Scripture to Read: 1 Peter 2:11
God has been richly challenging us over the past few weeks as we have been on our journey through 1 Peter. This week is going to be no different and that’s a great thing for each of us. The fact that God loves us enough to give us His Word so there is no doubt how to know Him and how to walk in obedience to Him is a great blessing. Today we examine 1 Peter 2:11, as God says, Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. First, God makes sure we know that we are His “beloved.” Being deeply loved by our Creator is wonderful, endearing, and humbling. Second, God reminds us that this earth is not our home, for He calls us aliens and strangers. Knowing this earth is not our home should be a constant reminder to us that we should not hang on to the stuff in this life. God allows us to use the things we have, but it’s just stuff that will not last. Third, God strongly admonishes us to stay away from “fleshly lusts” because those lusts wage war against our minds, our wills, and our emotions. We definitely walk into a spiritual battlefield every day (Ephesians 6:10-18; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Romans 6:12-14), and God does not want us distracted by our “fleshly lusts.” We must make the choice to submit to God by walking in obedience to Him and His Word each day.
Challenge & Application
1. Knowing you’re beloved by God, how are you pursuing your intimacy with Him and His Word each day?
2. You know this earth is not “home,” so what are you doing to guard against the fleshly lusts you face each day?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!