What is precious to you? Something which is “precious” is something of value
(high worth or cost). In this modern world of materialism and wickedness,
fewer and fewer people recognize the things of God as precious.
Very few people place any real value upon the Bible these days. Very few people recognize the name of “Jesus” as precious.
In fact, many people express contempt at the mention of the name of Jesus. The Apostle Peter knew that the Lord Jesus Christ is very Precious to the believer...
“Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.” —1st Peter 2:7
Jesus is Precious to me because He loves me for who I am, a rotten sinner deserving of Hell...
“For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:7-8
Jesus did for us what no one else would have
done, He gave His life for our sinful soul. I can't think of anyone that
cares about me enough to die for me, but that's exactly what Jesus did for me. Jesus sacrificed His life upon the cross for my sins because He loves me. Jesus is Precious to me because He loves me and proved it by suffering to
pay for my sins. What a Precious Savior!
Our Trials and Tribulations are Precious
The Apostle Peter also recognized his problems and hardships as precious...
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” —1st Peter 1:7
Peter realized that unshakable faith only comes from having our faith shaken. Few Christians comprehend this truth. Few believers realize that the road to a stronger faith is a road of trials and tribulations. The way to stronger muscles is not lying around relaxing. No, the road to stronger muscles is a road of painful muscle tearing and rebuilding. The lactic acid burns! I remember joining a health club after not exercising for over ten years. I had a trainer help me through all the exercise equipment. In the days to follow, I could hardly walk up any stairs. I hurt from head to toe. I hadn't felt that sore in many years. After continuing with the new exercise program for several months, the pain was minimal and I saw the muscle definition form. I felt good about myself and was able to lift large amounts of weights that I never thought I could lift. You see, no pain...no gain. Or as some say, no pain... no pain!
Well, that was many years ago before my neck started hurting back in 2004. I have suffered in horrible pain every day since 2004. I was diagnosed with multiple herniated disks in 2004. After 2 failed surgeries in 2009 and 2010, I am worse now than before, with increased sharp radiating pain in my arms and legs. I suffer with chronic toothache-like pain in the back of my neck all the time. I take 100mg. of Oxycontin per day just to cope. But do you know, this agonizing pain has brought me closer to the Lord than I ever could have imagined. It keeps me humble and drives me to prayer, because the Bible tells us to prayer in our affliction (James 5:13).
If you ask God to increase your faith, then you
are really asking God to send problems and hardships your way... because that
is the only way to stronger faith. Peter realized this truth and
esteemed the trial of his faith as being precious.
The Word of God is Precious
The Apostle Peter also recognized the promises of God's Word as precious...
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” —2nd Peter 1:4
It is through the PROMISES of God's Word that we can partake of the “divine nature.” This simply means that God's power and blessings are obtained through His promises. God keeps His promises. The rainbow is more than just a remainder to us that God will never destroy the earth again by flooding; it is a constant reminder to all humanity that God keeps ALL His promises! Titus 1:2 declares that God cannot lie. There are thousands of promises in the Bible which God has made to us.
For example: God has promised to save anyone who calls upon the Lord. Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” That's a promise from God. If we simply call upon the name of Jesus, then we will be saved. The word “call” means to go to the Lord to be saved.
Concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, Acts 4:12 declares “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Eternal life is a gift from God. Titus 1:2 tells us that God PROMISED eternal life before the world began. I know I am saved because God PROMISED to save whosoever believes upon the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31).
If you want to see God's hand of power and blessing
working in your life,
then you need to claim the PROMISES of God. Some promises are condition,
others are unconditional. The promise of eternal life is conditional,
you MUST believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ or you will not obtain it (John
3:36). God's promise to never destroy the world again by flood is
unconditional, it will never happen again, as God said.
The Blood of Jesus is Precious
The Apostle Peter also recognized the blood of Jesus Christ as being precious...
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” —1st Peter 1:18-19
Indeed, Jesus blood is wonderfully precious to the believer. Heretics such as John MacArthur are imposters, denying the redeeming blood of Christ. No true believer would ever deny the importance and necessity of the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus' literal, physical blood is the central theme of the entire Word of God; from the blood of Abel's slain lamb to the saint's robes washed in the blood of the Lamb in Revelation 7:14, the Bible preaches the blood of Jesus! Hebrews 9:22 declares that there is NO remission of sins without the shedding of Christ's blood. Hebrews 9:12 teaches that Jesus entered into the heavenly Holy Place “BY HIS OWN BLOOD.” The blood of Jesus is the ONLY way for our sins to be forgiven...
“In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” —Colossians 1:14
Thank God for the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
What is precious to you? Is Jesus precious to you? Do you cherish the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ? Do you recognize the hardships in your life as a means to a stronger faith? Do you value the promises of God and lean upon them to get you though day-by-day? Most of the people in today's world mock and laugh at the teachings of God's Word. Most people in the world today have the same wicked cynical attitude as the unbelievers who viewed Christ upon the cross...
“And they that passed by reviled Him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save Thyself. If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with Him, cast the same in His teeth." —Matthew 27:39-44
Notice the word “if” mentioned three times in the preceding Scriptures. The unbelievers continually mocked Christ by challenging His authority, power, and deity. Oh how wicked and deceitful are the sinful hearts of mankind...
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” —Jeremiah 17:9
Do you think for one moment that those unbelieving religious leaders would have accepted Jesus if He had come down off the cross? Not for a moment! They hated God unconditionally. No matter what Jesus did, the wicked religious leaders never would have accepted Him because Jesus had a good heart and was a righteous man. A man once said to me, “When God Himself hands me that Bible, then I'll believe it.” This is exactly what the heathens said to Jesus... “If you come down off the cross and save yourself, only then we will believe you.” The wicked are always placing God on trial. Romans 1:20 says that all the proof you need or will receive is outside your front door.
To the believing, no explanation is necessary; to the unbelieving, no explanation is possible!
The world's heathen will never accept Jesus Christ, just as they will never accept the righteous person. The things that are precious to us as believers are meaningless to the unsaved heathen world. Even the Gospel of Jesus Christ itself is foolishness to the unbelieving...
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” —1st Corinthians 1:18
What is precious to you my friend? Do you have God? Have you come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ? If not, please trust Jesus now.
