Today Our Daily Bread 1 Peter 5 ++

Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.

If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.

1 Peter 5:1-14
Advice for Elders and Young Men
1And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share his glory and his honor when he returns. As a fellow elder, this is my appeal to you: 2Care for the flock of God entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your good example. 4And when the head Shepherd comes, your reward will be a never-ending share in his glory and honor.
5You younger men, accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for
"God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble." F18
6So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you. 7Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.
8Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. 9Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters F19 all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
10In his kindness God called you to his eternal glory by means of Jesus Christ. After you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 11All power is his forever and ever. Amen.
Peter's Final Greetings
12I have written this short letter to you with the help of Silas, F20 whom I consider a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that the grace of God is with you no matter what happens.
13Your sister church here in Rome F21 sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14Greet each other in Christian love. F22 Peace be to all of you who are in Christ.
FOOTNOTES:F18: Prov 3:34. F19: Greek your brothers. F20: Greek Silvanus. F21: Greek The elect one in Babylon. Babylon was probably a code name for Rome. F22: Greek with a kiss of love.

~Lena’s Journalin’ ~
When God gives authority and position to people it is for service. It is to come up from underneath others and assist them in growth, to bring them into His fullness.
If we humble ourselves, we are deciding to place ourselves in a position underneath others, believing God has sent people to mold us and change us. Humility puts oneself on the Potter’s wheel. Humility subjects one to the change of another, the help of another, the sharpening of others. It says I trust You (God) enough to yield to the process of change. That person is a yielder and they willingly open themselves up to the manipulation of God’s Spirit. The person who readily opens themselves to God is in a position of vulnerability before God and God steps in as that person’s defense. When persons defend themselves continuously they don’t need God’s help and so he allows them to fight on their own and many times they will lose, BUT the person who has continuously yielded to God and His work is a person whom God will step up to the plate for and unleash His miraculous works for.
Why be under the authority of mere men? Because if/when we trust God enough to do what he says, He will step in and win any victory for us, that the mere man may not be able to win.
Life is like a Masterpiece, a woven tapestry. It takes work, it takes practice, It takes time. Let patience have its perfecting work in you. Let God arise and every enemy be scattered on your behalf today.

Proverbs 27:17-19
17 You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another. 18 If you care for your orchard, you'll enjoy its fruit; if you honor your boss, you'll be honored. 19 Just as water mirrors your face, so your face mirrors your heart.
Psalm 122:1
1 When they said, "Let's go to the house of God," my heart leaped for joy.