Ahhh… Relief (1 Peter 1:3a)

Hand reaching for water.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth…” (1 Peter 1:3a). It seems that God allows me to see my desperate need for His forgiveness before I can receive his great mercy. At first, I think I’m a pretty good person, but [...]

Seeking Peace and Prosperity (1 Peter 1:2b)

Image from Microsoft ClipArt Gallery

Over the past few weeks, we talked a lot about the grace of God in bringing His salvation to the entire world, but Peter writes that he hopes his readers would have an abundance of peace as well. Sometimes we skim over these introductory remarks, hoping to quickly dig into something a little more spiritual. But if every word of Scripture that these apostles penned is inspired, then I thought maybe I’d take a little time to look at this “peace.”

The Covenant I’ve Made (1 Peter 1:2)

moroccan vase

So we’ve started a study on Peter’s first letter to the churches in Asia Minor, and we’re going to be learning how to have grace and peace in abundance. “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia…” (1 Peter 1:1). We learned [...]

Scattered and Cursed (1 Peter 1:1)

dandelion seeds scattering in the wind

My desire is to begin blogging all the way through the book of 1 Peter. This is a precious book to me because Peter wrote it as a letter to all of the strangers who had been “scattered” throughout the world, yet were now “chosen” in Jesus Christ. I am part of this number!

Furthermore, Peter writes this book to tell them how to have grace and peace in abundance. Is there anything more needed…

When the Spirit Wakes You Up

ears to hear

It is very humbling to think about how little I desire God. Throughout most of my life, it seems as if God has been seeking me out, breathing life into me, even when I resisted Him. So I’ve been pondering the methods God uses to wake me up. Obviously, the work of the Spirit of [...]

In a Season of Change

Our Home - Winter 2013

“Your word, YHWH, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you” (Psalm 119:89-91). At the breakfast table, my husband has been reading one section each morning from Psalm 119. Yesterday morning, [...]

When You Feel Like the Only One Doing Right

salmon swimming upstream

For our morning Bible reading, my husband has been reading one section each day from Psalm 119. The Psalmist declares his great love of YHWH’s commands, but he sounds a little lonely to me. “I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. My soul is consumed with longing for your [...]