Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 7


RIPPLES OF HOPE

READ:
1 Peter 1:3
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In his great mercy
He has given us
new birth into a
living hope through
the resurrection of
Jesus Christ.
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In 1966, U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy made an influential visit to South Africa. There he offered words of hope to opponents of apartheid n his famous "Ripple of Hope" speech at the University of Cape Town. In his speech, he declared, "Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance"
at times in this world, hope seems scarce. yet there is an ultimate hope readily available for the follower of Christ. Peter wrote, "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 from the dead" (1 PETER 1:3).

Through the certainty of Christ's resurrection, the child of God has a hope that is more than a ripple. It is an
overwhelming current of confidence in the faithfulness of the One who conquered death for us. Jesus, in His victory over death__our greatest enemy__can infuse hope into the most hopeless of situations. __Bill Crowder

**My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
__Edward Mote
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In Christ the hopeless find hope.

*********************************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Peter 1:3-9**********************************
3 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
from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never
perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for
you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until
the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in
the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for
a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of
trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of
your faith__of greater worth than gold, which perishes even
though refined by fire__may result in praise, glory and honor
when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him,
you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you
believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious
joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the
salvation of your souls.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Peter wrote this letter to encourage believers
in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) who were suffering because
of persecution. He tells them that their sufferings serve a divine
purpose by proving the genuineness and quality of their faith
(1:7). These believers can "greatly rejoice" (v,6) because they have
"a living hope" that is eternal, guaranteed by the risen Christ,
and divinely reserved by God (vv. 3-4). Suffering believers have
the privilege of following Jesus' example 92:21), participating not
only in His sufferings, but also in His glory (1:7; 4:13). They have the
opportunity and responsibility to tell others about their living
hope (3:15). __Sim Kay Tee