Perfect, Confirm, Strengthen and Establish You

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Perfect,  Confirm,  Strengthen  and Establish You

As much as we plainly  and definitely  don’t want to go through  any tough times,  God our Savior  wants us to.      We are filled with fears,  tears,  trepidations,  pains,  and sorrows — and God says  we are not to worry  or be anxious,  but to cast all our cares  upon Him,  for He cares for us.

We know  we can’t conquer  any of these obstacles  in our weakness.      We moan  that it’s useless for us  to even try.      We’re into troubles  clearly over our head.      Why!?      The apostle Peter  experienced more than his share  of troubles — and he realized  why.      1 Peter 5:10 explains,

And after you have suffered  for a little,  the God  of all grace,  who called you  to His eternal glory  in Christ,  will Himself  perfect,  confirm,  strengthen  and establish you.

Then,  Peter further clarifies this truth,  by adding  in 1 Peter 5:12,

This is  the true grace  of God.      Stand firm in it!

This is grace?      Isn’t grace defined  as the unmerited love  and favor  of God for us?      What’s so loving  about making us experience  so much trouble?      Where’s the  “favor”  of God for us?      It’s hard to feel favored  in the middle of  so many sorrows  and pains.      But,  Peter did  and it helped him  to grow stronger  in a true faith.

Just a few bits  of the favor  Peter experienced  can include  the following incidents.      In Matthew 14:22-33,  it tells of the disciples  crossing the Sea of Galilee  in a storm  and seeing Jesus  walking to them.      The disciples were afraid,  but Peter wanted  to walk on water also.      Jesus said okay  and Peter started out,  but began to sink  in fear  of the waves.      In grace and favor,  Jesus saved him.      We are saved  as we call out  to Jesus.

Then  in Luke 22:31-32,  at the Lord’s Supper,  Jesus tells Peter  that Satan wants to sift him  like wheat,  but that Jesus  had already prayed  for Peter,  so that  he will be strengthened.      Jesus knows our troubles  ahead of time.      Romans 8:34 assures us,  “Christ Jesus is He who… intercedes for us.”      Knowing that Jesus also prays for us  is experiencing His grace.

Luke 22:54-62 tells us  of when Peter  was so afraid for his life  that he denied knowing Jesus three times.      Jesus forgave Peter  for denying Him.      What a humbling experience  of grace.      We also  are forgiven  for our failings.      Through all these experiences,  Peter was being strengthened  in the true faith.      He became so strong  that  when he was brought  to the Jewish Council  for preaching about Jesus,  he boldly told them  in Acts 5:29,  “We must obey God rather than men.”

Peter had been told by Jesus  that some day  he would be bound  and suffer death  because of his faith.   (John 21:18-19)      That can be a fearsome prophecy.      But,  Peter became so strengthened  by grace,  he was willing  to let God’s will  be done.      Tradition says  he was crucified  upside down  during the reign  of Emperor Nero.

The favor of God  was with Peter  all the way  purifying  and strengthening his faith.      When faith has been tested  and proven to be faith,  one becomes perfected,  confirmed,  strengthened  and established.      So,  Peter wrote  in 1 Peter 1:7,

That the proof  of your faith,  being more precious  than gold  which is perishable,  even though tested  by fire,  may be found  to result in  praise  and glory  and honor at the revelation  of Jesus Christ.

God’s grace  makes our faith  more precious than gold.      So we say,  “Hallelujah!      Lord Jesus,  You suffered greatly  that we might have  eternal life.      Strengthen us  and keep us safe  by Your grace  that we may live  to Your glory.”

Love,
Margaret

 

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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