Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
… in the hope of eternal life …
Summary: How we think about when eternal life begins affects the decisions we make. Choosing to see it as Paul does helps to keep us on the road home.
Continue reading “Titus 1:2 (a) — The Road Home”
… that leads to godliness …
Summary: Godliness is a topic of interest throughout the ages. A favorite Christmas story illustrates one way of explaining what it means.
Continue reading “Titus 1:1 (f) — A Christmas Story”
Greet one another with a kiss of love.
Summary: Peter uses one of about seven Greek words that can be translated as ‘’love.” The one he used means selfless love. The kind that Jesus shows to us.
Continue reading “1 Peter 5:14 (a) — Penultimate Ponderings”
She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.
Summary: The concept of “knowledge” is widely misunderstood. We often confuse opinions for real knowledge. When it comes to the Bible, it is important to understand that our faith is in Jesus, the person, and not our opinions about the Bible.
Continue reading “1 Peter 5:13 — Mysteries”
Stand fast in it.
Summary: Context is very important as we strive to understand God’s Word. Peter writes, “Stand fast in it.” The “it” is the grace of God.
Continue reading “1 Peter 5:12 (c) — Stand Fast”
…and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
Summary: Peter uses the language of physical strength to describe the resoluteness God gives to those who put their faith in Him.
Continue reading “1 Peter 5:10 (e) — Lighthouse”
… after you have suffered a little while …
Summary: Peter uses the word “suffering” throughout his letter. What the context of this letter tells us is that choosing to serve God rather than our flesh creates tension with the flesh. We call this tension ”suffering.“
Continue reading “1 Peter 5:10 (c) — Thorns”
… who called you to his eternal glory in Christ …
Summary: Peter outlines five callings in his letter. The first four lead to the fifth; sharing God’s eternal glory in Christ.
Continue reading “1 Peter 5:10 (b) — Called by God”
Resist him, standing firm in the faith…
Summary: The devil has ways of messing with our minds and the minds of others. We can be attacked from both directions. Our only hope in standing up to the devil is to put on the armor of God.
Continue reading “1 Peter 5:9 (a) — How the Devil Roars”
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Summary: The devil is always seeking to separate God’s chosen from the flock. He does this by distracting us from the Word and from prayer. Our safety is found only in God.
Continue reading “1 Peter 5:8 (b) — Lyin’ Lion”