They cannot deny your life!

Scripture Read: 1 Peter 2:13-17 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,  [14] or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.  [15] For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.  [16] Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.  [17] Honor all men; love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

Application: The power of living right. How true this is. So many times we waste our time trying to argue down foolish men. But the very words used – ignorance & foolish – expose what a waste of time this is. In fact others watching may get a bad taste from your testimony. It appears God’s way is to just live and let your life shut the mouths of fools. With someone reasonable you can reason – 1 Pet 3:15 – but with a fool – you not only gain nothing, but you actually lose. Why then do we still have to debate? Our pride gets wounded. Lord this is a bad reason to waste time with a fool. Help me to be careful and not fall into that trap. Let me walk in such a way that fools will – in your time – be exposed. Thanks Lord!

Lusts VS. Soul

Scripture Read: 1 Peter 2:11-12 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.  [12] Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. 

Application: This hits me where I am at, but do I know how this works. How do my lusts wage war against my soul? 1. They keep me thinking on the non-spiritual level. My soul desires to live in the spiritual realm, but cannot if my lusts are ruling. 2. The desire of the flesh is to please itself; this is detrimental to the condition of my soul. Selflessness brings growth. These desires even pervert that which is good for the soul. My soul loves sex and is edified by it if with my wife. But if my flesh lives in lustful fantasy about other women or even drives me to porno – then sex is perverted to something damaging. If I enjoy different foods, my soul rejoices in the gift of taste buds from the Lord, but if I glutton out – then food is perverted from being nourishing and enjoyable, to being enjoyable to the point of killing my health. This goes on in every area of life. So I must re-evaluate each and every item on a regular basis and make sure my soul is the one being pleased, not the flesh. God keep me close and help me be disciplined.

The Healthy Balance

Scripture Read: 1 Peter 2:[4] And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God,  [5] you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  [6] For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone,  AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." [7] This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,” [8] and, "A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.  [9] But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  [10] for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. 

Application: This has a real principle to it. Here I see the free will of man (disobedient) and the Sovereignty of God (appointed) This is how it is, I do not fully understand all the mechanics – or which one comes first, etc. But that really is not important. I know what I can do – free will – and I know God will do what He will do – appoint. So I only need focus on my part and leave the other to God. Help me Lord to focus on exercising my free will to obey, the rest I will leave to you!

Arrival Guaranteed – Quality I Affect

Scripture Read: 1 Peter 2:1-3  Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,  [2] like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,  [3] if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord

Application: The idea of growing in respect to salvation is one that really gets me thinking. This really speaks to the issue of working with your salvation not for it. The salvation is already a possession, but you can make it grow. What part grows? Certainly not the destination. Only the quality of your deliverance, not the security of your deliverance. Heaven bound you are, but what your trip will be like along the way and what will you arrive with is really up to you. That is why your salvation can grow.  Again look at the key – the Word of God. I really need to focus on this more. Help me Lord!