This morning I have been reading 1 Peter and along with this book of the Bible I have been reading a book called “Love is an Orientation”. The focus of the book is conversation between the church (Christianity) and those of homosexual orientation. I am reading the book due to an invitation to a facebook book club by www.youthspecialties.com
Below I have made some notes about what I see in 1 Peter 1 regarding life in general. This has nothing to do with any specific sin, I think we have ostracized the sin of homosexuality way too much. All sin is sin!
#1 We have been chosen to be obedient to our savior, Jesus Christ.
#2 Everyone in this life will suffer trials, my trials may be different from yours. addictions ect…
#3 These trials are part of a plan to make us who we are to be.
#4 We are to prepare ahead of the trials.
#5 We are to control our desires, not give in to them if they are wrong.
#6 Remember that we have the hope of Jesus death and resurrection which gives us Eternal Life.
#7 Do not give in to your wrong desires. (preaching to me)
#8 Live Holy Lives (this is a never ending process) (sin, repentance,……but with sincerity to change)
#9 This World is not our home! Stop living as if this is it! Keep Eternity in view and live for that end or beginning!
#10 A life of sin is an empty life, it never satisfies for very long.
#11 The only hope we have is God.
#12 We are to genuinely love each other. ALL of us!
#13 Our lives on earth are so very brief (a breath) don’t change God’s Word for any reason, it stands as it is forever.
Ronnie
P.S. I will look at the rest of 1 Peter in tomorrow’s quiet time.
P.S.S.
Lets have our own conversation. I will be a safe place if you ever need to talk. You can say what you think and feel without fear of rejection, without fear of anger, without fear of anything. You have my word that your thoughts and concerns are safe with me. Consider it a safe place.
Ronnie
Here is the link to the facebook book club if you are interested in purchasing the book and getting involved in the conversation: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=8804&post=48870&uid=101942530933#/group.php?gid=101942530933
1 Peter 1
1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Praise to God for a Living Hope
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Be Holy
13Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
17Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 18For 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, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
22Now 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. 23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24For,
“All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.
Thanks man! I needed that today. c ya round, Dustin