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Author: Will

1 Peter 3:5 – Exemplary Holy Women

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Will

For in this manner, in the past, the holy women who were hoping in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,

Truth to Learn

The example of proper adornment is in the Old Testament women.

Behind the Words

The Greek word hagiai, is translated here as “holy.” It is the feminine plural form of hagios, which we have studied in the past, meaning “holy” or “pure.” It carries with it the idea of being separated from the things of the world and from sin. It is also the word that is translated “saint” throughout the New Testament. These are those wives in the Old Testament who had set themselves apart from the things of the world to the things of God.

“Adorned” is translated from a form of kosmos, which as we have recently learned means “an orderly arrangement.” It is used here in the imperfect tense indicating past, repeated action.

The word translated “were hoping” is elpidzō which comes from the primary word elpo, meaning “to anticipate, usually with pleasure.” Elpidzō means “to hope with full expectation of fulfillment.” These women were not simply hoping that God was going to take care of them, they trusted God’s promises.

Meaning Explained

Peter now makes a reference which sounds like a grandfather talking to his grandson, “Why, I remember in the old days wives used to …” Actually, Peter’s reference is to the times of the patriarchs, which we know because he uses Sarah as an example in the next verse. What was it about these women, and Sarah particularly, that interests Peter? First of all, they were holy. They did not succumb to the temptations of their day to assert themselves as something special independent of their husbands. They were not swayed by the fads and trends of those around them. Instead, they were committed, first to God, then to their husbands.

Secondly, these women “hoped in God.” They fully expected that God would be pleased with them because of their obedience to Him and because of their submission to their husbands. Today we would say that they were women of faith. Not only did they believe in God, but they also had such a confident expectation that God would take care of them that peace ruled in their lives no matter what happened.

These holy women of faith used to adorn themselves with a humble and quiet spirit, being subordinate to their husbands, according to Peter. These were not women who were interested in glorifying themselves, but God. They were not subordinate to their husbands because they were forced to, but because they knew that it was God’s will for them.

Application

Ladies, let me say once again that it is not wrong to arrange your appearance in an orderly manner (adorn yourselves). A Christian woman should present herself as set-apart for God’s use. Not by means of elaborate clothing and jewelry, and not by means of plain, drab clothing, long straight hair, and no make-up. Her outward appearance is to be modest, and the attitude of her heart, her submission to God and to her husband, is what makes her attractive to others.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 3:4 – Great Inward Value

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Will

but let it be the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great value in the presence of God.

Truth to Learn

God places great value on a humble and quiet spirit.

Behind the Words

The expression, “the hidden person of the heart” is one that I find particularly interesting. The word translated “person” (“man” in some translations) is anthropos, which literally means “man faced.” It is derived from ana trepon opa meaning “turning the face upward.” It refers specifically to human-kind and is used with various descriptors to portray different aspects of our being. Some of these include the inner man in Romans 7:22 (the soul), the outer man in 2 Corinthians 4:16 (the body), the new man in Ephesians 2:15 (regenerate or “saved” man), the old man in Romans 6:6 (unregenerate or “sinful” man), and the hidden man here in 1 Peter 3:4. Some Greek scholars believe that “the hidden man” refers, like “the inner man,” to our soul. I think of it, rather, as the real man. It is our character, that is, who and what we are when we think no one is watching. It is what others who know us well see in us when the acting, the psychological make-up, the pretense, the façade, and the phoniness are all stripped away. It is who we really are on the inside. According to the latter part of this verse, it is the seat of our spirit.

The word “gentle” comes from the Greek word praeos, which means “mild” or “humble,” and “quiet” is from the Greek hesuchios, which literally means “keeping one’s seat.” Hence, by implication it means “still” or “quiet.”

“Of great value” is from the Greek word polutelēs, which is made up of polus, meaning “much” or “great” and telos, meaning “expense” or “cost.” Hence, this word refers to “great value.”

Meaning Explained

Peter tells us that the thing which is most adorning in wives is the inward quality of a gentle and quiet spirit. It sounds like someone who is at peace with God, doesn’t it? Someone who has such a solid faith in God, even in the midst of the tumultuous storms of life, that she can rest peacefully in the hands of “the One who judges rightly.” Peter says that God considers this type of spirit as being of great value.

And… there isn’t a husband in his right mind who wouldn’t want a wife like this. Unfortunately, finding a man who is in his right mind, who is focused on God instead of himself is a rare commodity indeed. Particularly an unsaved one like the one Peter is talking about in these verses. Therefore, Peter does not make the behavior of wives conditional. He says, in essence, “Wives, instead of focusing your attention on outward adornment, focus on spiritual development, on being who and what God wants you to be, because this witness may be the very message that God uses to speak to your husband.” I personally cannot count the times that God has spoken to me about my own sinfulness through just such a witnessing spirit in my own wife.

Application

Wives, there is nothing wrong with attractive clothing and other outward cosmetic means of looking nice. That is, as long as your real effort to be attractive is applied to being a godly woman with a humble and quiet spirit.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 3:3 – Simple Adornment

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Will

Do not let your adornment be merely external—such as arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fancy clothing

Truth to Learn

Our outward appearance reflects the attitude of our heart.

Behind the Words

The word “let” is an interesting word. In English we often give this word the meaning of “allow.” However, whenever this word appears in a Greek translation it is an indication of a command.

The word translated “adornment” is the Greek word kosmos. This is the same word that in some places is translated “world” or “world system.” In its root meaning it refers to an orderly arrangement of things. From this word we get our English word “cosmetic.”

“Arranging” is from the Greek word emplokē, which is the noun form of the verb emplekō, meaning “to interweave, to braid-in, or to entangle.” It is a reference here to special attention given to a woman’s hairdo.

Meaning Explained

Note that Peter is not condemning adornment, or ornamentation. In fact, in the following verses he talks about the preferable type of adornment for women. The apostle Paul says a similar thing:

In the same way also, that women adorn themselves in appropriate clothing, with modesty and sensibleness, not adorned with braiding, or gold, or pearls, or costly clothing, (1 Timothy 2:9)

Neither Peter nor Paul says that it is wrong to adorn. In fact, in the 1 Timothy passage just quoted, Paul says that women should adorn themselves in “sensible,” “appropriate,” or “modest” clothing (depending on which translation you are reading). This word is from the Greek word kosmios, which has the same root as kosmos. Paul says that women should be adorned in “orderly” apparel.

What both of these writers are saying is that it is wrong to focus solely on the outward adornment. The things which Peter refers to in today’s verse as well as the things that Paul refers to in the passage in 1 Timothy all have to do with expensive adornment. In the first century, only the wealthy women could afford to have their hair put up in fancy braids. The Roman women of that day were known for ridiculous extravagance in the adornment of their hair. This included dying the hair, elaborate braiding or arranging with costly pins and nets of gold thread. It even included the use of false hair additions and blond wigs. It was common for these women to also braid flowers, jewelry, and other attention grabbing items into the hair.

Why do you suppose they did this? Here’s what it says in 1 Samuel 16:7:

For man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart.

These women wanted others to be attracted to them, to their outward appearance and to their wealth. God would rather have people notice our lifestyle, a reflection of what is in our heart.

Application

We Christians should all be careful to present a neat and orderly appearance since we are representatives of (and children of) the Great King and Lord of the universe. But we should represent Him, not ourselves. People who see us should not be wowed by our clothing or jewelry. Instead, they should notice our attitude and behavior, the outward manifestations of our faith in God.

Let us all remember this when we get dressed tomorrow.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 3:2 – Wondrous Pure Conduct

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Will

having observed your pure behavior accompanied by fear.

Truth to Learn

The pure lifestyle of a God-fearing woman is a thing of wonder to behold.

Behind the Words

The phrase, “having observed” comes from the Greek word epopteuō, which is a compound of epi, meaning “on” or “upon” and a form of optomai, which means “to gaze.” There are a number of words in the Greek that are used for different types of looking, words that mean to see, to look at, to look closely at, to stare, to be a spectator, and to spy on. These are all distinctly different than this word which means, “to gaze upon (that is, with wide open eyes, as at something remarkable).” The word is expressed here as an aorist participle, implying continuous action which occurred before the main verb of this sentence (“they … may be won” in the previous verse). So, we could translate this as, “they having observed…”

The word translated “pure” is the Greek word hagnos. This comes from the same root as hagios, a word we’ve looked at before, meaning “holy” or “pure.” The word in today’s verse means “clean, innocent, modest, chaste, or pure.”

“Behavior” is translated from anastrophē, which is made up of ana, meaning “up,” and a form of strephō, meaning “to turn.” Hence, this word literally means “to turn up,” but by application it means “to go back and forth” and has come to mean “manner of living, lifestyle, behavior, or conduct.”

Meaning Explained

When a Christian woman is totally committed to God and living a submitted life (to God and to her husband), even an unsaved husband will look at her with wonder. The thing which causes such amazement in her husband, according to Peter, is her “pure behavior.”

This pure lifestyle is the most effective witness to an unsaved husband. Unfortunately, some women married to unsaved men feel like they need to preach at their husbands or badger them into going to church on Sunday. Instead, Peter says that a woman in this situation is to live a life totally devoted to God and submitted to her husband. That doesn’t mean that the woman has to do whatever her husband wants if what he wants is contrary to the teaching of Scripture. Her top priorities have to be obedience to God and a pure lifestyle. But Peter does teach us (from the previous verse) that “they (unsaved husbands), without a word, may be won by the behaviou of their wives.” In the next couple of verses, Peter will give us more details about how this type of woman conducts herself.

Let me say that a pure lifestyle and a submissive spirit are exactly the qualities, coupled with a solid faith and reverential fear of the Lord, which caused me to first gaze at and admire the young woman who eventually became my wife more than forty years ago. Qualities that I still find remarkable even today!

Application

Ladies, do you want your husband to gaze at you in wonder, as he looks at something remarkable? That, according to Peter, comes from your clean lifestyle and submission to your husband. Not as a patsy or a door-mat, but as a life partner who has a solid, abiding faith in God.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 3:1 – Submission & Love

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Will

In the same way, wives be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the behavior of their wives,

Truth to Learn

Submission is one part of God’s plan for marriages.

Behind the Words

“Wives” is translated from gunē, meaning “a woman” or “a wife” (see Revelation 19:7).

The word translated “submissive” is hupotassō, which we have recently learned has the meaning “under rank.” It is expressed here not as a command, but as a passive participle. Hence, Peter is saying, “Wives being submitted to …”

The word “husbands” is from anēr, meaning “a man” or “a husband.”

The words “your own” are a translation of the Greek word idiois, meaning “that which is specifically one’s own.” Hence, wives are to be submitted to their own husband, not to just any husband.

Meaning Explained

In the middle of the previous chapter Peter began a theme of submission, “submit yourselves to every institution of man” and “servants be submissive to your masters.” The same idea appears in James’ letter to the church where we are instructed to submit ourselves to God (James 4:7).

Submission is a key in our battle against our enemy, the Devil. In each case this word refers to an act of our will, allowing our own wishes and desires to be subordinated to those of the one to whom we are submitting. This is contrary to our sin nature which wants to promote self. And, seeing self as number one is encouraged today through the messages being proclaimed by the word system, such as, “Do your own thing”, or “After all, I’m worth it”, or “Be you; do what you want to do.”

For a woman married to a godly man who is himself submitted to God, it may be easier to submit, though not always easy. For a woman married to an unsaved man or to a saved man who is not in submission to Christ, it is certainly much more difficult. However, Peter does not make an exception in these cases. He simply says that the conduct of a submissive woman may be the thing that God uses to reach her unbelieving husband.

Lest men think that this makes them any more important than their wives, let me remind you men that we are to be the spiritual leaders, able to answer doctrinal questions from our wives (1 Corinthians 14:35). We are to treat our wives as having great value (1 Peter 3:7). Twice we are commanded to love our wives with a self-sacrificing love (Ephesians 5:25 and Colossians 3:19) even to the point of dying for them, just as Christ died for the church. Incidentally, wives are never commanded to love their husbands in this manner. Men, this means that when you and your wife have an argument, it is up to you to sacrifice your own will and apologize to her for your inappropriate behavior, expecting nothing in return from her.

Application

In God’s church, the body of Christ, men and women have different roles. Neither is better than the other. Neither is superior to the other. In a marriage, wives are to be submitted to their husbands who are to love their wives. Both of these actions are commanded and neither one depends on the other.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 2:25 – Soul Guardian

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Will

For you were like sheep going astray, but have now turned back to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Truth to Learn

Not only is God our Shepherd, He is the guardian of our soul.

Behind the Words

“Going astray” is translated from a form of planaō, meaning “to wander” or “to go astray.” This verb is expressed as a participle, implying continuous action. So, we could translate the first part of this verse as, “For you were like sheep continually wandering.”

The word translated “turned back” is from the Greek, epistrephō, made up of epi, meaning “upon” and strephō, meaning “to turn.” So, literally, it means “to turn upon” or “to turn around.” This verb is expressed in the aorist tense, implying a past action which occurred at a single point in time (you returned – not, you were returning.) That point in time is when you accepted Christ as savior and became a Christian.

The word “overseer” comes from the Greek word episkopos, meaning “one who oversees or takes care of others.” It is translated in some versions of the Bible as “bishop.”

Meaning Explained

Continuing from the previous verse, Peter now extends his reference to Isaiah:

All of us like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of all of us. (Isaiah 53:6)

One of the characteristics of sheep is that without a shepherd they tend to wander aimlessly in an attempt to satisfy their most base desire (for food) with total disregard for their own present or future safety. Sometimes they will blindly follow the rest of the flock and sometimes they are oblivious even to them. What an apt description of our condition without our shepherd. We were lost and going astray, but when we got saved, we ceased straying and returned to our Shepherd.

To this metaphor of the sheep and the shepherd, Peter adds a subtle but significant descriptor. Not only is Christ our shepherd, but He is our overseer as well. In this verse, however, He is not just the overseer of the church, but of our very souls. With him now responsible for the safety of our souls, even to the prevention of our going astray, how could one possible believe that we who are now saved could ever lose that salvation and become lost. In order to believe that, we would have to believe that Christ is not a Good Shepherd nor is he overseeing our souls.

Application

Do you sometimes feel like you have committed such a terrible sin, or so many sins, that God could never forgive you? Do you feel like you have completely strayed from God? Peter tells us that not only has Christ paid for all our sins (past, present, and future), but he is constantly guarding our soul so that we can’t be lost ever again. Thank you, Lord, for guarding my soul!

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 2:24 – Sin Bearer

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Will

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

Truth to Learn

Christ took our sins to the cross to pay the price for them.

Behind the Words

The Greek word for “bore” is anapherō, which means “to take up” or “to offer up.”

The word translated “tree” is xulon, which refers to a piece of wood, which could be a staff, a club, a tree, or a cross.

“Stripes” is from the Greek word mōlōps. This word both in the Old Testament Hebrew and in the New Testament Greek, refers to a bruise, a mark, a scar, or an open wound like those ugly swollen and bleeding stripes that result from a severe beating.

Meaning Explained

When we consider that this letter was written by an unschooled fisherman, it becomes even more remarkable that he should quote and/or make allusion to the writings of the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah. The 53^rd chapter of Isaiah is an obvious reference to the coming Messiah who would suffer intensely. The Jews, who were looking for a coming conqueror, did not understand His suffering. Isaiah 53 starts out like this:

Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of Jehovah been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of a dry ground; He has no form or majesty that we should look on Him, nor an appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He is despised and rejected by men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; like one from whom were hiding our faces, He was despised, and we did not value Him. Surely He has borne our sicknesses, and carried our pains; yet we considered Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed. (Isaiah 53:1-5)

The lesson Peter is teaching is that we should suffer patiently, even when we are punished for something of which we are innocent. Christ left us this example which we should follow. He was innocent. When He was attacked with words, He did not respond in kind, and when He suffered He did not threaten. Instead, he surrendered Himself to the Righteous Judge.

Since He was innocent, it logically follows that the Righteous Judge should declare Him innocent and acquit Him of all charges. Instead, He was declared innocent, then punished! Why? Because, Peter says, “He bore our sins.” This sinless Lamb of God took up with him on the cross all the sins of mankind from the beginning of time until the end of time.

Think about it! Not only was he innocent, and silent, but He voluntarily took upon Himself your sins and mine so that the punishment handed out to Him, though not deserved by Him, would be received by Him on our behalf.

By His death, Peter says, we have the ability to live, having been declared righteous. Peter then finishes off this verse with a quote from Isaiah 53:5, “by whose stripes you were healed.”

Application

The next time you suffer at the hands of others for something you did not do, turn your thoughts to God, the Righteous Judge, and thank Him for allowing you to “know Christ and the fellowship of His sufferings.” Then praise Him that through the sufferings of Christ you are righteous in His eyes.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 2:23 – Surrender to God

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Will

who, being reviled, did not revile in return; suffering, He did not threaten, but committing Himself to Him who judges righteously;

Truth to Learn

Instead of attacking our accusers, we should surrender to God.

Behind the Words

What does it mean to be “reviled?” This English word means “to be assaulted with contemptuous or abusive language.” The Greek word it is translated from is loidoreō, which means “to reproach” or “to vilify.”

The Greek for “did not revile in return” is, ouk antiloidepei. Antiloidepei is a compound made up of anti, meaning “opposite” and a form of loidereō, which we just learned means “to vilify.” The Greek word ouk, which we learned previously, represents the absolute negative. From all this we see that Christ absolutely did not respond in kind.

The word translated “threaten” is the Greek word apeileō, which means “to menace or threaten.” It is also preceded by ouk, the absolute negative.

The word translated “committing” is paredidōmi, which means “to give up” or “to surrender.”

Meaning Explained

Before Christ’s crucifixion, His accusers used harsh words in assaulting and accusing Him. “Yes, but they’re only words,” you say. When was the last time you were assaulted with words? Did it cause you to strike back or at least want to? Did you have to think about it before you did?

For me it was only yesterday when someone used harsh words to attack me and my actions. And, I am ashamed to say, I did not hesitate in my parrying response, using just as much vitriolic language and emotion as my attacker.

When Christ was attacked with words of accusations which were untrue and undeserved, He did not revile in return. When Christ suffered, which was both physical and emotional, He did not threaten. Talk about power under control! Even as he was being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, he asked Peter:

Do you think that I am not able now call on My Father, and He will place beside Me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53)

One angel would probably have been enough to take care of the crowd that was there. Twelve would certainly have been enough to do it effortlessly. But twelve legions?! That would have been upwards of 60,000 angels!

Jesus had the power and opportunity to strike back at his accusers and those who caused Him to suffer. Instead of fighting back, though, He surrendered! Not to his attackers, but to the Righteous Judge, His Heavenly Father.

Application

The next time you are attacked, remember how Jesus responded. Had he not surrendered, He would not have been obedient unto death, even the death on the cross, and you and I would still be dead in our sins and without hope! Let’s all learn to surrender to God.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 2:22 – Silent Suffering

Posted on December 15, 2016 by Will

Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth;

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ is the perfect example of patient suffering.

Behind the Words

The word translated “sin” is hamartia, which literally means “to miss the mark.” In our case the mark is God-like perfection. Hence, we see that to sin means to do something that is not God-like.

“Deceit” is translated from the Greek word dolos, which comes from an obsolete primary word dello, probably meaning “to decoy.” Some versions of the Bible translate this as “guile.”

Meaning Explained

Jesus Christ lived His entire life without sinning! He didn’t even “shade the truth,” as we sometimes do, so as to say one thing but make others think he was saying something else. He was completely open and honest without trickery of any kind.

And yet He was tortured unmercifully, treated like the commonest of criminals, condemned at three illegal Jewish trials without proper testimony against him, and declared innocent at two civil trials. In spite of being declared innocent, He was stripped of his dignity as well as his clothing; beaten with the dreaded scourge until his back was shredded and bleeding; kept overnight without sleep, food, or water; forced to carry the heavy instrument of his own torture; then hung in the hot sun under the agonizing torture of crucifixion. And, as if that wasn’t enough, the sins of all mankind were thrust upon him, and he was deserted by God the Father for three hours while he hung alone under the weight of our sins, having already prayed, “Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.”

At his trial under Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor marveled at His lack of self defense:

And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?" But He did not answer him not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. (Matthew 27:12-14)

He could have proclaimed His innocence, for He truly was. He could have struck out in fury with the very power of creation against those who were wrongfully torturing Him. He could have simply stepped down from the cross, proving the innocence that was His alone. Those who were present while Christ suffered for us even mocked Him, challenging Him to prove He is the Christ by coming down from the cross:

And those passing by were speaking evil of Him, wagging their heads and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross." (Matthew 27:39-40)

But He did not come down from the cross. Instead, He remained there and suffered patiently, for you and for me.

Application

Think of this the next time you are wrongfully accused, and accept it, knowing that this is pleasing with God. Do not attempt to glorify yourself; instead, glorify God by being silently obedient.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 2:21 – Exemplary Suffering

Posted on December 14, 2016 by Will

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving to you an example, that you might follow His steps:

Truth to Learn

We have been called by God to follow Christ’s example.

Behind the Words

The word “called” is translated from kaleō, which means “to call out an invitation or a command” or “to give a person a name.” It is expressed here in the aorist tense implying past action completed at a point in time. It is also expressed in the passive voice indicating action done to the subject.

Meaning Explained

Continuing on from the previous verse, the reason we are to remain patiently enduring when we suffer wrongfully is because to this very end we were called.

So, what does it mean that we were called? There are many Scripture passages that deal with our calling. Let’s look at just two of them:

For you see your calling, brothers, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world that He might put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world that He might put to shame the things which are mighty; (1Cointhians 1:26, 27)

having saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, (2Timothy 1:9)

From these verses we see that our calling from God is associated with God’s choosing us and God’s saving us. The other thing we see is that the choosing, the saving, and the calling are based wholly of God’s work and none of our own. God chose us to be saved, doing all the work of salvation for us. He purchased us as His own possession, and He adopted us as his children. He also called us to serve Him as his servants.

We were not called to be Christians so we could be rich and famous and enjoy all the blessings of this world. Instead, we were called to be Christ-like. This should be our constant overriding desire, as Paul stated:

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; (Phillippians 3:10)

Christ didn’t simply die for us, He suffered! Not only did he suffer physically, but He suffered emotionally in the worst way. He felt deserted! He even felt deserted by God the Father with whom He had enjoyed constant fellowship from eternity past. Yet for three hours on the cross, He suffered the agony of complete isolation, and He did it patiently for you and me.

Application

Are you saved? If so, then you have been called by God to be Christ-like in every way. Are you willing to suffer the same way for Him as He did for you? Are you desirous of following His example? Do you want to really know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering?! Let us all examine how committed we are to God today. Is our Christianity simply a free ticket into heaven? Are we only looking for the blessings of being Christ-like? Or do we want to really be like Him… even to the point of suffering for Him and enduring it patiently like He did for us?

In God's service, for His glory,