Peter: Submission, 3/8/2023

The word means to be submissive, it’s clear throughout God’s word that He has a certain order to society. The family unit is the foundation of His society. His family is perfect in that He, as the Father has a plan, and in that Jesus, as the Son always obeys His Father’s will. Imagine God’s plan where the family lines up under His word. The wife submits to the husband and the husband submits to God and the children obey their mother’s and fathers, and the mothers and father’s pray together as a family for their kids and the father does not exasperate his children (Ephesians 6:1-4). If we do not teach our children to honor us, it will not go well with them. Now, this is more than just whipping their tails, this goes to the depth of giving them something to honor. Do I honor God in my work, my house, my marriage, my finances?

Who do you think is watching us the closest? These kids we have aren’t dumb. They watch us.

He desires that the family structure be strong. His plan for family structure includes the husband as the leader and the wife willingly submits herself under the delegated authority that God has placed in the home, and the husband willingly submits his life under the hand of God!!

A godly husband is called to humble himself under the word of God by loving his wife the way that Jesus loved the church. Honestly, I have heard many times, through the years a woman say, “When he starts acting the way that Jesus tells him to act, I will start submitting.”

No, you won’t! You will submit now! That’s if you want to be a woman of God. You will submit right this very second, not to me, not to your husband, but to the will and the word of God.

Let’s take a little closer look at this passage. Verse 1 is speaking to a saved wife and gives them a command to subject themselves to their own husbands. There is no talk about qualifiers here. God does not say on the slick, “Look, I’m going to put this in here, but just between you and me, I don’t expect you to really do this if he refuses to do what he’s supposed to do.” There is no talk of this at all. It says, “Wives submit to your husband, but it does give more information. He is actually speaking to wives that are saved who are married to husbands that aren’t doing what is right. Look at the wording, “that, if any obey not the word,” so these husbands aren’t following the word of God, but God is talking to you right now woman of God. As a matter of fact these first 6 verses are all about you. God loves you and He wrote specific info here to help you. He goes on to say that certain behavior will actually win your husband over.

But you won’t read on. I know I’m not talking to any women in here, so I’m going to preach to the camera. God is trying to help you by giving you a plan for the problem that you’re having with your husband. But you won’t even read past this first verse. You see submit, and your response is “Yeah, when he starts listening, I will start listening.”

You hard hearted, stiff necked, rebellious, little piece of marred clay. Will you contend with the most high! Will you a piece of clay tell the potter what to do as He fashions the vessel for honor?

God wants believing wives to know that even though your husband is not currently willing to be ruled by the word, if you will be ruled by His word, He will, through your [pure] lifestyle of faith and reverence and fear towards God and His word, heal you, heal your husband. He will work in your home and in your family.

Now, moving forward, a little more instruction for the wife. If you’re trying to please your husband and entice him towards God by adorning yourself with outward beauty according to the ways of the world. You’re wasting your time. Even if the husband says that he wants you to don whatever the latest fad of the day is currently.

If your desire is to get your husband saved. If your desire is to get your husband to a spiritually mature, man of God, on fire for God, praying for his marriage, his children, his home, winning souls for Jesus, living for God, if that’s what you want, then hallelujah, let’s all get to work, but if that’s not what you’re looking for, then you might be in the wrong place. If you’re looking for crown molding, a Gucci and bouji girls to chill with, you definitely came to the wrong place. I am praying that God will raise up men on fire for Him! I am praying for those kind of men, because those are the kind of men that God is looking for.  If your desire is listen to God and His word and adorn yourself with inner beauty. Take your heart out of your chest and put it in the hands of your loving Father. Let God have His way in your heart and in your life.

Meek/ quiet— humility/ peace— this is of great value in the eyes of God. According to God’s word, Holy women, women that were separated from the world around them and were servants of God, subjected themselves to their husbands and adorned themselves with a meek and quiet spirit.

Husbands are to honor the wife— there is a special value that is affixed by God on the wife. I know that for myself when I have done wrong in my marriage and then gone to the Lord and He deals with my heart. He refers to Danielle as His daughter, and there have been times that those words have really sobered me. The husband is to acknowledge the wife as the weaker vessel but to also realize that the husband and wife are heirs together, and if she’s treated that way and the husband is treated that way, then the prayers won’t be hindered, so if he doesn’t and she doesn’t— doesn’t what? Doesn’t obey the word of God!, so if that happens, does that mean that there prayers are hindered??

Peter: Lively Stones Make a Spiritual House

1 Peter Chapter 2

Malice

Matthew 6:33-34

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Acts 8:22-23

22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Romans 1:16-23

Romans 1:29

Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

Malice is an adjective that describes a deep condition of the heart. It’s synonymous with evil in general, and it’s directly related with rejection of God’s truth! Peter says lay it aside. It’s the ways of an evil world, it’s of the spirit of error, it’s the opposite of the good that comes from the Spirit of God.

Lay aside malice but desire, like a baby, the sincere milk of the word.

Desire= crave, lust after

Sincere= pure and unadulterated

1 Peter 2:2 ESV

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

The word of God allows the Christian to receive the nutrition needed for growth. Without it, the believer will not advance to a young man or adult in the faith.

Have you ever seen a baby crying for milk? Screaming, and you’re feverishly trying to stick the scoop of powder in so you can shake it up. You’re fumbling, baby screaming, and finally, you give it to the baby and they hold it so tenderly, and with complete contentment, they look at you with eyes of gratitude.

V3 “If so be” If so be that you actually have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. If you haven’t then you need to get saved. I can’t save you, but I can keep telling you about it, and I can inform you that once you are, you will know, because the Holy Spirit will give you the deposit and the word of God will start to taste oh so good!

A cornerstone in ancient construction was the foundation upon which the building was founded. Instead of a cement slab, it was a cornerstone. Jesus is the foundation of the spiritual house that God is building. Just as a literal tent was erected and a literal house/ temple was built to house the presence of God, in the New Covenant, God is building a spiritual house, a place where His presence can live, a place where He can be found on earth.

The cornerstone was rejected by men, but chosen and precious in the eyes of God. The Spirit calls us stones also. He is the Living stone, and when that stone touches us, we become lively stones. Lively meaning life. It’s the word Zoe in the Greek, and it means He breathed His life on you and in you. You were dead and now you’re alive. You’re a lively stone and you, and you, and you, and me, and God is building a house where His presence can dwell, and He is the head and we are the body and His church is the house and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

God’s house is on the move again church. It was in a tent where it could move and then it became a stationary structure in the temple and people would come to it, and now it’s both. We, as lively stones come to this place, and He is in us, we bring Him with us. He brings people here, and when we’re all here, maybe it functions like the temple, but when we leave it’s more like the tent of meeting. Wherever we go, church is about to take place. Wherever we go, revival is about to break out. Any minute, any day, any place, it’s about to happen. He’s about to pour out His Spirit! Expect Him to move church!

Priesthood- you’re a holy priesthood.

Hebrews 7:26-27

26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

The Old Testament priest made intercession for the people through sacrifice, that’s what they needed. They needed to be cleansed from their sin, an exchange from sin to righteousness. Their work of intercession was never done, because the blood of bulls and goats cannot remove sin. His work is Is the sinless man who died for all sinful men, and now, in His exalted state, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, ever making intercession for you, for me.

Now, under Him, we are made a royal priesthood. The people of God, the body of Christ, offering up, spiritual sacrifices to Him (Romans 12:1).

He laid a cornerstone in Sion— Zion is the highest hill in Jerusalem, the hill upon which the temple of the Lord was built in the city of God’s choosing. The city named Jerusalem, the city of peace. But the stone He’s talking about here is not the literal stone upon which the temple was built. The stone He’s talking about here is the stone, the rock, Christ Jesus. There is a heavenly Jerusalem that awaits the saints of God. The writer of Hebrews speaks of it:

Hebrews 7:26-27

Hebrews 12:22-23

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Confounded—dishonored, disgraced, ashamed, blush

This isn’t the kind of blushing where some pretty girl tells you that she thinks that you are cute or good looking, or vice versa some attractive dude tells you that you are beautiful. No! This is the blush of shame. That spot where you thought you were right and you were so bold about it, but come to find out, you were wrong, and it’s that direct moment when your consciousness realizes that you were wrong and embarrassment and shame floods you, hormones are released that increase blood flow to your face, your face is reddened and depending on how serious the situation, other emotions are to follow, heartache, sorrow, a desire to get right, or embarrassment turns to bitterness and the heart is hardened and the neck is stiffened and rebellion enters in. There is coming a judgment day, and everyone will face Jesus, and if we let the Living stone touch us now, if our glorified body blushes, we may blush for joy, but we will not blush for shame. Oh God let us help others. Let us be used by you to help them not experience the bad blush, only a good blush. Please Lord!

To the person that exercises faith in the truth, Jesus becomes the most precious possession on earth. His presence is something that He will allow us to possess. He becomes the treasure hidden in the field, the pearl of great price. To those who reject the truth, He becomes a stumbling block. This is God’s plan. Jesus is the head of the corner. He is the foundation of God’s intervention for rebellious, sinful man. I don’t believe that God predestined people to be disobedient, reject the word and stumble. Instead, I believe that He gives His word, knowing that some will believe and some will reject. The ones that believe will see Jesus as precious. Those that reject will stumble and this is the appointment of the people’s: one or the other. There is no in between. Yet, in His grace and His mercy, He who rejects today, may still have hope tomorrow, as long as there is breath in the lungs and time on the prophetic clock, there is hope for a soul to go from unbeliever to believer and from rejector to embracer of truth— I believe that, and that is why I preach!

The people of God are seen as a special people group. Their unity and togetherness is based on the commonality that they have believed in the word of God. They are a royal-priesthood. This makes believers different than the Levitical priests of old. They were of the tribe of Levi. From Levi came no king. Jesus is a priest after a new order. The order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was a king-priest. We have been given the delegated authority of the Christ to operate as a co-regent with our king. We have been given delegated authority to operate under the dunamis of God. To pray and intercede, to believe God for the miraculous and to take authority over the works of darkness.

We are peculiar in that God has created us and separated us out from the rest of the world as a people that belong directly to Him. Our purpose is to operate as kings and priests within the kingdom realm that He has translated us into. He called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light and our purpose is to show forth praises to Him. The gentile nations were not previously the people of God— Israel was. We were not previously the people of God—other Christians were but thank God a believer somewhere, somehow told us the truth. Thank you Lord for sending someone to tell us the truth.

The Greek word means literally "to make around," that is, to make something and then to surround it with a circle, thus indicating ownership. The same verb is used in the Septuagint translation of Isaiah 43:21 which reads, "This people have I formed for myself." The word "peculiar" today usually means "odd, strange." But it is not so used here. The Greek word speaks of the unique, private, personal ownership of the saints by God_Wuest

People that are ignorant of God and ignorant of sin continue to engage in the lusts of the flesh. We also know that Christians, at times, do the same, but Peter implores us not to. He calls believers “dearly beloved” the lusts of the flesh is what the world offers, but we are not of the world. We are a royal priesthood and fleshly lusts wage war against our souls. When war is waged against our souls, it will affect our faith, it will affect our mindsets , and fleshly lusts will definitely affect our emotions.

Keep your manner of living honorable among unbelievers. When we live right before them, even though they talk bad about us, they will know that our faith is sincere, they will remember our works and on the Day of visitation—they will glorify God. The idea here for visitation is actually talking about the overseer ἐπισκοπή episkopē. The text is describing the day when the unbeliever will finally believe in Christ and accept Him as the overseer of their soul. When they receive Him and are cleansed, they will remember your honorable life, and they will be thankful that you lived a separated life for the Lord!

Believers are instructed to live their lives in an honorable way: We are to respect the governing authorities that are in place, honor. Our behavior will also silence foolish men. Whenever we are slandered by people for our faithful living, we must be reminded that the slanderers are ignorant. They do not know our Lord. Our prayer is that one day they will.

One thought about Peter saying to obey governors, authorities and laws that are in place. I would also like to point out that this is the same man that preached Jesus, got arrested for preaching Jesus, was freed from prison, and went back and preached again.

We are also instructed to respect the authority of those we work for. He specifically states that we are expected to respond properly to our bosses that are froward (σκολιός skolios; from the base of 4628; warped, i.e. winding; figuratively, perverse: — crooked).

If we respond like the world and are buffeted (to rap with the fist: — buffet.) then we will not receive praise from God for it, but if we are well doers and live our lives honorably in the eyes of God, according to His word, then this is acceptable in the eyes of God— the Greek here for acceptable is charis— grace/graciousness.

Jesus left us an example on earth of suffering for righteousness.  Example—ὑπογραμμός hypogrammos; from a compound of 5259 and 1125; an underwriting. His example is written. He had no sin, He had no deceit (guile). He trusted and committed Himself to the Father, the Father judges righteously. It is obvious from these thoughts that God is pleased and takes notice of what will last in eternity.

His example brought obedience to the point of death, the death of the cross. He bore our sin in His body on the tree. He healed us with the stripes of the lichtor’s lash.

We were like sheep going astray (πλανάω planaō; from 4106; to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue): — go astray, deceive) we were deceived, but His word and grace drew us back and we had our own visitation. This is why He wants us to live honorably before men. It is His will and desire to do the same for them. The very one that hurt you the worst, is the one He wants to save.

Peter: Temporary Journey with an Eternal Reward, 2/19/23

OUTLINE: Temporary Journey with Eternal Reward

I. V1-2 Strangers, elect, sanctification, sprinkling of blood

• Foreign Land

II. V 3-5 Begotten, resurrection, incorruptible inheritance, reserved in heaven, kept by power

• Eternal life, eternal kingdom, eternal reward

III. V 6-9 Rejoice, Season of heaviness— if need be, manifold temptations, Trial of faith through fire, gold perishes, can’t see but believe

• Hostile journey, faith must be tried—kingdom currency must be tried

IV. V 10-12 Prophets enquired & searched, prophesied of grace, what time?, Spirit of Christ, who was it for, The Holy Ghost & the preaching, angels desire to look

• Eternal plan—unchanging message

V. V 13-16 gird loins of mind, not fashioning of world of lust, Holy, Holy, Holy

• Prepare for travel—get your mind right

VI. Sojourn here in fear, Redemption through precious blood, not earthly, perishing, currency, Foreordained before the foundation of earth

• Travel and tremble (Isaiah 66:1-2)

V1. & Feigned love for the brethren, pure heart, Flowers fade, grass withers, God’s word endures forever

• Heavenly love— perishing world

NOTES: A Temporary Journey with an Eternal Reward

1 Peter Chapter 1

Paragraph 1/ V 1,2 Strangers & elect— this earth is not our home. We are pilgrims on a journey in a fallen land. The earth is fallen and full of lust, but the earth is full of the glory of God, and those that love the Lord will be translated into His kingdom, and they will partake in the glory and power of His divine nature. And as ambassadors, representatives of His kingdom will do exploits for their king.

Elect— how does one become the elect of God? He who is the elect has been sprinkled with the blood. He has been cleansed with the blood of the lamb ( ), sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience

Paragraph 2/ V-5 Begotten through resurrection, now, an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled, awaits! In the kingdom, your garments will never be stained.

Paragraph 3/V 6-9 Resurrection births new life. This is just the down payment of new life. In this life, there will be trial, in the next only triumph. We rejoice, because our inheritance is incorruptible. Rejoice even now in heaviness. Fire’s flame is on the faith, the faith is being tested. Faith is heavenly, more precious than earthly gold that perishes. Gold & Earth PERISH. Our inheritance is heavenly— incorruptible, undefiled and non-perishable. Therefore, the faith must be tried in fire. You can’t see Him, but you believe.  Rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Can you feel that? Say that from your soul— I can’t see Him; yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Paragraph 4/ V 10-12. Filled with the Spirit of Christ, the prophets searched the times. He was coming. He would suffer, then the glory follows. Voice of the prophets was preparing us. The Christ was not then, He is now. The Holy Spirit sent down. The message proclaimed. The angels peering!

They girded loins in preparation for travel. This girding is the mind, because it’s the belt of truth. The truth girds the mind preparing for travel. The truth fills the mind with the glory of the heavenly kingdom and corrects the thoughts for the earthly journey. First correction, the earth is full of lust, in the past, you were ignorant. Don’t go back! God is holy. He says to us, be you Holy also.

We are directed to prepare for the journey. The journey is the work of the Lord, it describes the place where we pick up Elijah’s mantle and we do the work of the prophet. We foretell, but we also forth-tell. The eternal gospel story, and the work will be judged, and it will be judged based upon something of dire seriousness, now, again, this is the judgment seat where works are judged. You’re saved. I’m saved—right? Okay, now this is the works. What did you do for me? This is what I did for you. I redeemed you from the slavery of sin with the precious blood of a lamb foreordained before the foundations of the earth. So I’m back to settle the accounts. Grace and mercy yes, but holy, holy, holy— Isaiah 6. I don’t know what you get out of that, but I get that being in the presence of the Lord is a very serious situation. I get the impression that it’s going to be very sobering and monumental and for some reason I feel like even in my glorified body I’m not going to feel comfortable peering into His eyes. I don’t know how to explain this completely, but I believe that if I did look into His eyes. I would see the purest of joy, the fulfillment of compassion, probably even a tear of happiness to see me, because I believe that He loves me that much, but I believe that when I see His eyes, the most comfortable and appropriate posture that I will be able to find is bowed down with my face at His feet

A purified soul, loves the brethren with a love that is pure and not fake ἀνυπόκριτος without hypocrisy. It’s pure—purified by fire in a similitude, like a vine cleansed by pruning and so fitted to bear fruit. The seed that we are born of is incorruptible, meaning, unlike this world, it is not perishing. The incorruptible seed, the Living word, which is Jesus, has been birthed in our hearts and has given us new life and results in pure unfeigned love. We cannot afford anymore to fake it until we make it, that will hinder the moving and operation of the Holy Spirit.  Man is like the flower and the grass. It will fall and wither. The word of the Lord will endure forever. Your faith is eternal, His word is eternal, and the love between the brethren starts here in the temporal, but will be perfected in eternity.