QT 28 Mar 18, 2 Peter 2:10, Our condemnation is clear and our time is short

2 Peter 2:10 (ESV) — and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.

Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,

NOTE: This is my generation. We are willfully and boldly choosing to defy God. Man has always been in rebellion, but I have never seen man so defiant against God, his rules, and holiness. The context of the passage says that God will judge the evil ones. We are all evil, but there is something even worse about this willful, bold defiance and the associated scoffing. We are coming upon a terrible time of judgment that will engulf the whole world. There is no question that will happen. The only remaining questions are when and how far God will let man sink into the mire of his rebellion. God will act and mankind will be judged most severely. We need witnesses to warn the people to repent.

PRAYER: God, have mercy on my nation. I know that we do not deserve mercy. There is nothing good in us anymore. Raise up witnesses who will speak up against the unbridled sin that ravages the land. It seems too late. I pray it is not.

QT 26 Mar 19, 2 Pet 2:2-3, We are blinded to real truth

2 Peter 2:2–3 (ESV) — 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

NOTE: The fact that there are cults or TV evangelists who preach a wealth and health gospel is not an argument against but for Christianity. No one counterfeits 23 dollar bills, they counterfeit 20 dollar bills. People counterfeit what is true for sordid gain. There are many counterfeit religions, churches, and philosophies -- some even based on the bible, but there is only one true faith. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me." His words are the words of God -- absolute and true. We would do well to pay attention to his words above all the other things that are said in the world.

PRAYER: Father, open our eyes. Satan has blinded the mind of unbelievers (and probably believers or so-called believers too) to prevent them from understanding the truth of scripture. There is so much untruth and myth about the bible; there are even people who have labeled the bible as myth. Father, I pray that they may see their error before it is too late.

QT 25 Mar 19, 2 Pet 1:16, You can't ignore the eyewitness of Jesus Christ's work, death, and resurrection

2 Peter 1:16 (ESV) — For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

NOTE: This is an incredibly powerful testimony for a man who whose whole life was changed by Jesus Christ and who died for his testimony to the truth. And he is not the only EYEWITNESS who gave his or her life for the message. I've said before; second- and third-generation martyrs do not testify to truth, only to their zeal, misguided or not. But first-generation martyr testimonies cannot be easily dismissed. Islam has no first generation martyrs. Islam has no miracles. Christianity stands along among the world's religion in this regard in terms of miracles, eyewitnesses, first-generation martyrs, and proof of eternal life (the resurrected Jesus). It is historical and accurate despite the attempts to cast doubts. A reasoned investigation will prove these claims.

PRAYER: Father, open the eyes of the world to the things that they do not want to believe -- your existence, your creation, and your salvation in Jesus and Jesus alone.

QT 21 Mar 19, 2 Pet 1:10, A person can think he is a Christian but he is not

2 Peter 1:10 (ESV) — Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

NOTE: Why does a believer need to confirm his calling? Well, not for God, but it might affect three other groups: believers, unbelievers, and yourself. The latter two are the most important. Evidence of growth and change confirms that the Holy Spirit is at work within you and that you have been born again. A changed life is also a great witness to unbelievers. The qualities that Peter mentions in the preceding verses are not rules and commandments, but character qualities. A Christ-based faith is not based on rules and commandments, but on internal change that occurs within us and affects our character. Religion is based on rules and commandments, and while it affects our actions, it does not change our inner heart. Many people are confused by this important distinction, thinking they are "saved" when they are actually "lost, but religious." It also why the faith is spoken of so badly by many unbelievers, because they only see the latter, people who call themselves Christians but are just religious.

PRAYER: Father, open our eyes to our true state. Are we truly saved or just pretending? Are we pretending without even knowing it? The enemy Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers to prevent them from seeing the truth. Please, open our eyes to truth.

QT 20 Mar 19, 1 Pet 5:6, Trust God for your career

1 Peter 5:6 (ESV) — Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

NOTE: My responsibility is to humble myself. God's job is to choose the if, when, and where of lifting me up. That part is not mine nor our job. We are trust God in that. The very next verse says to cast all your anxieties upon him for he cares about you. God knows our desire, but even more importantly he knows what is best for us. Are we willing to believe he knows what is best? Are we willing to trust him? Then we need to step back and let him work. We need to be prudent. We need to work hard. We need to do our best. But we don't need to play the games of politics at work.

PRAYER: Father, help me to relax and to trust you. Sometimes I feel like I am there. And then sometimes my flesh tells me to do something that I don't need to do. Have mercy on me. Help me to rest completely in you.

QT 19 Mar 19, 1 Pet 5:2, Desire to lead is good if done for the right reason

1 Peter 5:2 (ESV) — 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;

NOTE: This is specifically written to the spiritual leaders of a church, the elders (a pastor being one of the elders). But it is good advice for any leadership position. A shepherd cares for the flock. He sees to the needs. He protects them from danger. He provides shelter from storms. He sees the storms coming. Not every decision of the shepherd is welcomed, but every decision is for their good. And he doesn't do it to get rich, but because he is called to God. He does it eagerly. There is nothing wrong about being eager to lead, as long as it is for the right reason.

PRAYER: Father, help me to understand my motives. May I confess those that are wrong. May I seek those that are correct and proper. Open my eyes. Help  me to be the shepherd that you have called me to be.

QT 18 Mar 19, 1 Pet 4:15-16, Our sin is an affront to the Holy God

1 Peter 4:15–16 (ESV) — 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

NOTE: It is good to suffer as a Christian but not to suffer for wrong as a Christian. If we suffer for our mistakes, that is our lot. And worse yet, it dishonors the name of Christ. It is not all about us, but it is also about the one whose name we carry. It is a terrible degree of selfishness to not remember that our actions are a reflection on the Holy God. We can be so self-centered that our concern is how we look and not how God looks. Victory over sin focuses on our battle within our self, rather than recognizing that sin is an affront to the Holiness of God. Disobedience in some begetting sin is a sin against God more than it is a failure of ourselves to attain victory. We see things wrong. We see even the battle with sin as a battle within us. We forget that our sin is a rebellion against the Holiness of God.

PRAYER: Father, forgive me for viewing my battle with sin selfishly. Many evil men repented of their sin. But David's response was that he had sinned against you and you only. Help me to have the attitude toward my sin. Help me to change my focus.

QT 14 Mar 19, 1 Pet 4:1-2, Live for the will of God, not for sin

1 Peter 4:1–2 (ESV) — 1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

NOTE: These are not the easiest verses in the world to understand. I think I see Peter's point in the extreme. When we suffer for a sin, we finally wake up to why that sin is so terrible. Maybe drunkenness has caused an accident or ruined a relationship. Maybe sexual sins have hurt our marriage or resulted in adultery or divorce. For the unbeliever, there may be some learning, but for the believer, it can be a wakeup call to our sin's destructiveness and our need to change. It may cause us to finally turn to God in utter repentance, crying out for help. Of course, it would be a whole lot better if we could learn without the pain, if we could call out to God in the agony of our spirit without having to learn the harder lesson. And maybe that is Peter's point, you can suffer and be cleansed from sin, or you can choose, in repentance and the power of the Holy Spirit, to put off the sin and to put on behavior (that replaces) that is pleasing to God.

PRAYER: Father, help me to see where I need to change, where I am playing with things that I need to let go. Help me to see those things, to repent wholeheartedly, and to replace those sins with activities and behavior that please you. Open my eyes to my faults.

QT 12 Mar 19, 1 Pet 3:13-14, Trust and do your best

1 Peter 3:13–14 (ESV) — 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,

NOTE: In context, this is in reference to the gospel and our personal witness. God says I am blessed even if I suffer for doing the right thing. I am not to fear nor be troubled. Once again, God is saying "trust me." He is also saying (to me), let tomorrow take care of itself, but today, just do the right thing. This has been a consistent message to me. Of course, I need to do my best. Paul says as much when he talks about all the grace given him, and he worked harder than all of them, though not him but God's power through him. I need to work hard and rely on the Holy Spirit's power to guide me.

PRAYER: Father, today I desire to rest in you. Give me your words and your power. Give me power to trust and to wait. And most of all, may I be a gracious witness of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

QT 11 Mar 19, 1 Pet 3:12, Trust don't worry

1 Peter 3:12 (ESV) —

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

NOTE: I need to trust. I need to stop worrying about things that have not happened. Yes, evil is rampant in the world, but that does not mean it will show itself in every situation. God is in control and he allows evil. I believe he allows it to remind us of our decision to be our own gods and to rule our own life, all the way back to the garden. As a result, we have evil. For the believer, we know that God works all things for good, even the evil of life. But, I don't think he desires for me to live in expectation of evil. Yes, we need to be wise, but we also need to be trusting. Deal with life as it happens, don't waste time worrying about what has not happened.

PRAYER: Father, calm my heart over the activities of the next few weeks. I really do want to trust you and not worry about the sinful actions of others. I need to trust -- help me to trust.

QT 8 Mar 19, 1 Pet 1:7, Genuine faith--how to know?

1 Peter 1:7 (ESV) — 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

NOTE: What is genuine faith? In context, it survives testing by fire. Genuine faith is interested in Jesus receiving praise and glory and honor. What is disingenuous faith? It does not do well when tested. That is not to say it is not honest or emotional, those are good qualities. I believe we all need to rail at God at times. The stoic response is not faith but the psychological response of a person trying to ignore pain in the hope he won't be hurt. Also disingenuous faith is more interested in how they are perceived than how God is perceived. They glory in their pity. They want to be seen as some spiritual giant, yet they really are a faithless ant. Let faith do its work. Recognize the pain. Call out to God in tears. Be angry at God. But in the end, know, he is the only one who really cares and is working for our best. Others want to remove the pain, God wants so much more.

PRAYER: Father, help me to support others as they struggle through times of testing. Suffering is painful, it doesn't matter the circumstances. They all hurt when you are in the midst of it. Help us to evaluate our faith during those times. It is not a bad exercise and is probably needed by all. Some of us just play the game. God, open our eyes to you and to what true faith really is.

QT 7 Mar 19, 1 Pet 3:4-6, There is great joy in discovering our God-designed roles

1 Peter 3:4–6 (ESV) — 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

NOTE: This is certainly a hard teaching in today's culture for many women. And it does seem that the type of husband makes a big difference. If the husband is not the spiritual leader of the home, then it would seem to be very difficult. But at the same time, I think there is an incredible joy in it for the woman who follows the teaching. We were created with different roles that make us special and fulfill us. We (men and women) try to find fulfillment outside of God's rules, and we never find it. We are harassed, busy, anxious, and unhappy, flitting from one thing to another to find joy in life. Jesus tells us to come to him and we will find peace for our souls. I think when we truly recognize our role, calling, and place, we experience a joy far beyond anything the world can provide.

PRAYER: Father, as a husband, help me to live in such a way that my wife finds great joy in her role. May I love her as Christ loves the church. May I sacrifice for her and make her feel special, loved, and cared for.

QT 6 Mar 19, 1 Pet 2:20, Injustice will happen, and we are to endure it

1 Peter 2:20 (ESV) — 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

NOTE: Life is not going to go the way we want it. We will be treated unfairly. It doesn't really matter what the reason is for the mistreatment. The larger question is "how do we respond to mistreatment?" God says to endure it. There is an area where I feel like I have been mistreated. It has happened now a couple dozen times. It is hard to continue to endure, and just because I have endured, does not mean it will end soon. My mistreatment is small compared to the suffering others are undergoing. But our witness is affected by how we respond to mistreatment. Jesus was mistreated. He did not yell or scream or complain or try to right the wrong. He was obedient unto death on a cross.

PRAYER: Father, it is difficult to endure an injustice or at least, a perceived injustice. I pray for strength to do the right thing, to endure injustice, and to pray for justice. My witness is far more important than this world's treatment of me. I need to remember that.

QT 5 Mar 19, 1 Pet 2:11-12, Our witness is the only bible some people will ever read

1 Peter 2:11–12 (ESV) — 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

NOTE: What a great summary of how to live life as a believer. The passions of the flesh seek to destroy and do destroy many believers. Those passions are waging war against what we should be as believers. The flesh also uses human arguments and past experiences to ruin our conduct among the unbelieving. Our conduct is to be honorable. There may be a day very soon when Jesus returns and our conduct is the only gospel an unbeliever will remember during the tribulation. What do people really think of us? What do they say of us behind our back? What do we think they say (without being paranoid about it)? We might be right. But the best question is: what do we need to change about ourselves to improve our conduct among those who do not believe.

PRAYER: Father, give me a loving, kind, strong, and honest relationship with others about my faith in Jesus Christ. Help me to show care and concern for them as human beings. I pray they would see Jesus through me.

QT 4 Mar 19, 1 Pet 1:8, Christianity has proof of authenticity but most fear investigating

1 Peter 1:8 (ESV) — 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

NOTE: This is the experience of 99.9 plus percent. We did not get to see Jesus in person on earth. We have believed the testimonies of the eyewitnesses. We have experienced the miracle of new birth and seen the change that God brings into the life of a person who has truly been "born-again." Peter is very excited, for while he saw Jesus and has experienced the new life, he so desires for others to have the same experience, but knows that no other generation will get to see Jesus in person. This is one of the great proofs of Christianity -- many people were eyewitnesses to Jesus, his life, miracles, death, and resurrection. In Islam, there are no miracles observed by eyewitnesses. There is a man who spent time in a cave and wrote down his thoughts or what he thinks he heard. He attacked caravans for their riches and failed the first three times. No eyewitness every died a martyr's death for him. The only martyrs are the ones who never met him--and second generations believers can be fooled. But Christianity is so different. The proof is inescapable, Jesus Christ lived a remarkable life, did incredible miracles of healing and physical acts, died, and rose again from the dead. Hundreds and thousands saw these acts in person. His closest friends died martyr deaths rather than retract their statements. They were never rich. They gained nothing material by their belief. They lived difficult lives but they held to their eyewitness' accounts.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for opening my eyes to the truth of the gospel. It makes so much sense. My new life also stands as a proof but those proofs are never as strong as those that Jesus accomplished on earth.