Blog Layout
Bountiful Blessings
Andrea Lende • May 26, 2021
I Peter 1:2
Bountiful Blessings
You can also listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Bountiful-Blessings-e11kvvk
I Peter 1:2
“Who were chosen and foreknown by God the Father and consecrated (sanctified, made holy) by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and to be sprinkled with [His] blood: May grace (spiritual blessing) and peace be given you in increasing abundance [that spiritual peace to be realized in and through Christ, freedom from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts].”
This was Peter’s greeting to the people he was writing to.
As I read his greeting, I was amazed at all the wonderful blessings we truly have in the Lord.
First, we were chosen by God.
Being chosen is, in itself, an indescribable blessing.
I write about this blessing often.
I guess it is because I don’t always feel chosen by others in this world of ours.
So, to be chosen by the Almighty God, the Prince of peace, the Messiah, is a gift beyond expression.
Second, we were foreknown by God.
He created us from the very beginning, crafted us by His hand, and has a plan for each of us.
We are blessed.
Third, we are made holy by His Spirit in order to have the ability to follow Jesus.
Jesus set the example of who we should be and how we should act.
He was kind, compassionate, loving, powerful, and wise.
He healed, taught, and brought His followers up higher in their walk and faith.
And while it may seem difficult to measure up to His standard, our verse tells us we are able through the power of His Holy Spirit.
Peter for prayed grace to be upon the people.
Grace in this verse means spiritual blessing.
Peter prayed they would have an increased abundance of spiritual blessings.
We, too, are granted these blessings.
Peter also prayed for peace to be upon the people.
The kind of peace that allows “freedom from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts.”
Oh, to be free of anxiety and fear.
We can have freedom in Christ from these disturbances through the power of His Spirit.
Lastly, the grace given us by God’s Holy Spirit frees us from willingly sinning.
Yes, we all fall short of perfection, but the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us to do better and be better.
Today I am thankful to be chosen by God and made pure and holy through the blood of His Son.
May you find the Lord is gracious to you as His Holy Spirit compasses your spirit in holiness, spiritual abundance, and peace.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for the many blessings You pour over my life. Thank You for choosing me to know You and love You. Thank You for sending Your Son to die to save me from my sins. And thank You for Your grace, peace, and spiritual blessings. You continue to grant me more than I deserve, Lord. Thank You for showing me more of You and Your ways. Thank You for leading me to more power in my life. Thank You for the peace You cover me in even as these days are full of chaos. You are with me, Lord. Your Spirit is leading and guiding me to a place of peace and rest. Thank You, Father, for all You do for me and all You are. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM leading you into My perfect will and you will continue to be covered in My grace and peace.
Response: Undeserving of such bountiful blessings, thank You gracious and Almighty God.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.