Some Questions

Hopefully you've had a chance to read through the chapter this last week. I thought I would post some questions to get the discussion started... (for future chapters, I may try to have the questions ready at the beginning of the reading, so that there can be dialogue during the week, as we read). Think about these and answer them for yourself. Then I may put each one in a separate post so that they will be easier to discuss (and so the comments don't go on forever in this post). Does this sound like a good way to do this?

Some of these are "pot-stirring" questions (as Ryan would say). As with all the discussion here, please be honoring to those that may read as well as to the Holy Spirit who guides our learning. Pray for wisdom, then begin!

1. What do you think Peter means by "chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father" ?

2. What does Peter say is the reason behind the grief and trials his readers are suffering?

3. How does Peter describe our salvation?

4. Why does Peter say "prepare your minds for action"?

5. What does it mean to be holy?

6. Peter uses a "perishable vs. imperishable" contrast in several areas. What is he describing (and how do they relate)?

7. What truth did the readers obey, so that they now have a sincere love?

1 Peter chapter 1

Read it here online, or use your own Bible. It may be helpful to use a journal as well. Use it to pray, ask questions, and let God speak to you.

Begin Again

Based on the comments, I thought we could give a book of the Bible a try. I want to focus on one chapter a week, so you can really dig into it. Use whatever tools you want (commentaries, cross-references, etc.) to study it, but above all, pray before you read each and every time. “For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” God will give you understanding of the passages if you ask Him to.

As you read this week, please post your thoughts or questions, and I will do the same. This will be a trial of sorts, to see how we can make this work. As of now, there's no way to get an email about new posts, but if you leave a comment, you can enter your email address to receive any further comments on that post in emails.

The only way I know of to be alerted about new posts is to subscribe to the blog, using a "reader" program. To see more about how to use a reader program, see an explanation I wrote about it here.

Okay, so let's begin reading and studying and growing in Christ!

Direction

I'm sorry there have been a lack of posts lately... I've been trying to figure out how to do this thing. It has mostly been a random access of scripture, and then my thoughts or inspirations from them, but I've been wondering about going through a particular book of the Bible with you, and then somehow opening up for discussion.

What do you think? Do you like the format it's been, or would you appreciate something that requires you to do some reading on your own, and then post your own thoughts or questions about that passage or chapter? (This may sound boring or intimidating to you, but a recent Bible study group I belonged to went through the book of John, and it was so awesome to see how God would teach us so much without any commentaries or current authors to steer it.)

Either would be fine with me, honestly, but I'd like to know what you want from this place. And thank you so much for coming by and being a part of it!

"We've worked hard all night long..."

Luke 5:1-11

Simon Peter and his coworkers had just spent all night desperately trying to catch fish, any fish, just one fish. They probably exhausted their repertoire of tricks and knowledge, skimming the lake from corner to corner, only to come up with bits of trash, sticks, and seaweed. And after being up all night, they had given up and were packing it in. They were probably wondering how they were going to make ends meet that month. Then, at that time, during the moment when they were discouraged and hopeless, Jesus asks them for their boat, so he can use it to teach from. And they allow Jesus to use the thing that had failed them.

When Jesus is done using it, he tells them "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." (v.4)

Simon Peter explains to Jesus how hopeless their situation was. . . "But because you say so, I will let down the nets." (v.5)

Picture then the biggest catch of fish these fisherman had ever seen in all their years of experience. The Dream Catch. The catch they could live off of for who knows how long. They hit the Jackpot of Fish. And Simon Peter hits the floor, overcome with the realization of the power and perfection of the man that stood before him. Then Jesus comforts him, and gives him the call of a lifetime. . . "You see that power I just demonstrated in your normal, everyday life? Now let's use it to transform the world."

Then Peter and his buddies leave everything. . . they just had the biggest success of their life, the success they never even had the capacity to dream of, and they left it, and followed Jesus. They didn't get overtaken by the blessing God had given them, but instead were enraptured by the source from where it came.

How does this speak to your life? Is there something in your life that you've been working hard at all night, and you've come to the conclusion that it's hopeless?

Is Jesus asking to use it for his purpose, so he can teach others from it?

Has he asked you to do something you KNOW won't work?

Will you obey because he says it will work?

Will you worship him when it does. . . beyond your expectations?

And once you are overwhelmed with the blessing, will you leave it all, and follow him?

Re-Center

When I was teaching, there was an intriguing assignment I gave my students: they had to communicate the gospel message in a poster, and the only rule was they couldn't use any words. This wasn't to be a series of "step by step" instructions on how to be saved, but instead, using one image, symbolically show the gospel. I loved it. They hated it. It was tough, but I still carry in my head some beautiful and incredibly moving images of what the gospel was to them.

So now I ask you... in your own words, what is the gospel message?

...And He Saved Them From Their Distress

Psalm 107

Are you feeling distressed?

"Some wandered in desert wastelands..."

"Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom..."

"Some became fools... and suffered affliction..."

"Others... saw the works of the Lord... their courage melted away... they were at their wits' end."

Which one are you?

Sometimes we feel aimless, lost, needing direction and to be satisfied.

Other times it's our own fault. We feel surrounded by darkness, suffering because we wanted to do things our own way. Or we've turned off our minds and ignored wisdom, and then suffered physically and mentally from it.

Then, sometimes, we're just minding our own business, and are suddenly overwhelmed by a great trial that has brought us to our wits' end.

Read about these circumstances in Psalm 107.

There you will find one action that -- in all of these cases -- we can take and God will completely reverse our situation. Once you find it, see what the writer says God will do every time, and notice how He will do it. Also notice how the chapter opens (see verse 1) and how each of the circumstances end the same way. How is this important?

If you don't identify with one of these situations right now, you probably have at some time. Is there some who would like to encourage us with their story? "Give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men." Tell us of the wonderful deeds He has done for you!

Putting It All Together

As I've been discovering lately, anything good, anything worthy, anything right in our lives begins with God. Recalling Romans 5:8, God saved us before we even knew we needed Him. In Matthew 6:8, Jesus tells us God knows what we need before we ask. And James tells us everything good and perfect is from God.

These truths are just part of God's glory.

Do you need hope? You will find it when you see and know God's glory.

Do you need joy? You will find it when your hope is in the glory of God.

So it all begins with God.

And if that is true, what will happen as He grows ever larger in our field of vision? As we seek Him and His righteousness, what new beginnings will sprout in us?

Ask God to grow in your vision today. Ask Him for new beginnings! Then share any assurances He gives you, will you please?

The Joy

Now looking at the last key word (moving backwards) in Romans 5:2...

"We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."

Rejoicing involves joy... it's expressing the joy we have. And joy comes from a God-perspective of our lives. Paul has just been talking about the miracle of faith and how through the simple act of believing, we have peace with God (5:1). This peace, this relationship with God doesn't come through doing the right things or even by obeying rules (4:13). Looking just a bit further down the passage, and we see one of the most amazing statements in the Bible: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (5:8)

What does rejoicing mean to you? How do you rejoice in the present situations you are in right now? Please share with us, if you feel comfortable.

The Hope

(Even though there's another post today, I still want to hear your thoughts about God's glory!)

Still working on Romans 5:2

I suppose most humans have some kind of hope in their lives... in my own life, I've hoped in doctors to help me get better, in my husband and family to love and support me, and in a future where all are well and happy. If I didn't think these things would happen, what would be the point of hoping? Problem is, there's no guarantee they will. Doctors have messed up, and even though my life has been blessed with love and well-being, unthinkable things could happen and that hope could be shattered.

As we see in Hebrews 11:1, hope is a vital part of faith. In faith, there is "the assurance of things hoped for"... Stop and think about that for a moment. The ASSURANCE of things hoped for. No possibility of a hope being shattered...

So what kind of unshatterable hope do you have?

Look back at yesterday's post, and the definition you hold of God's glory...

Would some of you share with us what hope you have?

The Glory

Romans 5:2

"And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."

I was reading the larger passage this verse comes from and kept coming back to this little sentence at the end of verse two. Normally, it seems like a pretty easy verse to understand and say "yes, of course" to, but I didn't feel like I completely understood it... and it's not exactly a difficult statement. So do you mind if we take a closer look? (Best to start of small and simple...)

For some reason, it was the last bit of that sentence -- the thing that gives us hope -- that made me think:

What is "the glory of God"? Why does it give us hope -- a hope we can rejoice in?

To help you think through this, here are some other verses that talk about God's glory:

Exodus 15:11
Psalm 19:1
Psalm 72:19
Romans 3:23
Exodus 33:18

(these links will take you to an online Bible... you can use the buttons above the verse to see the next verse, previous verse, or the whole chapter so you can read it in it's context... or just look them up in your own Bible!)

Please pray for God to give you wisdom, read through these verses, and then leave your comments below... please don't be afraid to make a comment! We need to hear your thoughts, and what God reveals to you (because He will if you ask!).

PS. To easily see this post with any comments that have been made, simply click on its title. It's also easy to add your own comment from there.

Let's Begin

Okay, this is just a test to see how things will work. I miss digging into the word with friends, and I am hoping this will prove to be just as encouraging as meeting face to face.

Almost daily, I will try to post some scripture, and some thoughts and questions. But I want to hear from you too! I need to hear what God is revealing to you, as do others, so please don't let me be the only voice here (oh, how frightening!). Ask God to fill you and us with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. (Col. 1:9) Pray with me about this place. It needs to be simply a tool for God. It needs His blessing, and we need His Spirit to teach us.