The"American
Wisdom Series"
presents
Pamphlet #5114 KC1Peter14
So
be prepared and do what Peter instructs in verse 7, otherwise Satan will
eat your lunch.
We live in the most exciting of Biblical times, the time
when the prophets and the disciples of God all wanted to know what it would
be like!
But it is you and me who Jesus Christ granted the privilege
to live now, in this final generation of the fig tree, and to "carry on"
until "all these things" of which Christ spoke of on the Mount of Olives
in Mat. 24 and Mark 13 comes to pass.
Who me, you say?
I'm just a factory worker, or a secretary, or a salesman,
or a homemaker.
So!
The great apostle Peter was a fisherman!
Did he have a PhD in Philosophy?
No.
Did he have a degree from a seminary?
No.
Those who had the "degrees" kept asking Jesus stupid questions
to which they should have known the answers.
That's why Christ usually prefaced His answers to them
with "Haven't you read?" or "It is written".
And yet look how mightily God used Peter!
Even so, did Peter consider himself to be above others
in status?
No, this great apostle of God sets himself right along
side the elders, those who are mature in God's Word, and exhorts them to
do something.
He begins:
1 Peter
5:1
The elders which
are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings
of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
Have you noticed throughout this Book of Peter that
the Big Fisherman can't get his mind off "the glory that shall be revealed"?
Do you realize that the more you study and understand
His Word and discover what lies beyond the veil, that the less important
this flesh body becomes?
So we have to suffer a little for His sake.
It is so temporary compared to eternity.
Paul had the exact same focus and attitude as Peter.
Romans
8:18
For I reckon
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Can you look past the present sufferings?
Now here is what Peter exhorts the elders of the church
to do.
1 Pet.
5:2
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof,
not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready
mind;
Do you remember, or have you read, how Peter was
exhorted by Jesus Christ to feed His sheep?
John
21:15
So when they
had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou
me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love
thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
[16] He saith
to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith
unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him,
Feed my sheep.
[17] He saith
unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was
grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he
said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love
thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Do you get the feeling that Jesus wanted Peter to
feed His sheep?
Well guess what?
The trough with the Bread of Life has just been handed
over to you!
So are you to go out and evangelize to the world?
No, but even if you did, Peter says to feed the flock
"which is among you".
We all have what is often called "a circle of influence"
and if you remember back in 1 Peter 3:15 that Peter told us "to be ready
always to give an answer to every man that asketh?"
And when we feed those around us and give answers, we
should speak the oracles of God from the Word of God as we were instructed
in 1 Peter 4:11: "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God;".
However, Peter has also told us time and again if we speak
as one who has authority and yet have not set an example and "walked the
walk", we can do more harm than good, for we make Him look bad.
Neither, Peter continues, should we teach for money, but
feed the flock willingly and with a ready mind, which is a mind that is
armed with the Word of God as Peter told us in 1 Peter 4:1.
1 Pet.
5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to
the flock.
We must always set the example and lead the way.
Again, the apostle Paul who was of such like mindedness
as Peter, also told us to feed the flock.
Acts
20:28
Take heed therefore
unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath
made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased
with his own blood.
So feed the flock which is among you, but remember...
you better have more than a baby bottle full of milk, otherwise you're
not an elder, you're still a babe.
Side Note: If you're ready and able to feed sheep and
only one sheep shows up, don't try to feed him or her all the food in the
trough at one meal.
1 Pet.
5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown
of glory that fadeth not away.
There goes Mr. Vision again.
Peter just can't wait until payday, and not for himself
only as one might suppose.
He's excited for you and me!
[5]
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you
be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth
the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
This verse is not just talking about the age of our
flesh, but of maturity, eldership, in the Word of God.
If you are 75 and just beginning to study His Word, you
are a babe.
If you are 40 and have been rightly dividing the Word
for 15 years, you are an elder.
[6]
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt
you in due time:
Be patient.
God will promote you when you are ready!
[7]
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
These two Greek words translated "care" and "careth"
in this verse are not the same.
Cast all your "cares" means cast all your "worries" upon
Him; for He "takes care" of you!
[8]
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Watch out, Peter says!
There's a big mouth lion [Satan] after you and the sheep
among you.
But there's a condition!
He may only devour whom he may, i.e. those who will let
him, those who aren't sober and vigilant.
So be prepared and do what Peter instructs in verse 7,
otherwise Satan will eat your lunch.
Note: There are some who use this verse to document that
Satan is present on this earth today. However, we know from Rev. 12:7-9
and 2 Thes. 2, etc. that Satan himself is presently restrained in heaven,
where he walks about, and is soon to be cast to this earth. Neither Jesus
Christ nor Satan are here in person, yet! But both the Holy Spirit and
Satan's evil spirits are present.
Who sits at the right hand of God and has ALL power in
both heaven and earth (1 Pet. 3:22)?
That's right, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
And He gives us power over Satan and all his slithering,
slimy constituents.
Luke
10:19
Behold, I give
unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power
of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Be sober minded, sensible, and watchful using common
sense in all things.
Why?
Because Satan is stalking, seeking whom he may devour!
Can he devour you?
Only if you let him.
1 Pet.
5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions
are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
So don't put up with Satan and his leftists.
Resist stedfast in the faith.
[10]
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by
Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish,
strengthen, settle you.
Remember that the trial of your faith is more precious
than gold (1 Pet. 1:7)?
So the little bit of suffering we have to endure is not
worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed.
Hey, the more tests we pass the stronger our faith becomes.
1 Pet.
5:11 To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
And all the credit and glory and honor goes to the
King of kings and Lord of lords.
So be it!
[12]
By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written
briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein
ye stand.
Silvanus is Silas.
Peter, just like Paul in Eph. 6, wants us to "Stand" in
God's grace and truth and not be run over!
So put on the gospel armor and "Take a Stand".
Don't worry about that big mouth lion!
Though lions be all about, they cannot hurt nor harm you.
Not too sure?
Ask Daniel.
[13]
The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you;
and so doth Marcus my son.
Marcus is Mark.
Yes, there were a great many of God's elect, "sojourners
of the dispersion", in Babylon. Josephus, the Jewish historian, records
such in his Ant., XV.ii.2.
[14]
Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that
are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
"And above all things have fervent charity among
yourselves" (1 Pet. 4:8). Smooch!
Go in peace in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits;
to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, you accomplish both.
1 Corinthians
10:11 Now all these things happened unto them {the
ancient Israelites} for
ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends
of the world are come.
This
"American
Wisdom Series"
pamphlet
is
Published by:
Rhine Publishing Co
E-mail address - americanwisdomseries@verizon.net
If you would like to have your essay
published
as part of the American Wisdom
Series
submit your manuscript to Rhine
Publishing Co
at the address above for consideration,
or e-mail us
at the address shown on our home
page.
Click
Here to Return to "The
American Wisdom Series" home page.