Tag: Book of 1 Peter

TODAY’S DAILY BIBLE VERSE

April 21, 2025

First Peter chapter 5 verse 10
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

VERSE CONTEXT

The Apostle Peter, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, addressed this epistle to believers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia—regions of what is now modern-day Turkey. These were Christians undergoing various forms of persecution under Roman rule, and many were suffering in social, economic, and spiritual isolation. Peter’s letter was intended as a pastoral encouragement to these believers, reminding them of the eternal inheritance awaiting them and the temporary nature of their earthly afflictions.

First Peter chapter 5 begins with instruction to the elders (pastors), urging them to feed the flock of God willingly and to lead by example (verse 2). Then Peter exhorts the younger believers to submit themselves to the elder and for all to be clothed in humility, casting their cares upon God because He cares for them (verse 7). From there, the warning shifts to a sobering reality: the devil “walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (verse 8). It is here, in the middle of that battle imagery—not outside of it—that verse 10 appears as a divine anchor.

Peter declares, “But the God of all grace…” The phrase “God of all grace” is more than poetic—it is doctrinal. Grace here means every kind of sustaining help and divine provision, not just unmerited favor for salvation. This God, who possesses every form of grace, is also the One who “hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus.” That calling is not only future, as in our heavenly reward, but present, because we are now partakers of that glory through Christ (see Romans chapter 8 verse 30: “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”)

Then comes the encouragement that is central to today’s verse and message: “after that ye have suffered a while…” Notice the brevity Peter attaches to suffering—a while. This is not to diminish the pain, but to remind the sufferer of the temporary nature of earthly trials in light of eternal glory. The word “suffered” refers broadly to all kinds of suffering—emotional, physical, spiritual, and even social. This means the person silently battling anxiety, depression, grief, or loneliness is not excluded.

Peter then lists four things God will do:

“Make you perfect” – This means to restore, equip, or complete. The Greek word (noted here only for context, not written) often refers to mending something torn—like a broken net or dislocated joint. God isn’t just soothing pain; He is actively restoring the soul.

“Stablish” – This means to set firmly in place, like a foundation stone that will not shift under pressure.

“Strengthen” – God gives inner resolve to stand firm under the weight of trials.

“Settle you” – This speaks of deep spiritual stability, like a house built on a rock rather than sand (Matthew chapter 7 verses 24–25).

All four of these words paint the picture of a believer who has been battered by storms but stands tall again—not because the storms stopped, but because God Himself reinforced their spiritual frame.

What makes this especially encouraging for those suffering in silence is that Peter does not speak this over a group of perfect, pain-free Christians. He speaks it to hurting people, and he expects God to intervene personally and powerfully. But notice this: Peter is not writing this privately to one believer. This letter was meant to be read publicly, reminding us that God’s comfort and care is not only personal—it is communal. The church is meant to be a place of healing, not hiding.

BROADER CONTEXT

The broader context of First Peter chapter 5 verse 10 ties into one of the central themes of Peter’s entire letter: suffering is not only expected in the Christian life—it is purposeful. And it is not meant to be endured in isolation.

This epistle was likely written between A.D. 62–64, just before or during the early stages of Nero’s reign of terror. Christians were being blamed for social unrest, mocked, excluded from economic participation, and in many cases, persecuted to the point of death. But not all suffering was dramatic. Many simply lived in quiet anguish—cut off from families, pressured to conform, and marginalized by their communities. This is no different from what many believers go through today: quiet, inward suffering that never makes headlines.

Peter writes to remind them that suffering does not mean abandonment. In fact, if we step back to examine the entire book, we see how the Spirit of God, through Peter, builds a theology of suffering for the believer:

First Peter chapter 1 verse 7: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”- Trials refine the faith of the believer like fire purifies gold. The suffering is not for destruction—it is for glory.

First Peter, chapter 2 verse 21: “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” Jesus is not just our Savior—He is our example. If He suffered unjustly, we must not be surprised when we do. But we are never alone in that suffering.

First Peter chapter 4 verse 12–13: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings…” Trials are not foreign to the Christian—they are the confirmation that we belong to Christ.

Now, back in chapter 5, Peter emphasizes that we have a spiritual enemy who would love nothing more than to devour the isolated and the silent. Verse 8 describes Satan as a roaring lion, seeking those he can destroy. But what is the lion’s strategy? Isolation. He hunts the stragglers. He wants the believer to think that no one understands, that no one sees, and that no one cares. God has not only promised to restore the individual—He has also gifted the believer with the body of Christ.

Peter opens this chapter by addressing the elders (pastors) and calling them to feed the flock—a phrase that mirrors Jesus’ charge to Peter in John chapter 21 verse 17: “Feed my sheep.” Shepherds are meant to nourish, guard, and gather the sheep—not just preach at them. Likewise, Peter calls all believers to humility, mutual submission, and care for one another.

The church is not a weekly event. It is a family, a shelter, and a place of healing. God has not only given grace from heaven—He has given grace through people. When we isolate ourselves in our pain, we reject not only comfort, but also God’s chosen instruments of healing.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714, Presbyterian) wrote concerning this verse: “The hand of God lays the burden, and the hand of God removes it. He has His own time and way of relieving His people; let them patiently wait, and all shall end well.”

John MacArthur (1939–present, Reformed Baptist) adds: “This verse is the climax of Peter’s encouragement: God Himself will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. The suffering is real, but it is never without the divine presence and a divine purpose.”

The broader context is clear: you are not alone, and your suffering is not wasted. God is working, and He is working through His people. As Galatians chapter 6 verse 2 commands, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

APPLICATION

When we hear “after ye have suffered a while…” we don’t need convincing that the suffering is real—we’ve already felt it. What many believers struggle with is not identifying the pain, but believing they are allowed to speak it. Far too many walk through the doors of church each week wearing silent burdens like invisible chains. They sing. They serve. They smile. But deep inside, they are breaking—because they’ve been convinced that suffering makes them weak, or that if they were truly faithful, they wouldn’t feel so crushed.

But this verse in First Peter chapter 5 verse 10 speaks directly into that lie: suffering is not a mark of failure—it is part of the refining path to glory, and it is the very place where God does His most restorative work. That restoration often begins when we cry out to God in private prayer—but it is not meant to end there. God never intended for His children to carry their trials alone. He gave us the church, the body, the family of believers, precisely because He knew we would need shoulders to lean on. That means if you’re hurting today, do not suffer in silence. Go to your heavenly Father in prayer and speak to Him openly—He is the “God of all grace.” There is no form of pain, grief, fear, or depression that is beyond His power or patience. But also go to your brothers and sisters in Christ. God placed you in a church not to be invisible, but to be seen, known, and carried when needed.

And if you are the one being leaned on—if someone chooses to open their heart to you—understand that you have just been invited into holy work. You’re not just being a good friend. You are fulfilling the law of Christ (Galatians chapter 6 verse 2), being used as a vessel of comfort, doing the very work God does. You become His hands, His arms, His presence. This is not a small thing—it is a sacred one.

To those reading this who are weary, wounded, or walking through something you’ve told no one about—you are not a burden. You are not weak for needing help. You are human, and you are loved by a Father who promises to perfect, stablish, strengthen, and settle you. And part of how He does that is through His Spirit in you, and His Spirit working through others.

Let the church be the church. Let grace flow through both prayer and presence. Lean in, cry out, and take comfort—not just in the promise that God is working—but in the reality that He already has provided a family of faith to hold you while He does. When you walk in the grace of that truth, the silence begins to break—and healing begins to sing.

FINAL ENCOURAGEMENT

You are not alone. Whatever pain you carry today—whether it’s anxiety that you hide behind a smile, grief that lingers in quiet moments, or burdens you’re too afraid to voice—God sees it all. And more than that, He is already at work within it. First Peter chapter 5 verse 10 assures you that your suffering is not permanent, and neither is your isolation. The God of all grace—grace that saves, grace that sustains, grace that restores—has personally called you to His eternal glory through Christ. And He does not leave you to walk this path alone.

His plan includes not only divine comfort through prayer, but also human comfort through community. So if you’re hurting, speak. If you’re weary, reach out. And if someone around you is hurting, be the one who helps carry their burden. This is how we reflect the love of Christ to one another. It’s not just comfort for comfort’s sake—it is the outworking of God’s perfect will. He is still restoring. He is still settling. He is still strengthening. He is still holding you. And He may be doing all of that right now—through the loving hands of a fellow believer.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

You are the God of all grace, and today we lift up every soul who suffers in silence. Lord, for those too tired to speak, too afraid to reach out, or too wounded to try again—we ask that You would be near. Comfort them in Your mercy. Strengthen them with Your Word. Let them feel Your presence like a healing balm on every wounded place.

And Father, awaken our hearts to one another. Teach us to listen without judgment. To hold without letting go. To be patient with pain, even when we don’t understand it. May Your church rise up as a family that carries one another with tenderness and truth. Let us be bold in compassion and gentle in love, knowing that when we lift up a brother or sister, we are doing Your work. Remind us daily that no trial is wasted in Your hands and no suffering unseen. Anchor us in Your promises and settle our hearts in Your peace.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Sustainer,
Amen.

CLOSING

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Shalom Shalom.

Serve the Lord with fear

Sometimes I look to my front, and I see obstacles. I look to my left and right, more obstacles. I look behind me and the road I used to get me where I am is now blocked and retreat is no longer an option. I am not always sure I understand why. I just know that, because I am a believer in Jesus the Christ, the bible says that I will suffer persecution. Even though I understand this, I still find myself asking why are there so many people against me, why are so many people against doing it God’s way.

When I opened up the truth and saw the first verse of the second Psalm, I was amazed. Then I read the second verse and then the third verse; I was sitting their saying, “I ask these same questions.” Let’s refresh our memories by reading that psalm in its entirety.

Psalm 2

1Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. 10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

No one knows for an absolute fact who wrote this psalm. However, it is widely accepted that it was written by King David. Many truly believe that because King David wrote in a theme, he wrote with a rhythm. This psalm has that rhythm. In addition, in the New Testament, in the book of Acts, chapter 4, verse 25, David is named as the writer, and the 2 psalm is quoted in that verse. While there is no proof of authorship, the word of those who were reading it in the time of writing the new testament are widely trusted to be doing so with a clear and accurate memory. I have no proof that when I was a child I owned a pet rock. But my memory knows it to be true. Do you believe me? I chose to believe the writer of Acts, Apostle Paul, and thus, believe that the king wrote this psalm.

Having said that, there is also some arguments as to whether the king was talking about himself, Jesus, or to both himself and Jesus. I have read the arguments thoroughly, and I have read the psalm over and over. I know that Kind David was a prophet, I also believe that Jesus is LORD. I believe there are parts of this psalm that can ONLY refer to Jesus. I believe that in verses 4, 5, and 6, David was talking expressly about Jesus. There is no man on earth, past-present-future, whose wrath will be greater than God. Oh we want to think ourselves some great equalizer but God is the creator of morality, and so only he can be the punisher of immorality. Additionally, King David speaks of “He who sits in heaven laughing and how the LORD will have his derision”, which means contempt or ridicule. No man, even King David should laugh at the man who is suffering the wrath of God. We should weep for the pain and suffering that we know awaits them. Charles Manson recently passed away. He went believing he was the anti-Christ, and also without much fanfare. For as much as he was in the news throughout his life, he should have been on the front page of the paper with the Headlines, “WEEP!!!! For his soul will forever be tormented in hell.” That is hard for us because we look at his behavior and say, “well he deserves it.” BREAKING NEWS…..we all deserve it. Not a single one of us is deserving of God’s mercy. So in this manner I believe these verses refer to Christ exclusively.

1 Peter 2

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

I believe King David refers to both himself and you and I in the rest. The first three verses are obviously about non-believers. That is a funny statement. When I say non-believers, I also refer to those who cry LORD LORD and yet obey him not. There are many who love him, they call on him, they are sore afraid of going to hell, so they claim his righteous name. Yet, these same people make friends with the world. They want the reward without the work. They want to be blessed by His hands, but use their own hands for their own benefit. They serve with no fear because they do not believe in His righteous wrath. Some say they believe in a God, but not the bible. Some believe that is is all about love and no obedience. They, I believe, are also non-believers.

 

Matthew 7
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

In this psalm these are the kings and the leaders of the nations (heathens) surrounding Israel. They sit and conspire with each other to devise ways of disobedience. The word to use their thoughts in this psalm is “vein”. As I studied this word, I found that it could be misleading. I found this comment by Albert Barnes.

Albert Barnes on Psalm 2 verse 1

“That is, which will prove to be a vain thing, or a thing which they cannot accomplish. It cannot mean that they were engaged in forming plans which they supposed would be vain – for no persons would form such plans; but that they were engaged in designs which the result would show to be unsuccessful. The reference here is to the agitation among the nations in respect to the divine purpose to set up the Messiah as king over the world, and to the opposition which this would create among the nations of the earth.”

So how much vein thinking to do I do, meaning how much do I think of that goes against God’s plans for me, thus cannot be accomplished? That stuck with me. And in that thought, I believe that when David spoke of himself, he also spoke about you and me. Again, verse one. I have looked to my north and seen those who question me not to learn more about my faith but to watch me fail in the answer, to trap me into a corner. They wait for me to say something I cannot prove to ask for proof only to fail to understand that faith is the belief in that which is not seen. They are the world. I look to the east and west and I see friends, people who claim to love and  yet they have their magnifying glasses out looking for every spot, every blemish. They point their fingers and forget about the three other digits pointing right back at them. They judge forgetting that God used some of the most broken people that have ever lived to build his church. They break my heart because I hear their words and wonder what scripture they use to support them. Their words are dressed up with support and love, yet the true intent is to break my bonds and to tear apart the cords that connect me to my God.

But then David, again, talking about his realization and giving us instruction, saves the grace of mercy until the end. In that delivery the King gives great hope, because while he talks to himself, while he instructs you and I, he talks of the salvation brought to us through the sacrifice of Christ. I am so grateful that I will forever know that my relationship with God is mine. No man, no matter how hard he tries, can interrupt my relationship with God. It is only I who can end this relationship. I am equally glad that I do not believe satan and his lies that tell me in my troubles that God forgets about his children. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him! Do not trust man, put your trust in the LORD. He will never let you down. Man will let you down. It may not be intentional, and they may beg for forgiveness, but it will happen. The ONLY one worthy of complete Faith, unbridled obedience is God Almighty. Stand strong, and do not let the enemy keep you from answering your calling.

If you stand in the mirror what will the reflection tell you about yourself, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your house, straight from the cross to the Christian!

The Carrot and Stick Principle

Its captivating to me that when I go through something, I tend to relate what I am going through, the relationships and grievances, with God. When I think of how children who do not listen to their mother, who do not use the skills and lessons that they have been equipped with to navigate even the simplest of task in the home, I tend to turn that around and wonder how God must feel when I, as an adopted child of His, refuses to do what I have been taught, refuse to use the gifts that He blessed me with, when I pick and choose what I will and will not do. If I am a small bearing in a big wheel, I wonder just how much more His feelings are amplified as the Father of all, the Father who sacrificed His son only to be used like a flashlight. To be used only when times are dark. To be minimized and placed on a shelf. To feel totally ignored and disrespected by His selfish children.

Whether you are a parent in a home, a supervisor at work, a leader in a group, a person in some position, any position of authority and responsibility, it is your job to teach, to grow, to influence, and to lead others. In these capacities, it is always more difficult to do so when just one, let alone more than one, of your flock is being disobedient. When just one person holds on to the idea that they can do whatever they want to do, come in late, wear things not an official part of the uniform, totally usurp the chain of command, fail to complete routine tasks, call in sick repeatedly, make excuses not to come to trainings and meetings, cause discord amongst the team, and so on, the task of growing and leading a team is made difficult because everyone is seeing what you are seeing and if permitted to continue, the rest of the crowd in today’s America adopts the, “well if he can do it, so can I” doctrine. It is a small percentage that ignore the negative and continue to engage the positive, even if they are alone in doing so. It’s like the one child who does right, living among brothers and sister who not only don’t do right, but make fun of and intimidate and harass the one who does. This is hard for that one. Again, I think often, how does my disobedience hurt my Father’s heart.

Throughout the bible, cover to cover, God speaks repeatedly about being obedient. As sinners, we must understand that our willful, purposeful, and deliberate disobedience causes God’s heart to mourn. Yes, mourn! He mourns because if we do not change our disobedient ways, we will surely die, TWICE!!!

Exodus 23:20-24

20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.

21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.

22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.

God starts off by stating that IF they, His children the Israelites, follow the angel, the angel that has the nature and authority of God himself, then God will bless them with the following. God starts off like this so that in a gentle way He acknowledges that man has the tendency to ignore God, and do what they want. So here God employs the early version of the Carrot and Stick principle. He wants nothing but the best for His children. But He needs them to see, ON THEIR OWN, that it is in their best interest to follow Him so that they do so willingly and without duress. God is stating to his children that if they are obedient, He himself will not let anything happen to them. He will provide victory after victory. If His children obey Him, those who oppose them, will also be the enemy of God.

Charles Ellicott states- “God is “the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” He chooses to “reward men after their works,” and to set before them “the recompense of the reward.” He “knows whereof we are made,” and by what motives we are influenced. Self-interest, the desire of our own good, is one of the strongest of them. If Israel will keep His covenant, they will enjoy the following blessings :—(1) The guidance and protection of His angel till Canaan is reached; (2) God’s help against their adversaries, who will, little by little, be driven out; (3) the ultimate possession of the entire country between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea on the one hand, the Desert and the Euphrates on the other; (4) a blessing upon their flocks and herds, which shall neither be barren nor cast their young; and (5) a blessing upon themselves, whereby they will escape sickness and enjoy a long term of life. All these advantages, however, are conditional upon obedience, and may be forfeited.”

Fast forward to almost the end of the Bible.

1 Peter 1:13-15

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

There are so many scriptures on obedience. John 14:15, Acts 5:29, Luke 6:46, and Ecclesiastes 12:13 are just some of my favorites on the subject. However, I believe these versus fit with those from Exodus. I believe in verse 13 we can clearly see God saying to us as gentiles, “If you obey me….” This is what He said to Israel, “If you choose to follow me…” When we read “Gird up the loins of your mind” and “be sober” what we read is God telling us, Prepare yourself for battle and hard work.

Gird Up Your Loins

God is saying to us…. Prepare yourselves to follow me, prepare for battle and hard work and focus on me and I will bring you victory in the face of your enemies. Don’t even think about the lusts and desires of your flesh. Listen to my voice, do what I say. Do not conform to the world, do not bow down to the gods of the world, do not follow them, do not serve them, and do not do as they say. Be Holy as I am Holy. Be obedient children not fashioning, not molding, not conforming to the behaviors of the world. That’s what God is telling you! And finally, where is the victory that God spoke about in Exodus, “hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” For the Gentile Christian, the adopted child, this is our victory. The hope, or better translated, the expectation in the salvation in Jesus the Christ. What a victory that will be.

Joseph Benson Comments- “The apostle alludes to the manners of the eastern countries, in which the men’s garments being long and flowing, they prepared themselves for travelling, and other active employments, by girding them up with a girdle put round their loins, to prevent their being encumbered by them. The loins of the mind, therefore, is a figurative expression for the faculties of the soul, the understanding, memory, will, and affections, which the apostle signifies must be gathered in and girded, as it were, about the soul by the girdle of truth, so as to be in a state fit for continual and unwearied exertion in running the Christian race, fighting the good fight of faith, and working out our salvation with fear and trembling. Our mind must not be overcharged at any time with surfeiting and drunkenness, or the cares of this life: our affections must be placed on proper objects, and in a just degree; and especially must be set on the things that are above, which are to be our portion and felicity for ever: our various passions must be under the government of reason and religion, of the truth and grace of God.”

On the hope of Christ, John Calvin states, ” For the object of Peter was to call us away beyond the world; for this purpose the fittest thing was the recollection of Christ’s coming. For when we direct our eyes to this event, this world becomes crucified to us, and we to the world.”

Obedience is not a choice. Being a Christian is not a game. It is a discipline. The world will exercise large amounts of discipline when it comes to the study, to the execution, to the devotion of many aspects of our lives. But when it comes to God, many treat it as a passing fancy. It is not something that requires effort. There is no work in faith. I know there was a time when we used to focus on faith without works is dead, but I believe we have been so heavy on the anit-works righteous movement, and rightfully so, that a negative side-effect has taken place. That is that love is all there is and that no work is necessary. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you love God, you will follow Him, you will obey Him, and you will gird up your loins, you will prepare yourself for battle against the world and against your own flesh.

Once again, in his daily devotional, Dr. Charles Stanley reports something directly to the point. “Are you trying to rationalize a decision or behavior? Perhaps you’ve offered reasons for pursuing a certain path. Or maybe you tried bargaining with God. I assure you He isn’t moved by any arguments. Remember: Partial obedience is disobedience in His eyes. And no sin is worth being outside His will.”

If you stand in the mirror what will the reflection tell you about yourself, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your house, straight from the cross to the Christian!

We need to suffer loss to value gain!

Why do I believe there is a God? Why do I believe in heaven and hell? Why do I advocate so hard on salvation and sin? There are many people walking around denying Christ because they are in control of their life, or so they think. I know this to be the truth because I used to be one of them. I know how it goes; I know what the thought process is. As long as you didn’t bring the message of sin and salvation to me, I was cool with letting people do what they wanted because I was not being blocked from doing what I wanted and I wasn’t being made to feel any kind of way about doing what I wanted. That’s a big deal to the sinner. ‘I want to do it because it is fun and makes me happy’. ‘You cannot tell me how to run my life’. The funny thing is that none of us, not a single one of us is wise enough and powerful enough to run our own lives. Some of us have to go through some terrible times before we look toward God for the help and answers He has always been ready to provide. Why do bad things happen? Could the truthful answer be so that we seek the face of God? Could it be so that we strengthen our relationship with Him daily? Could the answer be that we need to feel pain to enjoy health, endure hardship to enjoy prosperity, endure sadness to appreciate joy, suffer loss to value gain, experience blindness to truly see? Could the answer be that bad things happen because man truly believes that he is the creator, the true authority on morality, the keeper of the rules and as a result we are the ones that actually create the bad? Of course we do not create weather tragedies, but the same God that creates the flood, also draws back the water. Yes, we know not the hour of our departure from this earth, as well as the departure of others. This is not a reason to hate God, but a reason to cling firmly to the cross so we can rejoice in loss.

I have one verse for today. No commentary, just a verse and my thoughts on it. I hope you read this and see how our flesh calls us to be the old selfish man, and that the spirit calls us to rely on the holy word of God, to call out for the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1

12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Because the LORD Jesus loved us, he ordained the disciples to go out into the world and preach his gospel. They did that, and they rose up churches and created more disciples. The churches have followed that line up until this very day. God is still calling his children to preach and teach his gospel. All because he loves you. If you love HIM, you will follow HIS teachings.

I like verse 14. Notice, sin and lust are of your ignorance, meaning what you did not know. Once you have been told the truth, once you have the knowledge, Christ does expect you to turn from those ways and be mindful of Him, not your own thoughts, wants, and addictions.

As this chapter ends with verses 24 and 25, notice that Jesus tells us that relying on ourselves results in death. This is not a reference to the earthly death. This is a metaphor to eternal death. A blade of grass and the flower, they wither away and never return. To live according to man’s ways, man’s thoughts, satisfying man’s flesh is to live for a season, and then to wither away and never return. Eternal death is not just an empty space; it is a consequence for not being obedient. So eternal death will not be pleasant. Think about this, if there is such a thing as eternal life, well then there must be an experience that you will be able to comprehend for all eternity, right? Well….. what then I ask, is eternal death. Do you think that you will not know you are dead eternally? Will you have an experience that lets you know, constantly, that you are dead and you are absent from our God? I don’t think Heaven is a never never land that I won’t be able to touch, nor do I think hell will be a never never land that, after death, you just fade away into some darkness unaware of where you are. I think you will know you are not in heaven, that you are absent from the presence of God, and that this knowledge will not be pleasant.

I am a sinner. I do not believe at all that I am better than anyone else. I make mistakes everyday. But I praise God that my mind has be changed. I know where morals come from and it is not me. I know who the creator is and it is not me. I know who mends the broken and heals the sick, and it is not me. That is the difference between me and the unsaved sinner. I know I cannot do anything for myself. The sinner still thinks they have control. I have to speak God’s word if I am going to have any purpose at all. Without God, there is no purpose, just sin. I opened my eyes to one amazing thought many years ago. Satan does not care at all about me. He has one goal, and that is to cause as much pain in the heart of God as possible. You truly need to believe on Christ to know why this is important to Satan. I used to believe Satan thought that if he built a big enough Army of unrepentant sinners, he would be able to defeat God. I dismissed that thought because I now that an endless army of human souls against God is no army at all. There is no match for the powerLESS against the powerFUL. So it then occurred to me that even satan knows he will lose. His effort is not to build an army with the thought of beating God and his effort is certainly not to keep you from earning rewards in heaven, but to disconnect our relationship with our creator. His effort is to keep you from having a genuine relationship with God to hurt God because is all about himself, has been ever since being ejected from heaven. Satan wants to hurt God for hurting him. You and I are just tools in that effort. Satan could not care one inch about us or anything about us. He knows they things we long for and lust after are all things that will send us straight to hell. And that is why he makes those things look so good, and that is why he leads us to believe we can live without God, that we create morality, that we are greater scientists than God himself. He knows that as long as we are in hell, we are not with the Father, and that hurts the Father. That is the goal of satan.

We need to read these verses and truly understand that we need to rely on God before it is too late. God is the head of our lives and He needs to be at the top of our priority list, at the forefront of all our thoughts, and in every act we commit.

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!