The Everyday Prayer

Re: Verse reading–1 Peter 1:13-25; 2:1-10 (day four)
V. 14 – “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,”  Our ignorance was the period of our life when we were not under the purifying tutelage of the Holy Spirit.  Even after we have been called into a relationship of grace and obedience, we may still revert back to our conformity with the world and its philosophies.  How many of us have repeated thoughts or ideas as truth, when, in fact, they run contrary to scripture.  We heard the pithy thought from someone we deemed reliable or smart, and adopted it as our ‘wisdom’.  A good question to ask of any truth or statement would be, “where is this found in scripture?”  God is holy…a huge descriptive word of His character.  We are to be holy, just as He is holy.  Ask God to search your heart for any deceptive thought that may reside there and to cleanse it with the blood of Christ.

Re: Verse reading–1 Peter 1:13-2:10 (Day Three)
“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house.”  Jesus gave Simon the nickname “Rock”—Peter.  For a time, it seemed as though Peter attempted to live up to what he thought the name signified: Tough, hard, unwavering, unshakable.  He was none of those things, no matter how hard he tried.  It took years of training with Jesus—not trying, but training—to teach him that God was not building a monument out of Peter’s life, but a community.  In this community, the raw materials are the lives of all of us—all “rocks” that Jesus will use when as we leave behind our aspirations to “monument-hood”, and instead accept the weathered beauty that comes as the Lord leads us through difficulty and joy in friendship with him and with one another.

Re: Verse reading–1 Peter 1:13-25; 2:1-10 (day two)
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a Holy Nation a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” In the very true nature of the God’s wonderfully complex story this is another example of how His ways are not ours.  It is so easy to look at the the descriptors in that sentence  (chosen, royal, holy) and get an elevated sense of worth.  We see fame as a lofty exalted thing to which many aspire, and all admire.  However by the end of the sentence it is clear that is not how we are to use God’s favor.  We have been made this wonderful things for a purpose; to proclaim the greatness of our God.  If we are given a chosen position it should only serve to elevate the one who placed us there.  Give Him the glory for your life today, and take whatever opportunity is presented and proclaim His excellencies so that others may come from darkness to light.

Re: Verse reading–1 Peter 1:13-25; 2:1-10 (day one)
“The grass withers, the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord abides forever. . .Therefore. . .coming to Him as to a living stone. . .you also as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house.”  (1:24-15; 2:4-5)  Unfamiliar talk for most moderns.  Easy place to “get lost”.  Peter is talking about things that perish.  Our responsibility in this world of constant change?  To build our lives on Christ as the new foundation!  Come to him is a “living stone”  Powerful/confusing paradox. “Stone” symbolizes something solid and unchanging.  “Living” suggests change and growth, flexibility.  Jesus is both!  Alive but never dying.  Soft and strong– at the same time.  Makes me wonder how much of this thinking came to Cephas when Jesus named him Peter (=rock).  See Matthew 18.  Only Christ can be both alive and eternal.  Only Christ can build our lives into something eternally, permanently good.  In Him we become “living stones”, too.

Re: Verse reading–1 Peter 1:1-12 (day seven)
Thanks everyone for being a part of RE Verse.  One of my favorite parts of FBC!  “Us. . .who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  (v 5)  It is a confidence that came to Peter after years of knowing Christ.  He was protected.  We all are.  He didn’t have to rely on his own strength.  No swords drawn in futile attempt to keep himself or his loved ones safe.  God protects His own people.  From what?  Not from suffering.  Not from temptation or sorrow or difficult assignments or even failure.  Peter’s discovery comes close to the words of Paul.  “Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.”  (Romans 8)  Through faith, God employs His power to guard, forgive, restore, encourage and discipline us toward the future.  Great comfort!  We do not rely on ourselves.  God is protecting us.

Re: Verse reading–1 Peter 1:1-12 (day six)
“obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”  (v 9)  What is the outcome of faith?  The result?  It a question that needs to be clear for every believer.  Peter says the promised outcome of faith is salvation.  Not success. . .for some will experience criticism and public shame for the sake of Christ.  Not comfort. . .for all will be called to bear a cross of pain or grief.  The only promise (and the only one that ultimately matters) is salvation.  “I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish”  (John 10:28)  In a materialistic age, we must carefully consider.  Am I willing to follow Christ with eternal life as the promised outcome?   If life is hard and the road narrow, am I still glad to follow the Lord under these gracious terms?  “What shall it profit a man, if he gains the world and forfeits his soul?”   (Matthew 16:26)

Re: Verse reading–1 Peter 1:1-12 (day five)
I Peter 1:1-2 “To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces …, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood”
Because of my ministry with teenagers, I know the answer to this question is HUGE. Identity formation is the major task of adolescence. Getting this right is crucial to SO many aspects of our lives. Mark Driscoll writes, “How you answer that question has far-reaching, belief-revealing, life-shaping, and identity-forming implications.” I believe we wrestle with this question and answer it everyday, even as adults. It seems fitting that Peter starts this letter by addressing the question. The answer (that ultimately and completely brings power and joy to the human heart) to “Who am I?” is found in the One who says He is the “I Am”.

Re: Verse reading–1 Peter 1:1-12 (day four)
Peter writes of a living hope…through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  One of the greatest promises we have in scripture is also found in our passage this week.  Verse 4 says that our inheritance in heaven is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away.  The last phrase of verse 4 says, it is reserved in heaven for you…reserved…reserved and protected by the power of God through faith!  Our salvation is reserved, sealed, protected, and promised by the power of God.  In Baptist circles, we call this doctrine ‘once saved always saved.’  What a freeing promise!  We do not have to earn our salvation…our living hope…every day.  We cannot lose our salvation.  We receive it through the work of Jesus by faith and it is protected by the power of God.  Romans 8:39 says, “nothing can separate us from the love of God.”  Thank you God for this enduring promise!

Re: Verse reading–1Peter 1:1-12 (day three)
“You believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”  To believe something is not to close your eyes against reality and pretend that it is true. Rather, it is to order your life according to that which you believe–actually to live as though it were true. If you believe Jesus Christ is alive–bodily resurrected and soon to return–you will live as if all will be well, because for those who count on Jesus Christ, all will indeed be well.  And that is what joy actually is: the all-surrounding sense of well-being.  For the Christian, everything ends with well-being.  The one who counts on Christ knows that promise.

Re: Verse reading–1 Peter 1:1-12 (day two)
I was reading this morning the words of the Prophet Jeremiah who spoke of hearts that are beyond cure. (Jer. 17:9) A very grim assessment, but so very true.  Where then is our hope if we are beyond cure?  “In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection.” (1 Pet. 3)  This isn’t about fixing what is broken, it is about newness of life.  We are granted a new heart that longs to know Christ more.  This doesn’t absolve us from suffering or the refining of our sin nature, but with a new Spirit guiding us, we now have the Hope we could never have with our diseased former hearts.  Press On.