1 Peter 4: Since Christ suffered
physically, you too must strengthen yourselves with the same way of thinking
that he had; because whoever suffers physically is no longer involved with sin. 2 From now on, then, you must
live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God's will and not by human
desires. 3 You have spent enough time
in the past doing what the heathen like to do. Your lives were spent in
indecency, lust, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and the disgusting
worship of idols. 4 And now the heathen are surprised when
you do not join them in the same wild and reckless living, and so they insult
you.
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After the party, I
found a person passed out on my roommate’s floor. She had wandered into his
room, missed the bed and fell on the floor. To make matters worse, she threw up
under his bed. “Ugh!!” I screamed.
- I was getting tired of the temporary pleasure of partying.
- I was getting tired of the consequences of the way I was living.
- I was getting tired of my life being out of control and hinging out with people whose lives were just as out of control as mine.
Peter gives advice
to those who believe in JESUS to “strengthen yourselves.” He observed that
people were being beaten and jailed simply because they believed in CHRIST. He
may have known that some would turn to some ways to get temporary relief from
the world’s pressures by using the world’s pleasures for escape.
My Observations:
- My mindset has to be changed to follow CHRIST when times get hard.
- I need to follow CHRIST’s example and live a controlled life.
- I should expect people to insult me because I choose to live for CHRIST.
Being in control of
my life seems hard. I mean, the world offers pleasures that appeal to the body
physically. Sex, drugs, and alcohol seem to top the list of temporary problem
solvers, with materialism creeping in as well. GOD wants me to act different.
HE knows the pleasures
of this world will only distract me from focusing on HIM. HE provides a way for
me to gain control of my out of control life. HE provides the HOLY SPIRIT to
live inside me and you because of our belief in JESUS. I am glad GOD gives me a
second chance daily.
Challenge
- What changes does the writer recommend?
- Have you ever gotten caught up in some of the world’s pleasures that you felt were wrong at first?
- Will you ask GOD for help getting self-control regardless of what people think of you today?
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