Episode 1 - World tour, Bombay lawyer, and MotorCycles!

(gentle music) - Hello, and welcome to a word for this day podcast. I'm Jory Shea for the show's Host and Creator, and it is my joy and pleasure to welcome you today. Welcome back to you returning listeners. I'm South Lake Fletcher here today, and welcome to anyone who's failed us for the first time. So no accident that you're here today, friends, so please don't run off quite yet. Please stick around and let's see what all the Lord has for us today. I continue to pray for you regularly that the Lord would draw you closer to Him and give you more of a desire to know Him and to know His word, and I pray that you'll be very intentional about your time with Him. Free and make it an a priority. Make it at an appointment, put those things in your schedule to make sure that you are spending time with the Lord. And then have those conversations with Him throughout the day. You know what I think about with the Bible says, pray without ceasing, and we think, how can I do that? How can I do that and work and do all the other things? But it is like a running conversation, a running chicken in with the Lord throughout the day. We spread those prayers to the Lord, asking for His help, asking for His guidance throughout the day, and all the things that you're doing. And he's faithful. He's faithful to give direction, to give wisdom when we ask. But we need to make sure that our hearts are right before Him. You know, we could be asking His help for a lot of things, but if we cherish seeing or hold on to seeing, and unconfess seeing, we must be very careful because in the Psalms it says, "If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, you would not have listened." So we need to make sure that we spend that time with Him each day, that we spend time in worship, in confession, in repentance, because we are humans. We do have a flesh part that wants to do its own thing. And often we miss the mark, which is what sin means. We don't do exactly what we're supposed to do, even though as Paul says, "We want to do these things, but I don't do what I know I should do, and then I do what I know I shouldn't do." And it's this constant battle, but thanks be to God for His grace, thanks for His Holy Spirit that guides us, thanks for His Word that guides us. He is so good to us, but we need to really desire to be in that close contact with Him. And we do that in spending time in His Word, spending time in prayer, and spending time in worship. And He's been so good to give us now multiple ways that we could spend time with Him. So I encourage you have a Bible reading plan or a Bible listening plan, a small group Bible study lesson that you're working on, have a perhaps a Bible memory verse you're working on, listen to God honoring worship music. There's just so many ways that we can focus on Him and I encourage you to do that. Please do consider sharing this podcast with your free and family, neighbors straight, or just any one you think may receive a blessing from it. And that was always that I love to hear from you. I love to hear what God's doing in your life is you're spending more time with Him. Well, our verse for the day for this fifth day of May, 2026 comes from the letter of 1 Peter, 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 5, "And it reads as follows from the New American Standard Bible, "You younger me and likewise, be subject to your elders, "and all of you, close yourselves with humility toward one "and other for God is opposed to the proud "but gives grace to the humble. "Oh, friends, this is a kingdom principle." I talked to you frequently about kingdom principles, the big things that we need to remember about how things work with God. This is one of the big woods. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. And so I'm excited for us to park here and think about these things today. See what was going on in this letter, get the context, and also see that Peter was quoting something from the Old Testament when he reminded us of this. And so I love it when we get to see that. I love it that we get to see the consistency of God's word in this wonderful message that he's given us for Genesis to Revelation. And so you know though, if you've been on this journey with me before that this is the time, I think it's a good idea for us to look at where we are in the scripture, what book or letter we in, who may have written it, what was going on and that helps us to better understand and apply and recall and share and also to know of some woods coming in and trying to twist things around on us or just give us a part of the story. And so we know that we are in the New Testament. We know that the New Testament begins with the Gospels which tells the good news of Jesus' earthly ministry. Then it moves to that book of New Testament history which is the book of Acts. And from there we see the letters. There's 21 letters that we have in the New Testament. 13 of those written by the Apostle Paul, eight written by other men. And then the final book of the New Testament is Revelation which is that book of New Testament prophecy. We are in one of Peter's letters and those are in the section known as the General Letters. We have two letters written by the Apostle Peter and he tells us at the beginning of this letter who wrote it. And so he says Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ and that he tells us to whom he is writing. To those who reside as aliens scattered throughout Pontius, Galatia, Capitose, Asia, and Bethenia who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood. May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. I love that Peter reminds us in this letter that he is an Apostle. And that was a way much like when Paul would remind us in some of his letters that he's an Apostle and he was reminding those to whom he was writing. That carried some authority that had been imparted to him and to them the other Apostles had to Paul by Jesus and by God the Father. 'Cause when they would write these letters, they needed to know from whom they were coming and also that they were coming as a representative with the authority given by God the Father and God the Son to share these things. Remember that when Jesus chose from His disciples, these 12 men who he called Apostles, he gave them authority, gave them the authority over unclean spirits to cast them out, he gave them the authority to heal diseases and afflictions. He told Peter that he would be strengthened in his brothers and so that's very much what the Apostle Peter is doing here. He's writing to those who have been scattered and it's scattered because of their persecution because they were believers. There was a great deal of persecution that arose as we've read in Acts there in those early days of the church because the Jews that had not believed thought that these Christians were blasphemous and they were trying to stamp them out. And then the government was concerned about these who talked about this king, this king Jesus and so they wanted to stamp them out. And so it was very much a difficult time and especially I think during when Peter was writing this, I believe it was Emperor Nero of Rome did not like the Christians at all. And so he was very much wanting to get rid of them as well and to blame them for the troubles, some of the troubles that he had self-accustomed. And so Peter was writing to encourage. Now Peter was in that kind of inner circle of apostles Peter James had drawn and we see more discussion and records of what happened between Peter and Jesus in the gospels then we do with Jesus's interactions with any of the other apostles. We see the most of Peter. We see the most of the examples that Jesus made of Peter. And you know Jesus would often correct Peter and we learn much from that. We also see his failures just like all of us have failures and then we see Jesus is grace toward him. And I love it that God has been so gracious to him and it's been so gracious to us because of what Jesus did on the cross for us. We know that after Jesus was resurrected and seen by many and then ascended back to heaven. then he had given the apostles direction about what they were supposed to do. And on that day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down, as Jesus said, it would that God used Peter to preach the gospel there in Jerusalem and 3000 were added to their number that day. We see in the book of Acts up through about Acts 11 to 12, what was going on with Peter there and then after that it really picks up a lot about what was going on with Paul. But God used Peter in such a mighty way to spread the gospel and to be a pillar of the early church. And I'm so thankful that we get to see that. He opens this letter, this letter of encouragement to remind them that, yes, there are difficulties going on right now. But this is light and momentary and we have so much more in store for us. So just to look forward to what God has, to look forward to that inheritance that he has for us and to trust completely the sovereignty of God. I love this. At the beginning of his letter in chapter 1 verse 3, he said, bless be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. And the issue greatly rejoices even though now for a little while if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials so that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And though you have not seen him, you love him and though you do not see him now, but believe in him, you greatly rejoice with joy, inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. I love that. He's very much trying to encourage those who were scattered and who were being persecuted. And so he will keep doing that. He will spend several chapters reminding them what it looks like, even in the midst of suffering, even in the midst of persecution to walk as a believer in Christ. He talks to them about suffering well, suffering for God's glory because he knew that it was temporary. And he would be martyred probably three or four years after this letter was written. He knew when he wrote second Peter that the time of his martyrdom was coming close. And so he was very much trying to encourage them to remind them to look to Jesus and all things, reminding them that Jesus gave the example, reminding them to prepare their minds for action. I love that. And as I mentioned, he talked to them about how we act, how we live, how we think and speak in the midst of trials and tribulations. And I'm paraphrasing, is a witness to others. And then he goes back through several different groups. So in chapter three, he talks about wives and husbands and how you should act. And then he talks about in the middle of chapter three, if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. But sanctifies Christ as Lord in your hearts always being ready, yes, being ready to make a defense to everyone who asked you to give an account for the hope that is in you yet with gentleness and reverence and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slendered, those who will revile your good behavior and Christ will be put to shame. He talks about how it's better to suffer for doing what is right rather than to suffer for something you deserve. And he tells them in verse, I'm sorry, chapter four, "Since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with that same purpose." You know, it is going to be ordained that believers will suffer. Now it may not be that everyone is called, and it's not, that everyone is called to be martyred. Some will suffer much physical persecution, but that word suffer comes from the Greek Pasco, which is where we get our word "passion," and it means intense emotional distress. So sometimes you have intense emotional distress or intense distress because of physical pain. Sometimes it's emotional pain because we love much. He talks with them about being hospitable, being kind to others, that even with your employers or if you're a slave, your master, be very kind to them, be in submission in this gifts God the glory. And then I want you to hear beginning in chapter five as he closes, because chapter five is the last verse in this letter, and he's gone after describing and encouraging all the different groups, and then he's making an appeal to the leaders, the elders. So when we see elders, we think about that as a leader in the congregation. Sometimes they would be called overseers or, and sometimes they might be the pastors in the churches. So he knows how hard it's going to be for those undershippers. Jesus is the chief shepherd, and then there were the undershepherds, the pastors, the leaders in those different congregations. So listen to this. He said, "Therefore I exhort the elders among you as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ and a partake are also of the glory that is to be revealed." Heard the flock of God among you exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God, and not for sorted gain, but with eagerness. Nor yet as Lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock, I just have to pause right there. Such clear direction for those men who would be leading the different congregation, those elders who were shepherding the smaller flocks everywhere. The attitude they were had to have, how they were to shepherd, but do it gently, not lording it over in other words, not with an iron hand, not for sorted gain, that it should be with a right heart before God. And he's getting ready to tell us about that humility. He says. And then he says, "In verse four, which is right before our verse for the day, and when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory, and then here's our verse. You younger men likewise, be subject to your elders and all of you." So he calls out the younger men, knowing how sometimes it's hard for all of us to submit to authority. So he calls out the younger men, and then he says, "And all of you, which were all of the rest of them, close yourselves with humility toward one another for God is opposed to the proud that gives grace to the humble, and then I'm going to read right past it. Therefore, because God opposes the proud, it gives grace to the humble, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be of sober spirit. Be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around my corollary line, sinking someone to devour. Peter knew what it was like and how it would be. He had already been told before Jesus was crucified. Jesus told him even right before Jesus was to be betrayed. And even right before Peter denied him, he said, "In Luke 22 verse 31, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when once again, I'm sorry, and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Jesus knew what Peter would do, and then he encouraged him to strengthen his brothers. He knew about that devil. He knew that that devil was going to come full force against the believers, and especially against the apostles. You may not have seen it then, but I suspect he would have been able to look back later and say, "Oh, he knew what I was going to do, yet he had mercy and grace. He prayed for me, and then reminded me what I needed to do when I got back on track." So Peter knew firsthand how that devil worked, because he had fallen into the trap, but then God's grace and mercy brought him out of it. Back here in our verse for the day, you younger man be so. subject to your elders and all of you close yourselves with humility. Ofriends, it is so important. It is after the example of Jesus. It's exactly what Jesus did. You know, over in Philippians chapter 2 and we go here often talks about how Jesus did that when it says, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus who although he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself taking the form of a servant or bond servant and being made in the likeness of man, being found in appearance as a man. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Jesus gave us the example of ultimate humility and explains. Jesus uses a Bible verse to back up his or a scripture verse as it says, "To back up what he is telling them." That's where I talked about friends. The whole counsel of God's word is consistent throughout. We see throughout what God thinks about a prideful heart. Over in Proverbs in chapter 3 verse 34, it says, "Though he scoffs at the scoffers yet he gives grace to the afflicted." It seems that that is where Peter was referring to the passage in the Old Testament that he was referring to. God does oppose the proud and why is that? We have absolutely no reason to act pridefully. God is completely sovereign. He's the creator of all. He gives us our life and breath and being. He tells our heart that it could be. He allows us the breath in our lungs. Any ability that we have, the ability to think, to work, to create, to do anything comes from him. The ability to be able to make a living comes from him alone. It's not anything of ourselves and we must realize that. He has our life and our death in his hand. We have no reason to be prideful in any way. So we should, because of that, close ourselves put on that humility, a relationship with our holy God and in our relationship with others. That reflects the life of Christ. That reflects what is true and what is being done for us. So may we do that in friends. We can't do it on our own. We can't do it in our flesh because our flesh wants to put self first. We have to die to self, deny ourselves, pick up our cross daily, remembering what he's done for us and follow him. And then his Holy Spirit will help us to do that. Spend it time in the Word, be in reminded by God what he expects, how we should act, who he is. All these things together help us to walk in that humility. May we ask him to help us. Some friends, I know this for a fact that it is much better for us to humble ourselves with a right heart and willingly on our own. Otherwise it is going to be done forcefully by God at some point. And we want to do it willingly. It gives him the glory that he so deserves and it is the only right response. So may we do that. May he be glorified. May we share with others. blessings to you, friends, until next time.