This amazing piece of photographic wonder is a picture of some flowers that my children have been collecting from our yard all week. The dead flower over on the right side (hanging down) is what's left of a gorgeous orange rose that appeared on the bush just a few days ago. It was our first rose of ... Read More about When Everything Is Passing Away (1 Peter 1:3-4)

"In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope..." (1 Peter 1:3b) When I was a child, my class at school memorized John 3. We would recite it each day for a month, and we had it learned by heart in no time. I remember sympathizing with Nicodemus, because I also struggled with ... Read More about New Birth (1 Peter 1:3b)

Last week I talked about the great mercy that has been given to us. In the weeks ahead, we're going to talk about how we've been given a new life, filled with amazing hope, and we'll learn how this hope affects how we live. Before we move ahead, I wanted to define some words, so that we're all ... Read More about The One We Praise (1 Peter 1:3a)

"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 I'm glad to ... Read More about Ahhh… Relief (1 Peter 1:3a)

Before we leave the introduction to Peter's first letter, I wanted to talk a little bit about peace. "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the ... Read More about Seeking Peace and Prosperity (1 Peter 1:2b)

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 ... Read More about The Covenant I’ve Made (1 Peter 1:2)

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and ... Read More about Scattered and Cursed (1 Peter 1:1)