High Theology Equals High Doxology! The More We Know Of Who God Is, And What His Word Teaches, The More We Will Worship And Be In Awe Of Him!
The Acts Church
The 1st Letter Of Peter
Peter is writing to the elect of God who are exiles in a foreign land. He is writing to them to encourage them and remind them that sufferings and trials are coming and are guarantees, but to not to be discouraged because the trials are from God and are to refine their faith. Suffering, testing, and persecution are coming and we are to look to Christ as our example on how to respond as Peter will labor in this letter to the chosen of God. Peter will encourage and remind his audience that they are strangers and exiles that are not in their true home and they are to keep their eyes upon their forever home in heaven where their inheritance is waiting. Christians have an inheritance that is being reserved for them and they are being reserved for their inheritance. This will be finally complete when we as exiles take our first step home!
Shawn Owens
Pastor Shawn Owens dedicates part of his study time to make notes easy to read, and thorough for anyone who cannot attend in person. Pastor Shawn desires for these notes to help you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The Bible does not tell husbands to love your wife as Christ loved the Church and to be ready to lay your life down for her only when she is submissive. The Bible does not tell wives to only be submissive when your husband loves them like Christ loves the Church. Husbands are to love their wives like Christ loved the Church even when she isn’t submissive and does not display a quiet and gentle spirit. Wives are to be submissive to their husbands even when he doesn’t love her as he should. Each is commanded to be obedient in their roles as unto the Lord even if the other person is not fulfilling their role.
Our words are either a sword or a stitch. We can make and open wounds or we can stitch wounds with our words. However, the greatest stitch and healing of wounds is not our words, but the words of God! (Psalm 147:3)
God welcomes the prayers of His children. Our prayers do not change God’s mind. God has ordained all things that will come to pass by His sovereign decree before the foundation of the world and our prayers do not change His plan A. However, God has ordained our prayers and He uses them as instrumental causes to bring about His sovereign plan. Our prayers are included in the providential plan of God’s sovereign decree. Prayer does not change the will of God, but as we grow in sanctification, it will change us to submit to the will of God.
Peter is going to then instruct every believer not only to sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart, but also to be ready at all times to make a defense of the gospel and an account for the hope that is within us. The question that must be asked is: what do you believe and why do you believe it?
The spirit that raised Christ, will raise us one day. Since Christ has been resurrected from the dead our hope is living. This is the hope that we are called to be always ready to make a defense.
Peter wants to reassure his readers that no matter who or what comes against you or no matter what comes in our lives, we can have peace knowing our God is on His throne ruling and reigning as we speak. After his mission and work was completed, Christ ascended into Heaven. He is the supreme ruler and sovereign God over all the universe. Everything and everyone is in subjection to Him.