1 Peter Chapters 1 - 3 (Blogging Through the Bible)

We started reading 1 Peter on Wednesday. I'm so glad to have you here with me as we learn and grow in the Word of God together!

Here are my S.O.A.P.s so far for 1 Peter. Please feel free to share your thoughts or your S.O.A.P. in the comments section below!

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

1 Peter 1

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

Observations: We are running a race towards the finish line of Heaven! The promise of Jesus’ return and eternity in Heaven is our hope as children of God. Here in this verse we are told how we should set our sights on this hope – and that’s “with minds that are alert and fully sober”.

We are to fix our hope on seeing Jesus face-to-face.  I want to hear “well done, good and faithful servant”. How do I get to the end of this finish line of Heaven to hear these words…with a mind that is prepared for action and fully sober.  

One translations puts it this way, “gird your mind”. In ancient times, people wore tunics – kind of like a dress or a loose fitting garment. Well whenever they were running, going into battle, any kind of labor, etc. where they needed to push aside any hindrances so that they could focus their attention on the end goal, they would put on a sash or a belt so that they could pull up and tie tightly the loose pieces of their tunics so they would not be flapping everywhere.

It’s the same idea we see in Hebrews 12:1 where we as believers are called to lay aside anything that would so easily entangle us as we run the race that has been set before us – the finish line of Heaven where we will meet Jesus face-to-face!

Our minds are to be fully sober, not becoming intoxicated with the allurements of this world. We are to keep our minds set on things above where our Heavenly home awaits us.

Application: We cannot be longing for heaven and at the same time be drinking from the wells of sin that this world offers.  Spiritual self control is absolutely necessary in the life of a believer. As believers we have to remember who we belong to and that this world is not our home. We are not our own, we have been purchased by God through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. We need to 

remember the promise we made to turn away from sin when we surrendered our lives to Jesus.
 

Philippians 4:8 tells me how I can gird up my mind and keep it sober: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the hope and assurance of Jesus’ return and of eternity in my Heavenly home. I pray that through the power of Your grace at work within me I would keep my mind girded up by the truth I find in Your Holy Word so that I can run the race that has been set before me. Help me to have a sober mind that is set above on my Heavenly home and against the allurements of this sinful world. My heart’s desire is to see Jesus face-to-face and to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” It’s in His life-changing name I pray. Amen!

Thursday, September 11, 2014

1 Peter 2

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³ now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Observations: A life that is seeking to “grow up in salvation” is marked by a hunger and love for the Word of God. Only when we are daily in the Word can we learn the heart of God and His desire for how we should live our lives. Like newborn babies that only crave pure milk and need it to survive, a characteristic of a believer is a delight in the Word of God and a desire to be in His Word daily. In order to survive spiritually, we must crave – have a very strong desire – for the Word of God.

“now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” – Our responses to our salvation that we’ve seen so far in 1 Peter have been 1) Holiness towards God and 2) Love towards others from chapter 1, and now 3) Desiring the Word of God for ourselves as believers.

Why should I desire the Word of God? So that I might believe and have life (John 20:31). Faith comes by hearing the Word (Romans 10:17). The Word of God is life (Philippians 2:16). The Word of God is alive, active and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God performs its work in me (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

Application: As believers, we are to LOVE the Word of God, DELIGHT in it, and CRAVE it! Before I can read it, search it, study it, meditate on it, teach it, or hide it I have to DESIRE IT. Do not let my first love for the truth of the Word of God that brought me to salvation fade. It was the preached Word of God that brought me to salvation when I learned that “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have life everlasting” (John 3:16.) It was the power of the Word that transformed my life and that same power of the Word will continue to transform me as I go into it daily.  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word! I love Your Word and desire to be in it daily because I know that it has the power to transform my life! Thank You for saving me through the power of your Word. Continue I pray to give me a hunger and a thirst for more of You. As I learned yesterday, help me to gird up my mind…help me to push aside any hindrances that would seek to distract me from my time each day in Your Word. Help me to have enough spiritual self control in my life to take an account of how I am spending my daily time. If I find there are unnecessary things that threaten to take away my time spent in Your Word, I pray that You would impress upon my heart to remove those things from my life.  I love You and thank You. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen!

Friday, September 12, 2014

1 Peter 3

Scripture: 1 Peter 3: 1-4 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, ² when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. ³ Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴ Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

1 Peter 3:8-11 ⁸ Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. ¹¹ They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.

1 Peter 3:14-15 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” ¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.

Observations: It is important to remember the salvation we received and the hope it gives us. Our salvation and living hope of Heaven remind us to be an example before others. I’m reminded of Courtney’s blog series on “Living in Opposite World” and that is part of what came to my mind this morning as I read 1 Peter 3 because in it we are asked to live an example that is TOTALLY OPPOSITE of what the world SCREAMS at us. There is so much hostility, persecution, and rejection from this world that doesn’t believe the way we do and in turn makes it difficult for us to live as God is calling us to live.

I love the encouragement from Peter in verses 14-15! We are blessed by God when we suffer for doing what is right! We are not to fear the threats of this world for living right in God’s eyes. We are not be frightened when as we look all around us and see how OPPOSITE this world really is! Instead, we are to revere (deeply respect and admire) Christ as Lord of our lives by living our lives in the example that He set for us.

Application: Realize that this world is indeed opposite of what I have been called to live like as a believer in Jesus Christ. Live as Jesus is calling me to live in these verses. Do not fear what this world thinks as I live according to the will of God for my life as a believer. When I live this way, I will be a living example to others that I am His, and I will show deep respect and admiration to Jesus as Lord of my life.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your Word that is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Help me to walk in the truth revealed to me today. Help me to submit in all of the relationships of my life as You so willingly submitted Your very life. Help me to always seek the good of others, even when they aren’t seeking my good. I pray that I would focus more on my inner spiritual growth rather than getting caught up in outside appearances that this world puts so much emphasis on. Thank You, Jesus, for Your willing sacrifice that restored my broken relationship with the Father. Help me to remember that this world is not my home and may I live in such a way that my life would be an example to others and would point them to a saving relationship with You. It’s in Your saving name I pray Jesus. Amen!

Walking in His Grace,

Laurie

 
I'm #bloggingthroughthebible with Courtney Joseph at Women Living Well home of Good Morning Girls! Please click on the image below to read others posts for Blogging Through the Bible.