"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)We can't pay for our salvation. If I were to say you could pay for your salvation, honestly, most of us would raise our hands and say we'd be glad to try. That's what most religions of the world are—they're works-based, striving to pay for th...  Read More

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." - 1 Peter 3:12 (NKJV)Why should we bless instead of retaliate? First, because the Bible says so. Our personal, Christian standard must be: "What does the Bible say?" Second, because God is watching. He sees everything and knows exactly how you've been mist...  Read More

"Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." - 1 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)This principle directly opposes our natural inclinations. When offended, our instinct is to fight back, to retaliate. But God tells us to respond with love instead of vengeance, blessing instead of cursing, forgiveness inst...  Read More

"I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." - Romans 12:3 (NKJV)When Peter calls us to be "courteous," (1 Peter 3:8), the Greek word actually means "humble-minded." It calls for an honest estimate of yourself. Humility doesn't mean thinking le...  Read More

"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;" - 1 Peter 3:8Having compassion means sympathy - the ability to feel another's pain in your own heart. Romans 12:15 says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." When was the last time you truly wept with someone who was weeping? When did you last feel g...  Read More

"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous." - 1 Peter 3:8 (NKJV)Peter uses the word "finally" not to conclude his letter, but to summarize everything he has been teaching about how believers should interact differently from the world around us. When he calls us to "be of one mind," he's not demanding uniformity - that w...  Read More

"...and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." - 1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV)We are "heirs together of the grace of life". In God's sight, the ground is level. Christian couples are co-equals before God. Here we may be husband and wife, but in all eternity, we'll be brothers and sisters in Christ. That is the primary relationship.But notice the warning: "that y...  Read More

"...as to the weaker vessel..." - 1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV)At its core, the concept of "weaker vessel" acknowledges that, in general, men tend to be physically stronger than women. The message is clear: don't take advantage of that.Colossians 3:19 says, "Husbands love your wives and do not be bitter toward them." That word "bitter" really means don't be harsh—don't abuse them."Weaker" doesn't mean less v...  Read More

"...giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel..." - 1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV)"Giving honor to the wife" speaks of high rank, reverence, respect. The word "honor" means precious. 1 Peter 1:19 describes Christ's blood as "precious." Peter uses the same Greek word there. We're to treat our wives as precious.Notice it says "giving honor to the wife"—in Greek, it literally says "to the feminine." It's ...  Read More

"Husbands, likewise dwell with them with understanding..." - 1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV)"Dwell with them with understanding" means more than just an attitude—it's dwelling with full knowledge. The phrase "dwell with" combines two Greek words meaning "together" and "home." God is saying both of you are homemakers, transforming two individual lives into one unified home. Men, you're called to truly know her....  Read More

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." - Proverbs 18:22 (NKJV)Men, your wife is a gift from God to you. She is a blessing from the Lord. Men help themselves out when they treat their wives well. Ephesians 5:28 tells us, "So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself." When you love your wife the way God wants,...  Read More

Matthew 5:12 - "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."Jesus says, "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad." That may not make sense to us. How in the world are we supposed to rejoice when we're being persecuted? Let me tell you why.First, rejoice because you have the opportunity to show the sincerity of your faith. Do...  Read More