Even in suffering, we must pray for, love, and serve one another. We will all suffer at some point, but we cannot give up on loving one another.

Our suffering is temporary, but the glory we have in Jesus is eternal.

1 Peter 3 calls us to unity, in our homes, and with all believers. Wives must submit to their husbands and husbands must honor their wives. And everyone must pursue unity and love. We all have a part to play, and it can’t be dependent on the actions of others, but must be because of the love of Jesus.

In chapter 2, Peter reminds us to pursue the Word of God as a way of pursuing holiness. He reminds us of our identity to God and the purpose He has for us out of that identity. He challenges us to live with excellence and to submit to authority, not as blind obedience, but as a way to trust in the Lord. In all circumstances, we must put our trust in God.

In 1 Peter 1, we are reminded that we belong to Jesus and that through his sacrifice, we are made new. As his followers, we are going to face suffering, but it will refine our faith and he will always help us endure. He is our living hope and we can trust that he is victorious and that his glory, which we will get to share in, is coming.

Humility is not about putting ourselves down, but rather putting God where He belongs, on the throne. As we see God’s position clearly, as we see His holiness, we become more aware of our need for Him.

We are not God, nor can we be, nor should we be. When we lift Him up, He will lift us up in His timing. He gives us grace, purifies us, and sends us with a purpose.

God has many names in the Bible and they all point to His character. When we remember His names and remember who He is, it increases our trust in Him.

Being devoted to Jesus means giving ourselves fully to him and it has to involve heart transformation.

To express our devotion to Him, we must devote ourselves to these habits: The Word, prayer, community, and service.

Sabbath is a day to rest, delight, and worship. In Exodus, it is commanded and the Israelites are told to remember creation. In Deuteronomy, it is commanded and the Israelites are told to remember their freedom from slavery.

In Hebrews 4 and today, we can rest in Jesus and what he did for us on the cross. Because Jesus is always with us, we can always rest in him. This is a Sabbath state of mind.