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Apply, Apply, Apply!
Tim Savage17Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners 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 ancestors, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1
11Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12Live 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. 1 Peter 2
These 2 passages really caught my attention this morning. The first reminded me to live not as a citizen of earth, but instead like a citizen of Heaven, just passing through earth. Then money, fame, influence, popularity and power are not as meaningful because the goal is clear and priorities are in order. Father God didn’t pay for our sins with the perishable and transient monies of earth, but with the precious blood of the Lamb of God. This puts everything in to perspective.
I also love the second passage which speaks about living a life above reproach so that even if the unbeliever doesn’t like us, they can’t help but see that our good deeds glorifies Jesus.
The key to these common sense lessons is in their application. For me, I cannot be selective as to when I live these out. I have to always live them out! I don’t have the luxury of applying them sometimes, or when it suits me, or when I feel like it, God is pleased only when I apply them as a way of life – day in and day out, when it’s easy and when it’s difficult. I must be disciplined and apply all the lessons of my devotions, otherwise I’m just a hypocrite. It’s when the world observes Christians proclaiming and judging one thing but actually living differently that turns them off to our faith, but when they see that we are Jesus bone-deep, only then are they moved to want to learn more about Him.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I want to draw others to You. I want to live a life that makes people want to know You more.
In Jesus name,
Amen
