TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 3:13-17
But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks. - 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the United States, Good Samaritan laws provide protection from lawsuits against individuals who attempt to assist someone suffering a medical emergency. The aim of such laws is to encourage passersby to help someone in need without fear of being sued for unintentional injury or wrongful death. In other words, those who try to help someone else are protected by law in the event an unintended injury may result from the aid offered.

The idea that someone who does good should be protected from harm is found in today's reading as well (v. 13); yet, Peter quickly admits that this principle is not always followed. As Christians, we will sometimes suffer for doing what is right (v. 14). And this brings us back to a running theme in our study: how should Christians respond to suffering and persecution?

First, Scripture encourages us to have the right attitude. Persecution is not the opposite of blessing (v. 14a). Jesus said as much in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5). Another aspect of a biblical attitude includes exchanging fear for boldness (v. 14b). We need not fear what humans can do to us; instead, we reserve reverence for God, and Peter cites Isaiah 8 to make his point. Rather than fear human persecution, we are called “to honor Christ the Lord as holy” (v. 15, ESV). If we regard Christ alone as truly holy, then we live in hope rather than in fear.

Second, because we live with hope in Christ, our suffering may become an opportunity for witness. To those who inquire about our response to suffering, we are called to give a gentle answer, grounded in our “fear” or reverence of Christ, a more accurate translation than the NIV's “respect” (v. 15b). And when we have no opportunity to speak, Scripture reminds us that our behavior provides a witness to Christ as well (v. 16-17). A consistent witness of word and deed, especially in moments of persecution, brings glory to God and is faithful to His good will.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you believe that persecution and blessing can exist side by side? Are you able to rejoice at your suffering and to use it as an opportunity for witness the way Peter did in Acts 5:41-42? These are not easy words, and they require God's grace in us to respond this way. Ask God for a renewed attitude toward suffering in your own life, and commit to use those moments as faithful and consistent witness for Christ in both word and deed.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 3:18-22
He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit. - 1 Peter 3:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
Some things just go together. In an exercise for youngsters, the teacher gives one word and the students respond with the appropriate match: peanut butter and jelly; lock and key; ball and glove; Bert and Ernie. These words seem incomplete without the other.

This is true when we speak of our redemption in Christ. Today's reading portrays Christ's death and resurrection as the basis of our response to persecution. Whatever the difficulties we may face for Christ's sake, Scripture reminds us of what Christ has already accomplished. He died “for our sins” in order to “bring you to God” (v. 18). But Christ's death alone is incomplete. We also need Christ's victorious resurrection. He was “made alive by the Spirit” (v. 18) and has ascended to God's right hand (v. 22). If Christ's suffering gives an example of patience and humility, Christ's resurrection gives us courage because we know the triumph we share with Christ.

How then do verses 19 through 21 fit into this encouraging picture? Commentators disagree over the meaning of these verses. Some argue that the “spirits in prison” (v. 19) are fallen angels held until the day of judgment. Early Jewish tradition, as well as passages like 2 Peter 2:4-5 and Jude 6, support this view. If correct, Christ became a herald of victory over death, and is an encouraging picture of the victory we share with Him. Others argue that the “spirits” are disobedient men during the time of the Flood who refused the Spirit's call for repentance through Noah (see 2 Peter 2:5 for support).

Either way, Peter uses the days of Noah as an example of when wickedness flourished, yet in the end, God's judgment and vindication conquered. Noah being saved through the waters of the Flood becomes a “symbol” of Christian salvation through baptism (vv. 20-21). But how does baptism save? Through its connection with Christ's resurrection (v. 21b; cf. Rom. 6:1-11). We face suffering in a fallen world, but we do so with hope because our glorious end is already revealed in the resurrection of Christ.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today's passage reminds us that we need both Christ's death and resurrection, not only to accomplish redemption, but to provide a Christian response to suffering in a fallen world. Which might you need to focus on? Christ's patient and humble death which brings us to God, or His glorious resurrection which promises us triumph over sin and death? Meditate on one or the other today (or both!) as you consider your own response to the suffering and injustice of a fallen world.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 4:1-6
But they will have to give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. - 1 Peter 4:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
During the Watergate scandal and trials, one of President Nixon's top aides, Charles Colson, became a Christian. When word broke, numerous reporters ridiculed Colson's conversion. Through articles and cartoons, Colson was depicted as a joke, a cover-up artist seeking a reduced sentence. Now years later, Colson continues his witness for Christ and is responsible for Prison Fellowship Ministries, one of the most successful ministries to prisoners, ex-convicts, and their families.

Colson understood the ridicule and abuse today's passage warns that Christians may face (v. 4). Yet in the midst of this derisive response to our faith, Scripture calls us to stand firm in our Christian life. Peter begins our text with a reminder of Christ's suffering, and that the one “who has suffered in the body is done with sin” (v. 1). This doesn't mean that those who suffer no longer sin; rather, now that Christ has “died for our sins once for all” (2:18), the power of sin is over. We are no longer enslaved to that way of life.

Instead, Christians are called to put away “evil human desires” and live for “the will of God” (v. 2). And there's no point in wasting time about it. The life of perversion, intemperance, and idolatry should be a thing of the past (v. 3). And although the world may think our new lifestyle in Christ is a strange, even laughable thing (v. 4), our new identity means a new life.

Finally, if a reminder of the work of Christ is not enough, Peter adds that every person, believer and unbeliever, will one day give an account to the judge of “the living and the dead” (v. 5). Again, verse 6 presents interpretive difficulties, but the context of the passage suggests that the meaning is this: by human appearances, believers who have died have faced the judgment of death without vindication, but the reality is that in the eyes of God, those who responded to the good news are in fact alive. No amount of ridicule or mockery can take away the resurrection life we have in Christ.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you ever look around and wonder why the wicked seem to prosper while God's children suffer? Peter's answer to that query instructs us to take the long view: in the end, the Judge will set it all right. Faithfully serving Christ on earth can be a difficult challenge, especially when the world around us laughs and beckons us to something else. Try meditating on Psalm 73 today which wrestles honestly with these issues, but ultimately reminds us of God's constant presence and prevailing judgment in the end.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 4:7-11
The end of all things is near . . .To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. - 1 Peter 4:7, 11
TODAY IN THE WORD
A man looks into the camera and shouts, “They're coming! The end is here!” The shot then pans to the streets where space ships in the sky shoot laser beams into skyscrapers, and local citizens run screaming through the streets like madmen. Such scenes are the stuff of classic B-movie science fiction films about the invasion of outer-space aliens.

For many people, mentioning that the end is near often evokes such movie scenes, or perhaps images of disheveled crazies thrusting signs into people's faces on the streets. But this is where our passage begins today: “The end of all things is near” (v. 7). Unlike movie images of mayhem and hysteria, however, Peter explains that knowledge that the end is imminent should lead instead to clear thinking and self-control. For Christians, knowing the brevity of life should not cause panic but prayerfulness for ourselves and our world. Sometimes a serious illness or loss of a loved one can remind us of that brevity; Scripture calls us to live all of life prayerfully with that knowledge.

What does a Christian life, lived with the end in sight, look like? It's a life of service. Scripture calls us to a life of deep love for others. Rather than seeking to expose the faults of others, we should strive to cover those faults with a generous forgiveness and a welcoming hospitality (vv. 8-9). Knowing we are loved and welcomed by God, we should in turn offer love and welcome to others.

Love is more than just feelings and forgiveness; it involves tangible actions as well. Whatever gifts we've been given (and Scripture says that each of us has some gift), we are to use it to serve others. Whether speaking or serving in some other way, all of life should be an act of service that operates out of God's strength and for His glory (vv. 10-11). So while the end may be near, that knowledge should sharpen our focus on the things that matter most: honoring God by loving and serving one another.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
How will you live with the “end of all things” in view and for the glory of God? How will you manifest a life of love and service to others? Try making a list of personal service commitments, and post them where you will see them regularly: on a bathroom mirror, near the kitchen sink, on the dashboard of your car. Let them be a daily reminder of the focus of our living on what matters most: to Christ be “the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen” (v. 11).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 4:12-19
Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering . . . But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ. - 1 Peter 4:12-13
TODAY IN THE WORD
Around the year A.D. 200, a pregnant woman named Felicity was arrested in North Africa on charges of being a Christian; she was sentenced to death in the arena. During her stay in prison, she went into labor and cried out in pain. In response one of the guards mocked: “If you complain now, what will you do when you're thrown to the beasts?” But Felicity responded: “I myself now suffer that which I suffer, but in the arena another shall be in me One who shall suffer for me, because I am to suffer for Him.”

This young woman certainly knew something of what Peter describes in today's passage. Suffering for being a Christian is rarely understood by those who live in a culture that demands convenience and comfort at every turn. Perhaps Peter's audience were also puzzled by the “painful trial” they were experiencing. But Peter argues that we should not be surprised at such trials (v. 12). What should our response be?

Scripture is clear in its description of Christian suffering. This is not an unusual experience, nor an indication that God has abandoned us, nor something we need to be ashamed of. Rather, suffering for the name of Christ carries the encouragement that we are “blessed” and the “Spirit of glory and of God rests” on us (v. 14). Our suffering brings us closer to our Lord and Savior who already suffered for us. For that, we can rejoice and praise God that we bear His name, knowing that our “faithful Creator” has not forgotten us (vv. 13, 16, 19).

In addition to the individual blessing that comes with suffering for Christ, Scripture also issues a warning for the church in general. As Peter says, judgment “begins with the family of God.” Sometimes trials can winnow and refine Christ's church, weeding out those who do not “obey the gospel” (vv. 17-18). Like a refining fire, suffering reveals those who are truly committed to our faithful God.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In the last two thousand years, scholars estimate that 70 million Christians have died for Christ. Of these, 45 million (65 percent) were in the last century! The experience of worldwide Christian suffering is a reality. You may feel like you don't face extreme suffering in your own life, but thousands of Christians around the world do. Will you pray for them today, asking God to give them strength to stand, and the encouragement of knowing that in suffering for Christ, their union with Him is brought ever closer?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 5:1-4
To the elders among you, I appeal: . . . Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care. - 1 Peter 5:1-2
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the July 15, 1974 issue of Time magazine, historians were asked how they would answer the questions: “What makes a true leader? Who are the true leaders of history?” One British military historian, Correlli Barnett, responded this way: “Greatness has nothing to do with morality. A leader gets people to follow him.” According to Barnett, Napoleon, Hitler, and Al Capone were all great leaders.

We come to a different exposition of leadership in today's reading. Peter appeals to the elders of the churches, exhorting them toward Christian leadership. Reminding them of his own witness of Christ's suffering and promise of glory, Peter declares: “Be shepherds of God's flock” (v. 2). Peter remembered well the calling that Christ gave him in John 21:15-19, and he extends that call to the elders of the churches in Asia Minor. Christ's command to feed His sheep was not just for Peter or the apostles; all subsequent leaders of the church are called to care for and nourish God's people.

What are the marks of a true shepherd? Scripture first describes the attitude of leadership. True leaders do their work willingly, not out of a sense of obligation (v. 2a). Second, Scripture explains the purpose of leadership. Rather than leading in order to serve one's own needs (e.g. in striving only for monetary gain), a true leader is “eager to serve” (v. 2b), focusing on the needs of others first. Third, Scripture indicates the manner of leadership. A true leader does not “lord it over” others, seeking power and authority; rather, they offer a humble “example to the flock” (v. 3).

Finally, a true shepherd of God's flock will always remember that there is a Chief Shepherd to whom they are accountable (v. 4). Ultimately, it is Christ's church, not ours. And Christ is the true Shepherd of His people. Any leader of Christ's church is only an under-shepherd of that one great “Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As we come to the final Sunday in Advent, today's passage fittingly calls us to remember both Christ's first coming as a humble and serving Shepherd, and his second coming when that “Chief Shepherd appears” (v. 4). As you contemplate the attitude, purpose, and manner of Christ's leading of His church, recognize what a high (and challenging) call the leaders of your own church have received. Pray for them, and find some way to encourage them this week through a personal note, phone call, or conversation.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 5:5-7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
A famous bumper sticker, begun in the 1970s, quips: “Question Authority.” Often attributed to Timothy Leary, one of the leaders of American counter-culture, this slogan of skepticism and suspicion of all forms of authority has permeated contemporary culture, including the church. In many denominations today, the spiritual authority of the Bible and the Christian tradition have consistently been undermined by an aggressive assertion of individualism. No one has a right to tell anyone what to believe or how to act.

Today's passage challenges this call to “question authority,” with an exhortation to submission and humility. Yet, as we saw in yesterday's reading, the authority that we are called to submit to is not authoritarian or tyrannical leadership, but a leadership of love, care, and humility. In the face of this kind of leadership Peter calls on “young men” and “all of you” alike to “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another” (v. 5). Why?

Earlier in our study of 1 Peter, we've been given the example of Christ as the ground and foundation of Christian humility. Today we are offered an additional reason: our attitude of humility or pride does something to our relationship with God Himself. God “opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (v. 5, quoting Prov. 3:34). Humility before our leaders and one another, says Scripture, expresses our humility “under God's mighty hand” (v. 6). So while our humility toward one another may place us in lower positions, in the end, God honors that Christ-like attitude by lifting us up (v. 6). And that God-given exaltation, rather than our self-exaltation, will be much more valuable.

Finally, our text teaches us that Christian humility enables you to “cast all your anxiety on Him” (v. 7). The proud person refuses help from anyone else. The humble person is able to seek help from another. The humility that Peter calls for here allows us to come to God with all our cares and worries in life, and to entrust them to Him, confident in His care.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today's passage begins by urging an attitude of humility among all Christians, but ends by reminding us that such humility carries over into our relationship with God. Only the humble person can truly bring cares to God in full confidence. Do you have concerns or anxieties that you are not bringing to God but trying to “solve” by your own power? Perhaps you can find time today to list such concerns on paper, and then entrust them to God, resting in the assurance that He truly cares for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 5:8-11
And the God of all grace . . . will himself restore you and make you strong. - 1 Peter 5:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
In her book on suffering, Affliction, Edith Schaeffer proposes thinking of our response to suffering as a way to participate in God's victory over the Devil. When we respond to suffering by cursing or blaming God, we add to a larger spiritual tapestry that Satan delights in. However, when we respond to suffering with faith and trust in our loving God, we participate in a victorious tapestry of Satan's defeat. Schaeffer suggests that from an earthly perspective, our suffering may not make sense, but from a heavenly one, God can make it into something beautiful and glorious.

Schaeffer's tapestry illustration fits well with today's exhortation about standing firm in the face of suffering. Scripture tells us that vigilance is needed for the Christian life; much is at stake, not only the physical suffering we may endure, but spiritual danger as well. Peter says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around . . . looking for someone to devour” (v. 8). In other words, the trial of suffering brings not only the challenge of facing physical or social pain, but also the danger of letting suffering turn you from God Himself. Nothing would please the Devil more than to have Christians curse God in their suffering.

With that in mind, then, Peter urges us: “Resist him, standing firm in the faith” (v. 9). How do we do that? Scripture offers two suggestions. First, remember that you are not alone. Your experience of suffering for Christ is not unique. Rather, you are part of a large family that suffers as well, and that prays for you in your time of need (v. 9).

Second, God Himself will support you. He is the “God of all grace;” He has “called you to His eternal glory,” and He Himself “will restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (v. 10a). The world may seem to have all the power, but in the end, it is God who has “the power for ever and ever. Amen” (v. 10b). Rest in that assurance.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Perhaps you know someone who needs to hear these words today. In addition to comforting them over their physical or social pain, use today's reading to encourage them about the spiritual reality of suffering. Remind them that our suffering carries spiritual implications, either bringing pleasure to the Devil who delights to devour us, or bringing God glory and honor. Finally, remind this loved one that the “God of all grace” will never abandon us, but will make us strong and one day bring us to His eternal glory.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 5:12-14
I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. - 1 Peter 5:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
Because of the quality of ink, pens, and parchment in the ancient world, letter writing was no easy task. Even the highly educated often required the help of an amanuensis, or secretary, in drafting an epistle. If an amanuensis was used, it was not uncommon for the “sender” to attach a brief greeting at the end of the letter in his or her own hand. Letter writing was not a solitary affair, but often involved several people working together.

When we come to the end of 1 Peter, we likely have an example of this joint effort for letter writing in antiquity. Peter tells us that “with the help of Silas . . . I have written to you briefly” (v. 12a). Not only did Silas help to pen the letter, many commentators also think that he was probably the letter-bearer to the churches in Asia Minor. In other words, without the help of his “faithful brother” Silas, Peter could not carry out his ministry and care for the churches. Such a picture of joint effort is an apt portrait of the communal life in Christ depicted in the final words of 1 Peter.

This care for the broader church community is expressed again in Peter's explanation for his writing: to encourage them and to testify that “this is the true grace of God” (v. 12b). In the painful trials this community faced, Peter sends a word of hope, encouraging them to “stand fast” in the faith (v. 12c).

Christ's church, though separated by miles, can still encourage one another. Writing all the way from Rome (the typical referent behind “Babylon” in v. 13), Peter reminds his audience that they stand together, both being chosen by God. Peter also reminds them that the Christians in Rome have not forgotten their brothers and sisters across the Mediterranean, but wish them Christ's peace. In turn, Peter exhorts his audience to extend the same kind of encouragement and love to one another with the “kiss of love” (v. 14). What a picture of the unity of Christ's church!

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
With the fast-paced world of cell phones, e-mails and text messaging, the age-old activity of letter writing has fallen out of fashion. Yet who of us doesn't delight to receive in the mail a hand-written letter from a dear friend? Find time this week to sit down and hand-write a letter to a friend, family member, or church leader and let them know that you are thinking of them. Express your love and care for them, encouraging them to “stand fast” in the “true grace of God.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Peter 1:1-4
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. - 2 Peter 3:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
A study done at one renowned evangelical college in America discovered a problem. Many otherwise bright students, with deep personal commitments to Christ, displayed an appalling lack of biblical knowledge. For example, when asked to put biblical books in the right order, or whether the apostle Paul believed in the resurrection of the body, most students could not answer correctly! One commentator on this study concluded that these students loved Jesus, but had never become familiar with the basic tenets of the Christian faith. In other words, their knowledge was only half complete.

As we turn to the book of 2 Peter, we find that the topic of “knowledge” is especially important, and it stands central to today's reading. After the opening introductions, Peter wishes his readers blessing “through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (v. 2). In the very next verse, Peter declares that we are completely equipped for the Christian life “through our knowledge of him who called us” (v. 3).

Knowledge of our God brings the abundant blessing of grace and peace, His equipping power in our lives, His “very great and precious promises,” and the ability to “participate in the divine nature” and “escape the corruption in the world” (v. 4b). These last two items describe the spiritual blessing that comes with knowledge of God; our very lives can now reflect the character of God rather than the character of the world's “evil desires.”

The Bible often uses the term knowledge to speak of an intimate relationship with another, and this is certainly part of what Peter has in mind as he describes our participation in God's life. But biblical knowledge also includes intellectual understanding, and this notion of knowledge will be central in the rest of Peter's letter as he warns against a variety of false teaching. The Christian faith is more than a warming of the heart; it's also a transforming of the mind. Look for this theme in the days to come.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Which kind of “knowledge” of Christ do you need to grow in: your intimate participation in the godly life He calls you to, or your understanding of the faith you've received from Him? If the first, recommit to a life of prayer and godly integrity today. If the second, perhaps you can find a local Bible study, Sunday school class, or online Bible course that will help you grow in your understanding of the Christian faith. Either way, ask God to use the remainder of this month's study to help you grow in knowledge of Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Peter 1:5-11
Be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. - 2 Peter 1:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Today is Christmas. And amidst all the presents, decorations, food, and family visits, Christmas marks the Christian celebration of the day when the God who became flesh was born into our world. It's one of the amazing paradoxes of the Christian faith: that the baby born to Mary was both fully human and fully divine. We may not understand how it can be, but we affirm its truthfulness as necessary to God's act of redemption.

Today's passage has an equally important paradox of the Christian faith: that Christian living requires both the work of God in us, and great effort on our part. Yesterday's reading emphasized the divine power equipping us for “everything we need for life and godliness” (v. 3); today's passage emphasizes our need to “make every effort” (v. 5) and to “be all the more eager” (v. 10) to live the Christian life. We need both truths: God is at work in us, and we are responsible to be earnest in our Christian living.

According to Scripture, the Christian life is an active life of growth, not an idle existence of spiritual complacency. Peter begins by urging our efforts toward an impressive list of virtues: “faith,” “goodness,” “knowledge,” “self-control,” “perseverance,” “godliness,” “brotherly kindness,” and “love” (vv. 5-7). Not only are these qualities important in the Christian life, they must be found “in increasing measure” (v. 8). Only with such growth, says Scripture, can we avoid an “ineffective and unproductive” Christian life (v. 8). On the flip side, the one who lacks such qualities “has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sin” (v. 9).

There is no middle ground for the Christian, no neutral stance. Either one is growing in godly virtue, thereby making your “calling and election sure” (v. 10) and moving toward a “rich welcome” in Christ's kingdom (v. 11), or one is living in contradiction to our reality in Christ and in danger of “falling” (v. 10). A stagnant Christian is not motionless; by not moving forward in Christian growth, he or she is falling behind, moving in the wrong direction.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
For some, today's reading may hit close to home. But remember that the biblical call to work hard at the Christian life can never be divorced from the work that God does as well. So as you celebrate today the birth of the God-man Jesus, recall first that God's work of redemption in Christ enables you to live for Him. And second, that you need to respond to that enabling power with your own effort. What specific and practical things will you begin doing to start your Christian growth today?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Peter 1:12-18
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about . . . our Lord Jesus Christ. - 2 Peter 1:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
John Ramsay ministered among slaves in the Caribbean islands, where he witnessed the horrific treatment they endured. Ramsay later returned to England and penned an important treatise against the slave trade. By persuading the bishop of London, the Prime Minister, and politicians such as William Wilberforce, John Ramsay is said to have influenced the abolition of slavery in Britain more than anyone else.

Ramsay's personal experience with slaves left a lasting impression that motivated him to life-long action. In today's reading, we discover that Peter also witnessed an event that left an equally lasting impression: the Transfiguration of Christ. In that mountain-top experience, Peter witnessed the revelation of Jesus' glory and majesty before his eyes. He may have been at a loss for words in the moment (cf. Mark 9:6), but it made a lasting impression that motivated him to life-long action.

From today's reading we see that Peter never forgot what he saw. He still remembered the words spoken from the “Majestic Glory” about Jesus (v. 17-18; cf. Matt. 17:5). And look at the barrage of language Peter uses to describe that event. He speaks of Jesus' “power,” His “majesty,” His “honor,” and His “glory” (vv. 16-17). It's almost as if Peter can't find the words to describe what he saw, but it's clear that what he witnessed was incredible and life-changing.

So life-changing, in fact, that Peter had become a life-long witness of Jesus. And it doesn't matter if his audience had already heard it before; Peter will “always remind you of these things” (v. 12). He wanted to “refresh your memory” as long as he lived (v. 13). Peter wanted to ensure that they “will always be able to remember these things,” even after he died (v. 15). Why is this so important? Because it's true! Christ's glory and majesty aren't “invented stories” (v. 16). Peter was there to see and hear it, and it's so important that he wanted to make sure others know it too.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you're not familiar with the Transfiguration story, take time to read it today (Matthew 17; Mark 9; or Luke 9). Consider Peter's response at the time of the event, and his words in today's passage. Has the glory and wonder of Christ captured your whole being the way it has Peter? Are you compelled to tell others of Christ's glory and power over and over again? Pray that God would capture your heart with such a strong impression of Him that you are motivated to life-long love and service.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Peter 1:19-21
Prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. - 2 Peter 1:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
Every year polls are conducted to determine American confidence in the economy, health care, politicians (including the President), the military, and even “religion.” A running Gallup poll from 2005 through 2009, for example, has shown a downward trend in American belief that religion is able to solve life's problems. This poll concluded that American confidence in religion was on the demise.

We may find many of these polls insignificant, or even inaccurate, but they do point to important questions: Whom do we really trust? What gives us confidence? Today's reading highlights something we can all find confidence in: God's Word. Yesterday, Peter emphasized the apostles' testimony about Christ; today, he underscores the prophetic testimony of Christ which was “made more certain” (v. 19). The apostolic witness and God's Word go hand-in-hand to establish a sure and confident witness to God's redemption in Christ. As Peter says, we would “do well to pay attention to it” (v. 19)! Why?

First, Scripture declares that God's prophetic word is like a “light shining in a dark place” (v. 19). As we await the “day” (a typical biblical reference to Christ's return), confusion and darkness fills our world. But Peter reminds us that we can have confidence in God's Word to lead us. In particular, Peter may be thinking of the years to come when the eyewitnesses of Christ's glory will be gone (see v. 15). Even so, we will still have the witness of God's Word.

Second, we can have confidence in God's prophetic word because of its divine character and quality. No prophecy is merely human interpretation (v. 20); rather, these men “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (v. 21). For example, God declared about Jeremiah: “I have put my words in your mouth” (Jer. 1:9). God may have used human instruments (including their various personalities), but His word through them is still His word. Confidence in our God means we can be confident in His word as well.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Psalm 119:105 reflects well the message of today's passage: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” See if you can find Fanny Crosby's hymn, “Thy Word Is a Lamp,” online or in a hymnbook. The refrain, which captures so well the sentiments of today's passage that God's trustworthy Word lights our way, is worth memorizing: “O wonderful, wonderful Word, / My treasure, my hope, and my stay; / Each promise recorded delights my soul, / And brightens each step of my way.”

[Melisnmatt]

I'm new here.  I wanted to find a place where like minds come together in Christ to edify one another.  I also wanted to pass along a good book, It's called the "hiding place" by corrie ten boom.  It's primarily a book about the love of Christ, and the peace he provides that surpasses all understanding.  It'll also make you realize that a good portion of us have no idea not only what love is, but what suffering in his name is.  For some reason, we acknowledge His death on the cross and then continue living our hate filled lives.  And when I say hate filled I don't necessarily mean the obvious hate.  I mean the subtle hate.  The cursing under our breath in traffic.  The vengence we wish upon others who do evil to us.  The frustrations our children cause us.  The loss of our temper toward our spouses.  Our lack of patience. Well, anyways, it's something I feel every Christian should read. Our easy lives of television, food, shopping, and excess are put into percpective.

[Soldier4Christ]

Hello Melisnmatt,

Welcome to Christians Unite forums.

I haven't read the book but I have heard the story of the Ten Boom family many times. It is a heart warming story. One that does in fact portray the love of Christ that should shine through all that are His. Most people in America don't truly know what it means to suffer in His name. We have had the luxury of worshiping freely without any appraisal or even fear of persecution. I am sure that such times are soon to be gone though as it already is for many others in this world. We must continue to stand in His name and spread the Gospel to all.