HOW TO LIVE IN THE LIGHT OF THE COMING OF CHRIST

by: Pastor Adelmo Castillo

1PETER 4:7-11

7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”[a] 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

I- BE WATCHFUL IN OUR PRAYERS (7b)

7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

Prayer sometimes is becoming a ritual that we have to do. Prayer for food, prayer for protection, provision, healing.etc….Peter is not teaching us how to pray, Christians are expected to pray, what he is saying is we have to be serious in our prayer, we have to be watchful in our prayer.

Warren Wiersbe in his book “Be Series” commentary on the subject said:
I am not suggesting that we do not study prophesy, or that we become timid about sharing our interpretations. What I am suggesting is that we should not allow ourselves to get out of balance because of an abuse of prophesy. There is a practical application to the prophetic scriptures.
If we are sober minded, we will “watch unto prayer”. If our prayer life is confused, it is because the mind is confused.  

In Mark 13:32 Jesus says,  But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come.

II – LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER (V.8)

8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
Like the rest of the NT Scriptures, Peter stresses the priority of love.
During times of stress, relationships can strain to the breaking point. Peter’s readers probably discovered when the pressure of persecution is on, you are tempted to take out your frustrations on others. It’s easier to focus on the weaknesses and faults of others. Peter says make the effort to love and …cover a multitude of sins…= overlook the sins and faults of others.

III – BE HOSPITABLE TO ONE ANOTHER  (V.9)            

9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

Hospitality is a virtue, in Bible times it is tradition is to be hospitable to travelers and strangers. Hospitality is an important part of ancient society, and typically meant feeding and housing them for 3 or more days.
Hebrews 13:2”Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some have unwittingly entertained angels.

IV- MINISTER TO ONE ANOTHER  (vv. 10-11)    

10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Every Christian has at least one spiritual gift that he must use for building up a church and for God’s glory. These gifts are manifestations of the “multi-colored” grace of God, meaning that God’s gifts are full of variety.

Acts 1:10-11     10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

The Bible tells us that almost 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ died on the Cross, rose from the grave, and ascended into heaven right before the eyes of His faithful followers. He made a promise then: I will return.
Until that day, let us live expectantly—a) we must be watchful in our prayers b) we must love one another c) we must be hospitable to one another  d) we must minister to one another.

Glory Revealed

(with excerpts from Max Lucado)

by: Bro. Paul Mojica

 

Most often than not, Christians would think of “GLORY” as an ascribed status of being used for God’s purpose: a concept of having a (God given) purpose so that His presence would be manifested in one’s life. Such idea would connote as someone who is usual seen either behind the pulpit, on the platform, or someone prominent at church.But what is the true meaning behind this four letter word that gives so much impact in a christian’s life?

In the Scriptures we can find that no other word was emphatically mentioned in other books of the bible (by Christ Himself) than in the Book of John chapter 17. In the opening verses (verse 1-5) Our Lord Jesus Christ was praying:

 1After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.

 

The verses state that Jesus was asking The Father to glorify Him so that He can give the glory back to Him. Nonetheless glory in a Christian life does not end upon ourselves, but to God alone. Testimonies of having overcome something are not for us for the taking but to God the Father who has authored everything. One such story of deliverance from a loss through a tragic event that have endeared every Christian (and even non-christians) is the story of Martin and Gracia Burnham. Both have met and married with mission work for Christ in their hearts. They served God in the Philippines for 17 years. With three children born in the mission field  and valuable  skills in aviation program, they have acclimated themselves and planted their hearts to God’s first love. But sadly on the 27^th of May 2001 while celebrating their 18^th wedding anniversary at a beachside resort, Martin and Gracia were captured as hostage by a militant terrorist organization with links to Osama Bin Laden. Their captors chained and marched them through jungles and rationed their food. They’ve endured seventeen firefights in a period of 400 days. In a letter to their children, Martin was led to write a premonition and bid farewell to their children. “We might not leave this jungle alive” said Martin, “but at least we can leave this world serving the Lord with gladness”. The premonition proved accurate. On June 7,2002 Philippine rangers attacked the terrorist camp, catching Martin and Gracia in the crossfire. One bullet entered her leg, one bullet ended Martin’s life. She was left a widow and to the many Christians, we are left with the question WHY? And as we are thinking of theirs, how do we explain our own. The rigors at work, delayed salaries, the doctor’s findings, that early morning call from home, bills on your desk, that tumor in your body. We weren’t taken as hostage, but aren’t we taken aback by God’s silence? We often give the cliché comment of “God knows what He is doing”, but how do we personally explain and even convince ourselves of such?

Maybe God messed up? Maybe He didn’t look while the cancer cells spread? Could it be that God is an absent minded creator? What evidence does scripture provide to support such a view? What evidence does the Creator offer? Why didn’t God blocked the bullet?

Could it be that we have exhausted mercy from God’s bank account that every prayer bounces like a blank check? Did He blowed the whistle and yelled FOUL at us?

 

PSALM 103:8-11 (NLT) tell us:

The Lord is compassionate and merciful,

slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

He will not constantly accuse us,

nor remain angry forever.

He does not punish us for all our sins;

he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

For his unfailing love toward those who fear him

is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

 

Don’t blame all the suffering in the world on the anger of God. He’s not mad, He didn’t mess up. Our pain has a purpose. Our struggles, heartaches, and hassles cooperate toward one end – THE GLORY OF GOD.

 

Phil. 1:29:

For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christ’s sake not only to believe in (adhere to, rely on, and trust in) Him, but also to suffer in His behalf.

 

A closer look might open a few things in our own struggles. Do your prayers seem unanswered? What you receive and what you asked aren’t matching up? Don’t think God is not listening. Sure He is He may have higher plans. Are people strengthened by your struggle?

Do you find people telling you “If you have faith, He will heal you”. But what if healing wont come? God works on His schedules and deadlines. His sovereignty extends to the very minute part of our body. He calls it and we simply have to trust that He do things out of His plans.

Remember.. “plans to prosper us and not to harm us”..? God works different as we expect. The hospital room could be a showcase of your Maker. Our faith in the face of suffering cranks up the volume of God’s song. Consider the doctors, the nurses, love ones visiting. The blind man, Lazarus (examples in the New Testament) and millions of others form a unique society selected to suffer for God’s glory. History and nations, people and problems, a kidnapped couple in the Philippines, yours, mine.

 

 

A season of suffering is small when compared to the reward. Rather than begrudge problems, explore it, ponder it , and most of all use it to the glory of God. Marcia and Martin did it.