verse 12, "Live 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."
My life matters. The things I do and the things I say are being noticed by people who are not followers of Jesus. They will make a determination of whether they will follow Jesus or not based on if they think I am living a life of integrity.
I want to live to glorify God, but it also has another point to it - living to draw people to God. If one of the biggest reasons people say they are not a Christian is because of the words and actions of Christians then we all need to heed these words from Peter.
Who am I that "He himself bore [my] sins in his body on the tree" (1 Peter 24)? Why have I been chosen to have the scales lifted from my eyes? Why did Christ rescue me from the pit when so many others continue to suffer? We believers are told in 1 Peter 2:9. "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of the darkness in to his wonderful light." As God reveals his plan for my life, I am overwhelmed with the love and mercy he rains down on me daily, moment by moment. He is always there in my weakness reminding me that he chose me to live and from that blessing I have a job to do. First Peter 2:12 directs us, "Live 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," and 1 Peter 2:13-15, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men . . . For it is by God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men." Dear Father, Make me a "living stone" of your church. Let me always recognize the opportunities to do good for your glory, to praise you despite circumstance, to live a life that leads others to you. Amen
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
This is so eye opening. We were not even considered a person until we chose to believe in christ Jesus. What were we then ? Just aliens of another world. Now we are children of God who recieves God's glorious grace and tender mercy.
Charter Oak Church is a family of Jesus followers who want to reach out to those who are searching and equip believers to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.
verse 12, "Live 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."
ReplyDeleteMy life matters. The things I do and the things I say are being noticed by people who are not followers of Jesus. They will make a determination of whether they will follow Jesus or not based on if they think I am living a life of integrity.
I want to live to glorify God, but it also has another point to it - living to draw people to God. If one of the biggest reasons people say they are not a Christian is because of the words and actions of Christians then we all need to heed these words from Peter.
Who am I that "He himself bore [my] sins in his body on the tree" (1 Peter 24)? Why have I been chosen to have the scales lifted from my eyes? Why did Christ rescue me from the pit when so many others continue to suffer? We believers are told in 1 Peter 2:9. "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of the darkness in to his wonderful light." As God reveals his plan for my life, I am overwhelmed with the love and mercy he rains down on me daily, moment by moment. He is always there in my weakness reminding me that he chose me to live and from that blessing I have a job to do. First Peter 2:12 directs us, "Live 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," and 1 Peter 2:13-15, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men . . . For it is by God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men." Dear Father, Make me a "living stone" of your church. Let me always recognize the opportunities to do good for your glory, to praise you despite circumstance, to live a life that leads others to you. Amen
ReplyDelete9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
ReplyDeleteThis is so eye opening. We were not even considered a person until we chose to believe in christ Jesus. What were we then ? Just aliens of another world. Now we are children of God who recieves God's glorious grace and tender mercy.