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VERITY DEVOTIONAL | ISAAC PRINCE

THE CHURCH—GOD'S SPECIAL PEOPLE

Thursday, September 5, 2024

1 Peter 2:9 NIV
[9] But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

When God sent Jesus Christ as a living stone to be the builder and the foundation of his living sanctuary on earth, human beings rejected him, and so, the rock that was originally intended to shield them from harm, ended up crushing them. But through the preaching of the gospel, a certain group of people received him as the living stone, even the rock meant for their security. The livingstone has become the cornerstone of their lives and the foundation of God's living sanctuary. All believers together are a living sanctuary within which God dwells by his Spirit.

Those who received the living stone by faith have become God's elect, his chosen generation. They are God's holy priests whom he has consecrated to be offering him hallowed sacrifices, spiritual in nature, unlike the blood of bulls and goats and other animals that were being offered in the tabernacle worship of the Jews. The chosen generation offers praises from sanctified hearts and pure lips. These consecrated priests are also consecrated kings called to display God's power and dominion on the earth. They are God's special forces selected to expand his kingdom to the ends of the earth.

These believers, named Christians, constitute God's royal family on the earth called the Church. Jesus Christ is the crown prince from whom they derive their name "Christian." The church is a sacred nation, a spiritual people descended from heaven, through whom God is executing his redemptive plan for mankind. Everyone who believes in Christ is part of the church—God's special people. And the purpose of this people is to show forth the praises [virtues, moral and spiritual excellencies, and wonders] of him who called them out of darkness into his wonderful light.

CONFESS WITH ME:
Darkness flees in my presence, because God's powerful light shines brighter and brighter through me. Glory to God! Amen!

KEY VERITY
Everyone who believes in Christ is part of the church—God's special people.

©️ SAGE PUBLICATION MINISTRY

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VERITY DEVOTIONAL | ISAAC PRINCE

HOW YOU WILL GROW UP IN THE SPIRITUAL LIFE

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

1 Peter 2:2 KJV
[2] As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby...

A new believer in Christ is like a newborn baby. Your faith isn't experienced, and so, living by faith and following the leading of the Spirit isn't going to be easy for you. You need to be guided to patiently walk in faith until your faith matures and your experience of the spiritual life develops. Then you'll be able to love others just as Christ has loved you, for love is the mark of true Christian maturity. How do infants grow up and gain weight? By constantly feeding on the mother's breastmilk! At the early stage of their lives, toddlers cry for breastmilk every two hours or every hour depending on the capacity of the toddler.

"In the same way that nursing infants cry for milk, you must intensely crave the pure spiritual milk of God’s Word. For this “milk” will cause you to grow into maturity, fully nourished and strong for life." How fast you'll grow up depends on how often you crave for the pure milk of the word. At the early stage of their apprenticeship, Jesus told his disciples to ask the Father to keep them alive with three square meals of his rhema—morning, afternoon, and evening—so that their faith would grow as quickly as possible. Truly, you can see how fast the Apostles' faith grew! (Ref: Mat 6:11 MSG)

Your intimacy with the Spirit, your understanding of the Spirit and of spiritual life deepens as often as you feast on the pure milk of the word. The "milk" that you take must be pure, meaning it must not be twisted in its intended meaning. This implies that the "milk" must come from the direct source—the Bible. When a toddler takes the milk from the mother's breast directly, it helps strengthens the bond between the child and the mother. Your bond with the Spirit tightens up as often as you take your "milk" directly from the Bible.

CONFESS WITH ME:
Dear Father, please keep me alive with three square meals of your rhema—morning, afternoon, and evening. Amen!

KEY VERITY
Feed directly from the Bible and depend on the Spirit for enlightenment.

©️ SAGE PUBLICATION MINISTRY

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Blogger: Sage Voice sagepublication.blogspot.com
Email: Sage Word
[email protected]
Enquiry: +233(0)209184429

Growing together!

Have an eye for problems, a mind for solutions, and heart for sustainable change.

In the end, the "fire" will test whether you equipped God's children for loyalty to you or for service to God and men.