Yay! It’s Tuesday! Welcome back to afaithtalk.com to study with me. I’m so glad you’re here for the first lesson in our new study. In some ways a new one is harder to do but it others it’s so much fun and so wonderful.
Today, Peter’s first letter, the first chapter. It’s a wonderful letter, if you can’t remember what’s in it stay tuned. It’s going to be so good, that is if Jesus is here writing with me. 🙂 First let’s pray.
Dear Lord Jesus, we’re ready to study this chapter and I have no words, I need You to provide them. Reveal all that You want us to realize, know, see and learn. Only You can do all of that. Thank You, Jesus. In Your name, I pray. Amen.
We’re back to the NIV. So navigate to 1 Peter 1. It’s past the gospels and several letters, sometimes it’s easier to go from the back to the front. But here is the link to 1 Peter 1 on Biblegateway.
Read 1 Peter 1:1-2
To God’s elect – who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father … echos of Ephesians 1. Remember?
Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world…
Through faith in Christ, you are also God’s elect.
Now what have you been chosen to do?
Two things for you, great blessings we have such a hard time understanding. _________ and ________ be yours in _____________________.
Praise to God for a Living Hope
That’s the subtitle for the next group of verses. It’s a living hope we have, Praise God.
Yes, this is another set of verses to tell us to Praise. God’s praise is what we’re living for. Praise Him.
Read verses 3-5
Oh yes, these are such wonderful words.
In God’s great mercy we have been given a __________________ into a __________________________ through __________________________________ of Jesus Christ from the dead, and ___________________________________________ that can never perish, ________ or ________.
This is a totally livable verse here, trust Him and Praise Him.
Through faith(!!) you are ________________ by ________ __________ until the coming of the ______________________ that is ___________ to be _______________ in the last time.
There are gifts we’ve been given that only come in stages. Salvation is one of them. The first stage is forgiveness. The last stage, that is set to be revealed, is the full change-us into ‘like him’-stage. Ultimate healing, body and soul. Resurrection and eternal life. That’s the final stage of Salvation. It’s also the safest place to set our hope. He is coming. This will all happen. It’s part of His promise to make ‘everything new’.
But until then, we are shielded by God’s power. Not from it, by it. Is that not absolutely wonderful? Those four words, think on those four words and you will feel your faith nearly explode into joy. Shielded by God’s power. It’s something worth saying to yourself every single day.
“Good morning, me, you’re shielded by God’s power, smile and praise Him.”
or “Don’t fear, you are shielded by God’s power! Praise Him.”
Read verses 6-7
Greatly rejoice! That’s what will happen if you keep reminding yourself that you are shielded. You are not alone. God is with you.
Even though, for now you may have had to suffer all kinds of _________. These have come so that the ____________ ___________________ of your ___________—_____________________________________________________.
Your faith is of greater worth than gold. There is nothing more you need than faith. Proven genuineness. That’s why we have to practice, exercise, live with and by our faith.
And the result of faith, the proven genuineness of it will result in __________, ________ and _________ when Jesus Christ is _____________________.
Read verses 8-9
Did you know that living with faith can change how you see Jesus? There are moments in life that reveal He is beautiful, He is everything, He’s right there with you. Love Him. Are you filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy? You can be. These words, perhaps we need to read this chapter over and over. Though it’s far from the only one, just read the Bible.
You are receiving the end result of your faith, the ______________ of your souls. Yes, it is coming with Him.
Read Verses 10-12
These three verses are a little harder to understand. The prophets? Wasn’t it only last week I asked you to look up a prophet in the old testament and find a characteristic to apply to your life? I have two very favorite stories, one each from Elijah and Elisha. But they’re not the only prophets, many books are written by prophets or about them.
Read through the Bible in a year with the In Touch devotional or the Every Day with Jesus Bible or so many other ways too and you’ll get prophets plus Jesus and still get all the way through the Bible in a year. I did this with the Every Day with Jesus Bible a few years ago and I can credit that time with giving me such a strong hunger for the Word of God that I can’t go without it very long at all. Sure, it takes discipline in the beginning, and sometimes for weeks or months, don’t give up. Just keep at it and I pray that you’ll feel that way too. A strong desire to get back to it, to keep reading it. That’s what you’re looking for.
We read of the Messiah, Christ, (Yeshua) Jesus, coming and suffering and that there were and are glories to come because we’re so many years into the future from the prophets.
…those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.
Even ________ long to look into these things. All revelation comes from God himself. No one else. There’s part of a prayer in Ephesians 1:17 that reminds me of this.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
So that you may know Him better. That is the ultimate goal of study. To know Him better.
Read 1 Peter 1:13-16
Be Holy
This is a Peter thing, something that sticks in my head that it’s Peter. Those words in verse 13: sober and alert.
So what I want you to do right now is write verse 13 because there is a reason to have an alert and fully sober mind.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
That’s why. Verse 14 tells how.
Do not _____________________________________________ when you lived in _________________.
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; (verse 15)
Good news though, don’t let that make you worry. Ephesians 1 says we’ve been chosen to be holy and blameless. (Ephesians 1:4) The love of God that wants us holy and blameless is at work in us to make us holy and blameless.
Read Verse 17
Live out your time here in ______________________________.
Read Verses 18-19
You’ve been redeemed by ________________________________________________________.
Read Verses 20-21
Where are your faith and hope? _____________________
Read Verse 22
By obeying the truth we’re purifying ourselves so that we have sincere love for each other.
How should we love each other? ___________________
Read Verse 23
You have been born again by the ______________________ seed.
Read Verses 24-25
“This is the word that was preached to you.” What is this?
____________________________________________
What fun this is. There is nothing like God. He has given and given and given us so much and continues to grace us with all these words of Scripture.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for this time and this lesson. Sear it to our minds and help us to remember the wonders that exist when we keep studying your words. All for You. Amen.