Scripture

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Observation

Peter admonishes us to stay alert and to be on the lookout for satan, the enemy of our souls. He is always prowling around looking for someone to devour. We must stay in firm against the evil one and be strong in our faith.

Our christian brothers and sisters are suffering as well. We will share in God’s eternal glory, so our suffering only lasts for a while.

Peter concludes the letter by commending his friend Silas to his readers. He also sends greetings from his church and from Mark.

Application

We must be constantly alert for the attacks of the devil. He hates us with a passion and is always, looking to destroy us. Many christians live in ignorance of the spiritual realm. This is a huge folly. Just because we cannot see angels and demons with our physical eyes does not make them any less real.

Satan holds people in bondage in various ways, including:

1. Temptation to sin. He does not bother with unbelievers because they are already in captivity to sin. In Christians he amplifies natural desires and fleshly thoughts, If we sin, he thinks we will become discouraged in following the way of holiness.

2. Demonic afflictions such as sickness, poverty, and mental illness.

3. Witchcraft, magic, spells, and curses. Spoken words can carry great effect in the world of the spirit.

So, we need to remember that we are in the middle of a war. The devil will not give up on pulling us down. But as we grow in faith, we can increasingly resist him to stand firm in Christ.

Prayer

Thank you. Lord, for the assurance that the battle belongs to you Teach me how to stand firm In my faith. Amen

Scripture
Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time, he will lift you up in honour. Give all your worries and cares to God for, he cares for you.

Observation
The elders in the church will share in the glory of Christ when he is revealed to the whole world. They are to care for their flock willingly not grudgingly. Not for their own gain, but because they want to serve God,

Elders are to lead by example and not lord it over their people. When the Great Shepherd appears, they will receive a crown of glory and honour.

Young men are to accept the authority of the elders. They must serve each other in humility. When they humble themselves under God’s mighty power He will raise them up at the right time.

Application
Humility is all about serving and respecting others. This can be a very hard quality for us to learn, especially in a culture that tries to tell us that we are all gods and worthy of the respect of others.

We must not raise ourselves up in the eyes of others and certainly not in our own eyes. Once we start to think we are better than other people, we lose the plot of Christian living.

The way up is down. It is when we choose to serve others without any thought of reward that we start to follow the way of the Lord who told us that the Son of Man came not to be served but to give His life as a ransom for many.

We choose to die to our own ambitions and desires so that the plans of Christ can be revealed to us. When we humble ourselves under the power of God, we can be sure that He will raise us up to a place of honour.

Prayer
Lord, you call me to die to myself. Please help me to do this so that I can come alive to you. Amen.

Scripture

Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as if God himself were speaking through you Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Observation

The end of all things is coming soon. We need to be earnest and disciplined (sane and sober in some other versions) in our prayers,

Above all, we must be loving to our brothers and sisters in Christ, offering meals or a place to stay when needed.

God has given each of us a spiritual gift, out of his wealth of spiritual gifts, Whatever our gift, whether it is speaking or serving. We must use our gifts to God’s glory And layering him to lead and direct us Seen everything. We do will glorify us.

Application

Every believer has the Holy Spirit in them. We all have access to the mighty power of God. He chooses to grace us with particular gifts For some, this is speaking publicly, while for others, it is serving people, offering a meal or a place in the home when needed.

The point here is that every part of our life must be surrendered to God to use. If we use our natural gifts for God’s purposes, we discover along the way there are spiritual gifts as well that we can draw on.

The key is to give it all to God. It is not about me, but about the Lord. We should see ourselves as vessels for His purposes. When we say to God, “Here I am; use me,” He gives us lots of opportunities to do His work.

Prayer

Lord, you know what I can do for you and for your kingdom, Please show me how to surrender everything to you. Amen

Scripture

If someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way.

Observation

We should be of one mind, loving each other as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

We should never repay evil for evil, but instead bless those who insult us. As it says in Psalm 34, we must turn away from evil and do good. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, but the Lord turns His face against those who do evil.

If we suffer for doing what is right, God will reward us. If someone asks about the reason for our hope, we should be ready to explain it. We should do this in a loving and respectful way.

Application

Many christians are afraid to share their faith because they do not know how to do it or because they are unsure if they will be able to answer questions. This is understandable.

Peter says here that we should be always ready to explain the hope that we have in Christ. In other words, he is not talking about street preaching. This is about normal everyday conversations. We don’t want to harass a person with our beliefs, but if asked, we need to be ready.

A short testimony can be helpful. Your story cannot be dismissed as it is your story. Prepare in your head a brief description of how you became a Christian and the big difference that Christ has made in your life.

Many people these days have a wrong or distorted opinion of what Christians believe. Learn a brief summary of what salvation is about.

Remember not to argue. We want to win a person not an argument. Above all, ask God for the grace to share with your friends and family.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for saving me. Please help me to share the Good News with the people around me. Amen.

Scripture

In the same way, you husbands must give honour to your wives, Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

Observation

Wives are to live under the authority of their husbands. They are to live godly lives in order to win their husbands over to the gospel without words. They should not be concerned with expensive jewellery, fancy hairstyles or beautiful clothes. Rather, they should clothe themselves with a gentle spirit.

Husbands must honour their wives, She may be physically weaker, but she is an equal partner in God’s gift of new life.

Application

It is odd that many Christians go for the Ephesians 5 prescription for marriage but overlook this passage.

Peter tells women to have a gentle spirit and to focus on their spiritual development rather than on the outward expression of clothes, hairstyles and jewellery.

Peter makes it clear that a man’s wife is his equal partner in the gift of new life. There is no lording over suggested here.

Men are to honour their wives. That means that we should build them up with our words, rather than tearing them down, We are to treat our wives with the same love, grace, and gentleness that God treats us with.

If we treat our wives properly, then our prayers will not be hindered. Paul tells us that marriage is a representation of the unity of the church with Christ. If we want to take part in that communion, then we need to make sure that our attitudes to our wives are appropriate.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for the gift and the challenge of marriage. Please help me to honour my spouse always. Amen.

Scripture

For God has called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example and you must follow in his steps.

Observation

Regardless of the cost, we are to do good. The calling on our lives is to follow Christ in His example and in His suffering. He didn’t sin or deceive anyone. He never retaliated when insulted, or threatened revenge. He carried our sins on the cross in his body so that we can be dead to sin. By his wounds we are healed – in body, soul and spirit.

We were once like sheep who had strayed away, but now we follow the Good Shepherd, the guardian of our souls

Application

The world hates virtue and promotes evil. It is entirely surrendered into the hands of satan.

Therefore we should not be surprised that following Christ brings about suffering. Just as Jesus suffered for being perfectly obedient to the Father, we too can expect to be treated unfairly when we take seriously the call to follow Jesus.

To walk in the way of Jesus means that we avoid sin, deception, revenge and all such things. We are to radiate the holiness and love of God in every situation.

People will get angry or cynical towards us, but others will see the joy of being a christian and will be attracted. The important thing is that we aim to be faithful to Jesus in all we do.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, you have given us the example of Jesus to show us how to live. Please help me to be obedient you all the time. Amen.

Scripture

For you are free yet you are God’s slaves. So don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil

Observation

Because we are children of the Lord, we should honour God by respecting those who have authority over us, both the king and his officials. The officials are appointed to punish criminals and to honour those who do what is right.

We are free yet we are God’s slaves. We must never use our freedom to justify sin. We must respect everyone and love our christian brothers and sisters.

Slaves must respect the authority of their masters, not only if they are kind, but even if they are cruel. God is pleased when we do what is right, even when we are unfairly punished.

Application

People often misconstrue Christian freedom for a licence to do what we please. As a cynical philosopher said on his deathbed, “God will forgive. That is His business.”

God is not in the business of forgiving wilfulness There is grace and mercy, but we demonstrate our faith by living faithfully to the ways of God.

Christ has redeemed us, and so we are owned by Him. We were once slaves to sin but now we are slaves of Christ.

Therefore we must not use our freedom in Christ to do what displeases Christ. Instead we allow His love and the ministry of the Holy Spirit to transform us into the men and women that God created us to be.

Prayer.

Thank you, Lord, that you have lifted me out of the kingdom of darkness and into your kingdom. Please help me to live a life that pleases you in every way. Amen.

Scripture

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s very own possession As a result, you can show others the goodness of God for He called you out of the darkness and into his wonderful light

Observation.

We are God’s chosen people royal priests, a holy nation. So we can show others the goodness of God.

We were once nobody, but now we are God’s. Once we received no mercy, but God’s mercy is our treasured gift.

We are temporary residents in this world, and so we must keep away from worldly desires. We must live properly amongst unbelievers because they will see the difference God makes in our lives.

Application

We the church, the people of God, have a unique identity as we stand between God and the world.

We are God’s chosen people. That designation has shifted from Israel to the church. God has chosen us as His very own.

We are God’s possession. Once we transfer our allegiance to God in Christ then he will fight to keep us as his possession .Nothing, except for our own rebellion, will separate us from the love of God.

We are a royal priesthood. We are royal in the sense that we are dedicated to the king. As a priesthood, we have a duty to intercede for our friends and neighbours.

A holy nation is one that is set apart for God’s purposes, In the way that Israel was. We must live holy lives that speak of our calling, and witness to the world that we belong to the Lord.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for this high calling that you have placed on all your people. Amen.

Scripture

You are living stones that God is building into his spiritual Temple. What is more, you are his holy priests Through the mediation of Jesus Christ. You offer spiritual sacrifices that please God

Observation

Christ is the living cornerstone of God’s temple and we are coming to Him. We are living stones in this temple that God is building. We are priests who can intercede with Christ, offering a kind of spiritual sacrifice. This was all foretold in the Old Testament. The prophet Isaiah said that the Lord will place a cornerstone in Jerusalem, and anyone who trusts in Him will not be disgraced.

This cornerstone that brings honour to those who trust in Him is also a stumbling stone that destroys those who refuse to obey the Lord.

Application

In our Western culture, we are overly concerned with individuals and rarely see the big picture of where we fit in with others.

Here Peter tells us that we are living stones being built together with other believers into a spiritual temple. It is not that I am a temple for God but rather the church, the Body of Christ is a temple for God.

There is a saying that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is true of the church. About 2.5 billion people, or one-third of the world’s population, is Christian. That is impressive, but God is building all of these people, together with all of the saints of the past and those yet to be born, into something greater – a spiritual building, a vessel for His presence.

That is something far greater than reconstructing a stone temple in Jerusalem. This temple spans the world and shows forth the grace of God to all people.

Prayer

Lord, you are awesome in your might and in your mercy. Please help me to find my place in your temple of grace. Amen.