First Peter

I'm reading through the Bible this year. I've done it only once before. I've read most of the Bible many times but there are parts I just avoid. But I read a blog telling how she read the Bible through last year but didn't handcuff herself to reading a certain amount each day or even reading the lists verbatim. She said it freed her to really read the Bible. I like that idea so I'm trying it. I've started many times but failed in frustration and guilt. Not this year, baby! I read Nehemiah today. Esther tomorrow and then on to Job.

A couple of books in the NT I've avoided over the years are the epistles of First and Second Peter. I'm not sure why. I've read them a few times; I don't think I have ever preached from them. I do have a few memory verses from them, though. But I am using First Peter as the text for the Wednesday night Bible study. I've wanted to do that a few times but never really got into it. That's a terrible confession for a preacher.

On Wednesday night I usually give a devotional message for about 20-30 minutes. But I'm doing First Peter verse by verse and I'm excited about the studies. Week 1 was 1 Peter 1:1-2. Week 2 was 1 Peter 1:3-5. Tonight was Week 3: 1 Peter 1:6-9. At this rate, I'll be here for a while but I'm loving it. The Week 1 "main thing" was that we are God's chosen strangers in this world. God chose us to be aliens. He initiated our salvation, the Holy Spirit drew us to salvation, and the blood of Jesus washed away our sins. What a trinitarian statement!

Last week's main thing was that salvation is an inheritance, a gift, that culminates in glorification when Christ returns. What great hope there is in Christianity! No other religion provides it.

Tonight's main thing was about joy/rejoicing even in the hardships and sufferings of life because God uses these things to strengthen our faith. The joy is in knowing that God is at work in our lives even in the down periods and that Christ is coming again to complete our salvation. All other religions ask, "What did you do to deserve this?" while Christianity asks, "What is God doing through all this?"

That'll preach! It has...the last three Wednesday nights.