FAITH, JOY AND SALVATION

1 Peter 1:7-9
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen a you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith- the salvation of your souls. 
 Three verse with three phrases that should grab our attention and touch our hearts. #1 the genuineness of your faith, Our Heavenly Father loves genuine faith. The childlike faith that comes when we find out that we can't save ourselves, and trust Jesus to save us. The kind of faith that needs no physical evidence. This faith is greater than physical evidence it is revealed by the Holy Spirit and strengthened through trials. Tested by fire and proven to be more precious than gold. And that's exactly how God sees our faith, "PRECIOUS." This precious, genuine faith makes the second phrase easier to grasp. #2 You rejoice with inexpressible joy. These words about joy literally mean, "unspeakable." Joy that is impossible to describe it's like having faith in Jesus who we can't physically see. The joy we have from this can't be talked about! It's impossible! Like our faith we simply experience it. We experience it in our trials when the tears come and our hearts are broken, It can't be explained but there is an over whelming peace that comes over us, "inexpressible joy." We experience watching our children as they come to faith in Jesus. We experience it as God whispers to us from His word to reveal His truths. We experience it as we praise Him in worship or when the pastor has a word from God that is just meant for us. This is "inexpressible joy!" Which of course leads me to the third phrase. #3 The salvation of your souls. This salvation is the underlying reason for "Inexpressible Joy." In this passage it is explained that we receive (present tense) salvation at the end of our faith (#1). Salvation means to deliver or rescue. We are rescued from God's wrath when we are first saved. That is past tense salvation. however it is at the end of  faith in the saving grace of God. We will be rescued when we go to Heaven to live in perfection with God. This is also salvation but it is in the future tense. I will be saved! Here we are dealing with a word in the present tense, "receiving." Could this mean that we are rescued every moment of the day? In every trial as we trust and have faith in God HE IS RESCUING US! We are being saved! Our salvation is guarded and maintained by our All Powerful God and no one can touch it! And at the end of our faith as we trust Him. God shows up and God delivers! This my brothers and sisters produces faith, joy, and salvation that is "PRECIOUS, INEXPRESSIBLE AND FOREVER!"