Everything changes when we begin to see things the way God sees them.

"The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast" (1 Peter 5:10). Does our life on earth, sometimes, feel like a maze? We're stuck in the middle. We've lost our way. We can't seem to find …

1 Peter

We, who have received the Good News and have been saved by the Lord, are to live a holy life (chapter 1). Christ is our example, but, first and foremost, He is our Saviour. Through knowing Him as our Saviour, we can follow Him as our example (chapter 2). As we live the Christian life, …

Faithfulness and relevance: speaking to believers – and unbelievers

"Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people" (Jude 3). Jude writes about "the salvation we share" and "the faith that was once for …

Declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

Ezekiel 43:1-44:31; 1 Peter 2:4-24; Psalm 132:1-18 In Ezekiel, the priests are described in great detail. In 1 Peter 2:5, the Lord’s people are described as “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This description continues in 1 Peter 2:9 – “a royal priesthood … a people belonging to God. …

“An inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).

We thank You, our Father, that You have sent Your Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. We thank You that the new life in the Spirit is just the beginning. You are preparing us for the greater ‘glory that will be revealed in us’(Romans 8:18). We thank You that the Holy Spirit is ‘the …

Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord.

Daniel 1:1-2:23; 1 Peter 5:1-14; Psalm 134:1-3 Daniel’s praise, offered to God, in Daniel 2:20-23, highlights for us the direction from which blessing comes. It comes from above. What we do not have is given to us by God – “He gives” (Daniel 2:21), “You have given me” (Daniel 2:23). Daniel’s praise is echoed in …

Full salvation – By God’s grace and power, we will arrive at our final destination.

" ... you were redeemed ... with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19). May we never forget the cost of our redemption. Christ's sacrifice of Himself, on the Cross, is of more value than any of the things of this world. This world will pass away. Our redemption, purchased for us by the …

The Scriptures take us back to the past. They do not leave us there.

The Scriptures take us back to the past. They do not leave us there. We learn about "what will take place later" (Revelation 1:19). Jesus has come. This is the past. Jesus will come. This is the future. Some tell us that this world is all that there is. God's Word tells us something very …

Job thinks that God has it in for him.

Job thinks that God has it in for him (Job 19:6-11). When we start thinking like this, how do we get out of this way of thinking? We go back to Job 1. We remember that there is a devil, and we take our stand against him in the name and the power of Christ …

How are we to walk in the Lord’s way?

We must never imagine that walking with the Lord will be easy. It wasn't easy for Jesus. It won't be easy for us. Sin is always near. The devil sets many traps for us. He's always trying to draw us away from Jesus. Sin may be very near, but the Lord comes even closer to …

Appreciating what Christ has done for us through his death on the cross

The gospel of free grace says, "You were bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20). It tells us, "You were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19). Christ has paid the price of our redemption by taking upon himself the penalty for our sin. We are invited to receive all the blessings …

Jesus – The Good Shepherd, The Great Shepherd, The Chief Shepherd

* Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who died on the cross for us – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). * Jesus Christ is the Great Shepherd who rose from the dead for us – “May the God of peace, who through the …

Christlike in life, Christlike in death

Fifth Sunday of Easter: Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 or Proverbs 4:10-18; Psalm 119:9-32; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14 Stephen’s Prayer: An echo of Christ’s words from the Cross In life and death, Stephen was Christlike. In life and death, he made a great impact. In life, we see him, ‘full of grace and power’, …

On earth, we have trials. In heaven, we will have salvation.

1 Peter 1:1-25 - On earth, we have ‘trials’. In ‘heaven’, we will have ‘salvation’ (3-9). In our journey from trials to salvation, from earth to heaven, we are to live a life of holiness and love. In this life of ‘obedience to the truth’, we must never forget that we have been ‘redeemed with …

Out of darkness into light

Saturday in Holy Week: Job 14:1-14 (or Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-24); Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16; 1 Peter 4:1-8; Matthew 27:57-66 (or John 19:38-42) Out of darkness into light - “Death is swallowed up in victory.” When you don’t really know what you’re talking about, it’s a case of the less said the better. That’s how Job feels …

We listen to the Word of the Lord – and we hear the Story of God’s salvation.

Sixth Sunday of Easter: Acts 17:22-31; Psalm 66:8-20 or Ezekiel 43:1-7a; Psalm 115; 1 Peter 3:13-22; John 14:15-21 In our worship, we listen to the Word of the Lord. Notice the importance of the Scriptures for both public ministry - ‘reasoning with them from the Scriptures’ and private devotion - ‘examining the Scriptures every day’ …

The Day of the Spirit’s Power

Fourth Sunday of Easter: Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23 or Ezekiel 34:7-15; Psalm 100; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-10 The Day of the Spirit’s Power In Acts 2, we read about the Day of Pentecost. It was a great day. The Spirit was poured out on God’s people. Christ was proclaimed to the crowds. Many were …

There’s light at the end of the tunnel.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the …

Believe the Gospel. Be changed by the Gospel.

Second Sunday of Easter: Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16 or Exodus 15:1-11; Psalm 111; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31 Christ has risen. Believe the Gospel. Be changed by the Gospel. The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ (John 16:14). ‘No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 12:3). In the preaching …

Ancient words

"Abraham is a prophet, and he will pray for you" (Genesis 20:7). The prophet speaks for God. The prophet speaks to God. Speaking for God and speaking to God - we need both. We bring the Word of God to the people, and we pray that his blessing will be upon the people. When we …

The centrality of worship in the life of God’s people

Ezekiel 47:1-48:35; 1 Peter 4:1-19; Psalm 133:1-3 “The sanctuary will be in the centre of it … In the centre of it will be the sanctuary of the Lord … the Temple sanctuary will be in the centre of them” (Ezekiel 48:8,10,21). Here, we have the centrality of worship in the life of God’s people. …

Walking In The Footsteps Of Our Saviour

"21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to …

We thank You, Lord, that the devil flees from us when we flee to Jesus.

We thank You, Lord, that the devil flees from us when we flee to Jesus. What a precious promise is given to us in Your Word: “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10). Who are “the righteous” – Surely, not us? We’ve failed …

Renewed By God’s Salvation, We Are Strengthened For His Service.

Ps 51:10, Matt 15:8, 2 Tim 3:5, 1 Pet 4:11, 5:11 In all the service we offer to God, there is to be the offering of worship: ‘To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever’ (1 Peter 4:11; 5:11). We will not learn to serve God unless we are learning to …

What does it mean to be holy?

"Be holy, because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). What does it mean to be holy? Do we make ourselves holy? Are we to turn ourselves into modern-day Pharisees - people who regard ourselves as superior to other people? No! The way of true holiness is centred on Christ - not ourselves. It is centred …

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

"Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?" (Psalm 24:3) - only Jesus Christ, our great Saviour! Jesus went down to the place of suffering and death - and, then, God raised him from death to life. Through Jesus, we are raised to life. We do not raise ourselves. We have been raised by him - …

Let us worship God.

Ezekiel 47:1-48:35; 1 Peter 4:1-19; Psalm 133:1-3 “The sanctuary will be in the centre of it ... In the centre of it will be the sanctuary of the Lord ... the Temple sanctuary will be in the centre of them” (Ezekiel 48:8,10,21). Here, we have the centrality of worship in the life of God’s people. First …

Declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.

Ezekiel 43:1-44:31; 1 Peter 2:4-24; Psalm 132:1-18 In Ezekiel, the priests are described in great detail. In 1 Peter 2:5, the Lord’s people are described as “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This description continues in 1 Peter 2:9 – “a royal priesthood … a people belonging to God. To His people, …

Walking in wisdom, enjoying salvation

Ezekiel 45:1-46:24; 1 Peter 3:1-22; Proverbs 28:18-28 In Ezekiel, we read of many sacrifices being offered to God. In the New Testament, it is emphasized that one Sacrifice is sufficient – “For Christ died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). We are called …

Declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.

Ezekiel 43:1-44:31; 1 Peter 2:4-24; Psalm 132:1-18 In Ezekiel, the priests are described in great detail. In 1 Peter 2:5, the Lord’s people are described as “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This description continues in 1 Peter 2:9 - “a royal priesthood ... a people belonging to God. …

Praising the Lord and being blessed by Him

Daniel 1:1-2:23; 1 Peter 5:1-14; Psalm 134:1-3 Daniel’s praise, offered to God, in Daniel 2:20-23, highlights for us the direction from which blessing comes. It comes from above. What we do not have is given to us by God – “He gives” (Daniel 2:21), “You have given me” (Daniel 2:23). Daniel’s praise is echoed in Peter’s …

Praising the Lord and being blessed by Him

Daniel 1:1-2:23; 1 Peter 5:1-14; Psalm 134:1-3 Daniel’s praise, offered to God, in Daniel 2:20-23, highlights for us the direction from which blessing comes. It comes from above. What we do not have is given to us by God - “He gives” (Daniel 2:21), “You have given me” (Daniel 2:23). Daniel’s praise is echoed in …

Holiness and love – we need more of both …

Ezekiel 41:1-42:20; 1 Peter 1:1-2:3; Psalm 131:1-3 Ezekiel emphasizes that the Temple was to be built according to God’s pattern. Our lives are to be lived according to God’s pattern - “Be holy in all you do”, “Love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:15,22). The instructions for the building the Temple were …

Our great privilege and our great responsibility

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). These verses speak to us of our great privilege …

Declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

Ezekiel 43:1-44:31; 1 Peter 2:4-24; Psalm 132:1-18 In Ezekiel, the priests are described in great detail. In 1 Peter 2:5, the Lord’s people are described as “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This description continues in 1 Peter 2:9 – “a royal priesthood … a people belonging to God. To His people, God gives this …

The strength that comes to us from the Lord

"Cast your cares (or your burden) on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken" (Psalm 55:22). This is a real word from the Lord. It's a word that we need to hear, over and over again. Things get on top of us. We fall down, and we feel …

Kept by the power of God

"Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life" (Jude, verse 21). "To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour …

When it seems like life is dragging you down

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the …

On earth, we have trials. In heaven, we will have salvation.

1 PETER 1:1-25 - On earth, we have ‘trials’. In ‘heaven’, we will have ‘salvation’ (3-9). In our journey from trials to salvation, from earth to heaven, we are to live a life of holiness and love. In this life of ‘obedience to the truth’, we must never forget that we have been ‘redeemed with …

From Good Friday to Easter Sunday (4): Out of darkness into light: Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Welcome to the fourth stage of our journey from Good Friday to Easter Sunday: Out of darkness into light - Create in me a clean heart, O God. 1 Peter 4:1-8 Since Christ suffered physically, you too must strengthen yourselves with the same way of thinking that he had; because whoever suffers physically is no …

God’s Salvation – Past, Present And Future

"To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth …

Let’s Declare God’s Wonderful Deeds.

In Christ, we are ‘a holy nation’. Why has God made us His ‘own people’? - ‘that you may declare the wonderful deeds of Him... ’ (1 Peter 2:9). ‘The nations are waiting for us, waiting for the gospel we will bring’ (Songs of Fellowship, 539).

Jesus makes the difference. He changes us.

1 Peter 1:1-25 On earth, we have ‘trials’. In ‘heaven’, we will have ‘salvation’(3-9). In our journey from trials to salvation, from earth to heaven, we are to live a life of holiness and love. In this life of ‘obedience to the truth’, we must never forget that we have been ‘redeemed with the precious …

You get nothing for nothing … ?

"You get nothing for nothing. You only get what you pay for." Is this cynicism - or realism? Let's think together about something else - something that lifts us above all of this - the love of God, the grace of God, the mercy of God, the gift of God, the peace of God, the …

We remember our loved one, and we, also, remember our loving Saviour.

"How precious is your lovingkindness, O God!" (Psalm 36:7). When I'm conducting a funeral service, I lead the people in prayer, giving thanks to God for "precious and treasured memories." We remember our loved one, and we, also, remember our loving Saviour. To help us focus our attention on Jesus, I begin each service by …

Praying Through God’s Word: 1 Peter

1 Peter 1:1-25What kind of people are we to be? You’re calling us to be holy. You’re calling us to be loving. It’s not holiness without love. It’s not love without holiness. It’s holiness. It’s love. This, Lord, is the life You’re calling us to live. Help us to walk with You in holiness and …

Faith, Holiness, Worship And Witness

"Come to him ... be yourselves built into a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:4-5). This speaks to us of personal conversion and life in fellowship with God's people. The life of holiness, to which we are called, is to be lived in fellowship with God's people. We are to encourage one another to live a …

Precious Gems from Psalm 23

This post is based on Psalm 23:1. -- "The Lord is my Shepherd" - How precious this is! It's precious - because it's the Lord who is my Shepherd. Not somebody who will let me down - It's the Lord. He lifts me up. -- "The Lord is my Shepherd" - How precious this is! …

Suffering and faith …

In Job's story, we read about suffering - and we, also, read about faith: "I know that my Redeemer lives" (Job 19:25). Without his suffering, would Job's faith have grown so strong? Prior to his suffering, Job's faith had never really been put to the test. Our faith is put to the test so that, …

The Word and the words (12): Jesus – the good shepherd …

"I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11). We read what Jesus says about himself. We read about who he is. "I am the good shepherd." As we read these words, our thoughts turn to the 23rd Psalm. "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters,3     he refreshes my …

The Lord has blessed us – and there’s so much more still to come…

"The Lord bless you and keep you" (Numbers 6:24). "The Lord is your keeper" (Psalm 121:5). We are "kept by the power of God" (1 Peter 1:5). "Now to him who is able to keep you from falling" (Jude 24). "The Lord bless you and keep you." (Numbers 6:24). God loves us - and he …

Salvation

"an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:4-5)Salvation is being kept for us. We are being kept for salvation.

Where does our life of faith begin? …

Where does our life of faith begin? Does it begin with our decision? or Does it begin with God's grace? "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:4-5). We were dead. The …

When we witness for our Lord …

"In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15). It's not about how important we are. It's about how wonderful Jesus is. We are to …

The joy that comes to us – from the Lord …

"Look to him, and be radiant" (Psalm 34:5). The Psalmist doesn't draw attention to himself. He points away from himself to the Lord. In Exodus 34:29, we read about Moses - "his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord." The radiance didn't come from Moses. It came to Moses - from the Lord. "Taste …

Jesus Christ is Lord …

Third Sunday of Easter: Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 or Isaiah 51:1-6; Psalm 34:1-10; 1 Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35 Jesus Christ is Lord. ‘God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified’ (Acts 2:36). ‘Jesus is Lord’: When this message is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit’, it …

Jesus Christ Has Died For Us – The Righteous For The Unrighteous.

Ps 49:7–9, John 20:28, 1 Tim 2:5–6, 1 Pet 3:18 Some die young. Others live to a ripe old age. None of us can predict what lies ahead of us. There are some things that are beyond our control. We look at what is happening and we say, ‘I wish things could be different’. Absalom …

Be holy in all you do … Love one another deeply, from the heart …

Ezekiel 41:1-42:20; 1 Peter 1:1-2:3; Psalm 131:1-3 Ezekiel emphasizes that the Temple was to be built according to God’s pattern. Our lives are to be lived according to God’s pattern – “Be holy in all you do”, “Love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:15,22). the instructions for the building the Temple were …

If we want to serve God, we must learn to worship Him.

1 Peter 3:1-4:6 The world is preoccupied with outward appearances. As Christians, we should be more concerned with our inward attitude. ‘In your hearts reverence Christ as Lord’. Pray for His ‘attitude’- ‘a tender heart and a humble mind’(8,15; 4:1). We believe the Gospel - ‘Christ died for our sins once for all, the righteous …

Links to Rev James Philip’s notes on 1 and 2 Peter

1 Peter 2 Peter