Our tradition of gift-giving is rooted in the very nature and practice of God. There are many differences between our giving and the Father’s giving but we can learn much by comparing our gift-giving to His. God gives the greatest and the most needed Gift ever!

Joy is simply the work of God in the soul of a person who chooses to make much of God and be obedient to what He asks of them. True joy is impossible to find apart from Jesus.

There was a time when we didn’t belong to God or to His Family. In Christ, the hostilities cease (or, are supposed to). We find our peace and sense of belonging and identity in Him.

The Christian has a sure hope that God cares for them. There is nothing too big or too small that the Christian cannot take before the Lord. The devil is real, and spiritual warfare is real. We are to resist him by the strength that God provides and in unity with other believers. The hope that the Christian has is certain and will be fully realized when we see our Savior face to face.

God gave His church leaders who are called to live by an even higher standard than other disciples of Jesus. His plan is simple - in the people they lead, leaders always get what they are. Leaders produce what they are displaying to the ones they lead.

Peter teaches us to anticipate and prepare for suffering. We need to understand the various reasons we suffer, the appropriate responses to suffering, and how to move forward after a time of suffering.

As Christians of any generation look around, we are reminded to live with awareness that Jesus’ return is imminent. That reality demands a particular set of responses from Christians in God’s church.

In Jesus Christ, the Christian has a clear example how they must live. The sins that they once held so dearly must be put to death. The world will live godless and sinful lives because that is what they love, despite possessing the knowledge that God exists. The Christian is the only person that can look death in the face and declare: Victory!

The ultimate solution to enduring hardships and suffering of this world is found in Christ. He suffered, died, and defeated all that seeks to destroy us, through His resurrection. Have you bowed before Jesus and trusted Him as your Savior, Lord, and King?

Peter challenges Christians to give Jesus such a central place in our lives that it piques the curiosity of those around us and leads to questions about what makes us different. Are we living that life, and do we know how to tell our story?