Great Expectations!

I Peter 1: 3-9; ³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, ⁴ and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. ⁵ And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
   ⁶ So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. ⁷ These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
   ⁸ You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. ⁹ The reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls.

 Have you ever read the literary classic: "Great Expectations", written by Charles Dickens? It's one of my favorites! I have loved that book since high school, when I first read it in my English Literature class. For me it was an escape. Pip, who was an orphan had this bizarre relationship with an elderly lady named, Miss Havasham that combines a desperate combination of both fear and longing which seemed to define my childhood. Pip is trying to figure out what life is all about as well as what it is that he desires out of life, his needs, his wants and ultimately his happiness. It's a learning experience for him. Pip is on a journey that provides him with some much needed wisdom about life. I also believe this story related similarly to the events that also took place in Dicken's childhood. He was raised in a very poor environment, had lots of trials and tribulations, yet blessed people with his impeccable stories by his uncanny ability to touch the hearts of his readers.

As we read the above Scripture found in I Peter chapter one, we also see the words "great expectation," but it's a much different kind of expectation then what Pip experienced or had to look forward to. This refers to us living and waiting for that BLESSED APPOINTED time to arrive. At that appointed time, we will enter in to that great expectation that involves a pure and undefiled inheritance from God. This inheritance is protected from decay and beyond the reach of change. And it says that it's "through our faith" that God is protecting us by His power until the time arrives when we are handed this precious gift. It's the anticipation of wonderful joy ahead of us and even though we may endure trials and things that are not easy to sustain; these very trials we experience will produce a much greater faith that will prove to be genuine and purified through the fire of testing and perseverance.

Many times we feel as though it's too hard to press on, it's just too difficult to keep trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but friends ... hold on to your faith. Believe that God is not a man that He should lie. He will never leave us or forsake us. But in the end, we will be brought much glory, praise and honor when Jesus Christ, our intercessor, is revealed to the whole world on the Day of His return! Hold fast to the Promise of your Salvation, grab hold of the peace that passes all understanding and allow it to guard your heart and mind. None of us has ever seen God, but even-so we love Him and worship Him. We believe, yet we have not seen. Our faith is the foundation that we step out on in to the invisible realm. Hold fast to your confession. What confession am I referring to? The confession of receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. That day when you handed your life over to God and said: "I will serve You and I will live for You," we entered in to a covenant on that day. God takes covenants very seriously and so should we!

Hebrews 11:6; "And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him".

Until next time,
Be blessed!
Tracy :)

Rejecting Rejection 05/04 by Embracing Gods Best | Blog Talk Radio

Rejecting Rejection 05/04 by Embracing Gods Best | Blog Talk Radio

What Is A True Friend?

What is a true friend? Some would say it's a person who comes through with flying colors whenever their asked to help you. Others say a true friend is someone you can count on no matter what. I believe a true friend is one who sticks closer than a brother/sister and loves you even when you fail or make mistakes. They understand you aren't perfect and yet ... they continue to show you an unconditional love and acceptance anyways.There is an example of true friendship between David and Saul's son Jonathan, who, in spite of his father Saul's pursuit of David and attempts to kill him, stood by his friend.

I Samuel 18:1-3; ¹ After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David. ² From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home. ³ And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.

What is a solemn pact? It's a serious, earnest assurance of a covenant made between two people. The above Scripture also states that Jonathon and David had an immediate bond between them. I believe it means they had a kindred spirit. They were drawn to each other. Do you have people in your life that you've only known for a few years and yet it seems you've known them all your life? Those are the people that you are bonded to. You feel comfortable enough to be yourself, you don't have to put on any heirs or find yourself being guarded around them. You are secure in their presence and you can be ordinary you. :)

Proverbs is another good source of wisdom regarding friends.

Proverbs 17:17, A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. Proverbs 18:24, There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 27:17, As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

The truth that comes from all of this is that a friendship is a relationship that is entered into by individuals, and it is only as good or as close as those individuals choose to make it. Someone has said that if you can count your true friends on the fingers of one hand, you are blessed! A friend is one whom you can be yourself with and never fear that he or she will judge you. A friend is someone that you can confide in with complete trust. A friend is someone you can turn to when everyone else has turned their back on you. A friend is always there to lend an ear and encourage you, a friend laughs with you and brings you joy when you're with them.

Time isn't what makes a friendship last...It's love and devotion that keeps the tie between souls. (anonymous)

A true friend watches you grow and encourages you to keep going and never quit. What does the above Scripture that says, "iron sharpens iron" really mean? I believe it's edification. As we develop a trust and acceptance with our close friends, we open the door to edification; which ushers us in to a realm of openness and sincerity and we bring out the very best in the other person! I love that! ;)

Until next time,
Be blessed and be content.
Tracy