From the Heart by B.Demaere

  So get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit.  Don't just pretend to be good!  Be done with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbing.  You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of salvation.  Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness. Malicious behavior is an action to want to do harm to someone, so relax if it is at the level of your thoughts and desires deal with it and repent, because it could become an action.  We must not just pretend to be good.  We must be done with hypocrisy and jealousy.  Those are heavy words, Peter.  Hypocrisy, this is not just good for Sunday people, but all those who try to look good the rest of the week and swear in their car at other drivers while driving.  No, but this is certainly for church people too.  Take it seriously folks! This is the Word of God.  So much anger behind closed doors, Christians swearing or smoking, harming their own bodies

Promises to Keep Devotional by B.Demaere: Stay Focused! (1 Peter 1:14-16) :   So think clearly and exercise self-control.  Look forward to the   special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ. ...

  So think clearly and exercise self-control.  Look forward to the   special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ.    Obey God because you are his children.  Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then.  But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God---who chose you to be his children---is holy.  For he himself has said, You must be holy because I am holy." Simple as that, obey God! Why? Because you are his children.  What will give you the tenacity to never give up?  You are his son, you are his daughter.  You have a good example to follow.  Our Father!  He is holy. We are associated to that example in our daily lives.  People we meet hopefully see that example reflected in us.  It is in everything we do. Now, what keeps us motivated to do all that is the looking forward of what is coming ahead.  The return of our Lord Jesus Christ and all the blessings that come with this.  Just to see him will be

This salvation was something the prophets wanted to know more about.  They prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you, even though they had many questions as to what it all could mean.  They wondered what 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 wondered when and to whom all this would happen.  They were told that these things would not happen during their lifetime, but many years later, during yours.  And now this Good News has been announced by those who preached to you 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.   How exciting it is to see that this Apostle of Hope, Peter is the one who was used to launch the Church into Pentecost and now through his writings is the one to usher us into this salvation that is still to come.  The salvation of our souls. Evidently, in his wor

Promises to Keep Devotional by B.Demaere: Trials Ahead (1 Peter 1:7-9) :   These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure.  It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold---and yo...

  These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure.  It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold---and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold.  So if your faith remains strong after  being tried by fiery 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, you trust him; now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy.  Your reward for trusting him will be the salvation of you souls. Trials Ahead : Now this sign comes up on the road, what do you do? Panic? Lose control of the vehicle? No, you look at it and decide who should be driving! Well Jesus, your turn to take the wheels.  You look at it with the right perspective.  He is bigger than any of those trials coming up.  You can no longer view trials through the eyes of fear, but the eyes of faith since it is your faith that is being tri

Promises to Keep Devotional by B.Demaere: Road Signs Ahead (1 Peter 1:3-6) : All honor to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is by his  boundless mercy that God has given us the privilege of being bor...