DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ESTABLISHED AND SETTLED

ESTABLISHED AND SETTLED
I Peter 5:10-11

"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Peter lifts their eyes above the earthly suffering to Jesus, to the glories of heaven, and to the work that God was doing in their lives by His grace. This world with its pain and suffering is not the end of the matter. Jesus proved that after suffering and death there is life forever and ever. When my life is shaken, that assurance is what establishes, strengthens, and settles my faith. All praise to Him.

TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The assurance that there are glories that await those who have faith in Christ is a source of strength in the time of suffering.

[end]

Have an established and settled day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- IN THE MIDDE OF THE FLOCK

 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOCK
I Peter 5:8-9
 
"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."
 
I don't want to give the Devil much attention. I would rather focus on Jesus than Satan. But I must be vigilant because I do have an enemy. These verses follow the teaching about the shepherds and our responsibility to be in submission to the people God has placed around us and over us (see vss. 1-7). Jesus' called himself the "Good Shepherd," and He reminded his disciples that there is a thief whose prime objective is to steal, kill and destroy the sheep (John 10:10). It seems to me that the safest place is in the middle of the flock close to the under-shepherd and the Good Shepherd.  The lion looks for stragglers who are wandering away from the flock.  Loners who, in their pride, don't think they need anybody else are more vulnerable to the attacks of the lion than those who stay in the middle of the flock close to the Shepherd. Living in fellowship with the other sheep and in accountability to the Shepherd is a place of protection. That's where I want to be.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: There is protection from our adversary in the middle of the flock close to the Shepherd.
 
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Have a "middle of the flock" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- I NEED YOU!

 I NEED YOU
I Peter 5:6-7
 
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."
 
In the context, Peter seems to relate our submission to others to our submission to God. Perhaps the pride that keeps me from humbling myself before others is the same pride that keeps me from humbling myself before God. Pride says, "I don't need you. I can handle this alone." Humility recognizes my need for help. Pride keeps me from asking for help, so I bear my burdens
alone. I seem to think it is a sign of weakness to ask for help. But humility says, "I need help." And God says, "I will help carry your burdens because I care about you." Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit" – those humble enough to know their need for God (Matthew 5:3). God's mighty hand is strong to help. O precious Savior, help me conquer my pride.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Humility is an attitude that recognized the need for help, and asks for it.
 
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Have a "helped" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- OLD FOGIES

 OLD FOGIES
I Peter 5:5
 
"Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
 
I suspect that the dismissal of the elderly by the younger generation has been a perpetual problem from the beginning. Cain rejected Adam's instruction regarding sacrifice as being archaic and old-fashioned. Killing an animal probably seemed so inhumane, so Cain did it his "new" way without bloodshed. And the young people ridiculed and mocked the elderly prophet Elisha, calling him "old baldhead" (II Kings 2:23), showing their disregard for his counsel. It seems in our current culture also, the older generation is often regarded as "old fogies," old fashioned, and out of touch with reality, living in the past. In their pride, young people do not want to hear the voice of experience that only age can bring. But old people can be proud also, rejecting the innovative ideas of young people. So they get stuck in the rut of "that's the way we've always done it," and become marginalized by the younger generations. God calls us to a humility that lets us appreciate the ideas and viewpoints of each generation as long as they do not violate God's eternal Word.  We can all learn from each other.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Humility understands that each generation has perspectives that the other generations can learn from.
 
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Have a "humble" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE WILLING SERVANT LEADER

 THE WILLING SERVANT LEADER
I Peter 5:2-4
 
"Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."
 
For many years, I did not understand the role of the shepherd as a "servant leader." I thought it was my job to make the sheep do or be what I thought they should. I now understand that I can't make anyone do anything. I can only lead, and it is the sheep's choice whether they follow or not. The shepherd does not drive the sheep; he leads them. He is not a dictator but shows the path by his own walk. His motivation is not how much he can gain from the sheep, but how much he can bless them. His reward is not in this world but in heaven. But here's the clincher. Each of us is entrusted with people we are to shepherd, whether as a church pastor, as a parent in a family, or leader of a study group.  These sheep are not given to me to bless me, but for me to bless them.  To be a shepherd is a great joy but also a great responsibility.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: A shepherd does not drive the sheep but leads them into green pastures.
 
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Have a "willing" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SHEPHERDS

 SHEPHERDS
I Peter 5:1-2a
 
"The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you...."
 
Peter was not writing from an academic perspective but from personal experience. He had been there to witness the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus, and after the resurrection, Jesus – the Great Shepherd – gave him a personal commission to shepherd His sheep. In that exchange, it is clear that the ministry of a shepherd flows out of a love for Jesus. Jesus said to Peter, "Do you love Me? Feed My sheep" (John 21:15-17). We have a multitude of preachers, but a dearth of pastors who are not hirelings, but who love Jesus and His flock and are willing to lay down their lives for His sheep (see John 10:11-15). My heart cries out for a shepherd who truly cares about me and my soul. But my experience says that they are few and far between.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The ministry of the shepherd (pastor) is to love and feed the flock.
 
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Have a "shepherded" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SCARCELY SAVED?

 SCARCELY SAVED?
I Peter 4:18-19
 
" 'Now if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and sinner appear?' Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator."
 
Taken out of the context of the total revelation of Scripture, the phrase "scarcely saved" could be misinterpreted to mean that my salvation hangs by a thread, that I am saved by the skin of my teeth. But Scripture is clear that my salvation is secure because the blood of Jesus for was abundantly sufficient to cover all sin (I John 1:7). What does this mean, then? Jesus said that there was a narrow road that leads to life, and there are few that find it (Matthew 7:13-14). Why is that? Because the broad way is easy, and the narrow way is hard. Another word to translate "scarcely" is "with difficulty." In fact, some translations render this verse, "If the righteous person is saved with difficulty...." Living for Jesus is not always easy. There may be suffering, pain, and deprivation that could cause my faith to fail. There is joy in living for Jesus, but I don't always enjoy what comes my way. The way
to get through these times is to commit my soul to Jesus. He is faithful even when my faith staggers. My trust is in Him.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The path through pain and suffering is to commit myself to God.
 
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Have a committed day. Love you.