6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. 7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. - Psalm 63:6-7

Life is full of many challenges. Choices are made, actions are taken and sometimes we can’t sleep because of a decision made, or a choice in front of us. What I have found to be true, over and over, is that life’s challenges are made easier when we turn over the reigns to God. When I choose to meditate on God, and not my problem or my challenge, God fills me with a joy and peace that is beyond measure.

When life is lived in submission to God, I can sing for joy because I know He is in control. I love how the Message phrases verse 7: “Because you’ve always stood up for me, I’m free to run and play.” Today, I choose to give all my challenges, desires and decisions to God. Now, let’s all go play!

I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. - Psalm 62:1

In the fast-paced life of modern America, I seem to always be rushing. From eating dinner in a hurry, to wanting the next “Big Thing” in life to happen - right now! Eager to see the next episode of American Idol or 24, in a hurry for this red light to change, impatient with every little annoyance. We know that patience is a virtue, but often it is lost in the hurry of life.

When I stop, reset my mind and focus on God peace begins to come into my life. By consciously moving the focus from me to Him, God truly becomes my anchor. It is a challenge sometimes, to live a life focused outside of me, but I know that true victory only comes from a life full of submission.

When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. - Romans 12:13

Each day, I am faced with a choice - where will I put my focus? Will I look to myself, my needs, my desires, or will I dare to look out and up to what others need? It seems that the natural tendency of this human flesh is to have a “me first” attitude to life, but I know that God has called me to submit myself to Him, all of me - even my “me first” mentality.  When I am focused on God, I can clearly see the needs of others, and am moved with a heart of compassion to help in any way I can.

Not long ago on a winter night in Chicago, I was consciously focused on God, inviting Him to use me, when I met a man named Frank. From a distance, he looked just like any other of the countless people milling about the crowded snow covered streets of Chicago, but there was a tug in my heart that there was a God connection getting ready to happen. He said hi to me as we came close, and I struck up a conversation with him. We talked for a few minutes, he shared how he was out of work, but working odd jobs here and there as he could.  Through his disappointment, there was a small glimmer of hope as he shared about an interview he’d had that day and another one planned for the next day that would hopefully get him back on his feet. I shared with Him about God’s faithfulness, and we talked about our shared faith in Christ. I prayed for Him right there in the middle of a busy sidewalk at rush hour. I only spent a few minutes with this man, but I know that it was a God moment, sharing God’s hope and helping someone else out.

I believe that in those times, where I make a conscious decision to look up and focus on God, He gives me the strength to serve the needs of others. Not only that, but God gives me the open eyes to see those needs in the first place. In those times, with practical experience, I learn more about what it truly means to live in God’s kingdom than any amount of reading can teach me.

1 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. - 1 Peter 2:1 (NLT)

When we come to a relationship with Jesus, we are called to walk away from our sin. We should abandon our old lives to follow the path of our savior. No matter how many times we are told this, there still seem to be hang-ups; it is sometimes hard to justify mentally the reason to walk away from it all. We may ask, “If we are under grace, why not continue in our old paths, we will just receive forgiveness?” The author is eager to just command: “STOP IT!” The proofs of His love, His grace and what was done for us in the first chapter of this letter should be enough to convince us of this.

Be done with all deceit,

Sin is sometimes thought of as just the obvious things - murder, cheating, sexual immorality, and the like. This call goes above and beyond just sin as we like to think of it, but to all wrong behavior. Little white lies, half-truths, or withholding information from others is all deceit, and all wrong.

hypocrisy,

If we talk the talk, we should live up to what we say. Our actions should be the first thing that speaks to others, and only out of our changed actions can we then begin to caution others or let ourselves be thought of as examples to look up to.

jealousy,

Traditionally, jealousy is looked at as only coveting someone else’s possessions, status or spouse. The spirit of envy can surface in other situations where it is simply not time for us to have something, and trying to obtain it anyway. From the simplest act of a child taking a forbidden cookie before dinner, to some of the great financial catastrophes of the 21st century that saw corporate giants fall (like with Enron or WorldCom), all are forms of jealousy.

and all unkind speech.

We can be truthful about people and things that are going on in our speech, but are we truly kind? Like most of us heard from our mothers, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Does this mean that we can never be critical, or point out wrongdoing in others? NO! There is a difference, when it is done out of love for the other person, to help build them up, it is not unkind if handled in the proper way.

1b I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. - 1 Peter 1:1b (NLT)

Those who receive this letter, from the original churches to the current reader, did not receive the letter by accident. This letter was purposefully sent for all that receive it. All who acknowledge Christ and have followed him through the ages do not belong to this earth. All of us who claim to be Christ followers belong in heaven. The author reminds us that we are merely “wanderers and vagabonds” on this earth.

The collection of cities that the author references here are in what we now know as the nation of Turkey. These cities were initially visited by Paul who brought the good news to the Gentiles who lived in these places. The author initially was upset at Paul for how he talked to the people here, by preaching salvation without a requirement for circumcision. Eventually, there was reconciliation between the author of this letter and Paul, and now the author is sending this encouragement to the same Gentiles that he originally was concerned about.

20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. - 2 Peter 1:20-21 (NLT)

Men like to brag and boast, and share hollow enlightenments with anyone who will listen. The words of the prophets recorded in scripture are not words that came from the hearts and minds of mortal men. Although some of the prophets were very learned men, it was not their own genius that birthed the prophecies. Many of the prophets did not seek their calling; some even tried to hide from this great calling because they were afraid that they would mess up what God had to say. Likewise, these words of prophecy were not birthed from a council, or reasoned out by a group of men. There was no great scheme of a scholarly brotherhood that proclaimed which words were from God, and which ones were not. These words of prophecy are “God-breathed” and were delivered to these men by the Holy Spirit. We can put our trust in the words of the Holy Scripture, and more importantly, the God behind those words.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. - 2 Peter 1:3

Our God has dominion and control over every resource, both physical and spiritual in our universe. There is no end to what He is capable of doing.  Of all the things that God can do with this power, he chooses to invest in the very people He created. The totality of this eternal power is bestowed upon every single person who follows God. With this power, you can live a good, pure and holy life. Each of us are called to live above the world, and to be blameless. In your own power, you are a sinner, and you need some external force to lift you above this.

This investment in people, while available to each and every one of us, is only given to those who choose to know God. Elsewhere, Peter is heard to proclaim, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” . As Peter proclaims, you must also come to know Jesus as your Savior, and only then will you have access to this grace, this peace, and this power to live a godly life. Yet it is not in our power to understand that Jesus is our savior. We are so blinded by our own sinful nature, that to see Him for who He is requires that we be called by Him.

There is hope because He does not wish for anyone to perish. Because of this amazing glory, we all have our opportunity to be called and to respond. God is excellent and perfect in every way, and will be faithful to reveal Himself to all of His creation!

May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. - 2 Peter 1:2 (NLT)

After Peter gives his opening statement in verse 1 he immediately movies into the heart of his message in this letter. This verse opens as part prayer, part promise, for more grace and peace in the readers’ life. Grace first, as this fruit of the Spirit is necessary if we are to live life to its fullest. Only by grace is it possible that we can live without condemnation for past sins and transgressions. After receiving grace, peace allows us to experience the freedom that follows, and to walk in such a way that this freedom can be shared with others.

A promise, not only for this grace and peace, but for “more and more”, is implying an ever increasing measure of these fruits. This promise is obtained by drawing close to God. As we spend time learning about who God is, and spend time studying His Word, this promise will become more real in our lives. Like a branch, if we stay connected to the vine of Jesus, we will continue to grow in our knowledge of Him.