A call to an alternative lifestyle: I Peter 1:13-16 overview

We are getting into some really exciting passages in I Peter....there's so much here for us, it's like one of those vegetable sacks at the farmers' market -- so stuffed full that it's about to burst! Each verse is packed with enough goodies to keep us studying and learning for quite a while!

I thought it might be good to give ourselves an overview of this next group of verses. Then we'll zero in on them and immerse ourselves in what the Spirit has for us.

Sound good?
Great!
Let's read first:

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. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (I Peter 1:13-16)

We hear a lot today about "alternative lifestyles." It's a term that is used on news shows, and in everyday discussions, too. What does it mean? Well, it is a pretty wide range of meanings....

Wikipedia, a secular resource, says this: "an alternative lifestyle is a lifestyle diverse in respect to mainstream ones..."

I guess you and I might think of those who affect wildly different apparel (or no apparel at all), different food or medicine options, many different practices.

Have you noticed, though, that more and more, Christianity is regarded as "out of the mainstream," and "not the cultural norm"?  About(dot)com even says: "a philosophy or way of thinking that differs from mainstream culture or society, for example,....Abrahamic belief systems."
Wow.
That includes Jewish people, Muslims, and ..... wait for it......Christians.

Has the world turned upside down or what?
How different is that outlook from that of our own grandparents, or their parents?
In today's world, it's not just that the lines between right and wrong have been blurred. It's that wrong has become right! Lies have become truth! As my grandma would say, the turtle's been flipped over on his back, and somebody needs to turn him back!

I truly believe that God has always expected and planned for His people to live outside of what the world says is the cultural norm. There are many verses in the Word that tell us we've been called to live according to His plan, and fulfilling His purpose. We all are familiar with the verses that talk about being chosen, and set apart. We have been forgiven and saved -- why? So that we can live for Christ!
Our alternative lifestyle challenges the moral attitudes around us. It flies in the face of most of the political and social ways of thinking in this world.

Our alternative lifestyle proclaims the truth of the Gospel of Christ to a broken and sin-weary world. We are instructed to be salt and light in that world. Not swimming along in the same channels. Nope. To be salt and light, we have to live, and speak, and act in ways that bring honor and glory to Him.

Our alternative lifestyle has been called a narrow path:

 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)

Oh boy. That's a wake-up call, no? Are we scared to quote that? Do we cringe because others might say we are intolerant?
We're just stating the facts....if we ignore God, and reject salvation from His Son Jesus, we will stay on the broad path to hell. If we obey God, and accept Jesus as our Savior, we have eternal salvation and a home in heaven.

I believe that instead of worrying about being "politically correct," we need to follow in the steps and example of Jesus. Did He sugar-coat the truth? Soft-pedal His message?
Here, I'll let you decide:

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (John 14:6-7, 23-24)

He isn't "a" way. He's "the" way.  And we are called to follow Him, and obey Him, because we love Him so much -- He loved us so much!

In this section of I Peter, Peter is reminding us of something we may have forgotten: we are meant to live an alternative lifestyle from that of the world. Our lives are to be lives of faith, of service, and of trusting in Him......in short, our lives are to be holy.

Do we act differently from the world?
Do we think differently from the world?
Is there ANYTHING that sets us apart, or makes people looking at us think we are different?

Would you please pass that box of bandaids for my toes?
And please join me tomorrow.....

Verses that inspire us

These verses have meant a great deal to me in the last couple of days:

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,    and he brought them out of their distress.  He stilled the storm to a whisper;    the waves of the sea were hushed.  They were glad when it grew calm,    and he guided them to their desired haven. 
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love    and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people    and praise him in the council of the elders. (Psalm 107:28-32)

Let's pray for, and help as we can, those who felt the full force of the hurricane!

Hurricanes and high winds

An edited post:

If you are seeing this post, it is because Hurricane Irma did a number on the power grid in my area. We're preparing for the coming storm, and I fully expect that where we live, there will be trees downed and lines on the ground for a while.

Hurricanes are a tremendous force, and our trees here are in "full canopy" with gorgeous racks of leaves that make their branches quite heavy. Those heavy tops can make the trees topple when the ground is saturated with rain, and the wind is howling.

I'm scheduling this, but I hope you won't see it! Hopefully, I will be able to post our studies as usual. But if I'm not here, please join me in prayer for our first responders and our power grid teams, as they struggle to restore power and sustain life in hurricane-torn areas.

Pray for the restoration of Texas, and then for this newest devastation in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. As I'm writing, it looks like the storm will track straight through here.

Blessings to all, and prayers for safety.

Praise the Lord! South Carolina was spared the full force of the storm! I hope you will bear with me, as I did not have the opportunity to prepare a post for today....much of our time lately has been spent on our quarter-mile of driveway, our barns, sheds, and house, preparing for rain and high winds.

We now have the best run-off ditches and the best repairs that we've had in years..... (Grin)

But we also have had little time for anything else.... I will rejoin you shortly. 

Please do pray for all of those who were in the storm's path.

Friday slowdown

One of the recent comments drew me to this dear old hymn.... hope it is a blessing to all.

Guided thoughts no. 23

Recently a family I knew "graduated" their little girl.... what? I mean that she "graduated" from a little girl's bed to a "big girl bed" -- an adult size bed of her own.

What a milestone! How proud she was of the new bed and the pretty, clean sheets! How wonderful her monkey looked, resting on the pillow, waiting for her!

Then nighttime came.
Her bedroom looked awfully different.
The small, cozy bed was just a few steps down the hall in her sister's room....the new, bigger bed looked rather intimidating! The shadows in her room looked so different.
Even her monkey couldn't comfort her.

Quick as a wink, little feet were pattering up the stairs, and a tiny voice pleaded for attention from the folks in the master bedroom. Patiently, they consoled her and carried her down the stairs. Hugged and loved, and told another story, she was tucked into the big bed.

She drowsed off to sleep, holding her mom's hand.

Christians, isn't this the story of our lives, too? We are all on a journey, growing every day, and we hit milestones of knowledge and wisdom. We rejoice in them.
But then things look a little intimidating.
A little different.
What's our first response?
It should be to run to our Father!

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,    my God, in whom I trust.”  Surely he will save you    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
 He will cover you with his feathers,    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  You will not fear the terror of night,    nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,    nor the plague that destroys at midday.  A thousand may fall at your side,    ten thousand at your right hand,    but it will not come near you.  You will only observe with your eyes    and see the punishment of the wicked.  If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”    and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you,    no disaster will come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you    to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands,    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.  You will tread on the lion and the cobra;    you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call on me, and I will answer him;    I will be with him in trouble,    I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him    and show him my salvation.”  (Psalm 91)

He is our comfort and our refuge! Praise Him!

Guided thoughts no. 22

Elephants don't forget....have you heard that old adage?

Is it true?

Actually, it is!

Scientific studies have shown that they have remarkable memories. They are able to recognize members of their own herd, animals they've been acquainted with years earlier, and more!

Have you had the experience of Christmas shopping in a crowded store, and keeping track of a couple of kids and your spouse? Elephants can pick out their herd members and know when a stranger comes by....and there are sometimes thirty in the herd!

One elephant was shown to have remembered another that she had worked with in a circus, twenty years before they were re-united.

One of the best examples of their great memories is when the matriarchs of the herd recall and lead their clan to water holes many miles apart...and in drought situations, can remember where the water holes are that can still support life, while others are dried up.

What kind of memories do we have?
Do we hang on to the right things?
Old hurts, past insults, and other bad stuff? Throw those out!
God's promises, His interventions in our lives, His blessings? Hold on to those!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;    his love endures forever. Let Israel say:    “His love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say:    “His love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say:    “His love endures forever.” When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;    he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.    What can mere mortals do to me?
The Lord is with me; he is my helper.    I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the Lord    than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord    than to trust in princes. All the nations surrounded me,    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side,    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees,    but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
    in the name of the Lord I cut them down. I was pushed back and about to fall,    but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my defense;    he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory    resound in the tents of the righteous:“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!     The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!” I will not die but live,    and will proclaim what the Lord has done.1The Lord has chastened me severely,    but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of the righteous;    I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord    through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me;    you have become my salvation.
The stone the builders rejected    has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this,    and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day;    let us rejoice today and be glad. Lord, save us!    Lord, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.    From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God,    and he has made his light shine on us.With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession    up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you;    you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;    his love endures forever. (Psalm 118)

Let's never forget His blessings! Praise Him!