OUR DAILY BREAD : READY TO SPEAK

[cimi]

July 23
Thursday


READY TO SPEAK

READ:
1 Peter 3:13-22
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Always be ready to give
a defense to everyone
who asks you a reason
for the hope that is in
you, with meekness and
fear. __1 Peter 3:15
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Lee Eclov and his wife were at a coffee shop in Estes Park, Colorado. At another table sat four men, one of whom was mocking Christianity and the resurrection of Jesus.

Lee could sense the Lord telling him to respond. But his fear kept him from doing so. Finally, he knew he had to make a stand. So he walked over to the men and began giving historical evidence for the resurrection.

How do we respond when we're in a similar situation? The apostle Peter encouraged his readers to make a commitment to stand up for Jesus, especially during extreme suffering. This commitment meant not remaining speechless when circumstances warranted them to defend their faith. He said, "Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15). Their readiness to answer required them to know God's Word. They were to respond in godly meekness and fear, so that their persecutors would be ashamed of their own conduct.

Had Lee Eclov remained silent or responded rudely, the cause of Christ would have suffered. Lee later wrote, "God has a way of flushing us out of our quiet little places, and when He does we must be ready to speak for Him." __Marvin Williams
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````````````````When people wonder about our faith,``````````````
`````````````````````What answer will we give?``````````````````
`````````````````We'll tell of Jesus who bore our sins``````````````
````````````````and shows us how to live. __Fitzhugh``````````````
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To be silent about the Savior and His salvation
is a dreadful sin of omission.

****************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Peter 3:13-22*********

13 And who is he who will
harm you if you become
followers of what is good?

14 But even if you should
suffer for righteousness'
sake, you are blessed. "And
do not be afraid of their
threats, nor be troubled,"

15 But sanctify the Lord God
in your hearts, and always be
ready to give a defense to
everyone who asks you a
reason for the hope that is in
you, with meekness and fear;

16 having a good conscience,
that when they defame you
as evildoers, those who
revile your good conduct in
Christ may be ashamed.

17 For it is better, if it is the
will of God, to suffer for
doing good than for doing
evil. 18 For Christ also
suffered once for sins, the
just for the unjust, that He
might bring us to God, being
put to death in the flesh but
made alive by the Spirit,

19 by whom also He went
and preached to the spirits in
prison, 20 who formerly were
disobedient, when once the
Divine longsuffering waited
in the days of Noah, while
the ark was being prepared,
in which a few, that is, eight
souls, were saved through
water. 21 There is also an
antitype which now saves
us__baptism (not the
removal of the filth of the
flesh, but the answer of a
good conscience toward
God), through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ,

23 who has gone into heaven
and is at the right hand of
God, angels and authorities
and powers having been
made subject to Him.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Peter, in 1 Peter 3, echoes the Lord's teaching in Matthew 5:10-
16. As salt and light in a hostile world, we are to let our light so
shine that others may see our good works and glorify our Father in
heaven. __SIM KAY TEE