9 BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE, that you may PROCLAIM THE PRAISES OF HIM who called you OUT OF DARKNESS into His marvelous LIGHT;
10 WHO ONCE WERE NOT A PEOPLE BUT ARE NOW THE PEOPLE OF GOD, who had NOT obtained mercy BUT NOW HAVE OBTAINED MERCY."
1 Peter 2:9,10 (NKJV)
• A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy Nation, His own special person OR the people that would be treated differently.
- Such a people would not be allowed for a loose living, living a carefree life.
NOTE: If it seems the way God treats you is hard, compared with other people, even other Believers. It is because He loves you. God corrects and chastises those whom He loves (Hebrews 12:5,6). - There are some in their relationship with God that He disciplines almost instantly or immediately, whenever they did anything wrongly. He also uses the life of such Believers to prove a point.
- This usually would not be the experience of every believer, even some so-called Ministers might not experience this.
- What God permitted Job to pass through may not be allowed in the life of every average Believer.
- If some were permitted to go through that, they may deny God and curse Him to His face (Job 1:11; 2:9).
- God, however, knew Job would be able to handle it, that was why He did allow him to be tested the way he was:
"NO temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL, WHO WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE, BUT with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear IT" (1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV).
READ: Job 1:13-19; 2:7-10 - Job's life is a message, blessing, and testimony to countless numbers of people in the world today.
- Many have found solace; comfort and peace, reading through what Job did pass through and the end he eventually had (Job 42:10-16).
- The person of Job and what he did pass through have been a Joy of many generation, because he yielded himself to be used of God, for His Divine Purpose, to teach and reveal God's pattern of doing things to many generations.
- If you did allow God, what He would do through your life would be a lesson that would strengthen, edify, and bless many generations after you.
• Now, it is like such people who are severely treated do not have any breathing space or respite, they are spanked almost immediately whenever things are done wrongly by them.
- If you are experiencing what is being shared in this piece, know that God is building you, training you, and is jealous of you, He would not want you to be spoiled.
- He possibly has a great purpose or plan for your life which He wanted you to fulfil and you are being prepared towards it. Thus, He would not want you to be like others (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
- God may permit or condone some things done wrongly by others, but may not on your case.
- Those who's Christian life or journey are fraught with difficulties and challenges are peculiar and are being prepared for special purposes.
- Do not be despaired, it is for your good, you will later thank and appreciate God for taking you through that route or path—for causing you to have such an experience.
- Some other Believers who are not treated thus would think your case is strange and weird.
- They would think your life is not right, that is, you are living in Sin secretly, that is why your life has been filled with unpleasant experiences (Job 4:7-9; 11:5,6).
- Whilst some other people would want to believe you are a wicked person, that the things happening to you are the results of the evils you have done in the past. THAT the law of retribution is transpiring, or is coming up against you (1 Peter 4:4,5).
- When Paul was bitten by a venomous snake after a Sea hazard, the people of that Island, Malta, said he must have been an evil person for that to have happened to him:
3 BUT when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, A VIPER CAME OUT BECAUSE OF THE HEAT, AND FASTENED ON HIS HAND. 4 SO when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “NO DOUBT THIS MAN IS A MURDERER, WHOM, THOUGH HE HAS ESCAPED THE SEA, YET JUSTICE DOES NOT ALLOW TO LIVE" (Acts 28:3,4 NKJV). - A precious life would definitely be preyed upon by the enemy, the devil. YOU are precious in the sense that you are being prepared for a special assignment, and you are holding a strategic and significant position in the programme of God for His Kingdom on earth. Thus the devil would not want that to be, he would wants to obstruct the plan, and interrupt the Programme of God for your life.
• "BUT you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy Nation, His own special people..." (1 Peter 2:9).
- Being the fact that you are a peculiar or special person, God may not condone in your life what a natural person would do which He usually would overlook. He would not want you to soil your garment with Sin (1 Corinthians 2:12-14).
- If you knew who you are, you will appreciate your place in God (Ephesians 1:17-19). Your relationship with God will be important to you than any other thing.
- If you live holy and you are being persecuted, know that the persecutors are doing it because they desire to live for God but could not discipline their flesh and appetites for worldly things, to do it (1 Peter 4:4).
- Keep yourself from Sin, do not compromise, even when you are being persecuted. Your life is a sign and a message to the people around you (2 Corinthians 3:2,3).
- You are the light in that place where you are (Matthew 5:14-16). Your light is exposing the things they are doing secretly. They are not living Right!
- Believers are the light of the world, and light exposes darkness. Things hidden in the darkness are exposed by the light (Ephesians 5:11).
- Shine on where you are and show forth or proclaim the Praises of Him who has called you out of darkness to His marvelous light: in the neighborhood where you live, where you work, in the School you attend, and wherever you may find yourself (Isaiah 60:1; 1 Peter 2:9).
• The secret of the people of God is the obedience to the instructions given to them by Him (Hebrews 11:8).
- Know who you are in God and keep the terms of the covenant He made with you in His Word.
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!