Devotional Schedule

First, I need to apologize for not putting my thoughts up here as often as I should have been. I have been reading the Bible but not journaling them as I ought. Second, I am in the midst of a super crazy couple of weeks with my internship so rather than handicap people who are able to do their devotions while I am away I am putting up a schedule of readings. This schedule is between 2-3 weeks of readings (depending on how many you’re able to do throughout the week). I would greatly encourage you, as I am finding out, to at least get your thoughts on to paper (even if you don’t want to share them) so that you take the time to process your thoughts and get the most from God’s word. Anyways here’s the schedule:

Devotional Schedule
Day 1: 1st Peter 2:9-17
Day 2: 1st Peter 2:18-25
Day 3: 1st Peter 3:1-7
Day 4: 1st Peter 3:8-12
Day 5: 1st Peter 3:13-22
Day 6: 1st Peter 4:1-6
Day 7: 1st Peter 4:7-11
Day 8: 1st Peter 4:12-19
Day 9: 1st Peter 5:1-7
Day 10: 1st Peter 5:8-14
Day 11: 2nd Peter 1:1-11
Day 12: 2nd Peter 1:12-21
Day 13: 2nd Peter 2:1-10
Day 14: 2nd Peter 2:11-16
Day 15: 2nd Peter 2:17-21

1 Peter 2:9-17

This passage seems to be broken into three distinct sections, each of them developing from the previous.

1) Who we are (vv. 9-10)

2) What we should do about it (vv. 11-12)

3) How we should do it (13-17)

The apostle peter makes a case that since we are in Christ (who is the subject of the previous verses) and he is our foundation that we are to be separated unto God as a unique people because of that we are to live countercultural lives so that God may be glorified. In the final section the apostle Peter goes on to describe what living lives that glorify God means in its practical outworking.
The things Peter would have described would have been mind blowing for the first century believers. The emperor at the time was not just like our president who makes decisions that we may not agree with but overall is there by the will of the people. The emperor was literally killing the believers at this time; so honoring the emperor would have been a pretty tough task. Also, even though the emperor was killing the Christians it was not him and his capital punishment that they were to fear, they were only instructed to fear God.
God must be the all consuming motive for my life, not my self, my future, nothing can take the preeminent place of God. Peter emphasizes this fact here when first he describes Christ and our subsequent relationship to him, then at the end puts God above all human relationships.

I Peter 2:1-3

This is written is most easily understood as a part of the passage we read yesterday, in many ways the two should be read together. So if you haven’t done yesterday’s read 1st Peter 1:22-2:3. If you did read it yesterday, I suggest going back and re-reading it as context for today’s passage. Here’s what I got…

Yesterday the passage contained a quote from the prophet Isaiah regarding the temporality of human life and the eternality of God’s word. Peter also addresses the necessity of loving other people and loving them with a pure heart as a result of being transformed by the Bible. In today’s passage Peter continues with that same theme of how the Christians life ought to be changed by being in God’s word. Peter does not end his discourse on the bible by leaving it at “go love others”, Peter in chapter 2 gives some things that need to be removed for this love from a pure heart to exist. He says to “put away” all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. Because once we are saved we are to long after the word, to need it for daily survival and speaking from personal experience I don’t love as I ought when I am not actively in God’s word. The part about “longing for pure spiritual milk” of the passage is accounting for something that I am experiencing right now and both grateful for and ashamed by my lack of it in the past. The more I am in God’s word every day the closer I get to God (which is afforded to me, in part, due to my current job) the more I need it and the more I am drawn to it. I thank God for giving me the privilege of being in a position where I am paid to study God’s word. I feel like a kid in a candy shop or one of those guys that gets paid to play video games. I have and am currently tasting how good the Lord is, both in the salvation that he has provided through Christ and his word, where I can learn more about him.

I Peter 1:22-25

This passage almost instantly directed my mind to I John 2:9-11 which says “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” I know I am supposed to love fellow believers, but it is really helpful to see the motivation for that is not based on the other Christian (some of whom make it really difficult to love) but it must be based solely on the truth of who God is and the reality of my redemption from sin to God through Jesus Christ. When I see the massive debt that God has paid for me it is so hypocritical to hold a grudge someone else. The parable Jesus told about the unmerciful servant also comes to mind here. What is important to grasp is that when I look to God and see how awesome he is, my reaction to fellow man will be changed for the better. God is so awesome to forgive a person like me that it is only natural, that when I understand this I can try to love as he loves.

1st Peter 1:13-21

Having just got done teaching a group of kids the Genesis 1 creation account with the intent of showing them how big, strong and awesome God is I find it fitting that this is today’s passage. It not only tells of the magnificence of God as a Holy Judge, but also shows him as a father that provides grace (through the spotless lamb of Jesus Christ) to his children. This passage is a perfect continuation of the creation story in that it tells us how to respond to how awesome God is, with fear (v.17) and in a holy manner (v.16). We cannot accomplish this until we have received the forgiveness in Christ which is greater than anything that we could accomplish but it is also through this understanding of who God is, and how great he is that will ultimately cause us to fall deeper in love with him and therefore actively desire to be more like him.

In a nutshell God is huge, perfect, and omniscient. Sin is for ignorant people. God wants us to walk away from our ignorance and to be conformed to his image. So you can be associated with God or with stupidity. Not much of a choice there.

Praise God for who he is, what he’s done and his continued forgiveness.

1st Peter 1:10-12

First off, I have to apologize for failing to journal my devotions the weekend, if my laziness hindered your devotions in any way I do apologize sincerely. This is what I got out of today’s passage – feel free to post it as a comment (you can even do it anonymously!)

This passage was honestly a little bit difficult for me to grasp at first – but as soon as it clicked it was such an encouraging truth to read! This passage really leads me to feeling grateful for the time that I’m living in, not only am I able to receive the benefits of the sacrifice of Christ but I am able to be free from the law, live in a time of grace and have the completed revelation of the Scriptures. It is through these things that I am able to understand how to succeed in suffering (the reoccurring theme in the book of 1st Peter). I should not only be able to understand how God wants me to live (by understanding him ultimately and trying to live as he did) through the scriptures but I should be grateful that I live in a time where Christ has been revealed. I am in a better position that the prophets of the Old Testament in that I am able to see the events unfolded and I am able to live in result of the work of Christ. Not only should I be able to survive in times of suffering but through the work of Christ and the Scriptures I should be able to thrive spiritually, even in the bad times physically and emotionally!

Read the passage here!

We as a family are doing our devotions together, and because of the different hectic schedules we are [attempting] to use this blog as a central point to grow together (Proverbs 27:17). That being said this is not limited to our family and as long as you come in a spirit willing to learn from the Bible and grow closer to him we'd love for you to join in. We're going through the books of 1st and 2nd Peter and then eventually the book of James. Today is day 1 and we're starting with 1st Peter 1:1-9

I Peter 1:1-9 [link to the passage - http://tinyurl.com/ipeter1]
Here right off the bat we see the Apostle Peter writing with the intent of magnifying the name of God. Phrases like “according to his great mercy” and “blessed be God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ” and “by God’s power”. Salvation is a great and incredible thing, but before I focus on how great it is for me that I’ve been redeemed to an everlasting life that cannot be destroyed I must focus on how great God is for being able to provide such a thing.

Peter also touches on the major theme of this book “success in suffering” (see verses 6-9) but he also give the main motivation/power source for me to be able to rejoice in suffering; knowing the glory and sovereignty of the God of my salvation. If I can trust God to save me eternally the things of day to day life seem much more trivial.
How liberating of a thought! I can rejoice in every situation because the God that saved me is testing me that I can grow closer to him in hard times. Almost makes me want to pray for more persecution of the church in America so that we as a whole might grow closer to God through dependency on him and not our comfort!

Soli Deo Gloria