Category: Devotions

Get rid of going behind the scenes either of your heart or behind backs with private messaging to think and speak ill of others.

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.” (1 Peter 2 v 1)

These are heart issues.

It is hard to assess and hold accountable the issues of the heart.

The exterior of the Christian can look so polished and yet masked by gifting and personality can hide the most dangerous of evils which eat away like a cancer the very soul of the one professing to have been saved. But saved from what? Are we just saved from hell? Is that it?

Salvation that Peter has spoken of in the first chapter is surely to be saved from the diseases found lurking in our very soul. A simmering anger which has lodged itself perhaps years ago, malice. Words that pretend to be helping but are fuelled by a manipulation to either expose the weakness of the other or benefit the one speaking, deceit. Linked closely is that of being a friend to everyone, complimenting much but meaning little because of a hidden agenda, hypocrisy. Looking at colleagues who have been promoted beyond you, treated and favoured better than you, who have prospered and have more than you and all this is validated by what is in the heart, envy. Speaking in corners, hushed conversations, ‘message me’, things that cannot be said in the open because of the need to protect the outward image, slander.

I wonder what the spiritual audit on those 5 things would reveal.

But that is what God sees. As a disciple of Jesus Christ who has saved you by his precious blood (1 v 18-19) you can live your whole life and not be assessed on these 5 killers of the heart.

Here are 5 questions that will help:

Who has hurt you?

What ambitions do you have?

Who are your close friends?

Are you happy?

What kind of conversations are in your text messages?

Currently I am at my denominations annual conference and there is a lot of preaching going on! It is attended by all kinds of Christians who give their life to the Bible whether as a preacher, study group leader, youth/children’s worker etc. Throughout the day God’s Word is being heard as it is throughout the nations in our churches. The Bible is a big deal for us Christians. I guess if you are reading this devotional then it would prove the point that the Bible is important to you.

It was important to Peter. He uses one passage from Isaiah 40 as a reminder to what the prophet said to the people of God who were suffering at that time and akin to what Peter’s generation were experiencing. It still applies to us today, for the Word of God spans through all generations.

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.” (1 v 22-25)

• Obeying the preached Word of God will lead to the continued positive change within you (purified/cleansed).
• Obeying the preached Word of God leads to you showing real love to others, how you speak to them and behind their backs, deeply, wanting the very best for them.
• Obeying the preached Word of God will lead to you receiving comfort, knowing He cares for you, that despite your sufferings He hasn’t forgotten about you. His power stretches throughout the generations.

So today, be reminded that the preached (in whatever form that takes) Word of God:

• Changes you.
• Conceives powerful love within you.
• Comforts you in whatever situation you are in.

The story of God is one that shows us that in our lives anything is possible.

We know that to be true because of what God has done for us and for our friends.

We know because of the salvation story.

“He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1 v 20-21)

• This salvation brought about by the blood of Jesus Christ (read the verses before) was not a crisis response to remedy the situation that sin had created. This was decided upon before the creation of the world.

This being the case it means that IT IS MORE THAN POSSIBLE that where you feel God has placed you right now was determined by Him even before you were born.

• God’s purposed decision and the timing of that revelation means IT IS MORE THAN POSSIBLE that God has still more things to be revealed and to share with you. It’s not over yet! Timing is everything.

• God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Jesus to His right hand in the ascension (glorified him) and now we believe in Him. Because God did this it means IT IS MORE THAN POSSIBLE that instead of us trusting in what the world can offer we put our faith and hope in God who turns death into life, lifts what has been brought low and performs miracle after miracle because nothing can stop God glorifying His name.

To the follower of Jesus: do you think our many failures will jeopardize our chances of surviving the judgment day when we stand before God?

^“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1 v 18-19)

Your very best obedient and holy lifestyle is not good enough to stand on judgment day.

What saved the Israelites in Egypt? Was it their blood on the doorframes that saved them from the angel of death on judgment day? NO!

It was the precious blood of the lamb.

What will save us?

The precious blood of Jesus Christ.

It’s going to be okay.

There are those today who will stand before the authority of man. They will stand before those who slander and speak against them and also those who speak the truth and judge them correctly for having failed the law and the acceptable norms of their culture.

“Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.” (1 Peter 1 v 17)

The people of God not only stand before men we stand before their Father, always.

We do not quiver at man’s authority. We stand in awe of God.

We do not panic at what will come from the mouths of man. We stand on every word of God.

We do not worry if the lies of man are taken as true nor whether their truth is the truth which leads to punishment. We stand with the One who judges impartially and holds the keys to life and death.

The world will see we are not citizens of this world, this is not our home, we are living for our Father and it can be seen in the way we speak and the way we act.

This may lead to thoughts of despair because the longer we live in this world the more we realise how many times we have failed our Father. The next verse is our saving grace but we will get there tomorrow. Today, dust yourself down and have another go, walk differently in your world and call on your Father to help you as you do.

With his hand on the Bible the king will say: “The things which I have here before promised I will perform and keep. So help me God”. We will find out exactly what he promised later. And many people will swamp social media with their opinions on what he promised and probably what the public promised too.

What kind of king will Charles be? There will be obvious comparisons with his mother. As with most human beings he will hope the public like him. Let’s pray his desire for popularity doesn’t impede on his oath.

Our personal world is much smaller than the kings. Nevertheless the citizens in our world know we are a Christian, they know we have pledged allegiance to our KING JESUS and they know we have made promises to Him.

We are under the same scrutiny.

Peter writes, “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 v 14-16)

Today whether you watch the coronation oath or not maybe you can take the opportunity to reconfirm your own oath before your King using the words of Peter:

• There is an expectation that we will have a continuance of obedience. It isn’t a promise it is a present ongoing act in the context of our personal developing world and an ageing body!
• The evil desires of money, sex and power (often accepted as the primary 3) or the evil desires of the 7 sins, pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth (Proverbs 6) or whatever list you feel a pull towards are there tempting you from the oaths you made. The Message says ‘don’t slip back …doing what you just feel like doing.’
• Be like Him, your KING JESUS. It is hard to agree on what holiness is. What is holy for me may not be holy for you. But if holiness is more about being set apart then we can come into agreement. God is separate to anything else, there is no one like Him. Yet He has given us an invitation to join Him in His separateness. We are actually called not to a list but to His Lordship, ‘just as he is’ that is the call.

Reconfirm your oath to the KING today.

So we ‘grab hold of our thoughts’ and ‘get our heads into the game’ but what we don’t do is give ourselves some kind of pep talk and become determined to perform our way through life. No! That’s akin to a yo-yo diet.

Peter says this, “…set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” (1 v 13)

Peter will call us to live holy lives but first he calls for us to focus our thinking and place our hope on His grace. Our best holiness will still need to be surrendered to his pure grace.

On that last day when each one of us stands before Jesus Christ it will not be because we have lived such holy lives that will enable us to stand. We are right now hearing of another Christian celebrity who may have lived a double life and if there are people who have been hurt because of this leader then judgment here on earth is rightly distributed. Even if we think we are far better than this leader or even perhaps you feel your life is worse, the same truth remains: the only way anyone of us will be able to stand before Jesus Christ is His pure grace not our pure works.

Grace wasn’t only given for that day when we came into the revelation of Jesus and began to follow Him having our sins cleansed; it isn’t only for today when each day is a day of His unmerited favour and blessing on our lives; it is definitely for our future when we stand before Him.

We are all going to need His grace. Grace will be there. So let’s set our hope on it today.

After telling us to grab hold of our thoughts, ‘minds that are alert’ Peter says this, “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober …” (1 v 13)

I like The Message: “get your head in the game”.

It is to set your thought patterns positively.

It is to fix your mind away from the voices of your enemy, to say, “I choose to purposely think opposite thoughts.’ We become vigilant to the opportunist accuser who is waiting to trip us up, shut us down and contain our lives and ministries.

It is to choose thoughts that choose a new path, a new way forward and a new day. We all seek those. Our thoughts take us there.

I think starting as early as you can before the day begins is essential. Before the social media kicks in and your phone starts pinging with news and messages. What will today be like for you? Make sure you are sober-minded. For one thing you can be sure of your mind will be attacked with many things seeking to stop you moving into the things God has planned for you.

Having burst out with a hymn-like opening of his letter regarding our salvation Peter starts the next section with an important word.

“Therefore, with minds that are alert … “(1 v 13)

He will write about actions that we must take including ‘’minds that are alert’ but he wants to emphasise that they all spring from the ‘therefore’ formed from salvation. We are saved because Jesus finished the work so that we can walk out our salvation and so being faithful in doing the work of God.

Here is the first action: grab hold of your thoughts.

On to my social feeds this morning came the first two messages. One had been diagnosed with Leukaemia and the other was announcing that her sister had passed away suddenly. Why do I share this that has already been shared? It is because every single day people have to struggle and some have to suffer. We all know it to some degree or the other. It is to people who know these experiences that Peter says literally, ‘gird up the mind’ giving the picture of gathering your loose garments and tucking them in with a belt in order to be more free to move.

If you want to survive the suffering then you need to grab hold of your thoughts. If you want to get through the battle then you need to win the battle of your mind. Don’t allow random, sloppy, negative thoughts to remain. Control those thoughts, defeat them, it’s a struggle but doing so will enable you to break through.

Are you ready for the next season? Are you ready for the Spirit to take you on a new journey? Are you ready for the race? Are you ready for the warfare? Are you ready for the great exploits God has in store for you? Are you ready to be used by God?

Are you ready?

Then make sure you have grabbed hold of your thoughts.

The sufferings of Jesus Christ and the glory that followed had been known before they happened. They had been revealed to the prophets by the pre-existent Christ. These prophets spent their entire ministries listening, studying Scriptures and searching the depths of their soul for the revelations of this suffering and glory. Yet Peter knew they had seen even further than the Messiah. They had revelation of the salvation that is ours.

Peter wrote to his generation who were suffering for their faith and said ‘they saw what you are going through’ and ‘this suffering’ is ‘that which was spoken of’. It is part of the foreseen salvation. Having spoken of their salvation …

“Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.” (1 Peter 1:10-12)

The prophets spoke to people in their generation and to us.

The prophets suffered but didn’t experience the glory that was to come.

The prophets spoke of the Messiah’s suffering and future glory.

The prophets spoke of the salvation that the message of the Messiah would bring.

The prophets had the Law but they longed to see the Grace.

What does this mean?

When you are struggling through your circumstance it is hard to understand what the purpose is? It sometimes seems meaningless, unfair and the questions are many.

Your salvation contains suffering and glory, it is founded on Jesus Christ, prophesied beforehand and only known to the saved. Not even angels can understand this and they do try.

In your suffering there is glory. A cursory look through the Bible and you see this message constantly. Suffering doesn’t stand alone for the saved it contains honour, worth, value, praise, His presence and ultimately heaven!