I have a living hope.

Today’s Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3, NIV- “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter gives us a living hope we come to know in Jesus. Peter walked with Jesus, and 1 Peter 1:2 passes along how we may live in the abundance of grace and peace.

1 Peter 1:4 also promises that we have inherited hope that will never perish, spoil, or fade because it is a treasure kept in heaven for us. We can only lose hope when we stop looking to our God in heaven. Peter knew, as stated in 1 Peter 1:6, that we would suffer all kinds of trials.

In these trials are where we find genuine faith. 1 Peter 1:7 states that this faith has a worth greater than gold that results in praise, glory, and honor. As 1 Peter 1:8 promises, when we love Jesus, we experience an inexpressible joy.

I know that I wrote “Every Affirmation you will ever need” out of my hopes to express a way to God’s inexpressible and glorious joy in Jesus. I do not have the words to express my joy, but I do have the promise of a living hope and inexpressible joy that is found in prayer and scripture reading.

It is my living hope that others do find the salvation of their souls referenced in 1 Peter 1:9. I can affirm that I have found the salvation of my soul. It is richer than gold for sure and it gives me an abundance of grace and peace just as Peter knew.

Our lives are about serving others and not ourselves just as Peter said that the prophets knew in 1 Peter 1:12. We serve others by sharing the hope and joy we have found.

I have lived 1 Peter 1:13. When I became sober, I set my hope fully on the grace of Jesus Christ. I did not set my hopes on Him because I was holy. I did it because I had become hopeless in all other methods and ways to become sober from alcohol.

I am learning obedience by searching God’s words. For the past seventeen years God has kept me from slipping back into my old ways of living as was promised in 1 Peter 1:14 (NLT).

Living in prayer and scripture reading keeps us in God’s holiness. I have a living hope that I will keep moving forward towards the call of 1 Peter 1:16, “because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (NKJV)

1 Peter 1:25 promises that God’s words endure forever. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus grant us hope and joy that we may share with others. Loving Jesus and loving others produces a living hope that also endures forever.

Are you living in hope today?

Today’s Prayer: LORD God our hopes are alive in You. Thank You for the saving grace of Jesus Christ and for the filling of Your Holy Spirit that gives life to our hopes. Thank You for Your words that endure forever. Draw us to live with You and in Your holiness. In the hope of Jesus Christ we do pray. Amen.