"Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ," poetry

By Dan Lukiv

First Edition: LukivPress (Royal Bay, BC), 2026.

Introduction

I

Peter writes his first letter to his spiritual brothers and sisters (about 62 to 64 CE), admonishing them to "stand firm" (1 Peter 5:12). Soon, Roman Emperor Nero begins persecuting Christians (64 CE). How they suddenly need (and gladly accept) Jehovah's help, through his holy spirit, giving them necessary strength and determination (such a benefit, his spirit ). And don't they also benefit from each other's "fellow feeling, brotherly affection, tender compassion, and humility"?-(3:8).

Such help and benefits not only encourage their faithfulness to Christian teachings, but also encourage their faithfulness to Jehovah God Himself, and to his precious son, Jesus Christ. Note, too, that Peter not only admonishes and encourages Christians to "stand firm" in their faith, but he also warns them of Satan's (the Devil's) designs to tear them down: "Keep your senses, be watchful Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone....Take your stand against him."-(5:8, 9).

II

After writing his first letter, Peter soon pens his second (about 64 CE). He warns Christians, wherever they are, to stay awake, not allowing Jehovah's Day-His reckoning with a world of people who oppose, neglect, or laugh at His universal sovereignty-to overtake them while they sleep spiritually. Hebrews 4:12 (about 61 CE) already explained: "For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints from the marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Christians reveal their level of spiritual alertness by their response to scriptural direction).

By paying attention to scriptural warnings and direction, brothers and sisters protect themselves from "false prophets... and] false teachers....These will quietly bring in destructive sects, and they will even disown the owner who bought them, bringing speedy destruction upon themselves. Furthermore, many will follow their brazen conduct, and because of them the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively. Also, they will greedily exploit you with counterfeit words" (2 Peter 2:1-3). Peter's warnings reveal a deep fatherly love for his precious family of Christians.

An excerpt

You left the gold and silver
And lapis lazuli,
The fine kings buried with their
Fine executed servants,
The 14-room homes and
Paved courtyards and
Wedge-shaped letters and
Square and cube roots-
You left it all to live with scorpions
And snakes and jackals,
And your wife left the bricks and
Plaster and whitewash to go
Right along with you
In tents.

Both of you: aliens, un-rooted,
Un-fallen.

The author

Dan Lukiv, published in 19 countries, is a poet, novelist, columnist, short story and article writer, and independent education researcher (hermeneutic phenomenology). As a creative writer, he apprenticed with Canada's Professor Robert Harlow (recipient of the George Woodcock Achievement award for an outstanding literary career), the USA's Paul Bagdon (Spur Award finalist for Best Original Paperback), and England's D. M. Thomas (recipient of the Cheltenham Prize for Literature, Orwell Prize biography], Los Angeles Fiction Prize, and Cholmondeley award for poetry). He attended The University of British Columbia (creative writing department), the acclaimed Humber School for Writers (poetry writing program), and Writer's Digest University (novel writing program).

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GRQYSTGP
• ISBN13: 9798251170252
• Release Date: March 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.5" x 11.0"