Frank's Bible Blog

1 Peter 5-- Are You Leading or Just Going for a Walk?

There is a saying that goes "If you think you are leading but you look back and no one is following, then you are just taking a walk."  Just because you have a title that goes with a leader doesn't mean that people are going to follow.  I started pastoring a church when I was 23 years old.  I had the title pastor, but I really didn't become the church's leader until I had been there about a year and I had dealt with some difficult situations.  The final chapter of 1 Peter starts out dealing with expectations for leaders, but it also subtly addresses another important truth: great leaders must first learn to be great followers.  There are times when all of us, even those in leadership, are called to submit to the authority of others.  One of the greatest verses that any future leader can learn is verse 6 "humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time."  Do you want to be a great leader now or some day in the future?  Then be humble.  Humility under the power and authority of God is one of the greatest attribute any leader can have.  It will cause you to transfer your care to God (v7) and be vigilant against the Devil who seeks to destroy you and those you lead (vv 8-9). You will then naturally want to shepherd others and set a proper example for them (vv 1-4).  Even the business world has taken note that humility helps makes great CEOs.  Jim Collins, who wrote the best selling business books Good to Great and Built to Last noticed in his research of great companies that they were led by humble leaders.  So, don't just go for a walk.  Lead the right way.  Lead with humility.  You will be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential.Please share this blog with your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

1 Peter 4-- Suffering that Makes a Difference

How often do you think about the suffering that Christ went through for you?  I remember seeing the movie The Passion of the Christ and how it vividly illustrated what Christ went through for us on the cross.  Christ didn't suffer just to suffer; but rather His suffering accomplished certain things.  Chiefly, it provides for our ultimate salvation but it also has other ramifications.  Because of Christ's suffering, we can live victoriously over sin (vv 1-6).  We have direct access to God through prayer, a privilege that we need to be serious about using (v. 7).  Because of what we have received from Christ as a result of His suffering, we should demonstrate love (v8), be hospitable (v.9) and exercise the spiritual gifts that we were given at salvation (vv. 10-11).  Finally, we should not be taken by surprise if we go through seasons of suffering ourselves or face persecution, but we should rejoice that we can be identified with Christ and grow through our circumstances (vv. 12-19).  Sometimes that suffering comes as a direct result of our disobedience (v. 17).  We should never get to the place where we think that just because we have received salvation through the suffering of Christ that we can do whatever we want.  No, God will still judge us (vv. 17-18).  He won't judge us to eternal damnation, but make no mistake, we will be judged.  There are consequences that we face in this life when we stray from the Father's way.  How will you let the suffering of Christ change you today?
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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential.Please share this blog with your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

1 Peter 3-- Focus Cuts Through Foggy Relationships

Let's face it: sometimes you and I aren't all that lovable.  Often that comes because we are self-absorbed and not trying to love others.  Sometimes we find ourself in a fog when it comes to our relationships--whether that is our spouse, friends or those who oppose Christ or who are outside of Christ.  Maybe that fog is outright tension or even persecution.  Peter continues his theme from the previous chapter of mutual submission and demonstrates how this can lead to breakthrough in our relationships with each other as well as in our prayers to the the Lord.  The key to cutting through the relationship fog is found in verse 8.  The first part of that verse says to "be of one mind, having compassion for one another."  When we have a single purpose--to glorify Christ by demonstrating love to those around us--it is amazing how things change in our relationships.  Face it--you can't change your spouse, friend or co-worker.  You can't change them, but God can.  Often, however, He gets their attention through your single mindedness in demonstrating love in every situation.  So instead of trying to change the other person, focus on changing yourself by purposing to honor others and give genuine love.  You might be surprised by what happens to both of you!

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential.Please share this blog with your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

1 Peter 2-- House Building

We had the house that we live in built for us.  We chose the lot, picked out the floor plan, decided on the features, then watched it get built.  It was fun driving past the lot each day during construction and seeing a little bit more of our dream come together.  It was fascinating to see a blueprint turn into a structure.  Even greater is to watch the construction that should be taking place in our lives as God builds us into a spiritual house (v5). But just like our family needed a blueprint in order for our physical house to become a reality, we need a plan to build a proper spiritual house.  Well, Peter gives us the blueprint in chapter 2.  First, we need to watch our words (v1).  Then we need to crave spiritual growth--just like a baby craves milk and can't go long without eating (v2).  Third, we need to know both who we are and whose we are.  We are chosen, we are priests, we are holy, and we are also foreigners who are just passing through this life (vv 9-11).  Because of who we are, we need to act differently than the people around us (v12). Not because we are "freaks" but because our good deeds stand out in a corrupt and selfish world.  Finally, the blueprint calls for us to submit and show respect to others (vv 13-25).  Whether that is to civil authorities, fellow believers, or even our employers ("masters" vv 18-20).  If we follow this blueprint, we will build a spiritual house that honors God and points others to Him.  How's your construction coming along?

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential.Please share this blog with your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

1 Peter 1-- Born Again? Then Live Like It!

According to the Barna Research Group, 42% of Americans say that they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today.  In addition, they say that when they die, they will go to Heaven because they have confessed their sins and have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. Barna classifies these as "born again Christians." Evangelicals, a subset of this group, make up 8% of the population (Evangelicals, according to Barna, meet the born again criteria plus seven other conditions). Honestly, it is shocking that nearly half of the population claims to be born again yet it seems that sin is abounding more and more in our society.  Peter says that if we are born again, then we should live like it.  If we truly have received salvation through faith in Christ, then we need to "prepare our minds for action" (v 13).  We must live out that faith through self-control and the holiness that comes from obeying the truth.  The problem is that among born agains, Barna says that only 36% believe in moral absolutes.  Yet, Peter says that we should not "conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance" and reminds us of God's command in Leviticus "Be holy, because I am holy."  If you don't believe in moral absolutes, then how can you define holiness?  More importantly, how can you be holy?  Let's end the disconnect between what we say we believe and what we actually do.  Let's live like we have truly been born again.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential.Please share this blog with your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.