As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

1 Peter 4

As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. v2

We are called to be a light for others to see and to be set apart.

For us to do this, we must renew our minds:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

For us to renew our minds, we must - daily - seek out God in prayer and in study of His Word.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God, full of love, compassion, kindness, patience, etc. for me.  Thank You Jesus.  Yet I am not worth such efforts.  I continue in my sin - please forgive me and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You - daily.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

1 Peter 3

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. v15

We are called to be a light.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

We are also called to be unashamed of our faith.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 2 Timothy 1:6-8

The Great Commission calls us to bring others to Him so we must be a light, attract and bring others to Him.

I don't know when I will encounter trouble or suffering but I am certain it will occur - I am hopeful that I can be the light that God calls me to be.

My Prayer: Lord, You are a great God and I am deeply grateful that You have come to rescue me, forgive me from my sins and to always be with me until the end of the age. Thank You Jesus.  You are indeed a great God.  I love You.  Please forgive me for my lack of patience and harshness with others.  Help me turn from my sins towards You and help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

1 Peter 3

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. v8-9

 
As I posted yesterday, there will be circumstances that may cause to lash out at others - to repay what we see as evil with our own evil.

We can only bring others to Jesus if we are Jesus to others.

Stephen is a great example.

All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. Acts 6:15

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You are love...and You love me - amazing.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love.  I am selfish and I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

1 Peter 2

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. v23

We often react impulsively to others who treat us harshly or to circumstances that frustrate us.  Yet God either creates these circumstances or allows them to happen and we need to understand that He is in control (Colossians 1:17).  We must see what God is doing in the circumstances to allow Him to be glorified for that is why we exist. 

God does not promise a life without trouble - on the contrary, He says:

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33

I must trust Him who will provide both justice and victory.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You have shepherded me through difficult times and I am grateful for Your protection and guidance these dark times.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worthy for how You have loved and blessed me.  I am often harsh with others.  Please forgive me and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

1 Peter 2

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. v13-14

Peter expands in this chapter to encourage us, regardless of our role and station, to be submit to those God has placed in our earthly lives as authorities.

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. v16-17

We have freedom and free will but this free will is not be used "as a cover up for evil".

Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. v18

We may often, as I have, difficult circumstances in our lives with others.  God places or allows these people in our lives for a reason and we are to follow in God's footsteps by submitting to His will and allowing Him to shape us through obedience and submission to Him.  We should try and understand what God is doing through these circumstances.

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. v21

[G]ive thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

My Prayer: Lord, You are a great God, full of love, compassion, kindness, patience, etc....of course, all the fruits of the spirit...because You are the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.  You are a great God because You are perfect in all ways.  Thank You for how You have blessed me but I need You desperately.  Please forgive me for my laziness, selfishness, and harshness with others, among my many sins.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. v9

Believers are chosen to be firm in their faith in Jesus so that we can "offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to him" (Romans 12:1).  As Peter puts it, and as Paul encourages us, we are not to cause others to stumble or fall, but instead we are to draw others to Him by being a light unto others.

All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. Acts 6:15

 

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:14-16 

 

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God worthy of my full attention and passion.  There is no God like You.  Only You can save me from sins and give me eternal life.  Only You can provide the Holy Spirit - the same power that helped You rise from the grave.  Apart from You I can do no good things.  Thank You for blessing me richly - I am undeserving.  I worry and I know You don't want me to - please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

1 Peter 2

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. v2-3

God wants us to be more like Him, and this is a maturation process.  Just as physically new babies grow, when we are born again we are spiritually babies and we must grow, and God both desires this and expects this of us.  We are to be disciple makers.

See also post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, fully God and fully human...who willingly surrendered Your life for me...knowing everything about me, including my sin.  Thank You Jesus for such an amazing gift.  I am not worth such a gift.  I am selfish, lazy, and I worry too much.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.