DAY 763 - Never Lose Hope When Being Persecuted by Authorities (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

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                               Today's Reading: 1 Peter 3:17-22

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Please click this link to read 1 Peter 3:17-22

English(ESV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1 Peter 3&version=ESV

Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=彼 得 前 書 3&version=CUV

Bible Study

     Peter wants to give encouragement to those who were about to suffer under local authorities. There are quite a number of people all around the world now under severe persecution by their government. Are you one of them? 

Let's take a look at what Bishop N.T. Wright says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :

      
      We should remind ourselves of what the passage is basically all about.  It is an encouragement to people who are likely to suffer unjust treatment from the human authorities - not just, in other words, from a random act of mob violence or casual brutality, but an official, legal, persecution.  And the point that Peter is making is not only that this brings them into line with the Messiah himself, who suffered in the same way.  The point is that after his suffering he announced God's victory over all 'authorities' , particularly the ones in the heavenly places.   

N.T. Wright. The Early Christian Letters for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, p.81.

      Are you under similar kinds of persecution by your local government? How are you being encouraged by Peter's message today? 

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

    The title I heard from Jesus today is: Never lose hope when being persecuted by authorities

    The message I got from Jesus today is an assurance to all of us that Jesus is in total control no matter what. There are times we would feel hopeless especially when we are under some kinds of official unjust persecution. You may think, "How am I going to oppose the authorities, the government?"

    Peter tells us today that in God's time everything will be under the total sovereignty of Jesus. What we need to do is to wait hopefully for Jesus to come and take control. He will surely come to save us no matter how difficult it would become! May we be in submission to Jesus just as the angels and authorities in heaven.

Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us not to lose hope when we are under persecution by authorities knowing that you have total sovereignty in everything on earth and in heaven. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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This blog:
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Rev. Nicky Gumbel's daily devotion: Bible in One Year
http://www.htb.org.uk/bioy