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1 Peter 1:8 - Joy Like No Other!

1 Peter 1:8: Joy Like No Other!

1 Peter 1:8 (NIV) Though you have not seen him, you love him; 
and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are 
filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 

WORD STUDY

Unspeakable / Inexpressible: The joy of spiritual union with 
Christ is beyond the comprehension of the unconverted and beyond the 
ability of the Christian believer to describe. [SDA Bible Commentary] 

Full of glory / Glorious joy: Although the fullness of a 
glorified experience is possible only after the second advent of Christ, 
the Christian now may taste the sweetness of the presence of God as 
he allows his life to be directed by the Holy Spirit. [SDA Bible 
Commentary] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

   In Me you can discover Joy inexpressible and full of Glory! 
You will not find this kind of pleasure anywhere else; it is 
available only in your relationship with Me. So trust Me, beloved, and 
walk confidently along your life-path. As we journey together, you 
will encounter many obstacles - some of which are quite painful. 
Expect these difficulties each day, and don't let them throw you off 
course. Refuse to let adversity keep you from enjoying Me. In My 
Presence deep sorrow can coexist with even deeper Joy.  
   Your life with Me is an adventure, and there are always some 
dangers involved in adventurous journeys. Ask Me to give you courage so 
that you can face your troubles boldly. Keep your hope fully fastened 
on Me and on the heavenly reward that awaits you. Your Joy will 
expand astronomically - beyond anything you could possibly imagine - 
when you reach your eternal home. There you will see Me face to Face, 
and your Joy will know no bounds! (1Pe. 1:8; 2Co. 6:10; 1Co. 13:12) 
[Jesus Always by Sarah Young] 

COMMENTARY OTHER

   Peter had known Jesus Christ personally -- talked with him, 
walked with him, questioned him, professed faith in him. Yet Peter 
understood that most of the believers to whom he wrote had not known Jesus 
in the flesh. He commended their faith because they believed and 
loved without having seen the object of their faith. Certainly Peter 
remembered Jesus' words to another disciple: "Thomas, because you have seen 
Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet 
have believed" (John 20:29). The Holy Spirit enables believers to 
have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The word love is in 
the present tense, indicating a regular and continual activity. They 
were continually loving Christ, even though they had never seen him 
in the flesh. The word believe means "to trust," "to put one's 
confidence in," "to depend upon." 
   Christian faith does not focus on some abstract idea or some 
fallible person. It focuses on one person -- Jesus Christ -- who was sent 
by God to live in a fallen world and then to die for that world in 
order to save it. We, like Peter's audience, do not see him now, but 
one day our faith will be rewarded when Christ returns to take us 
home. On that day and for eternity, we shall see him face-to-face. 
Until then, we live by faith, with hope and joy. Peter says believers 
can, in this present life, rejoice with an indescribable and glorious 
joy. Rejoicing can be a present reality no matter what occurs in the 
world. The realization of the joy we will have in the future permeates 
and enlivens the present. 
   This makes no sense to the unbelieving world. Christians 
rejoice despite trials and suffering, have faith in someone they have 
never seen, and stake their lives on promises. Why? Because they know 
the Lord  
   The word "indescribable" describes joy so deep and profound 
that words cannot express it. Our joy is also described as 
"glorious," infused with a heavenly glory. While we await Christ's return, 
we are already experiencing a touch of heaven through the joy of 
our relationship with God. (Life Application Commentary) 

ILLUSTRATION

   "Why don't I have joy?" a wife asks her husband. She believes 
in God, she believes in Jesus, but is there something more? 
   It's a common question. All of life's checkpoints add up -- 
family, job, paycheck, health -- but something's missing. 
   Peter had it -- a sure, steady, and satisfying focus on 
Christ as the source. For Peter, joy was the presence of the living 
Christ in his heart and mind. 
   As you trust Christ each day and live in his company, you're 
on the road to inexpressible and glorious joy. Rise today 
expectantly; God has something more for you today. (Life Application 
Commentary) 

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

I am the resurrection and the life; all lasting Life emanates 
from Me. People search for life in many wrong ways: chasing after 
fleeting pleasures, accumulating possessions and wealth, trying to deny 
the inevitable effects of aging. Meanwhile, I freely offer abundant 
Life to everyone who turns toward Me. As you come to Me and take My 
yoke upon you, I fill you with My very Life. This is how I choose to 
live in the world and accomplish My purposes. This is also how I 
bless you with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory. The Joy is Mine, and 
the Glory is Mine; but I bestow them on you as you live in My 
Presence, inviting Me to live fully in you. (John 11:25; Mat. 11:28, 29; 
1Pe. 1:8, 9) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young] 

   I offer you inexpressible and glorious Joy - straight from 
heaven itself! This triumphant, heavenly Joy can be found only in Me. 
It is easy to slide, ever so gradually, from delighting in Me to 
living for the next spiritual "high." Sometimes I bless you with a 
taste of heaven's splendor, but the primary purpose of these 
experiences is to whet your appetite for the next life. Do not underestimate 
the brokenness of the world you inhabit. Your enjoyment of My 
Presence will always intermingle with the sorrows of living in this 
fallen world - until I take you into Glory.  
   Someday you will see Me face to Face, but for now you love Me 
without having seen Me. You believe in Me even though you do not see Me. 
This love for Me is not irrational or whimsical. It's a response to 
My boundless passion for you, dramatically displayed on the cross 
and verified by My resurrection. You worship a risen, living Savior! 
Blessed are those who have not seen Me and yet have believed. (1Pe. 1:8; 
Psa. 73:23, 24; 1Jo. 4:19; Joh. 20:29) [Jesus Always by Sarah Young] 

   I have done great things for you, so let Me fill you with 
Joy. Take ample time to ponder all I have done for you. Rejoice in My 
goodness and My greatness as you remember My marvelous deeds. Rest in My 
intimate Presence; relax in My everlasting arms. I long to fill you with 
Joy, but you must collaborate with Me in this process.  
   Do not be like a spoiled child on Christmas Day - hastily 
tearing open all the presents and then saying, "Is that all?" Every 
single day is a precious gift from Me! Search for Me within the 
boundaries of this day, and you will surely find Me. I am present not only 
in pleasant things but also in unwanted circumstances. My Joy is 
sufficient for all situations, and I adjust it according to your need. When 
things are going your way, My gladness intensifies your delight. When 
you encounter hard things, I give you a deep, bold Joy that clings 
to Me for help. Receiving My Joy requires not only time but also 
courage. (Psa. 126:3; Deu. 33:27; Jer. 29:13; 1Pe. 1:6-8) [Jesus Today by 
Sarah Young] 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Christ personally, realized through faith, is the believers 
unspeakable joy. [Wycliffe Bible Commentary] 

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness 
of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11  

VIDEO CLIP ON FINDING THIS JOY

http://vimeo.com/31489782

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2014/20140513-2116.html

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20161026-1855.html

LINK WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES AND SEMINARS

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/

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