To The Chosen People

 1 Peter 1:1-2 (NLT)

This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.

I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

May God give you more and more grace and peace.

The Apostle Peter's letter to Christians who were scattered throughout the Roman Empire. Following Jesus meant that they lived as foreigners even though they were at home in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.

This is our reality as well. Most of us were born right here in the United States, yet, as followers of Jesus we find ourselves as aliens and foreigners in our own country. I think this is one reason why the message of 1 Peter is relevant to us today as it was to the believers of that time.

In this opening passage, Peter addressed three crucial points: the identity of his readers, their divine calling, and the grace and peace available to them.

First, Peter identified his readers as "God's chosen people." This description reminds us that as Christians, we have been called out of darkness of the world and into the light of God’s kingdom. We are not ordinary people, but rather we are holy, set apart for God's purposes. This identity gives us a purpose and a community. We may live as foreigners in a world that does not understand or accept us, but we belong to a community, the Church, that is made up of God’s people. In this community we are able to live out our purpose and discover the love we need.

Second, Peter emphasized that God chose his readers long ago and that his Spirit has made them holy. From the start of creation, God’s plan has always to have a people who would be faithful to Him. Our salvation is not a result of our own efforts or merit but is entirely due to God's grace and mercy. In fact, according to Peter, the entire Trinity, is involved in our salvation. The Father created the plan, the Spirit transforms us and makes us holy, and Jesus secured our forgiveness on the cross. This truth should humble us and fill us with gratitude for God's great love and amazing grace.

Finally, Peter ended his greeting by praying that God would give his readers grace and peace. Grace, which was a standard greeting in Greek letters, is the unmerited favor of God that enables us to live a life pleasing to him. Peace, which was the standard Jewish greeting, is the well-being a person experiences by being in a right relationship with God. Both of these blessings are available to us through Jesus Christ, and Peter encouraged his readers to expect them as gifts from God as they followed Jesus.

Peter's letter to the chosen people reminds us of our identity as God’s holy people, our divine calling through God's grace, and the abundant blessings of grace and peace available to us through Jesus Christ. As we navigate the challenges of life in a sin corrupted world, may we hold on to these truths and find strength and comfort in Jesus.

A Change of Heart and Mind

The apostle Paul wrote:

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4; CSB)

In this passage, we discover two crucial parts of discipleship. In order to follow Jesus and experience the transforming working of the Holy Spirit, we must start with our minds.

Colossians 3 begins by reminding us that we have been raised with Christ, and therefore, we need to seek the things above. This is very similar to what Jesus taught during the Sermon on the Mount: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” (Matthew 6:33; CSB)

This means that the first crucial part of discipleship is to have a transformation of our values. We can’t continue to chase after the things the world values: pleasure, success, money, and recognition and follow Jesus. Disciples are to value the things of Heaven.

Our values change because our identity has changed. We are now citizens and ambassadors of God’s kingdom. To be ambassadors of the Kingdom of God means that we represent Him in the world, and we can only do that if we value God and His kingdom above all else.

Colossians 3 continues in verse 2 by saying that we need to set our minds on the things above. To set our minds on the things above isn’t about trying to imagine pearly gates and streets of gold, but meditating on heavenly things.

This brings us to the second crucial part of discipleship, and that is, we need to have a change of mind. Having a change of mind means what we think about and believe needs to be in line with God’s will and word. Rather than having opinions and thoughts that are shaped by politics, social media, and partisan news networks, our minds are influenced by the Bible, prayer, and other Christians.

The passage goes on to remind us that we have died to ourselves and that our lives are hidden with God through Jesus. The lives we live are not our lives, but they belong to God. We may be able to see a change of heart and a change of behavior, but these changes are only the beginning of the transformation that Jesus has promised to us. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are no longer slaves to sin but instead, we are made new in him.

This happens because our old selves, with their sinful desires and selfish pursuits, are crucified with Christ, and we are raised to new life. This new life is characterized by a desire to please God by demonstrating His character in this world through the way we live.

Finally, Colossians 3:4 teaches us that when Jesus returns, we will also appear with him in glory. This is a reminder of the hope that we have because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We know that this life is not all there is, and that one day Jesus will return and make everything right, and that God will come and dwell with His people.

This hope should inspire us to live our lives with purpose and intentionality. We are to seek to live our lives in a way that honors God and reflects His love to those around us. In this way, we show that we value the things of heaven over the things of the world.

The passage of Colossians 3:1-4 serves as a significant reminder of the pivotal role our minds and hearts play in discipleship. Our ability to progress with Jesus depends on the transformation of our values and thoughts. Such a transformation empowers us with the strength to live the lives that God had intended for us from the very beginning.

An Essential Part of Discipleship

Forgiveness is a essential part of being a disciple of Jesus. Forgiveness is not only about releasing others from their wrongdoing, but it is also about freeing ourselves from the pain and hurt that have been holding us back.

In Colossians 3:13, it says:

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. This verse highlights the importance of forgiveness and encourages us to forgive others as God has forgiven us. (NLT)

It is understandable to hold onto past hurts as a way of protecting ourselves from future pain, but this can be detrimental to our mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. Instead of protecting us, holding onto anger and resentment creates a constant state of negativity, which prevents us from fully living our lives. Not forgiving is like carrying a heavy backpack filled with rocks that weighs us down and makes it difficult to move forward.

Forgiveness is a process of letting go of the pain and negativity we have been holding onto. It does not mean excusing or justifying the actions of the person who hurt us. Instead, it is about releasing ourselves from the burden of anger, resentment, and hurt. When we forgive, we create space for healing and reconciliation, and we give ourselves permission to move on from the past and focus demonstrating God’s character in this world.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught: “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15; NLT)

This teaching emphasizes the importance of forgiveness not only for our own healing but also for our relationship with God. We can’t demonstrate God’s character, which includes His forgiving nature, while withholding forgiveness from others.

Forgiveness is not always easy, but it is essential for our wellbeing and spiritual growth. It is a choice that we make for both the person who hurt us and for ourselves. By forgiving, we let go of the hurt and pain that's been holding us back and create room for healing and reconciliation. We owe it to ourselves and our relationship with God to let go and move forward, free from the past so we can continue to follow Jesus into the future.

EDC Wednesday: $100 EDC From Amazon

 

Last month, Taylor Martin over at The Best Damn EDC took on a challenge of buying a complete EDC kit on Amazon for $100. He had done a similar challenge a few years ago and asked his followers what the bare minimum EDC carry would be. They determined that a wallet, watch, pen/pencil, flashlight, key organizer, and a tool (knife, multitool, pry bar) were essential items. This formed the foundation for his challenge, and he completed several challenges ($50, $100, $200) at different stores using that combination.

However, the challenge he did last month had a slightly different focus. He was looking for a wallet, pen, flashlight, key organizer, knife, and multitool. As I watched the video, I wondered what I could do for $100 on Amazon. I decided to challenge myself to find items I would recommend to a person creating an Everyday Carry for the first time. So, I opted not to look for a wallet or key organizer because I assumed most people already have those things covered.

Therefore, I searched for a knife, multitool, pen, flashlight, and pocket organizer, and here's what I found.

I don't have an extra $100 lying around to buy this kit, but it doesn't matter because I already own and carry all of this gear except for the knife. That's why I feel comfortable recommending any of this stuff to a person who wants to know what to get when starting out in EDC.

Multitool 

For my multitool, I decided to go with the Victorinox Swiss Army Tinker. There are several reasons why I chose the Tinker. First, because it's a Swiss Army knife, it's non-threatening and can be used when other people are around. Second, the Tinker version has a Philips screwdriver instead of a corkscrew, which is more practical for everyday situations. Third, like most Swiss Army knives, it comes with tweezers, which I've used to remove splinters from my kids' hands. I like having tweezers on me. You can get the Tinker cheaper if you go with the traditional red version, but I went with the black because I had a black and silver theme going on.

Knife 

A few weeks ago, while browsing knives on Amazon, I came across the Civivi Mini Praxis for under $30 and was tempted to get it. Although I don't personally own or use it, my EDC knife is a Civivi Baklash (which I carry 90% of the time) and most of the YouTube reviewers like the Civivi brand, so I'm confident that the Mini Praxis would be a solid choice for someone looking for an EDC knife. I also think that the 3-inch blade is the perfect size for EDC.

Flashlight 

There are a couple of flashlights in this price range that I would recommend to people. My favorite is the Lumintop Tool AA, which I carry most of the time. The reason is that it uses 1 AA battery instead of 1 AAA battery like the others, so it's a bit brighter at its brightest. I also like that it's a bit bigger than the AAA flashlights.

Pocket Organizer 

Since three of these items have a pocket clip, you could clip them to the top of your pocket instead of letting them ride loose in your pocket, but I don't like that. Besides my knife, I like keeping my gear in an organizer. I have several, but my favorite is this Diodrio leather pocket organizer. It's perfect for my small Leatherman Style PS, Lumintop flashlight, and Zebra Compact Pen.

Pen 

We all have our favorite pens. My favorite pens are the Zebra ballpoint pens, so when I discovered that they made a compact version, I knew that was what I would use in my EDC. The compact size fits perfectly in the pocket organizer, which means I have a quality pen with me at all times.

Everyday Carry can get expensive, especially if you end up buying a bunch of stuff that you don't like or don't use. That's why finding budget gear is the way to begin, as it allows you to try things out to see if they're the right fit for you before you spend a lot of money on something you may not like. When you do that, you may discover that this budget gear fits you just right and that there's no reason to upgrade.

Keep carrying.