Father

So, what does God do with our sin? I don’t mean to be flippant with that question. I know that my sin separated me from God, and Jesus paid the penalty for my sin on the cross. He took on God’s wrath for sin and satisfied the Father by his amazing work.

Peter wrote his first letter from Rome in late AD 64/early AD 65 during intense persecution. The mistreatment normally started in the larger cities and then spread throughout the countryside. Peter wrote to believers in what is today Northern Turkey. He wrote to warn and prepare them for the undoubtedly tough times ahead. Peter explained that Jesus was the example of how to respond to suffering.

Our passage today is an answer to a question ... actually, two questions. So let’s check them out.

One of the things we need to talk to our Father about is spiritual protection. We have an enemy who is out to get us.

Living in real life means inevitable issues with people in our lives. When those issues arise, and they will, Jesus gives us specific instructions.

If there was ever a verse torn apart by being ripped out of context so often, today’s passage is it. A popular scriptural reference from the world of “Christian” pop psychology, this verse is to be memorized and written on your bathroom mirror with a permanent marker.

When I was growing up, a plaque hung on a wall in our house that read, “Don’t worry. It may never happen.” I passed that saying many times each day, and those words became branded on my brain. So, of course, I never worry. (I wish!)

Some of you are reading this at a difficult economic time. Your business has shrunk. Your sales are down. Your customers are cutting back. Your salary has been reduced. Your job has gone away.

Prayer is a personal conversation with our Father. It should not be filled with clever Christian clichés or worn-out prayer phrases. It is fresh, real, and raw—like any meaningful conversation in our lives.