TAKING UP THE SHIELD OF FAITH AND THE SWORD OF TRUTH
EPHESIANS 6:16-18
Discipleship: A Life of Diligence – II Pet. 1:1-12
How many movies have you seen in which one of the main characters, facing imminent death, rises to the occasion to give one last impassioned speech that inspires everyone else to keep pressing on? That's what we have here with Peter's second epistle. The letter is written near the end…
Wise Words From an Elder – I Peter 5
I still get emails and text messages from members of our former church up north. Oftentimes the messages include questions, prayer requests, and requests for advice or counseling. One of the ways I like to conclude my responses is to remind the other person to keep plugging along. The phrase…
It’s Not So Strange – I Pet. 4:12-19
We have been talking a lot about suffering over the last 3 weeks. Today will be more of the same. Peter spent a lot of time in this epistle discussing it. That must mean his original readers were either already suffering or expecting to in the near future. Does that…
What Are They Seeing? – I Pet. 4:1-11
Introduction – We've been talking a lot about our testimony to the lost world in recent weeks. In chpts. 2+3, Peter reminded his readers to be careful about how they lived their lives because what they do, what they say, etc. influences what the lost world thinks about Jesus. His…
A Little Perspective on Suffering – I Pet. 3:13-22
What do you think of when I mention suffering? It's an interesting concept because it is so relative. An experience you might define as suffering could be barely a blip on someone else's radar. The thing about suffering is that it is heavily influenced by perspective. Change your perspective and…
Our Witness to the World – I Pet. 3:1-12
Today's text is one that causes a lot of friction in the Church. I find it (the friction) quite disheartening and a bit sad because it's so unnecessary. God knows what he's doing. When we sidestep or reinterpret the Word to soften and align it with modern thinking, we end…
Be On Your Best Behavior – I Pet. 2:13-25
We have an idiom in English that says 'be on your best behavior'. It means to 'exhibit proper and polite conduct, often to make a good impression or to follow specific instructions to behave well in a given situation'. Parents say it to their kids (or they used to) all…
A People With a Purpose – I Pet. 2:1-12
Are you familiar with the concept behind Alcoholics Anonymous? If not, it's pretty simple. The typical alcoholic trying to change his ways is continuously tempted to drink again. AA offers a variety of support and resources to prevent being pulled back into the world of booze, including teaching alcoholics how…
Devotion: Let’s Stop the Finger Pointing – We’re All Guilty
I Jn. 2:1+2 "My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins…
Life Was Always the Plan – Acts 2:22-36
There are those who believe that God gave the Old Testament law a shot and it failed. So, he then sent Jesus to make us good people so that we could get to heaven. I get it. But such thinking is still wrong. The Old Testament law could never save…