Tag: 1 Peter

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

From time to time I'll counsel someone from the old church up north. Usually, it's nothing serious. It's more an old friend looking for some advice or encouragement. Interestingly, I often find myself offering the same advice: just keep plugging along. Just keep moving forward in your faith – even…

Peter's first epistle was written to Jewish believers scattered throughout Asia Minor, somewhere around 64 A.D., as an encouragement for them to persevere in their faith. They were being persecuted by their own people. Meanwhile, the Roman persecution was just getting started as well. The book was written from the…