What is “very precious” in “God’s sight”?  The 3^rd chapter of Peter’s First Epistle includes a message addressed specifically to wives.    He writes, “… wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives – when they see your respectful and pure conduct” [v.1,2]

Believing wives have a vital role in living for God and for Christ – and while the husband has an even more important role in the sight of God, wives have a responsibility to influence husbands who are failing to “obey the word” to influence them by their “respectful and pure conduct.”  

    There is a human saying that contains a lot of truth – that ‘nobody ever wins an argument’ – this is because each is intent on putting their own point of view – not in listening to the other. “Respectful and pure conduct” has great power when done with a heartfelt consciousness of God.

Peter warns wives against external adornments, instead “let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” [v.4]   The phrase “in God’s sight” reminds us that God, through his spirit, sees far more than the “outward adorning” and men need to realise this just as much as women. 

We live in a world, especially the western world, in which nearly everything is now done for outward show: the houses that are built – both inside and out, the clothes people wear, and most appliances for sale,

all have a heavy emphasis on “outward adorning.”  On the other hand, we must beware of any inclination to go to the other extreme.  If we try to make a point by doing that we will fail, humility is not “outward adorning” either.

In his 5^th chapter Peter mentions another type of humility.  We read, “clothe yourselves, all of you with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” [v.5-7]  We recall what we read 4 days ago in James, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” [4 v.6]

Let us list the things which “in God’s sight” are “very precious” and make sure all, both men and women, have that inward adorning, becoming ever more conscious that God can see absolutely everything.

Peter’s letters contain so much that is appropriate to life today and the circumstances that challenge those struggling to believe and develop their faith in God. This is equally true of those who have spent a lifetime as believers but now struggle in a world that has become almost totally godless.  The world distracts us from taking “the pure spiritual milk” – and many are experiencing a spiritual famine. God’s words through Amos are so true of today, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord GOD, ‘when I will send a famine … not a famine of bread, nor thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.’ ” [8 v.11] Now think about what Peter wrote, “as newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that you may grow up to salvation.” [1 Peter 2 v.2]

Most people today have no time for Christianity, or in a God of any kind. Who can blame them for not believing in Christianity if they are to judge it by what they see of most churches today – it is a poor shadow and distortion of the message Peter and other Apostles took into the world with such energy and commitment so that the gospel became known throughout the Roman Empire: indeed Roman historians were writing about AD110-120 to testify how Nero put hundreds of Christians to death in Rome – and that was in AD64  – just 34 years (or thereabouts) after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus to heaven. How the message must have spread!

Peter quotes what we read a few days ago in Isaiah which says true believers must “offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’ ” [v.5,6 – see Isaiah 28 v.16]

Peter, like Isaiah, is building up a mental picture of a spiritual house with Jesus being the cornerstone of the building, from whom all the measurements are taken.  He makes the point, “if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good” [v.3] What is spiritual tasting like? 

So many “taste” the things that appeal to them, what humanly appeals and they enjoy!  But those fed on “pure spiritual milk” know differently!  They “come to him (Jesus), a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God, chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house” [v.4,5] The pure words of Scripture, carefully read, compared, fitted together and understood, provide “the pure spiritual milk.” It is the nutrient that leads to real growth “that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light … now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  [v.9,10]  Let us associate with those who take “spiritual milk” every day and make sure we are part of God’s “spiritual house.”

What are you going to do today?  Some people act and speak on the spur of the moment – and when they do they sometimes regret it afterwards.  We began reading the first letter of Peter today and it occurred to us that Peter’s comment to his readers about “preparing your minds for action” may reflect on his own impulsiveness in his earlier years as illustrated in the gospel narratives.

He is writing to those who had never seen or heard Jesus but who had come to believe in him and his message. He tells them they “are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” [Ch.1 v.5-7]

How genuine is our faith in Jesus Christ?  If God, in his overview of our lives sees a need to test it, we may have experienced, or may yet experience, a time of testing: this is not to weaken our faith, but to strengthen it. Nearly all of us are surrounded by self-centred people who are concentrating on their own interests, on things that are for their own advantage.  As a result they frequently, especially in the spirit of life today, end up making a mess of their lives. Consider today’s reading in Judges ch 9 when, after the 40 years when Gideon was judge after he destroyed the images of Baal and defeated the Midianites, the people turned back to their own fleshly pursuits and false gods – and tragedy followed.

Peter notes how the prophets learned “they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you.” [v.12] – in the same way believers must be conscious of the need to serve others in at least some of their actions.  We must be involved in this.  But in some countries it is difficult and challenging to do this!  This leads Peter to make the point in the next verses, “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”

“Holy” means to be ‘set apart’ from the world.  Some parts of the world create their own type of ‘Holy Men’  in strange ways, but for us we must, as we read last week, “strive … for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” [Heb. 12 v.14]   So what are you preparing your minds to do today?  Also tomorrow?

Our chapter (34) in Isaiah today clearly has some application to our days.  This is further illustrated by the way it flows into the next chapter which is so evidently a picture of life in God’s Kingdom: this chapter is often quoted and some of its verses form part of our hymns about the kingdom. The vision presented in today’s chapter has, of course, its roots in a situation in the prophet’s own time, but God causes the prophet to extend his vision much further. 

Look how today’s chapter starts, “give attention O peoples! Let the earth hear … for the LORD is enraged against all the nations and furious against all their hosts; he has devoted them to destruction … “ [v.1,2]  followed by the words  “all the host of heaven shall rot away and the skies roll up like a scroll.”   These words are seen as symbolic of the leaders, those in power in the nations, the ones the people look up to!  This is even clearer in the next verse where we read, “my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens…”  God’s sword!

Verse 8 puts the focus on Zion, God’s holy mountain. “For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.”  But why the reference in the next verse to Edom? Back in Genesis 36 v.1 we learn that Esau (the brother of Jacob) starts to be referred to as Edom. There is a parallel here to Jacob being renamed Israel.  One of Esau’s wives was the daughter of Ishmael (v.3). Esau had 12 sons as did Jacob and the detailed list of his descendants (v.9-43) shows they spread as far as the Euphrates (v.37)

This led us to ponder on the implication that at the time of the “recompense for the cause of Zion” there is a parallel event when “streams of Edom shall be turned into pitch” [Isa. 34 v.9] – and that Edom is a particular object of God’s vengeance?

The chapter ends with God exhorting all those who are seeking him in this time of great trouble, “Seek and read from the book of the LORD … his Spirit has gathered them … from generation to generation they shall dwell in it. The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom … with joy and singing … The glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God … be strong and fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance … then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped …”  

You will see we have quoted as far as v.5 of Ch.35 which illustrates the sequel from where we began to read at the start of Ch. 34.  Our reading in James 5 v.1-3 has parallel thoughts, it is about the “the miseries that are coming upon you … in the last days” and offers the powerful exhortation, “be patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” [v.8]  As the world moves closer to chaos how essential it is that we establish our hearts.

Our Bible readings today provoked a great multitude of thoughts.  Isaiah 33 is quite a mixture and may be better if it had been broken up into 2 or 3 short chapters.  Verse 2 is a delightful ‘prayer’ we can start the day with, “O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in time of trouble.”  There is a hymn which we sing that we have no other arm to lean upon – and our daily reading and meditation on God’s word should cause us to appreciate the unlimited strength of that arm.

How much did people need ‘the arm of the LORD’  in the troublous times of Isaiah when “the envoys of peace weep bitterly” [v.7].  How much is that also the case today! Maybe not in weeping, but at least in frustration.   Isaiah observes that “trembling has seized the godless” [v.14] which is happening in some places today – but it takes our thoughts to the plight of the godless Israelites that we read in Judges.  Many of these were worshipping God’s of human imagination, especially Baal and “made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds” [6 v.2] and Gideon “was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.” [v.11] 

Back in Isaiah we are uplifted by the positive vision of v.5 & 6, “The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness, and he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.”   

    When good kings such as Hezekiah and Josiah came to the throne, or good judges controlled Israel, there were times of “stability” but Isaiah is seeing beyond this to a time when “He (and she) who walks and speaks uprightly … and shuts his eyes from looking at evil … will see no more the insolent people … your eyes will see Jerusalem, an untroubled habitation, in immovable tent … there the LORD in majesty will be for us … the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.” [v.15, 19-21,24] 

They will experience “a harvest of righteousness” which has been “sown in peace by those who make peace” during their lives – as we read in James 3 v14.  And how do we sow in peace now?  James tells us, “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits … “ [v.17]  Let us “sow” – and in due time we will “reap”

Today we read the challenging second chapter of James which tells us it is not enough to just talk about our faith, it has to become evident by what it causes us to do. James bluntly wrote, “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”[v.17]  Now James was writing to believers among the 12 tribes [v.1] who were scattered abroad; obviously he had already given this message to the believers in Jerusalem. Many Jews were still struggling with issues over keeping the Mosaic law and he makes the point, “whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” [v.10] 

Abstaining from the fleshly ways of living that surround us is only one side of the matter, while this is vital, believers in every race and of every generation must realize there has to be a positive side to their way of living.  Jesus told a parable about the house (mind) of a man that was cleaned out of all bad things, but because it was left empty, tragedy followed (Matt. 12 v.43-45). We must fill our minds with God’s word.

James uses the example of Abraham, who is so often quoted as an outstanding example of faith, observing, “you see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works” [v.22].   James challengingly asks, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works”  This letter has been preserved by the Spirit, because that question is asked of all of us. 

The chapter ends with the blunt statement “faith apart from works is dead”.  In a weeks’ time when we come to read 1 John we will see how he draws a similar lesson, but expresses it a little differently, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” [1 v.6] Yes the “truth” of God’s words we read each day have no eternal value unless we put them into “practice.”

A final point that perhaps we should remember is that, as we read in Titus 3 last week, is that “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy” [v.5] which compares with Ephesians 2 v.9 where Paul says salvation is “not a result of works alone.”   We see many good works initiated in this country, but so many are not done as a result of faith in God and a heartfelt love of his word.

Our chapter in Isaiah (31) ends with a declaration by “the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.”  But, ignoring the chapter break, note the very next words, “Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice.”  Then looking on to v.17, “… and the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness quietness and trust (mg. security) forever.” 

We are aware of so many prophecies which indicate a final time of crisis when there is a God ordained “fire” and furnace” immediately prior to the time when our Lord returns to reign in Jerusalem and justice and peace are established.  But remember the question of Jesus, “When the Son of Man comes will he find faith on earth?” [Luke 18 v.8] In looking earnestly at events in the world today that seem to indicate that this time is almost upon us, the words of James we read today remind us how the faith of many believers will be under severe test!  

Recall the words last week in Hebrews, “”For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” [Ch.3 v.14 (also v.6)] So James’ words today are very appropriate – and challenging! “Count it all joy my brothers (and sisters) when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete…” [1 v.2-4]

Then, having in mind the financial anxieties now in the world , we should think deeply about the words in v.9-11, “Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.  For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass … so also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.”  Next note v.12 “Blessed is the man (and woman) who remains steadfast under trial, for when he (or she) has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

     Finally, we must add v.21 “and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls”.  Let us all read and meditate and plant thoughts from God’s word in our minds every day.

 The final chapter of Hebrews contains several straightforward statements which are just as much needed today – if not more so – as in the First Century. “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body (of Christ).” [v.3] We have been hearing quite a number of reports of members of the body in recent years – indeed in recent months – who live in difficult situations in a growing number of countries. How much will this spirit of intolerance spread before Christ returns?  This animosity is toward those who turn away from the beliefs around them to seek to believe in what is real and true.

The next verse says, “Let marriage be held in honour among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”  We are seeing increasing evidence of “free love” (as it was called when we were young).  But in the end nothing is “free” – God exacts a form of payment in judgement!  God calls marriage a “covenant;” read the message he gave through his prophet Malachi. 

“The LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth to whom you have been faithless though she is … your wife by covenant.” [2 v.14]  Real marriage is undertaken in the sight of God.  Let us beware of twisting God’s commands to try to make them different. Malachi told the people that they had “wearied the LORD … by saying, everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them” [v.17] God’s principles are being twisted more and more today!!

The next point in Hebrews is, “Keep your life free from the love of money” [v.5] and how much do most people love money today – and often borrow as much as they can to enjoy what they see as the ‘good’ things’ in life instead of having an attitude as we read in the verses which follow, “… be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”   Can you confidently say that?

 Today we came to the end of the book of Joshua, and as Moses had done, Joshua, sensing his approaching death says, “and now I am about to go the way of all the earth” [23 v.14] – now note what he then said, “…. Since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. Be very careful therefore to love the LORD your God.” [v.10,11]

What is the point about Joshua speaking about being “very careful” about their love for the LORD?  The point will become fully clear to us in a week or two when we read John’s Epistles, written near the end of his life, “Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” [1John 3 v.18]

    There is a modern saying, ‘talk is cheap’ – and how true that is, especially when it comes to politics, but for those who are truly following Christ – how different their words must be. Peter made the same point in his 1^st Epistle, he wrote, “having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart.” [1 v.22]

The final words of Joshua see him telling the nation, “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and faithfulness.” [24 v.14]  That generation did keep Joshua’s final word’s, just as those of Moses generation had heeded his words, but in Isaiah’s generation, that we also read today, we noted the telling words the Lord gave to the people of that time through him: they are, “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honour me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men therefore … the wisdom of their wise men shall perish” [29 v.13,14] The point is then made that God is the potter who made all things, but “shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, ‘He did not make me’” [v.16]  Human clay is saying this today in almost every situation

If there was a real prophet today what would God cause him to say?  We should have a clear idea of what it would most likely be!  Let us therefore “be very careful to …” 

 The Romans at first called Christians Atheists!  This is shown in the records that have been found written by Roman historians early in the 2^nd Century. Christians were seen as people who were worshipping something that could not be seen!  The Romans could see their gods, but their gods were the work of men’s hands!

These were our thoughts as we read the familiar chapter 11 of Hebrews this morning. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”   We cannot see God’s world-wide kingdom because it has not happened yet!  Things that have happened do not require faith, the evidence for them is before our eyes.  

Some 500 years ago some believers were being burnt at the stake because of their conviction that the established church was wrong – and they were preaching about this.  Those who died were convinced of this, therefore they preached about what they read in the Bible, they refused to “recant” and deny it, they died for their faith in a hope that was vitally important to them. Even today such believers who live in some Islamic countries and even some Asian countries are having a difficult faith testing time. Could it happen in all countries?

The accounts in Hebrews of those who suffered and sometimes died because of their faith, might make us anxious  as to what a strong conviction might yet bring upon us if the nation in which we live becomes totally atheistic.  

Notice the examples in chapter 11 of the different things for which people were commended for doing or saying, that revealed their faith; Enoch is a most appropriate example, we read that he was “taken” and did not see death. When Jesus returns that will be the experience of those who are faithful and alive as Paul says in his writings.(I Cor. 15 v.51,52; 1 Thess. 4 v. 17) 

What was Enoch commended for?  In verse 5 we read, “Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.” Twice in Genesis ch. 5 we read “Enoch walked with God”  

    That simple statement sums up that Enoch was commended for his commitment to God at a time the world had become very ungodly.  We read in Jude of Enoch that he “prophesied saying, “Behold, the Lord came … to execute judgement on all and convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness … and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him” [v.14,15]  

    As this world grows ever more ungodly, we will be walking in the footsteps of Enoch and showing our faith in the same way as he did – even though some speak “harsh things” against us..