“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be” (1 Peter 5:2a)

This journey of faith is one that is moving us beyond being obligated for doing things.  Love is not an obligation.  It is to move us into the place where we understand that serving the Lord is what we were created to do.  We serve the One who first served us.  Do not be motivated by obligation, but by every good promise the Lord places before us.  Our hope is in Him alone.

Lord, I know this in the relationships I have on earth.  How is it that this principle which You have placed in me from the beginning is so hard to apply to heavenly things?  You have given me the ability to love.  In You is all hope.  You have led me to trust in Your never-failing promises. Help me learn how to serve because it is pleasing to You.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy.

Come Holy Spirit and minister to my heart.  You have opened my heart to love and the truth of the Gospel.  You have helped me to see that these things are true.  Guide me dear Lord in the way of everlasting life so that I may always trust in Your guidance through all the travails of this life.  In all that happens, may I be guided by You dear Lord to willingly and freely serve You in love.  Amen.

“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed” (1 Peter 5:1)

There are the cadre of those who suffer along with Christ.  He has led the way.  Count your sufferings for Christ as a blessing knowing that He who is in You is greater than the ones who bring the suffering.  Look to the glory to be revealed and know that the One who has spoken all things into existence will accomplish all that He has promised.  He is the Alpha and Omega and all things already are according to His will.

Let me not be deceived by this world O Lord.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You is all hope and a future.  When I am reviled for Your name’s sake, let me not forget that You suffered first for us all.  Lord, I may not understand these things, but I do hear Your promises.  Guide me Lord so that I may now and always look to You, the One in whom there is all hope.

Lord Jesus, You headed intentionally to the cross.  Lead me in whatever direction You know I need to go.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to walk humbly and boldly through all of the trials that will come my way knowing that my life is in You.  Grant that I may be a fellow witness of Your sufferings as I live intentionally in the hope You give me through faith.  Amen.

“So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good” (1 Peter 4:19).

No matter what happens, do what is right.  This seems so simple, yet many do seem to fall away when adversity comes.  Not just in commitment to the Lord, but these days it seems that people have difficulty with many kinds of commitments.  Marriages fall apart, families are abandoned, homes and businesses left behind because of adversity.  To what will you be committed if not to the Lord?

Lord, help me to be a person of integrity.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You is all hope and apart from You is godlessness.  Help me to know that I must commit to something.  I must have a direction, for even if I choose to wander, I am choosing a direction.  Guide me Lord so that I may walk the path of the humble who follow You with the purpose You have designed for each one of us.

Lord Jesus, in You is all hope.  You have come in order that we may have life and have it abundantly.  You must lead and I must follow.  You have said that if I follow You there will be suffering.  This age of sin produces suffering.  Lead me, O Lord, away from the way of the wicked so that I may follow You all the days of my life.  Help me to walk through all adversity that comes my way and by Your power.  Amen.

“And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (1 Peter 4:18)

Do you think lightly of your salvation?  Are you one who thinks a little bit is just fine?  Jesus did not come to save a part of you, but the whole of you.  From the inside out, He will make of you one who is in His image.  Therefore, this passage is true.  If the righteous fear, what should those who take these things so lightly do?  This does not even consider the ungodly who hate the Lord.

Lord, my heart does need to often reconsider what I think about faith.  I do sometimes think way too lightly of these things.  Yet, I cannot save myself, so being all somber and serious cannot be the answer either.  Lord, lead me.  This alone is the answer.  You must lead and I must follow.  Guide me in the upward way of faith so that I may walk humbly with You leading my Lord and Savior.

Lord Jesus, You told us to take upon ourselves Your yoke and walk with You.  At times salvation seems so easy and at other times, it seems impossible.  Guide me dear Lord in the way You know I need to go.  Help me to understand that only in You is there any hope at all.  Keep me from the way of the ungodly and help me on the path of righteousness which You have set before me.  Amen.

“For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17)

We tend to look out and conform to the world rather than to look inward and be conformed to the will of God.  Do not go to the lowest common denominator, but be lifted up by the One Lord and Savior of us all, Jesus Christ.  Do not think that we will escape judgement, for we confess that we believe in Jesus returning to judge the living and the dead.  Come then and live into the life to which you have been called.

Lord, You know where my heart tends to go.  Guide me in the way of everlasting life in order that I would not look to the world, but away from it and to You.  Teach me how to love.  Help me in those times where I am uncertain so that I may live in the freedom You have given me.  Through all things, continue to guide me in Your grace and mercy to be what You have called me to be.

Lord Jesus, in You alone is hope and an eternal future.  Guide me in the way of life which You have established in order that I may now and forever be guided by Your grace and mercy and live the Father’s will.  Not meritoriously, but recognizing that You hold us all accountable, help me to live knowing that You will ask me what I have done with the gifts You have given me.  Amen.

“However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (1 Peter 4:16).

It is no shame when you are hated for doing the right thing.  Our Lord was crucified and He did no wrong.  The world hates light and truth.  But there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed.  Come into the light and know that in the Lord is goodness and truth.  Never be ashamed of the One who has come into the world so that You might leave the world to be with Him forever.

Lord, I do not know why I am ashamed when I should not be.  But the world does this to me and I do this to myself.  Help me to see things as they are. Guide me to not care, in this sense, what the world thinks.  Help me to do what is right even though the whole world were to try to shame me into doing wrong.  Only in You can I see what is right and true.  Only in You is there hope and a future.

Lord Jesus, You were constantly harassed by those in the world.  What did they gain?  They are dead and gone, but You have changed the course of the world.  Let me not live with my eye just upon the moment, but help me to see You, the One who is in eternity.  Guide me in the upward way of the call You have given me so that I may now and always be lead in the way You know I need to go.  Amen.

“If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler” (1 Peter 4:15).

Our Lord died for the sins of all, but not in order that we would go on sinning.  Leading lives of repentance is no easy task.  Many take the path of thinking they are just fine rather than the path of seeking to do the Lord’s will   Come onto the right path and live a life worthy of the calling you have received from Christ.  Know that in Him is all life and true liberty from the recompense of sin.

Lord, the world presses in on me to play games.  In my time, many denominations have been ravaged by this game of looking the other way to sin.  Help me to not play games, but realize that this is so serious that if I do live in the grace You give, I will pay a worldly price.  Yet, what price is that compared to what You give me by that same grace.  Lead me Lord in the right way to live.

Lord, Jesus, You know all about suffering.  You have also forgiven all of us criminals.  Help me to follow Your example which reached out to heal the sick and the suffering.  Help me to care for others whether or not they deserve it.  Guide me to adopt the right attitude in living.  Lord, you have come to save us and only through You is there salvation.  Guide me always in the way I should live life.  Amen.

“If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you” (1 Peter 4:14).

Holding fast to the truth will bring hostility from the world.  Those who hate God do not want to be reminded of the conflict between their hatred and the reality that God is the center of all things.  Do not be deceived, nor be led astray, but hold fast to what is true knowing that you will be ridiculed for believing not with wishful thinking, but the truth of the Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Lord, I do so worry about what others think when I should be focusing upon the reality You have revealed.  When I am insulted for Your name’s sake, help me stand firm and not be swayed by the wickedness of this world.  Guide me into the goodness of Your mercy and love so that I may know that You alone are Lord and scoff at the feeble attempts of all others to tempt me to believe otherwise.

Come Holy Spirit and lead me in truth.  You have spoken the words of truth and You have breathed on me.  Guide me now and forever to know that in You is all hope and the eternal future promised through grace.  Help me to hold fast and live according to Your never-failing promises.  Lord in You is all hope.  Help me to abide in that hope knowing that You are abiding in me.  Amen.

“But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:13).

Rejoice in Christ.  Rejoice in being considered worthy to suffer with and for Him.  Do not lament, but know that the Lord is growing in You, quite literally, the image of Christ.  Be led by Him into the life for which He is preparing you.  Be guided by the truth that He is always with You and knows all that you need.  Everything will make perfect sense when you come into perfection.

Lord, You have told me that now I am looking in a mirror dimly, but when that day comes, I will know even as I have always been fully known.  Lead me Lord in the way of everlasting life.  Guide me according to Your goodness to know that in You is hope and truth.  Let me not be led aside by what really are momentary distractions in this world, but instead, help me take joy in all that You are doing.

Lord Jesus, You walked the Via Delarosa, the way of sorrow and pain.  You went to the cross for us all.  Help me, I pray, to live through whatever may come knowing that in You is all hope and an eternal glory which is yours.  Keep my faith simple and pure.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in every situation, You are there and when things are tough, You truly understand.  Help me keep my eyes upon You.  Amen.

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12).

Do not be surprised.  If you are going to earnestly walk the path of salvation, you will be attacked.  The wicked one means it for your destruction.  The Lord will use it to grow in you that which He knows needs to be there.  The most important thing is to not be surprised when it happens.  This is also spoken of time and time again in Scripture.  You may not like it, but be encouraged, the Lord is with you.

Lord, You know the beginning from the end.  You know what is coming and You have prepared us.  Help me to enter the fiery ordeals of life as one prepared so that I may walk humbly in Your promise.  Help me to not waver, but walk boldly all the days of my life in the truth You have revealed through salvation.  Lord, good and bad times come, but You are forever.  Help me keep this in my mind always.

Dear Lord Jesus, Your ministry on earth was one continuous fiery ordeal.  I cannot look at You and say that You do not understand.  You do.  Help me dear Lord to live into the life You have given me, no matter what may come along the way.  You have said that if I endure, it will build character and the character will give me hope.  Lead me through every ordeal that my faith would be more sure.  Amen.