Precious In His Sight – Genuine Faith

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Precious SeriesWhat or who is precious to you? Oh wait!  Let’s define the word first before you answer. As an adjective the word precious is a descriptive term that means highly esteemed or of great value. As a noun, a darling or a dearly beloved person.

Now, based on your knowledge and understanding of the word, answer my question:

What or who is precious to you?

Here are two things that are precious to me – My Family & God’s Word!

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My Bible

In other words, I think about these things a great deal. I take them with me wherever I go. I love being near them. Why? Because I love them! I want to know what they say and do. I want to love what and who they represent.

God views many things as precious, and together we’re going to take a look at what those things are. Using the Book of 1 Peter and other portions of God’s precious Word as our guide, we’re going to search the Scriptures, discover what God says, and apply what we learn to our lives. Shall we begin?

Search the Scriptures by reading 1 Peter 1:1-12

Now let’s discover what God says by going verse-by-verse through God’s Word.

In verse 1 we discover who wrote this book of the Bible and who he wrote it to. We learn that this letter is from Peter who is an apostle of Jesus Christ. We also learn that he is writing his letter to believers who have dispersed to various provinces. They were known as exiles, aliens, or strangers because their residence in these areas was temporary much like our residence here on earth is temporary. They were dispersed because of the persecution they were experiencing as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In verse 2 we discover some things about God. We see His attribute of foreknowledge, that is, His knowledge of how things will be before they happen or exist. We learn that He is sanctifying believers, making them more like His Son Jesus through their persecution. In these two little verses I see God’s tender-loving care of His people. People are very precious to God!

Peter ends verse 2 with two powerful words: grace and peace. He asks that grace and peace be multiplied to believers. I actually really love the way the NASB says it.

 May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

God’s grace and peace are two incredibly precious things. Grace is God’s favor and peace is God’s rest. What a lovely thing to say to someone that you’re addressing – “May the favor and rest of God be yours to over-flowing.” Now that is of great value!

Let’s continue discovering  …

Those who have salvation through Jesus receive an imperishable inheritance according to verses 3-5. We can receive and rejoice in this salvation because of the mercy of Jesus Christ. We have hope and not just any hope a living hope! We are precious to Him!

But wait! There is more rejoicing in verses 6-9. We are to rejoice because of the genuine faith that is being developed in us because of the suffering and persecution that is coming our way. Our faith is most precious to God, more precious than gold in fact. And after that faith is tested, glory is what is reflected in the lives of those who are loved by God. Glory not because of what we’ve done but the highly valuable glory of Jesus in us! How exciting is that!

And then comes joy on top of joy … Verse 8 (one of my favorites) speaks of our belief (trust, faith) in Christ and the rejoicing that comes from that belief.

Salvation is precious to God. We see that it is valuable to Him according to verses 10-12 because he revealed it to the prophets in the Old Testament and they prophesied about the salvation that would come to us through Jesus’ suffering, and the glory that would result in His finished worked on the cross.

Don’t you see, precious one? You are priceless to God. He loved you and me so much that He gave His one and only Son that who ever believes in Him would not perish but would have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Now let’s apply some truth to our lives …

From our search and discovery, what do you see as precious to God?

Here’s what I see:

  • People are precious to God. So precious that God, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, caused Peter to write a letter to believers who were suffering. He loves and cares for us, and Peter’s letter, then and now, brings hope and encouragement to believers.
  • I also see that we are precious in His sight because of the grace and peace He so lavishly blesses us with.
  • I see that salvation from Jesus is precious to God because of the many prophesies that are recorded and the revelation of the Gospel that is made understandable through the Holy Spirit.
  • The genuine faith of all believers is precious in His sight because it is making us more and more like His Son, Jesus.

Finally, YOU are precious in His sight!

God wants to perfect you and me and ensure that we have genuine faith.

Philippians 1:6 says, And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

We are so precious in His sight that He can’t help but test our faith by fire so that it is refined and made to reflect His most treasured possession, Jesus.

My prayer:
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me. – Psalm 17:8-9

Precious Father, over these next weeks as we study 1 Peter, please help me graciously learn to accept the sufferings you have ordained. Help me look at them as opportunities for righteousness and genuine faith, which will be pleasing to You and inexplicably satisfying to me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.  – Psalm 17:15

If you’d like to take a deeper look at the Book of 1 Peter, join us on Wednesday evenings for our Women’s Bible Study at 6:20 PM or join our Online Study Group. We’ll be going through Putting on a Gentle & Quiet Spirit by Elizabeth George.

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Jacqueline Heider is the Director of Women’s Ministry, Prayer, & Resource Specialist at Warren Baptist Church

 

 

 

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