March 16-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:1-2, Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter continues the theme of submission as a way to be a witness to those outside the faith. Peter has three times as much to say to women than men because if they became a believer and their husbands did not, they had the most challenging way to go. If a man became a believer, he could just bring his wife along because of his position in the marriage. We must remember the historical context in which this was written. Women did not have any rights and were treated as objects. For a wife to change her religion while her husband did not was courageous and unthinkable. Peter did not tell the wife to leave or preach to her husband. By the silent preaching of her life, it is hoped that her loveliness will break down the barriers and win her husband to the Lord. So, in being submissive she continues to live in the order of society. As archaic as this may seem to us today, for her to go against the cultural norm would have made a negative witness that would have further distanced her husband from the Lord. Instead, Peter wanted wives to be pure. They were to exhibit a chastity where nothing evil could be said about them. They were to be reverent. They could live such a high quality of life in difficult circumstances because they first had a holy reverence for the Lord. They were surrendered to Christ in all things so they could be a witness for Him at all times. This is a model for all of us in all of our relationships to win the lost.
Relate it to your life.
If my life does not beautifully show Christ, then my words will be of no value in doing so.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, make me a reverent witness of Your holiness. Amen.
March 17-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:3-6, Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Observe what it is saying.
This continues the conversation of wives who converted to Christianity, but their husbands had not. They were to live such Godly lives that their husbands would, hopefully, be won over by their humble lifestyle. In all things, we must remember the ultimate goal of our Christian faith is to make disciples. So, in that excessive Greek and Roman culture where extravagant dress was common among pagan women, Peter gave a specific example of how simple adornment would be a significant way for wives to separate themselves from the ungodly. He even used Sarah, who was the first lady of the patriarch of their faith, as an example for Christian wives to follow in their humble lifestyle. Though this specific wording may be challenging for us to hear with modern ears, living with a gentle Christlike spirit is not only beneficial for women who put their hope in God, but also for men who want to separate themselves from the world.
Relate it to your life.
However, I interpret this, I need to hear the clear call to live a humble life that models Jesus for others.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, make me gentle just like You in all my relationships and interactions with others. Amen.
March 18-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:7, Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter turns to give instruction to husbands in living the Christlike life. Again, with our modern ears, we may think this advice sounds rather archaic. However, in the culture of that day, where women had no rights and men had all privilege, his words actually highly elevated the status of wives in the eyes of their husbands. So, Peter said, “in the same way” I spoke to your wives, that message applies to you as well. In general, he was saying, live as a Christlike witness to your wives. In particular, “be considerate.” Be understanding and sensitive to your wife’s feelings. Include their thoughts in all you do. “Treat them with respect.” The word also means value and honor. Treat your wives with the infinite value Christ has placed upon them. “Weaker partner” can also mean powerless which was the state of women in that male-dominated culture. Even though that was the societal reality, everything Peter said gave greater standing to women. “Heirs with you” is literally co-heirs making the wife equal in the gospel inheritance with the husband. This was unheard of language for that culture. “Gracious gift of life” is literally the grace life. Husbands and wives share equally in the grace that Jesus offers. Equal salvation. Equal inheritance. Then, he drops the bomb. Treat your wives as equally redeemed, grace-filled persons, or your prayers will be hindered. The way you treat your wives will determine whether God hears your prayers or not! In Christ Jesus, men and women have equal worth, redemption, and reward.
Relate it to your life.
Marriage reaches its highest potential when husbands and wives represent Jesus well to each other.
Do something.
Lord God, give me grace and strength to love my spouse as wonderfully as You have loved me. Amen.
March 19-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:8, Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter transitions from addressing various groups of believers to all who follow Christ. He offers a vision of how rich in character our churches and communities will be when we sincerely practice the following qualities. Like-minded: To be a potent witness the church must be united together. This quality filled Jesus’ prayer for the church the night before He went to the cross. When the church abides in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, divisions diminish and unity increases. Sympathetic: We become less self-focused and identify with the pains and sorrows of others. Love one another: At the heart of Jesus’ message is the reality that we will love one another as He loved us. The love of Jesus in us will compel us to love others extravagantly. Compassionate: In a world where we are de-sensitized daily by news of war, mass shootings, sex scandals, embezzlement, and so much more, our hearts become a little harder and less concerned for others. Compassion occurs when we see a need and act upon it just as God saw our pitiful plight and acted to redeem us out of darkness and destruction. Humble: Because we are utterly dependent upon God for all things, we cannot assert ourselves as greater than others.
Relate it to your life.
I will not remain the same when Jesus takes over my fully-surrendered life.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, may every quality that You fully embodied become who I am and what I do each day. Amen.
March 20-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:9, Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter speaks to the heart of Jesus’ ministry and teaching that is foundational for our Christian faith. Though the word is not used here, he speaks of forgiveness. If we are able to do these extraordinary acts, then we have chosen to forgive the one who has hurt and harmed us in the first place. Jesus said it this way, “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:27-31) Christ’s followers stand out as countercultural when we choose to demonstrate such radical love by doing good, blessing, praying, and showing generosity to those who do not deserve it. Loving in such a way reveals that we have been truly redeemed, filled with the Holy Spirit, and are authentically living out the faith.
Relate it to your life.
I can gauge the maturity of my faith by how I respond to those who are ugly to me.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I need an abundance of Your grace and strength to live like You and show such love to those who are not loving to me. Amen.
March 21-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:10-12, For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Observe what it is saying.
These verses provide Scriptural support from Psalm 34 in order to motivate Godly behavior. This psalm speaks of those who want to enjoy life and experience good days, referring to life in the land of Canaan. It speaks that if the Israelites want to experience God’s blessing in the promised land, they should pursue righteousness. They should honor God with their speech. Their tongues should not serve evil purposes through lies or treachery, but they should turn from doing wrong and do what is good. They should be peacemakers rather than instruments of strife and hostility. As they do this, they can be confident that God is watching over them and will hear their prayers. In the same way, those who do evil should be confident that God stands against them and their prayers. If ancient Israel had this hope, how much more should believers have hope of inheriting the eternal promised land found in the kingdom of God. We are welcomed into God’s family by our trust in Jesus’ redemption. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a God-pleasing life. God is doing everything from His side to include us in His family, but still gives us free-will to choose to enter into it.
Relate it to your life.
If my faith is located in Jesus, I have His righteousness empowered by His Spirit to experience the fullest blessings of God.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, give me a heart that seeks to fully live in Your holy loving way so that I do not miss anything that You have planned for me. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:1-2, Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter continues the theme of submission as a way to be a witness to those outside the faith. Peter has three times as much to say to women than men because if they became a believer and their husbands did not, they had the most challenging way to go. If a man became a believer, he could just bring his wife along because of his position in the marriage. We must remember the historical context in which this was written. Women did not have any rights and were treated as objects. For a wife to change her religion while her husband did not was courageous and unthinkable. Peter did not tell the wife to leave or preach to her husband. By the silent preaching of her life, it is hoped that her loveliness will break down the barriers and win her husband to the Lord. So, in being submissive she continues to live in the order of society. As archaic as this may seem to us today, for her to go against the cultural norm would have made a negative witness that would have further distanced her husband from the Lord. Instead, Peter wanted wives to be pure. They were to exhibit a chastity where nothing evil could be said about them. They were to be reverent. They could live such a high quality of life in difficult circumstances because they first had a holy reverence for the Lord. They were surrendered to Christ in all things so they could be a witness for Him at all times. This is a model for all of us in all of our relationships to win the lost.
Relate it to your life.
If my life does not beautifully show Christ, then my words will be of no value in doing so.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, make me a reverent witness of Your holiness. Amen.
March 17-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:3-6, Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Observe what it is saying.
This continues the conversation of wives who converted to Christianity, but their husbands had not. They were to live such Godly lives that their husbands would, hopefully, be won over by their humble lifestyle. In all things, we must remember the ultimate goal of our Christian faith is to make disciples. So, in that excessive Greek and Roman culture where extravagant dress was common among pagan women, Peter gave a specific example of how simple adornment would be a significant way for wives to separate themselves from the ungodly. He even used Sarah, who was the first lady of the patriarch of their faith, as an example for Christian wives to follow in their humble lifestyle. Though this specific wording may be challenging for us to hear with modern ears, living with a gentle Christlike spirit is not only beneficial for women who put their hope in God, but also for men who want to separate themselves from the world.
Relate it to your life.
However, I interpret this, I need to hear the clear call to live a humble life that models Jesus for others.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, make me gentle just like You in all my relationships and interactions with others. Amen.
March 18-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:7, Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter turns to give instruction to husbands in living the Christlike life. Again, with our modern ears, we may think this advice sounds rather archaic. However, in the culture of that day, where women had no rights and men had all privilege, his words actually highly elevated the status of wives in the eyes of their husbands. So, Peter said, “in the same way” I spoke to your wives, that message applies to you as well. In general, he was saying, live as a Christlike witness to your wives. In particular, “be considerate.” Be understanding and sensitive to your wife’s feelings. Include their thoughts in all you do. “Treat them with respect.” The word also means value and honor. Treat your wives with the infinite value Christ has placed upon them. “Weaker partner” can also mean powerless which was the state of women in that male-dominated culture. Even though that was the societal reality, everything Peter said gave greater standing to women. “Heirs with you” is literally co-heirs making the wife equal in the gospel inheritance with the husband. This was unheard of language for that culture. “Gracious gift of life” is literally the grace life. Husbands and wives share equally in the grace that Jesus offers. Equal salvation. Equal inheritance. Then, he drops the bomb. Treat your wives as equally redeemed, grace-filled persons, or your prayers will be hindered. The way you treat your wives will determine whether God hears your prayers or not! In Christ Jesus, men and women have equal worth, redemption, and reward.
Relate it to your life.
Marriage reaches its highest potential when husbands and wives represent Jesus well to each other.
Do something.
Lord God, give me grace and strength to love my spouse as wonderfully as You have loved me. Amen.
March 19-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:8, Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter transitions from addressing various groups of believers to all who follow Christ. He offers a vision of how rich in character our churches and communities will be when we sincerely practice the following qualities. Like-minded: To be a potent witness the church must be united together. This quality filled Jesus’ prayer for the church the night before He went to the cross. When the church abides in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, divisions diminish and unity increases. Sympathetic: We become less self-focused and identify with the pains and sorrows of others. Love one another: At the heart of Jesus’ message is the reality that we will love one another as He loved us. The love of Jesus in us will compel us to love others extravagantly. Compassionate: In a world where we are de-sensitized daily by news of war, mass shootings, sex scandals, embezzlement, and so much more, our hearts become a little harder and less concerned for others. Compassion occurs when we see a need and act upon it just as God saw our pitiful plight and acted to redeem us out of darkness and destruction. Humble: Because we are utterly dependent upon God for all things, we cannot assert ourselves as greater than others.
Relate it to your life.
I will not remain the same when Jesus takes over my fully-surrendered life.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, may every quality that You fully embodied become who I am and what I do each day. Amen.
March 20-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:9, Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter speaks to the heart of Jesus’ ministry and teaching that is foundational for our Christian faith. Though the word is not used here, he speaks of forgiveness. If we are able to do these extraordinary acts, then we have chosen to forgive the one who has hurt and harmed us in the first place. Jesus said it this way, “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:27-31) Christ’s followers stand out as countercultural when we choose to demonstrate such radical love by doing good, blessing, praying, and showing generosity to those who do not deserve it. Loving in such a way reveals that we have been truly redeemed, filled with the Holy Spirit, and are authentically living out the faith.
Relate it to your life.
I can gauge the maturity of my faith by how I respond to those who are ugly to me.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I need an abundance of Your grace and strength to live like You and show such love to those who are not loving to me. Amen.
March 21-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 3:10-12, For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Observe what it is saying.
These verses provide Scriptural support from Psalm 34 in order to motivate Godly behavior. This psalm speaks of those who want to enjoy life and experience good days, referring to life in the land of Canaan. It speaks that if the Israelites want to experience God’s blessing in the promised land, they should pursue righteousness. They should honor God with their speech. Their tongues should not serve evil purposes through lies or treachery, but they should turn from doing wrong and do what is good. They should be peacemakers rather than instruments of strife and hostility. As they do this, they can be confident that God is watching over them and will hear their prayers. In the same way, those who do evil should be confident that God stands against them and their prayers. If ancient Israel had this hope, how much more should believers have hope of inheriting the eternal promised land found in the kingdom of God. We are welcomed into God’s family by our trust in Jesus’ redemption. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a God-pleasing life. God is doing everything from His side to include us in His family, but still gives us free-will to choose to enter into it.
Relate it to your life.
If my faith is located in Jesus, I have His righteousness empowered by His Spirit to experience the fullest blessings of God.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, give me a heart that seeks to fully live in Your holy loving way so that I do not miss anything that You have planned for me. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals