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Sunday, November 8, 2009, 07:06 AM PST
[ Devotions and Bible Studies]
1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“ God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
(1 Peter 5:1-7, New King James Version)
When it comes to authority, most of us find ourselves somewhere in the middle, with some people in authority over us and others below us in the chain of command. For example, a man is head of his home, but is under the authority of the church, the government, and of course God. The wife is under the leadership of the husband, but is in authority over the children, and even the child may find themselves given temporary authority over younger children. So all of us, men, women, and children need not only to learn to have a HEART OF SUBMISSION, but we also need to learn how to lead others in a humble way that honors God.
The first group of people Peter addresses are the elders of the church, but principles of leadership he gives to them can apply to any position of authority. They are to shepherd those under them. A shepherd cares for his sheep and always tries to do what is best for them, putting aside his own wants to do wthat will most help them survive and thrive. So the elders, along with others in authority, are called not to lord over those they shepherd, but rather to serve humbly by setting an example.
Extending this principle to others in authority, husbands should not "lord over" their wives and children and try to "lead the home with an iron fist", but rather should shepherd their families, instruct them and guide them with gentleness and humility, and be a living example of godliness. Mothers should likewise be doing so with their children, and teach their children to act in the same manner if they find themselves in authority. God will be the rewarder of those who live in this way.
We also should give deference to the one in authority over us. We should ALL willingly submit to each other with a humble heart, knowing that ultimately it is God we submit to, and knowing that it will be God who will lift us up.
Often, it is difficult to submit to authority because we fear losing something we want to keep, and it can also be difficult to take up authority because we fear losing the hearts of those we are responsible for. However, we can cast those cares upon Jesus, anything we are concerned with we can give to Him, knowing that He loves us and wants what is best for us.
Lord, help me today to lead when I am called to and to follow when I am supposed to. Help me to lead in gentleness and humility, and to seek Your will above all else.
Saturday, November 7, 2009, 09:51 PM PST
[ Devotions and Bible Studies]
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now
“ If the righteous one is scarcely saved,
Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. (1 Peter 4:7-19, New King James Version)
We are in the end times, it may be tempting to look at verse 7 and think that since it was so long ago that Peter said the end was at hand, he must have been wrong. However, he wasn't wrong. In the scheme of History, it wasn't really that long ago. We have been in the end times since Christ ascended, moving closer to His return each day, and each day the signs increase all around us, indicating that His return is imminent. He wants us to continue to live our lives, but always with the knowledge that He could return any moment.
Remain watchful, see the signs around you and talk to God about them, ask Him to help you understand their significance, ask Him for wisdom, and He will give it. Continue in love, hospitality and service to another, not grudgingly, not with a grumbling heart, but rather doing all for God's glory.
Expect some level of persecution, it may come of in only in the form of mockery, or it may be full blown persecution by an evil government that wants to make it a "hate crime" to teach certain parts of the Bible, but all of us need to realize that some for persecution is to be expected. It is not unusual, but rather is a normal occurrence when one follows Christ in this fallen world.
American Christians have had it easy so far, our idea of persecution has consisted mostly of people laughing at us behind our backs, and perhaps in extreme cases to our faces. We might even occasionally get yelled at, or if you live in certain cities, beat up because you believe. But most of us have never experienced these things, for most of us, we fear ridicule and think that is persecution. However, government sanctioned persecution is coming to America, I believe that in the very core of my heart. It is very near as the world becomes more and more tolerant of all viewpoints other than Christian, and more and more intolerant of our beliefs. In many places in the world, places that have had free speech laws similar to those in the U.S. it has become illegal to read certain portions of the Bible out loud in Church, or to express publicly your belief in what those parts of the Bible teach. Our own country is fast heading down that same road. Soon, belief in the Bible will called hatred and bigotry, and teaching the Bible will be a hate crime.
It is coming, we may be able to delay it through the democratic process, we be able to temporarily fight it in the courts. Certainly God may see fit to delay it if we get on our knees and pray earnestly for revival to sweep this land. If we fast and fall on our faces before God brokenhearted, not only over the sin of unbelievers in our land, but over our own sin. Perhaps if we humble ourselves, confess our sin, and recommit to God as Nehemiah did in Nehemiah 1:5-11. Perhaps God will hear, and send revival, and delay the persecution that is heading our way. Either way, whether He grants us a reprieve or not, we must trust God, totally commit our souls to Him, trusting that He knows what is best. We must continue to do good and to walk with Him, doing all to His glory.
In some cases we need to repent of being more political than spiritual, and of being busybodies in other people's matters, and in other cases we need to repent of not using the freedom we have to influence our government, either way we must repent of not putting God first, and not travailing in prayer over the direction our nation is taking. Judgment begins in the house of God, the Church must repent of its materialism, its apathy, and its prayerlessness. Revival always begins with an awakened awareness of sin and repentance from it. Let the Church examine itself and ask God to search it and know it. Let the individual Christian look into the mirror of God's word and ask God to show us if their is any wicked way within us. Let us come to Him humbly repenting, not just in hopes of avoiding persecution, but in humility, in deep pain over having dragged Christ's name through the muck by our actions. Let us truly be sorry for having dishonored and disobeyed god. Let us come to Him humbly and repent.
Lord, I confess to You that in so many ways I have strayed from Your ways and Your word. In so many ways I have not been serious and watchful, in so many ways I have sinned and not served You with all my heart, have not loved You all my heart, mind, and strength. Lord, I implore You, I beg You, send revival. Let revival be sent to this nation, and let it begin within my own heart, right now.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 09:10 AM PST
[ Devotions and Bible Studies]
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Peter 3:18-4:6, New King James Version)
Christ's sufferings bring us into the very presence of God. Our servitude to our flesh has ended and we are made alive by the Holy Spirit to live new lives.
This same Spirit, in an act that remains somewhat of a mystery to us, is how Jesus went and preached the gospel to those souls in prison. Those Old Testament people who lived even before the establishment of God's covenant with the people of Israel, before even the flood, were now presented the gospel so that even though they had suffered the judgment of death on earth, they might have the chance to take part in eternal life. (verses 3:19 and 4:6)
Just as Noah and his family demonstrated their faith by going into the Ark, and so were saved, we by faith choose to take part in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and we demonstrate that decision with baptism. The act of baptism itself, the act of dunking our flesh into the water the water is not what saves us, otherwise taking a bath would have the same result, the death and resurrection of Christ is what saves us. It is the cleansing of conscience by His resurrection that we need, not just the cleansing of our flesh. Baptism is simply how we show our decision to take part in the resurrection.
Because Christ died and rose again for us, and because we have symbolically taken part in that death, burial, and resurrection through baptism, we should no longer live in sin. When we decided to follow Christ, we decided to die to sin, this death is represented in baptism by our body being dunked under the water, just as a dead person is placed under the ground. However, we didn't stay under the water! We didn't just decide to die to our old life of sin, we were also making a choice to live anew for God! This resurrection to new life is represented by our rising back up out of the water, just as Christ rose up from the grave. So now, having died to sin and risen again to a new life in Christ, we should not live to please our flesh, but should live to do God's will.
Enough of our past lifetime was spent in sin. We now live a new life, who wants to waste time in this new life by walking in sin?
Those who knew us in our past life think it is strange that no longer live as we used to. They may speak evil of us, but we can rejoice because we know that we have life in Christ. Our judgment for sin is finished. The penalty has already been paid. So we can rejoice over that rather than be worried about what others say about us or do to us.
In fact, rather than hating them, we can pity them, for unless they choose in this life to judge their own sin and accept Christ's payment for it, unless they choose to begin a new life in Him, their sin will be judged in the next life, and they will have to pay their own penalty. We can pity that, because we too were deserving of judgment, no better than they, the only difference being that we have recognized that and have accepted the free gift of salvation.
So we should pray for them and try to live lives that point them to Jesus.
Lord, I praise you that you have given me new life in You. I thank you so much for this free gift Lord. I did nothing to earn it, could do nothing to earn it if I tried. I am saved, and can't become more saved or less saved by my works, praise you for that Lord, because surely I'd mess up and end up "less saved" if that were the case! However Lord, Your word does teach that my works matter, not in the sense of earning my salvation, but in the sense of glorifying You, and being used by You to draw others to Your Kingdom. Help me Lord to glorify You today in all that I do, all that I think, and all that I say. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 07:06 AM PST
[ Devotions and Bible Studies]
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For
“ He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”
13 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:8-17, New King James Version)
Love should be the primary factor in our relationships to one another, this will show itself in the big ways like having compassion, but perhaps even more so in the small everyday things. Things like being courteous, showing manners, making that phone call if you're not going to be able to do what said you would do, or opening the door for the person who has their full. While small, "common courtesy" type of things, these very things are what is so easy to overlook, and are things that in today's world are becoming far from common. We need to practice these little, everyday things, not just because we were taught to, but because we are seeking to glorify God and shine His light.
We also should not be seeking to "get back at" others, but always to try to bless. The principle of doing good and blessing those around us is found throughout scripture, Old Testament and New.
If we live this way, always treating others with respect and courtesy, and always seeking to bless others, it is much less likely that anyone will hate us and try to hurt us, however if it does happen we at least have the blessing of a clear conscience, the knowledge that we are suffering for righteousness and not for our own sin. This will give us great hope through the trial of mistreatment, and will prompt questions from those around us. Questions such as how we continue to love those who treat us so badly, and how we endure such mistreatment with patience, and how we continue to have hope even in situations that seem hopeless.
Of course the reason for our hope is Jesus Christ and the fact that He died for us and purchased our salvation, and that He promises not only life eternal and abundant, but even promises additional reward for those who suffer for His name. Often I hear this verse (vs. 15) interpreted that we should study the Bible intently so we are ready to to give an answer, of course that is true, but in the context of this verse I think it is more about having a clean conscience and a good witness, so that we are ready to share whenever asked. If we live as God calls us to, we will always be ready to share this, never feeling that we need to hold back because our actions condemn us as hypocrites. Instead, with a clean conscience we can share Christ, knowing that we have lived out our faith.
Praise God for His awesome gift of salvation. May we do all we can to share this gift with others.
Praise you Lord that You have given me the gift of salvation and a true and living hope in You. Help me to live today in such a way that I will always be ready to share the reason for my hope.
Thursday, October 29, 2009, 11:16 PM PST
[ Devotions and Bible Studies]
18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
22 “ Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 2:18-3:7, New King James Version)
This passage deals with submission, it begins by mentioning servants and masters. In that culture, a servant had no choice but to stay with his master, but if a master was harsh and impossible to please, the servant would probably be tempted to only obey when the master was looking, and to do the bare minimum required of him, because he would have no love for the cruel master.
But Peter tells the servants, "No, submit to your master in your heart, serve him joyfully."
God's word does not address the question of whether this situation of slaves and masters is right or wrong, because God is concerned with each individual's heart. Slavery in that culture was a fact, and God chooses in His word to reveal how His children, even those who are enslaved, can live within the situation and station in life they find themselves in.
The answer is that each one is to live righteously, even if those around them are not, each one is to continue serving God and doing what is right, even when life isn't fair and they are treated unjustly. Each one is to do all that they do as if it is being done for God Himself, because indeed it is being done for God, that through the humble example of a submitted, faithful, and even loving heart, God would be glorified and the master would be drawn to Him.
Since some masters were cruel and harsh, loving and submitting to them was not an easy task, but Christ, dwelling within the servant would enable him to do so. The suffering that Christ went through is pointed to, basically saying, "If Christ went through so much in order for you to be saved, isn't it right that you be willing to suffer in order that your master may be drawn to Him and be saved as well?"
After addressing servants, Peter addresses wives, and tells them to submit to their husbands. A woman's position in that society was not much better than a slaves, and again, the issue of whether that is right or wrong is not really addressed. Instead God's word focuses on telling women who knew Him how to best serve Him where they were at. Again the purpose is clear, submit in order that others may be drawn to the Lord.
Submission is a hard thing to do, and is even hard to understand at times. It is something that comes from the heart as a sacrifice to God. The servant who "submits" only to avoid a beating is not truly submissive. True submission is not something forced upon another, true submission to any other person comes from a heart that is submitted first to God and to His will. Since His will is to draw others to Him, submitting to another for that purpose is not so difficult to a heart that is submitted to God. It is a freewill offering.
Many changes have happened in culture, and most of us do live on either side of the slave-master relationship. Also, the position of women in society has been elevated to where she is now on equal footing with her husband, but that does not mean this passage has no direction for us today. We are still called to have gentle submissive hearts. Submitting first to God's will and then to others, not insisting upon our rights, but yielding them up in order for God to be glorified.
And lest anyone should think that this applies only to slaves or to women, consider the following:
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. (Ephesians 5:25-29, New King James Version)
Notice that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church. How did Christ love the church? He gave up all of His rights, He gave Himself wholly in order to save her.
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God. (Ephesians 5:15-21, New King James Version)
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“ God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
(1 Peter 5:5, New King James Version)
You can see in these last two verses that the command is given to the entire Church to submit to one another. God calls all of us thave gentle submissive hearts that are willing to yield our own interests and rights in order to glorify God and draw others to Him. Whether it is woman yielding to her husband, a person serving their employer faithfully even when no one sees or seems to appreciate it, or a husband yielding up his rights for the good of his family, we are ALL called to put the good of others before our own good. Lord, I know I have a rebellious heart, as soon as I am told I cannot do something, I want to do it even more. Submission is hard for me Lord, I've watched out for myself since I was a child, and it is hard to give up control. I choose to submit myself to You Lord, and ask that You will give me the strength to live up to that decision. In submitting to You, I am choosing to put others before myself, because that is what You ask of me. Help me in this Lord, because I know I can't do it on my own.
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Devotions and Bible Studies Posts
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