Let Me Not Wander

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (NIV) There is not much I could add to this verse. Peter is so straight forward here. Many have said that actions speak louder than words, but Peter is saying, 'Let your actions speak so loudly, that even if they accuse you of wrong, in their deepest heart of hearts, they will know that isn't true. They will know that it is an accusation. Then one day they will glorify God because of your loud/godly actions.'

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. (NIV) In the book of Genesis, just before Cain goes to kill his brother Abel, and in so doing, commit the very first murder, God comes to Cain. He notices that Cain is angry, then says, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." That comment has always stuck with me. That sin is described as something that is crouching. That sin is something that wants to overtake me. That it desires. Peter here gives a straight forward response to this. He simply states, "...abstain." We are not long for this world, and if you are a child of God, you don't even belong here! You can master sin, because of the power of Christ. So, abstain from those sinful desires. They are warr...

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (NIV) Sometimes remembering where you were will help you to appreciate where you are. In the case of a Christian, where you were is extremely different that where you are. Possibly the most extreme difference possible. You WERE without mercy. Now you have received the mercies of God. There is not much that could be more extreme than that. Once again, these thoughts should result in praise. Praise Him through your work today. Praise Him in how you speak to your spouse and your children. Praise Him in how you drive and in how you walk and talk.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (NIV) To be a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to God... These were things that once belonged only to the Jews. They were these things. Now we may participate. As an American, I get to some extent the idea of being a "people". Having that sense of belonging. And America has been a part of something big. Freedom, liberty, duty, etc. We have been a people, but this citizenship is corrupted. America is fallible. There is another "nation" that I am a part of. Paul describes it as "a citizenship in heaven" in the book of Philippians. The outpouring of this citizenship should result in praise. He have no right be be a part of this. We were in darkness, but He has brought us into the light, and it was not because of any merit o...

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. (NIV) There is so much I would love to say about this passage. Jesus Christ has become such a foundation for me. I have learned to identify with so many of the Psalms that say, "He is my Rock... He is my Fortress..." but He has also been such a stumbling block to me when I was young. I have seen both aspects of this stone in my life. The other day I heard a preacher mention this aspect of the capstone, how much effort it would have taken to keep all of the stones in place, until the capstone was set in place. Then everything holds together. The capstone makes everything right.

For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." (NIV) In case you were wondering, this is a quote from Isaiah 28:16. When I read passages like this, I can find great assurance in them, but if I was honest, there is that little nagging thought in the back of my mind that is trying to reconcile the words of this passage to what I experience in the real world. I know, because I have taught the Bible for many years now that I should not ultimately base my understanding of things on my experiences, and I truly do believe that the Bible is the very Word of God, but that logical, analytical side of my mind craves the reconciliation of the truth of the word with what I have seen. Where that part of my brain has a problem is in the words, "...never be put to shame." And that part of my brain begins to think very finitely. So, as it dwells in the here and no...

you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. (NIV) This is the continuation of the thought from the previous verse. When we fall on the side of God and His response to Christ, then we begin to become more like Christ. Notice first that we are become like Him as "living stones." There is something more solid about us when we are in Christ. He is our rock and our salvation, and when we are in Him, then we are becoming like Him. Our work is not finished yet, notice that Peter says that we are "being built." This is not completed, we are a work in progress. Like it also states so many times in the book of Hebrews, we are now priests of God. We bring our lives to Him as living sacrifices, and since we are in Christ, and all that we do is through Christ, we are pleasing to God because of Him.

As you come to him, the living Stone -- rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him -- (NIV) There are two thoughts here. Obviously, Peter is starting a comment about coming to Christ. Literally, going to him, but as he mentions this, and calls him "the Living Stone" it spurs Peter into another thought. It is a thought about the response to Jesus Christ. Men rejected Him. God chose Him and He is precious to God. Peter is saying (I believe) that when you come to Christ you are doing something radically different than the majority of men. For the most part, the population rejects Christ, but when you come to Him you are falling on the side of God's response to Christ. Christ is chosen by you, and He is precious to you.

now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (NIV) I thought about adding this verse in with the last one, but I wanted to keep it for today. Today is Friday. It is the end of the week, a week of work, a week of challenges, a week of trials and the thought of upcoming trials. So, have I tasted that the Lord is good? I should give a resounding, "yes!" Some people's weeks have been filled with bigger trials and bigger challenges, filled with heartaches, fears, and loss. Yet, we could all say that we have tasted that the Lord is good. I would love to go into a discussion on the goodness of God, but instead, I believe that we should ask a different question: If you have not tasted that the Lord is good... Why? Why have you not tasted it? It is not that He is not good or that he does not offer His goodness for the tasting. So, ask yourself, "why?" Allow that "why?" to penetrate deep. Open up your Bible and let it pierce in and discern the ans...

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, (NIV) Babies crave milk. They want it moment by moment, and they will take it almost every time you offer it. Milk is on their mind, and it is almost the only thing that is on their mind. They want it when they are bored, they want it when they are sad, they want it when they are lonely, they want it when they are uncomfortable or sick, they want it. Growing up in your salvation will require more than the simple 15 minute daily devotional. Please don't misunderstand me... I am not being judgmental of our hectic schedules. Though, maybe I should, that is not what I am doing here. To crave spiritual milk like Peter is talking about here is a mindset. This is the person who has God on their mind. This is a person who is thinking about God's word, even when there is no Bible near. This is the person who thinks to themselves, "I need to hear from God today!"

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit , hypocrisy , envy , and slander of every kind. (NIV) (I included links to studylight.org for the greek definitions of each of these terms.) Peter tells us to "rid ourselves" of these things.  That "rid ourselves" literally means to "make separate".  This malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander need to be items that are completely separate from us!  "Take them off!  Put them over there!" he is telling us. It is written expressly as a command, but throughout this book there is sprinkled the empowering grace of God.  There is a partnership with Him in this sanctifying work.  It is us doing it, but it isn't us... It is HIM. I would like to encourage you to re-read chapter 1 and then look up each of these words that I have linked in the verse.

but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you. (NIV) In contrast to our existence on this earth is God's Word. As we wander (or wonder) through this life, it only makes sense to seek something outside of ourselves to give us direction. There are many that would say that we need to look within us to find direction, to find truth. We even hear it in our children's programs, trust your heart , they say, but why would I trust myself? I have only been here for a short 34 years. That isn't much when you consider time itself. I should be listening to someone much older. This is why I think it is important to listen to the older generation. Gain from their wisdom, but don't stop there. Go older, and consider something that will last... God's Word. It has stood the test of time, and has passed with flying colors, and according to its own words, it will continue to last. This has been a great chapter, culminating in thi...

For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, (NIV) In answer to the previous post, the way knowledge of imperishable should affect your life is in this way. It is the realization that we are just about as durable as grass.

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (NIV) Anytime I hear about being born again, I am always drawn back to the story of Nicodemus . I can remember hearing this story for the first time when I was a child. The story of this pharisee who came secretly to see Jesus. The pharisee who wondered how a person could reenter his mother's womb to be born again. It was during this discourse with the pharisee that we get to hear one of the most profound statements of the gospel, John 3:16. Notice in this passage, that being born again makes you different. You are no longer perishable, you are imperishable. You will continue living, like the living Word. How should this knowledge affect your life?

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. (NIV) Notice the deep connection between purifying yourself and loving others. Have you ever met someone who claimed to be a Christian, yet used such words of hatred when it came to homosexuals? Or maybe you (like me) came from some tiny little town and a tiny little church, and you could tell that the elders in the church looked down with great disdain on the black families that were moving into the neighborhoods around the church. It could have been as simple as the way people in your church talked about that other church that was "way too liberal" in their music and such. Did you ever feel like there was something wrong with that? That it just seemed off ? Well, you were right to feel that way. In this verse, like so many others, there is an absolute connection between loving God and loving others. It is inescapable. Th...

Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (NIV) I would like to pause on the very first phrase in this verse, the phrase, "Through him..." As I have continued in the faith over the past years, I have come to realize more and more that the "through him" is the most important part of the day to day existence. I used to focus on the actions. I didn't believe that the actions saved you, and I still don't believe that, but I would focus on the fruit. I still believe that the fruit is important, and not to be ignored. In the world we live in, it is essential to observe the fruit of a person's walk. There are too many out there that live such a deceived existence, thinking that they are OK, when they are in a deep spiritual disaster zone. But I am digressing here, let me get back to the point: Everything in life goes back to one thing, but that one thing isn't an idea, or a b...

He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. (NIV) The focus of the blog has always been personal application. So, even in a verse like this, I have to ask the question, as we always should as we come to God's Word, how can this apply to me today? Now, this verse is packed with some "big picture" theology, and so many people, when they encounter this kind of theology, they will bypass it, leaving that to the so-called theologians. It is easy for many of us to have this same thought, even though most of us wouldn't admit it, we like things to be easy, we like to be spoon-fed, but this type of theology isn't to be overlooked and left to someone else. It is to become a part of our lives. These types of passages help to establish a correct world view, so that we are more enabled to live that day to day existence. Consider even this verse. It is right in the middle of a very practical, easy to understand, easy...

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (NIV) I have found it to be difficult add commentary to many of these verses. Peter writes in such a plain, straight-forward way. Just consider this verse, as you read through it, it is so clear what he is trying to get to. It is almost like, "don't you get it? You weren't purchased with corruptible things, so don't work for corruptible things. You were purchased with the blood of the perfect Christ, the Messiah... with the blood of Jesus." Remember this verse as you go through your day. Don't work so hard for things that won't last. Work for the things that are eternal.

Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. (NIV) This passage if full of great quotes. Little one-liners that come in very handy in difficult situations. I know that this particular verse has come in very useful to me when it comes to internet usage. As many American men have learned, the internet can be a great tool, but it can also be the source of many temptations. Things that one would have had to be very sneaky about coming into contact with are now available right in your own living room. All forms of internet pornography are right at your fingertips. This verse, especially the second part about the "reverent fear" as "strangers here" can be very encouraging when you are considering those temptations. I hope that this verse might come in handy to at least one person today. If you are like me and you have faced the temptations of the internet, then let me make one practical sug...

for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (NIV) As any good counselor would do, Peter backs up his statement from the scriptures. This holiness thing isn't just some brilliant idea that Peter came up with, it is part of the big picture plan that God has for His people. These last few passages would work very well in a counseling situation (or a discipleship situation, if you prefer that word better). It is a great "blanket statement" that could be used in any situation. We are to be holy in all we do, because our creator is holy. This applies to your work, your play, your leisure time, your family life, what you eat, what you drink, what you watch, etc. He is a holy, set apart God, and He wants us to enjoy the benefits of life with Him, but we cannot be where He is unless we are also set apart. This is a process that begins with salvation, continues through a sanctified (and sanctifying) life, and is completed at death in our glorification.