Do you get what you deserve? Are your good deeds always rewarded? 1 Peter 4:12-13

Are your good deeds always rewarded? Mine are not. Sometimes I work hard and still suffer. Does that happen to you? Sure it does. But the opposite happens too, doesn’t it? Sometimes we sin and fail but God is merciful and He gives us success anyway, right?

If we could see the story arc of our entire lives, surely the grace would greatly outweigh the suffering.

But sometimes the hurts still seem so unfair, don’t they? Sometimes we feel like we have done everything right, but the results still turn out wrong. And it’s not fair, is it? But maybe we are shortsighted. I think we have tunnel vision. Remember: we are sinners, and apart from Christ, we deserve only an eternity in hell. Anything better than that is a blessing. Secondly, though we are saved, we still have an enemy. We live in a world at war. Is a little suffering—or even a lot of suffering—really that surprising? Not to the Apostle Peter:

“Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that when God’s glory is revealed, you will be thrilled by that process” 1 Peter 4:12-13.

Peter says don’t be shocked when you suffer. It’s what happens to believers. Instead find joy in it. It shows that God is with you, and it will make you love Him more. Not only that, the suffering will increase your capacity to share in His joy.

Consider this. Everyone in heaven will be happy, right? No more tears, right? And yet we know that there are varying degrees of rewards in heaven. But if everyone is happy, how can one person have a greater reward than another? One person will experience more rewards than another because God can give one person a greater capacity to experience God’s joy than another.

Does that make sense? Consider this analogy:

My nephew Jeffry and I may both attend a performance of Beethoven’s 9th symphony, one of the greatest musical achievements in history. And we may both enjoy it. But Jeffry, a classical performer and composer all his life, will hear things and enjoy things that I will miss completely. His musical gifts and training—his years of experience working as a musician—have greatly increased Jeffry’s CAPACITY to appreciate Beethoven.

Heaven will be the same way: we will all enjoy it, but those of us who have “labored in the fields of the Lord,” will have a greater capacity to experience God’s joy. And one way that capacity increases is through suffering.

“To the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing so that at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exaltation,” 1 Peter 4:13.

So let’s choose not be shocked by suffering. Let’s not be discouraged.

But rejoice—that is, praise God and mean it—because suffering on earth increases our capacity to enjoy heaven. And in heaven we will receive eternal rewards for our good deeds.

Finally, think about this: keep serving God and doing well. When you do a good deed on Monday, for example, and you get good results, enjoy the results and be thankful. And when you do a good deed on Tuesday and get bad results, “do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, as though some strange thing were happening to you,” but choose thankfulness and praise, knowing that God has chosen to reward you for Tuesday’s deed after you arrive in heaven—and those rewards are always better!

Dear Lord, help us rejoice in the many blessings of this life, and to trust you when we face fiery trials. Help us not to be shocked or surprised. Give us faith to rejoice in our trials, even to give thanks, knowing that you will reward us in heaven. Increase our capacity to love you and to share your joy. We surrender our lives, our circumstances and our emotions to you. Amen.

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GODLY LADIES. 1 Peter 3:1-7.

Today my Bible reading brings me to Peter’s first letter, and chapter three discusses the role and behavior of godly women. What might those characteristics be? Can you guess a few by looking at godly women in your own life?

Peter begins with advice on how godly wives may provide LEADERSHIP to their lost husbands. That’s right—leadership. They can LEAD them to Christ by exercising godly submission.

Think of that: submission IS leadership in God’s kingdom.

“Wives, submit to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the Christian message, they may be won over without a word by the way their wives live as they observe your pure, reverent lives” I Peter 3:1-2.

And what about every woman’s favorite topic, beauty—the source of today’s billion-dollar business in makeup, clothes, fashion, diet books and fitness schemes? God has other priorities:

“Your beauty should not consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold ornaments or fine clothes. Instead, it should consist of what is INSIDE THE HEART with the imperishable quality of a GENTLE AND QUIET SPIRIT, which is very valuable in God’s eyes. For in the past, the holy women who put their hope in God also beautified themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and are not frightened by anything alarming” 1 Peter 3:3-6.

The Bible emphasizes INNER BEAUTY. That should come as no surprise: look inside her heart for a GENTLE AND QUIET SPIRIT.

And guess what? Husbands are told to be gentle too.

“Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives with an understanding of their weaker [more sensitive] nature, yet showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered” 1 Peter 3:7.

Men: Be gentle and patient with the ladies—or YOUR PRAYERS WILL BE HINDERED.

Lord, teach us to honor you by honoring others in gentleness and mutual submission.

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HAVE YOU HEARD OF APOLOGETICS? 1 Peter 3:15.

It’s not apologizing. Apologetics is “defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation.” That is, apologetics is the practice of defending your faith with logic. Not everyone who is lost will need apologetics. But with some colleges pumping out skeptics every day, more and more nonbelievers are asking hard questions. The study of apologetics helps us answer them.

But should Christians engage in intellectual debates? Isn’t it true that God wants repentance and obedience from the lost, not logic? Yes and yes.

God wants the lost to confess their sin, repent, and obey Jesus. But He never asks anyone to ignore their questions. Instead, He gives believers helpful answers. Often the Holy Spirit uses those answers to bring the nonbeliever to a place of repentance. For some of us, the head must lead and the heart will follow.

“Always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to explain the hope that is in you” 1 Peter 3:15.

Peter says be ready to defend your faith. Other translations write you must:

give an answer

provide a logical defense

satisfy those who ask

defend your confidence

give a quiet and reverent answer

be ready to speak up.

Are you ready? Apologetics can help. Here are several examples:

Claim: You can’t trust the Bible because the manuscripts were altered. Defense: In the 1940s, we found the Dead Sea Scrolls in caves, and copies of Isaiah and other books that dated to 200 BC were exactly like the texts we use today.

Claim: Jesus was a good man but not god. Defense: Jesus said He was God. So He was either a liar and a con-man, a lunatic who belonged in a padded cell, or He really is the Lord. ‘Good man’ is not an option.

Claim: The resurrection was a hoax. Defense: The disciples were running scared after the crucifixion. Thomas said, “We’ll be next.” The twelve never could have gotten organized around a lie, kept the secret for decades, and died torturous deaths defending the lie.

Learn to defend the faith. “Study to show thyself approved…” 2 Timothy 2:15.

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DO THESE SURNAMES MEAN ANYTHING? 1 Peter 1:18-19;2

(I wrote this devotional for my own children.)

Do these surnames mean anything to you?

Wales. Connolly. Kemp. Courtney. Fletcher. Walker. O’Leary. Thompson. Davis. McBride. Womack. McCoy. Middleton. Washington. Dixon. Tucker. Campbell. Pope. Childers. Puckett. Drinkwater. Simpson. Cox. Brickers. Carter. Anderson. Presley. Claiborne. Woodson. Smith. Dandridge. Dennis.

These are ancestral names of my grandfather Willie Wales. I could fill the page with names from the tree. It’s astounding. Yet, it means little. Who were these long-dead family members? Did they lead good lives or bad? (Finding their names at all lends them “some” credibility, because criminals often live on the run and off the grid.)

Nevertheless, your family is just a whole lotta’ nuttin.’ There’s no “master race.”

No culture is better than any other except to the extent that that culture honors God. (That is, even if a people does not know God, if they obey His rules which they sense in their conscience, He will bless them.)

But we remain lost without Christ.

“You inherited from your fathers an empty way of life, but you were redeemed, not with perishable things, like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without spot or blemish…. But now you are a CHOSEN RACE, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of THE ONE WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT” 1 Peter 1:18-19; 2:9.

I love history, family history, and genealogy. But much is shrouded in darkness. There must be heroes there. And villains. Poets, artists, builders, leaders, teachers, writers, judges, preachers. And burglars, cheaters, deserters, deadbeats, slave owners, and horse thieves. I cannot be blamed for the bad nor take credit for the good. Their stories are finished, water under the bridge in the ever-flowing stream of time.

But I am a child of God—a member of His Chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood. Let’s embrace that humbly and go forth to build HIS kingdom!

“Time, like an ever-flowing stream, bears all its sons away. They fly forgotten as a dream dies at break of day.” –from the hymn, ‘O God Our Help in Ages Past,’ by Isaac Watts.

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IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME. 1 Peter 1:8-15.

Do you know what a blessing it is to live today? I don’t mean because of computers, or cars, or modern medicine, or space flight, radio, and the plastics revolution. Modern marvels have done nothing to change the relative hope or hopelessness of the human condition.

Indeed, some think the modern world is more hopeless than life centuries ago. Perhaps.

But we are blessed to live under the New Covenant.

Unlike more humble advancements such as capitalism, democracy, and high literacy rates, the SPIRITUAL change of living after the death and resurrection of Jesus is incredible. Peter writes about it, explaining that not only prophets, but even angels long to understand the things revealed to us:

“You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy…. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that would come to you SEARCHED and CAREFULLY INVESTIGATED. They INQUIRED into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating…. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but YOU. Even ANGELS DESIRE TO LOOK into these things.

“Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be revealed to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ…. As the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct” 1 Peter 1:8-15.

We are blessed. But do we appreciate it? Do we value that blessing? Do we work as hard to understand God’s mysteries as the prophets before us?

Do we ‘search,’ ‘carefully investigate,’ and ‘inquire’? How hard do any of us really work at mastering the scriptures?

The prophets researched. They dug deep, mining God’s word for every jewel. But God has made the jewels easy for us to find. Are we looking? Even the angels hope to understand what God has revealed to us. Work hard. Don’t miss it!

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ARE YOU A TERMITE OR A FIRE ANT? 1 Timothy 5:24.

Are you a termite or a fire ant?

When termites grow wings, come to the surface, and take flight, the inexperienced may mistake them for winged ants. Ants may sting, but homeowners who have faced both ants and termites can tell you: ants are an easier problem than termites.

If you’ve encountered fire ants, a Brazilian species that has taken over the American South, then you know they sting quickly and often. They sting and burn and make you crazy, but at least you know exactly where they are and what they are doing.

Termites, by contrast, can quietly eat away at sheet rock walls or wooden floors, giving no sign of danger until that unexpected day when a wall or floor caves in.

Children can be divided into two groups: fire ants and termites. By this analogy, the Prodigal Son was a fire ant. His older brother was a termite. Of course, this is a continuum. Some children provide extreme examples, while others may look like an ant one day and a termite the next. But let’s talk this out…

Fire ant children practice open rebellion. They are loud, they make their demands known, and they irritate adults every day. Fire ant children require tremendous patience from parents and teachers and are often considered difficult and unpleasant. Sometimes they ARE difficult and unpleasant. Every fire ant child has been singled out as the “problem child,” and many have suffered painful abuse and name-calling (by both peers and adults) as a result of their unwelcome behavior.

By contrast, termite children attract little notice. They are the good kids. They “fly under the radar.” Termite children cause little trouble. They are quiet, outwardly compliant, and relatively easy to parent.

But termite children can bore into secret sins undetected, creating tremendous damage before they are discovered. Often the damage hurts the children more than anyone else, because it involves nurturing false doctrines that will take decades to overcome.

“Some people’s sins are obvious, going before them into judgment, but the sins of others surface later” 1 Timothy 5:24.

Are your sins obvious, or do they surface later? Are you a fire ant or a termite?

I know a mother who has often said one of her sons was “overt,” and the other was “covert.” When the older, louder child misbehaved, it was obvious. He made little effort to hide his many sins. Consequently, he received constant feedback about both his behavior and his sometimes crazy ideas.

But the younger child was quiet and cautious. His parents never knew what he was thinking, and his small acts of rebellion always came as a surprise. Consequently, he received correction far less often. He behaved so well–on the surface–that he provided his parents fewer opportunities to teach him about better behavior and better thinking. (In this way, seemingly better-behaved children may receive less training from their parents, resulting in an unexpected disadvantage–or at best a level playing field.)

Can you see how much harder it is to raise termite children? In some ways, it is also harder to be a termite child–or harder, at least, to be the grown-up who was raised a termite child, because in some ways you receive less teaching from the wisest adults in your life.

As unpleasant as it is to confront open rebellion, there is honesty there. Open rebellion can be addressed, discussed, negotiated. Secret rebellion is impossible to address because it is unknown.

A final thought: a child may be better off being a fire ant (not that he has much choice in the matter), because his sins and wrong beliefs are obvious to his parents, teachers, counselors, coaches, and youth pastor. Everyone knows what he is doing and thinking, and they can give him feedback. Maybe he will listen.

But a young person who sins in secret has no one to correct his wrong behavior and beliefs, or even to tell him that they ARE wrong. As long as he keeps his thoughts to himself, his parents have no idea how to offer him guidance. By the time his sins or mistaken ideas surface, it may be too late, and tremendous damage may have already been done.

“Some people’s sins are obvious, going before them into judgment, but the sins of others surface later” 1 Timothy 5:24.

If you are a termite, consider opening up to someone. Confess those sins and get help and good teaching before things become worse for you.

If you are a fire ant, settle down. Keep on communicating well. Keep those lines of communication open. But be less selfish. Learn to be a servant. Be humble. You are not always right. Stop talking as though you are.

If you are a parent, understand that each child is unique. Parenting strategies that worked with one child may not work with another. You must tailor your parenting to suit the unique needs of each child.

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GODLY YOUTH. 1 Timothy 4:12; 6:11-12.

What is Paul’s advice to young Timothy about how to be a successful young disciple and pastor? Previously I discussed a passage about men who would be elders and deacons. Paul’s first letter to Timothy provides a similar list (3:2-14), then provides a list for older widows, for younger women, and even for slaves. Finally Paul provides a single sentence for the young. It is a well-known, beloved verse:

“Let no one despise your youth; instead, you should be an example to the believers, in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” 1 Timothy 4:12.

Seems clear enough, huh? If they look at you and curl their lip, arguing—as one young man did to me when I became his youth director at 20— “taking orders from you is like taking orders from my older brother,” Paul says give them NO REASON to look down on your youth. Instead, SET AN EXAMPLE IN EVERY WAY: through your speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Is that possible? YES! (*I told him, “I’m not here to give you orders.”)

Paul has more advice for the young:

“You, man of God, run from greed and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith: take hold of eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” I Timothy 6:11-12.

Dear God, inspire us and move us, encourage us to set the example through speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Remind us to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Help us FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF THE FAITH. Make us more like you with each passing day.

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Exercise and Eat Right. 1 Timothy 4:8

American country music legend Willie Nelson says he’s done with smoking–both tobacco and marijuana. At 90, he’s decided to think more about his health. Of course, he’s been using karate to stay in shape for years.

Reaching his 90s at all is remarkable—particularly for a partying musician who has spent years on the road—eating rich, fatty, sugary, restaurant food, smoking too much, and sleeping on a tour bus.

But I wonder what God thinks about Willie’s fitness regimen?

And more importantly, what does God think about the millions of Americans who will go on diets this year, join gyms for a New Year’s Resolution, take up jogging, lift weights, go paleo or vegan, or maybe even commit to a Daniel Fast or the Daniel diet?

How do you think the Lord feels about these attempts to live healthier?

As Christians, we are commanded to be good stewards of our bodies (“for you are NOT your own” 1 Corinthians 6:19). God owns you, and you must take care of the body He loaned you so you can live a long and effective life, and spend more years pointing people to Jesus.

But what about the Willie Nelsons of the world? What does God have to say about our efforts at dieting and fitness?

I think He honors those efforts, at least the sensible ones, and that’s why they get good results.

“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness, for bodily discipline is of little profit, but GODLINESS is a means of great gain, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” 1 Timothy 4:8.

In other words, exercise and eating right are valuable, but nowhere near as valuable as godliness.

Consider the context. In the preceding verses 3-7, Paul speaks of men who forbid the eating of certain foods, and women who promote “worldly fables” about bodily disciplines—

But . . . discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness, for bodily discipline is of little profit, but GODLINESS is a means of great gain, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Paul tells the young pastor to ignore those who encourage bodily disciplines, and to focus more on spiritual disciplines. Why? Because spiritual discipline will benefit you both with spiritual fitness on earth and with eternal rewards in heaven.

How much time do Americans spend on workouts? Millions of hours a year. How much money do they spend on diets? Billions of dollars a year.

Imagine if even half that energy was directed to spiritual disciplines like Bible reading and prayer? What would happen to this nation? For one thing, the health of many Americans would improve and they would probably lose weight. (Do you see why that is? If you are struggling with self-control and eating, for example, the spiritual discipline of learning God’s word may help you more than the bodily discipline of yo-yo dieting.)

More importantly, if the Americans who spend so much time and money on bodily disciplines would direct some of their energy toward spiritual disciplines, God would transform every area of their lives. He promises, “My word shall not return void,” (Isaiah 55:11) meaning EVERY time you study the Bible, He will bless you and the word will accomplish something in you.

Every. Single. Time.

So discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. If you spend ten minutes a day thinking about health and eating right and exercising, can you spend five minutes reading the Bible? If you spend twenty minutes a day working out, can you spend ten or twenty minutes reading the Bible? Of course you can. But will you?

God says don’t spend all your time on bodily discipline when spiritual discipline will pay off in ways that are so much more rewarding.

Dear God, teach us to eat right and exercise. Make us good stewards of our bodies in this modern world that would starve us with nutrient-deprived fast food and processed food, then fatten us on sugar-filled foods and syrupy soft drinks and marbleized steaks and fatty ground beef. And help us to be active in a world of jobs that require us to sit for ten hours a day.

But more importantly, remind us to work on spiritual disciplines, because godliness is a means of great gain. Help us to make Bible reading and prayer a part of every day. Show us verses to memorize. Teach us how to share our faith.

Give us a deep hunger for spiritual food—the meat of the word—rather than physical food. Amen.

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Have you ever been treated badly because you were young? 1 Timothy 4:12

Adults often look at youth and make assumptions. They dismiss you. They don’t take your problems seriously. They assume you are a whiner. And they don’t give you the benefit of the doubt. They assume you are lazy, or cheating, or selfish, or deceitful.

But what does the Bible say? You know the most popular verse on the subject: “Let no one despise your youth…” But it’s not that easy. How can you force adults to NOT look down on your youth? You can’t just forbid them.

But Paul offers a solution—a strategy. What he says is, ‘don’t ignore or tolerate people despising your youthfulness. Instead, prove them wrong.’ Consider the rest of the verse:

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity” 1 Timothy 4:12.

Timothy was an adult at this point, a young pastor—this is not just a verse for teens.

Even young adults in their twenties face these challenges. But Paul says, ‘don’t just tolerate being mistreated for your age. Instead, live a life above reproach. Set the example in FIVE key areas.’

So when you suffer for your youthfulness, ask yourself: Am I setting the best possible example? Can my example actually lead these older adults in these five areas?

  • Is my speech cleaner than theirs?
  • Is my conduct more righteous, and more self-controlled?
  • Do I love better than they do? Do I forgive them well when they criticize and judge me? Am I more humble?
  • Do I have greater faith—and does my faith strengthen my walk with Christ every day?
  • Am I making pure choices? Not pure compared to the lost, but am I more pure than older, believing adults?

The point is, you should be setting the example—the highest example. Are you? Do you truly live a life above reproach, a life that cannot be questioned?

Here’s a goal—strive to live a life so pure that if your enemies started a rumor about you, everyone would just laugh and say, “Ha ha. There’s no way.” How many politicians and celebrities live like that? How many sports stars or TV preachers? Maybe not many. But you know people who do. There are people you know who would not cross the line. These people live lives above reproach. Join them.

Make it your goal to set an example in these five areas:

1. Speech

2. Conduct

3. Love

4. Faith

5. Purity.

THEN no one will be able to look down on you or despise you for your youthfulness.

Dear God, help us forgive those who treat us badly because of our age. Help us live lives so pure no one can question us. Help us to SET the standard—a higher standard. Make us an example to others, through clean, self-controlled speech, good conduct, deep, forgiving love, total faith in you, and a hunger and thirst for purity. Help us to welcome the challenge of setting the example. But at the same time, help us to be so focused on shining your light to the lost, that we become an example for adults without really focusing on becoming an example. Use us to reach even those who criticize us and judge us unfairly.

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