Begotten Us Again (1 Peter 1:3)

There was no hope for the natural man. When Adam fell, he plummeted mankind into sin and hopelessness. When he sinned, it was not merely an act, but instead a decision that would affect everyone in every aspect of their lives. When Adam took hold of sin, sin took hold of mankind and ravished it. There was no way to stop it and he could not be reformed. The only hope for man was for him to be made a new creature.

When a person trust Christ as Savior, God makes him a new creature or a new creation. This work of mercy does not change the physical creation of man, but instead man's spiritual state. Man's rebirth would give him a hope – a lively hope – one that would dwell within him every day.

Life can be crushing. In your life, how many tears of sorrow have you shed? How many times have you held the hand of a loved one is their heart burst with anguish and sorrow? Your past has not been great and your future will most likely contain just as much sorrow. But since the new birth, there is a hope that lives and dwells within you.  That lively hope will enable you to look to your merciful God who will provide comfort, strength and direction. How did you get this lively hope? It came because of the mercy of God.

To illustrate this, imagine you are one of the crew on the ship. While on deck, you feel the tremble as an explosion occurs below deck. The event created a gaping hole in the side of the ship. Water comes rushing in taking lives of men as it advances through the ship.

The blast of alarms sound around you and everyone begins to abandon ship. You fall into the water and begin swimming for your life. Terror fills the air and your heart is pounding as you try your best to continue to swim. You eventually fear that you cannot go on and you just want to give up and get this whole terrifying experience over.  And then, a floatation device springs up out of the water.

Quickly you make your way towards the object and grasp it with all of your might. Immediately your heart moves from fear to hope as you cling to the device and exclaimed, "I'm saved!"

In the distance, you hear people struggling and screaming. As you float in safety, others less fortunate succumb and become one more floating casually.

This illustration depicts your life and mine.  Lost in sin, we were without hope and regardless of how much struggling to overcome the result ended in failure. And then, the Savior came. Since the moment that we clung to him, we have been saved. Oh, we may still be floating in the sea of the world, but one day, the Savior will lift us out and deliver us from the presence of all that is around us.

We have a hope and our hope is in Christ.  It is not a dead hope, but a lively one. We can live each day and face the fear of all that is around us.  We can do this because we know that we will be delivered. This is our lively hope.

Blessed Be God (1 Peter 1:3)

The apostle is praising God and encouraging us to do the same. There are countless reasons why we should praise him and Peter is taking a portion of his epistle to note specific reasons why.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3)

Abundant mercy: aren't you glad for that? Each work that God does for us is because of his mercy and this mercy that he has for us endures forever.

I remember being raised Catholic. During the mass there was a portion of time set aside for the priest to either pray or state praises to God and the congregation would respond to whatever he said by saying the same phrase.  Psalm 136 reminds me of such an event.

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 136:1)

For years, I struggled with this passage because I resist ritualistic worship. But one day, I saw it differently. Imagine the first half of a verse in this psalm being stated by someone.  The statement declares something about God that is beneficial to man. A pause takes place as the people search for why God would act in such a manner toward man and then finally in unison they declare, "For his mercy endures forever."  The process repeats itself again, but the pause is shorter and the exclamation is louder. Can you imagine yourself being there? " Why did God love you?"  "For his mercy endures forever!"  "Why did he call you?"  "For his mercy endures forever!"  How long could this go on? It is endless and in heaven, it will last and go on forever.

Every action that God has made for you is because of his mercy. Had it not been for mercy, your life and eternity would be hopeless. There maybe times or situations in your life that are very difficult. From the natural view, there may not seem to be any reason for praising God, but if you stop, seek his face and think for a while, God will reveal to you his workings, provisions or purposes for those situations. When you recognize his handiwork in your life, you too will be forced to proclaim your explanation with the very same words: for his mercy endures forever.

Abused, Mocked, Shamed and Cast Out (Mark 15:17-19)

Have you ever misjudged someone?  You know, you meet somebody for the first time and maybe you get a negative impression and that impressions causes you to treat them in a certain manner.  Then sometime later, you discover something about them that turns you, your attitude and your actions completely around.  We have all been there and guilty of the same.

In fact, you may have experienced this as the victim as well.  Rest assured, you are not alone in this experience.  In fact, the Lord was treated in the same manner.

And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.  (Mark 15:17-19)

When people fail to recognize your value as a person, they may do the same to you as they did to him.  They may physically harm or abuse you, mock and shame you, and cast you out.

People who are truly loved will be cherished and protected.  People are not loved because they fall short of what people desire or expect and when this occurs, they become objects upon which people take out their anger and bitterness.  Jesus was scourged for the purpose of satisfying the hearts of the people.  The people were glad for this to be done and this gladness was a direct result of how little they valued Jesus.  (Mark 15:15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.)

When people fail to recognize your value as a person, they will mock and degrade you: they may talk as you talk and walk in the same manner as you would walk all to make a mockery of you.  Their words of ridicule, rejection and laughter may tear deeply in your heart, but remember, you are not alone.  In like manner, the people made a mockery and shame of the Lord.

Finally, they may cast you out.  As they cast out Christ and sent him to be crucified, they too will cast you out.  If they only knew how wonderful you really are, they wouldn't treat you this way.  Hurt, anger, bitterness and hatred fill their hearts and control them to act as they do.  Sin took its hold on them and in sin they will act out on others around them.

For some people, they may recognize their error and make a change, but some may never recognize your great value.  God didn't make any mistake when he made you.  Your height, weight, looks, economic status, intellect, physical impairments and whatever else may appear to be holding you back are really your thorn in the flesh that can make you stronger.  You are not alone as you face life and those that treat you wrongfully.  As Jesus faced these treatments from men, he was never alone.  His father was always present with him and he will always be present with you.  His Holy Spirit will comfort you and because of this, he wants you to come boldly to the throne of grace to find his help in times of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Remember, God will always be there for you.  He recognizes your great value because he created you for himself.  He will not reject you: he cannot reject you.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made and what you are is just what he loves.

Fainted and Scattered (Matthew 9:36)

It is not difficult for anyone to see that the lives of so many people today are just a mess.  How did they get this way?  Why don't they just get it together and do whatever needs to be done?

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.  (Matthew 9:36)

From this passage, it appears that people become weak in life's struggle and instead of continuing to fight on, they relax their resistance and faint.  When this occurs, the person's life then becomes subject to the problems and trials of life.  Their lives get tossed about from side to side being cast about and cast down.  This does not occur as a result of the weakness of the individual, because none of us have the ability to stand against the enemy.   This occurs because of the absence of a shepherd in the person's life.  Sometimes there is not a shepherd because salvation has not yet been experienced, but other times it is because the person becomes estranged from their shepherd savior.  Whether it be by confusion of doctrine, ill treatment from those in the body of Christ, person hurts and losses or sin: the separation occurs.

Today there are countless believers tossed about.  They are away from their shepherd and the way to bring them back into the fold is to love them back.  Bearing their burdens (Galatians 6:2) is the act of you bringing your strength to those who are weak until they can once again gain the strength for living that can only come from their shepherd.

A Different Look at the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12)

I know you are poor, but the kingdom will be yours.
I know you are mournful, but I will comfort you.
I know you see yourself as nothing, but you will inherit everything.
I know that you want justice and you will be satisfied.

Inspire of it all...
Be merciful to others and you will get the same.
Don't let the outside corrupt you on the inside and you will see God's handy work.
Help others find peace and you will gain a great testimony.
Endure hardship for doing right and you shall be rewarded.


Matthew 5:3-12
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

He Touched Him (Matthew 8:3)

Many times, there are behaviors that people do that are overlooked by most.  Some people wring their hands as they think about something that disturbs them.  Others may brush their hair from their face when they are nervous.  The behavior isn't really important, but what is important is the motivation behind the behavior.


And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, ... Matthew 8:3

As I consider the passage recording Jesus healing the leper, I cannot help but ask my self questions in regard to Jesus' behavior.  One question is why did Jesus touch the leper?  He didn't need to touch him in order to heal because the next few verses record Jesus healing the centurion's servant who was some distance away.

Consider this.  When do you think was the last time the leper was touched.  I don't mean being pushed as he fought for food or random interaction among lepers, but when was the last time the leper experienced a tender affectionate hand rest upon the side of his face?  When did he last feel a grasp on his should like that of a loving father who rests his hand upon the shoulder of his son?  It had probably been an extremely long time.  I believe that after years of rejection from society and solitude living, the touch was God's display of affection to the leper.  It seems that as Jesus's hand gently rested on the leper, a part of the leper revived and his heart filled with the experience of God's love.

Did you know that God wants you to have that same experience of his love.  Regardless of whatever is in your past, God wants to have a relationship with you.  He loves you dearly and has done--through Jesus' work on the cross--everything that is necessary for that relationship to occur.  Come before and ask as the leper did and ask.  The relationship is greater than you can imagine.

As We Hope in Thee (Psalm 33:22)

My son, Anthony, was the first grandchild on both sides of the family.  Needless to say being spoiled was a regular occurrence.  As that special one, he learned ways to get people to do for him what he wanted.  I remember when he was around 12 years old he asked my sister, Lori, for something.  It kind of went like this.  In the little boy voice he spoke growing up he said, "Aunt 'Ore..."  Regardless of what followed, he already had her reeled in.  He just had a way with my sister that regularly resulted in benefits to him.  We too can have a way with God.

Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. (Psalms 33:22)

Trying to change or become a better Christian isn't going to be enough to get God to work.  Granted, sin can hinder our prayers from being answered, but striving to be a better christian will not be enough because even when you believe you are at your best, you are still a sinner and have sin.  But when we hope in the Lord, which occurs when we look to him, it is then that he responds to us in mercy.

When we look to God and rely completely on him, he moves in mercy.  Not because we reached a plateau of holiness or because we have risen above the masses of sinners, but because of his mercy he works.  When we recognize our condition of falling short and being needy and look to God as our only source of help, God reaches down and works in mercy and love on our behalf.