Friday Morning
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening (A Collect for Endurance – Friday)
Almighty God, whose beloved Son first suffered pain and crucifixion before entering into glory: Mercifully grant that we, walking in his footsteps, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – 1 Peter 1:1-12 (NLT)
Greetings from Peter
This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.
I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
May God give you more and more grace and peace.
The Hope of Eternal Life
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.
They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.
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Morning Reflection:
Live with Heaven in mind.
May God give you more and more grace and peace.
– 1 Peter 1:2 –
The Apostle Peter sent his letter to believers, mainly Gentiles, living as foreigners in the northern regions of Asia Minor (modern western Turkey). His purpose was to encourage those who were facing persecution for their faith to stand firm.
In today’s reading, Peter reminds us of our identity as believers: we have been chosen by God, cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and made holy by the Spirit at work within us.
+ In Christ, we have hope – because He lives, we shall live. Our new birth gave us this life. Consequently our hope is both alive within us and part of our new life in Christ.
+ In Christ, we have joy – even in our trials, because we have hope, faith, and love. Our present joy is infused with God’s glory; it’s a foretaste of the glory we will experience when Christ returns.
+ In Christ, we have a model of suffering in obedience to God. Both suffering and joy are normative aspects of Christian life.
Questions for consideration:
- Do you see yourself as a foreigner in the place where you live? How does that affect your understanding of citizenship? Please explain.
- When you think about who you are (your identity), how is your self-image shaped by what people say about you? How is your self-image shaped by what God says about you? Please explain.
- Can you think of an example when faith in Jesus Christ changed your despair into hope, your sadness into joy? Please explain.
- Do you view suffering as normative for Christians? Please explain.
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Morning Prayer: For Times of Suffering or Weakness
Dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: I hold up all my weakness to your strength, my failure to your faithfulness, my sinfulness to your perfection, my loneliness to your compassion, my little pains to your great agony on the Cross. I pray that you will cleanse me, strengthen me, guide me, so that in all ways my life may be lived as you would have it lived, without cowardice and for you alone. Show me how to live in true humility, true contrition, and true love. Amen.
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“This World is Not My Home” – Charity Youth Bible School
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Closing:
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
The Peanut Gallery 