1 Peter 1:21-22 Fervent Love

Through Him you believe in (adhere to, rely on) God, Who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him honor and glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God.  Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [Holy] Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently from a pure heart. 1 Peter 1:21-22

v20 says Jesus was chosen before all time to come.  Through Jesus I believe in God.  

I love adhere - stick to, have loyalty to.  Stick to as Mary did seeing Jesus in the garden - cling to His feet.  I adhere to God, His ways.  

Rely on - only through His grace can I love and follow Him.  Jesus raised from the dead, Jesus has honor and glory now so my faith and hope are focused on God.  

What do I need to do to have God at my center?  

Where is He not?  Show me Lord!

v 22

1. My obedience is only through the Holy Spirit, not on my own.

2.  My heart is purified by obedience.

3. A purified heart can have sincere affection for others.

4.  My love should be fervent (very hot; glowing; marked by great intensity for feeling).  

Lord, help me to purify my heart so I can love fervently.  So I can exercise your mercy on others.  On this point I have far to go, but You, my Lord, are the only way to get there.

1 Peter 1:18-19 The Ultimate Obedience

You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from [your] forefathers, not with corruptible things [such as] silver and gold, But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot. 1 Peter 1:18-19

It is on me to recognize my redemption and ransom bought with the price of the blood of Jesus.

     -- Man's natural way is useless - fruitless.

     -- It is only through the Holy Spirit that I can live in the fruit of the Spirit - it is my choice.

The precious blood of the lamb - there is power, power, holy working power - this hymn comes to me from verse 19.  He was a perfect man, no sin, no temptation overcame Him.  And for they joy of completing His Father's work He obeyed.  Precious indeed.

What temptation am I giving into?  What fruitless acts are consuming my time?  Where do I need to submit in obedience?

1 Peter 1:17 Stranger

 And if you call upon Him as [your] Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, [then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short]. 1 Peter 1:17

1.  God judges impartially.  He has no favorites.  He doesn't compare us with each other.  He judges the times we did and shouldn't have and the times we should have and didn't.  He is just.

I will be judged for what I do and don't do - only me.  

2.  NIV says as you are strangers here.  This weighed on my heart last week.  All the reverence I lived in last spring has disappeared.  How easily a bad attitude moves in where you aren't noticing.

This is not my home.  This is not where I'll find comfort.  Fix my eyes - heart - life on the Father who will bring me home.

1 Peter 1:13-16 Obedience

 So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.  [Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel].  But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.

For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:13-16

I am to prepare my mind - think over circumstances and the consequences.  NIV says 'prepare your minds for actions and be self-controlled.'

* Think on how each circumstance effects eternity.  How will I react?  Will my selfish impatience aid the circumstance (the answer is always NO!)  What might I say or do that would bring about eternal blessings?  I want to learn how to bring Jesus into my conversation and actions more.  Lord - please show me!

* Focus my hope - my thoughts - on the grace of Jesus.  I am to be obedient to what the Holy Spirit has taught me since I accepted and believed the Gospel.  I am to strive to be holy as Jesus is Holy.  Where am I lacking obedience?  What has the Holy Spirit convicted me of (not me choosing) and I'm not obeying immediately? 

* Through obedience to Christ  can i be holy as Christ.  Obedience brings wisdom.  Many people struggle to find the will of God for their lives.  The are confused of what to do.  Perhaps even claiming that the Bible doesn't speak to their situations.  If that's you, try obedience in the smaller things and see if the bigger things become clearer.  Honor your parents.  Love your neighbor.  Give generously.  Be patient.  Be willing to do your part.  I love the song "While I'm waiting" by John Waller.  We can still be obedient in the small things while allowing God to work out some "big" things.  Obedience in the small things brings wisdom, opens our eyes to what God is doing.

1 Peter 1:8 Thrill

Without having seen Him, you love Him; though you do not [even] now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy. 1 Peter 1:8

Oh the things of this world I allow to distract me from the joy, the thrill of knowing and loving Jesus.  A smile goes on my face thinking about Jesus.  Help me, Lord, to remember my precious love.  To love as You do.  Help me to stay in the joy, the inexpressible glorious joy!  Help my express my gratitude of thankfulness endlessly - that it drown out the impatience and selfishness.

That Situation

When something happens - do I think 'why is this happening to me?' or 'what is God doing in this?'

Oh those little words of conviction - slightly rephrased.  I've been fighting a judgmental attitude for a while now.  I observe the world and wonder how people can do what they do - sometimes I express those thoughts and sometimes not. 

So when the situation happens, God made me aware of it because:
1. I am not to get angry at the behavior of others - for my anger does not help anyone.
2. I am not to run away and avoid what is happening.
3. I am not to entertain judgmental thoughts against someone - especially since I don't know what's fully going on with them.
4. I am not to complain - about the perceived disrespect, the interruption of my plans, the general discontent with the world that turns my heart hard.

5. I am to ponder what God's intent is in making me aware of what's going on.
6. I am to gather additional information if I am led to DO something (not just say something).
7. I am to pray for the situation, turn everything over to God's power.  This world needs prayer and every time I notice, I can replace those condemn thoughts with petitions to prayer.
8. I can put a smile on my face and just go with it - since things are how they are, a good attitude will help everyone along.  The world needs more good attitudes - God has asked me to have a good attitude.

1 Peter 1:7 Refined Faith

So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed. 1 Peter 1:7

Redound - add to, accrue; to have an effect 

1 Peter 1:6 verse spoke about test (from outside of me) and trials (from within me) are proving my faith and growing it in all areas.  Gold is considered precious, but it is perishable - not like the value of my faith, which is imperishable.  Gold is refined by fire.  My precious faith needs refined as well.  Refined faith redounds my praise for Jesus.  My faith adds to His glory and honor.  Of course it is only by the Holy Spirit my faith can grow - all of it gifts from God.  

Where do I need to change my attitude about trials and temptation?  What areas am I complaining about?  When do I become impatient?  Allow those times of conviction on my attitude become time of praise for the great work God is doing within me.  The more I turn from complaining and impatience the easier it will become.  I hope one day I will be patient first, I will not complain.  I so look forward to that day Lord!  Let it begin today.