Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
Summary: Faith is trusting that God will provide strength for the task at hand. Our part is to praise God through Jesus Christ.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:11 (b) — T.E.A.”
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
Summary: Peter tells us to use the gifts God has given us to serve others, in particular our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:10 — Investments”
… because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.
Summary: Peter tells us that it is possible to be ”done with sin.” The price is to stay focused on Christ and adopt Christ’s attitude toward suffering. Today we explore what this means.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:1 (b) — Done with Sin”
It [baptism] saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…
Summary: Peter says that we are saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This simple phrase describes the incredible moment in history when God opens the door to salvation through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:21 (b) — Baptism, Part II”
…when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.
Summary: Peter uses the analogy of Noah’s ark to describe baptism. Baptism is an appeal to God for a clear conscience. Looking deeper, we see it is also an analogy of our Christian life here on earth.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:20 (b) – 21 (a) — Baptism, Part I”
For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
Summary: Suffering is a part of life. When we embrace it while trusting God, we grow in faith and learn a few things along the way.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3: 17 — The Up Side of Suffering”
… keeping a clear conscience …
Summary: Our conscience is like the red light on a car’s dashboard. It tells us something is wrong. It says, “Pay attention!” If we ignore the warning, we might survive, but our conscience suffers. Each little stain of being ignored clouds our conscience and leaves a mark that haunts us until we die.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:16 (a) — Saying “No””
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.
Summary: Peter reminds us to invite Jesus into the center of our being. When your life is built around the God of the Universe, there isn’t anything that can scare you.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:15 (a) — House Guest”
… and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life …
Peter has packed a lot of instruction into this one passage we have been studying. He began by telling husbands to be considerate of their wives. Then he adds, “treat them with respect.” Before we, his readers, can even begin to form the question, “Why?” in our minds, Peter offers the answer. Because your wife is your partner, and because she is physically weaker, you must take extra care to show that you respect her. Oh yes, Peter adds, there is one other reason. Because she is an heir with you of the gift of life.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:7 (d) — The Gift”
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives…
Peter has instructed wives and now turns his attention to the husbands. He begins, “… in the same way….” In the same way as what?
To find the answer, we have to go back to Chapter 3, verse 1. Peter writes, “Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands.” Wait a minute. In the same way as — what?
If we go back to Chapter 2, verse 21, we read: “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:7 (a) — The Cost of New”