28
  way through. Just kaboom.
• 0:32
  Blows my mind. Do you remember when you were
• 0:34
  little and you used to listen to Grown Ups talking and they'd say
• 0:38
  oh time flies, this year's gone by so quickly.
• 0:41
  I remember that. And as a kid I'd think what's
• 0:43
  wrong with you? This year is taking forever and
• 0:47
  here I am, the old Kodja thinking how fast the year is
• 0:50
  going. There you go, the circle of life
• 0:52
  continues and now I'm sure that the next generation listens to
• 0:56
  me and thinks that old Kodja, what's he talking about?
• 0:59
  Well listen here youngster, when you reach my age.
• 1:02
  Yes, life continues on as does our Bible readings.
• 1:07
  We are, well we are more than halfway through this book as we
• 1:12
  have only got two more chapters to go until we finish this first
• 1:15
  letter that Peter writes to the believers spread around the
• 1:18
  world. So let us continue as Peter
• 1:22
  urges people to continue to live according to their faith, even
• 1:27
  though they may suffer, even though they may be singled out
• 1:31
  for what they believe and how they live.
• 1:33
  So read with me friends. First Peter chapter 4.
• 1:46
  So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm
• 1:51
  yourself with the same attitude he had and be ready to suffer
• 1:55
  too. For if you have suffered
• 1:57
  physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.
• 2:01
  You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires,
• 2:05
  but you'll be anxious to do the will of God.
• 2:08
  You've had enough in the past of the evil things that godless
• 2:11
  people enjoy, their immortality and lust, their feasting and
• 2:16
  drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of
• 2:21
  idols. Of course, your former friends
• 2:24
  are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild
• 2:28
  and destructive things they do, so they slander you.
• 2:32
  But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to
• 2:36
  judge everyone, both the living and the dead.
• 2:39
  That is why the good news was preached to those who are now
• 2:43
  dead. So although they were destined
• 2:45
  to die, like all people, they now live forever with God in the
• 2:50
  Spirit. The end of the world is coming
• 2:53
  soon. Therefore, be earnest and
• 2:56
  disciplined in your prayers. Most importantly of all,
• 3:00
  continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a
• 3:05
  multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with
• 3:09
  those who need a meal or a place to stay.
• 3:12
  God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of
• 3:15
  spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one
• 3:19
  another. Do you have the gift of
• 3:21
  speaking? Then speak as though God Himself
• 3:24
  was speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping
• 3:27
  others? Do it with all the strength and
• 3:30
  energy that God supplies? Then everything you do will
• 3:34
  bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.
• 3:38
  All glory and power to Him forever and ever.
• 3:43
  Amen. Dear friends, don't be surprised
• 3:47
  at the fiery trials you were going through, as if something
• 3:50
  strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad for these
• 3:56
  trials. Make you partners with Christ in
• 3:59
  His suffering so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing
• 4:04
  His glory when it is revealed to all the world.
• 4:08
  If you're insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you
• 4:13
  will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests
• 4:16
  upon you. If you suffer, however, it must
• 4:20
  not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into
• 4:24
  other people's affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for
• 4:28
  being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of
• 4:32
  being called by His name, for the time has come for judgement,
• 4:37
  and it must begin with God's household.
• 4:40
  And if judgement begins with us, what a terrible fate awaits
• 4:45
  those who have never obeyed God's good news.
• 4:48
  And also, if the righteous are barely saved, what will happen
• 4:54
  to godless sinners? So if you are suffering in a
• 4:59
  manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right and trust
• 5:04
  your lives to the God who created you, for He will never
• 5:08
  fail you. Ah, Jesus, what a generous,
• 5:22
  generous God you are that you invite us to be part of your
• 5:26
  work here on earth. And you don't just leave us to
• 5:29
  our own devices to do it. You give us your Spirit and then
• 5:33
  you give us gifts. Lord, each one of us, we have
• 5:39
  these gifts that you have planted deep within our
• 5:42
  abilities that we can use to further and to glorify your
• 5:45
  Kingdom and you. So Jesus, help us find these
• 5:50
  gifts so that we can serve your people, so that we can be a
• 5:56
  light in this world, showing people Your love and your better
• 6:00
  way. And as we do that, boy, we can
• 6:04
  sometimes put a target on our backs for those who don't love
• 6:08
  you or believe in you, and they'll think we are mad or
• 6:12
  worse, they will oppose us and push back against what we do.
• 6:15
  But Lord, that's part of the deal.
• 6:17
  That is part of what you call us to.
• 6:19
  So help us stay firm in our desire and our drive to be
• 6:26
  people of worship. To you, our wonderful, loving
• 6:30
  Saviour, God, who inspires, equips and gifts us in your
• 6:36
  service. We pray all of this through your
• 6:38
  saving name, Jesus, Amen.