Devos

So today, I was doing some devos and bible reading to catch up on all the ones I missed.

1 Peter 5:8-9
He Gets the Last Word
8 Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping.9 Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith.

When I read this I was like, "Whoa."
Because, well to be honest, I feel like I was supposedly "napping" and wasn't being alert enough. Sometimes I feel like I'm getting so caught up in the world too much and possibly almost lost sight of what is truly important.
I say almost because I caught myself in this and this is a good thing.
What I thought of when I read this was that I really should stay alert and be aware of what comes to me and shouldn't get distracted. It's pretty straight forward. We should keep our guard up and we should also help other believers do the same.

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God does command his people to respect others and to treat others with love and dignity. He calls us to be loving and to act justly (Micah 6:8). His Word says, "Try to live in peace with everyone" (Hebrews 12:14). But that doesn't mean that we should call evil "good," and good "evil." It doesn't mean that we should act as if there were no such things as right and wrong.


So just because something seems right, doesn't mean it is. Like oh man that BigMac looks delicious. I remember the first time I had a BigMac... so good.
But doesn't mean it's healthy for you. Sure, it's tempting and delicious at the time, but then after, there's that certain effect it has on you. You feel nauseous and after a few moments your stomach starts to feel ache and you feel pain that you can't even describe.
You then find out, you've made a mistake.


God's Word has not changed. It still gives this command: "Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks you why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy" (1 Peter 3:15, The Message).


For this one, I thought about how if I'm confronted by someone, they ask me, "Why are you Christian?" what answer would I give?
I should've been ready to answer it,not all shove-it-down-your-throat sort of way, but in a respectful manner.
Hmmm.... what would your reply be?

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1 Peter 3:15-18
15 Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy.16 Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath.17 It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad.18 That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all-was put to death and then made alive-to bring us to God.

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The answer is to keep our eyes on Jesus, our GPS. He's been through all this before, and he not only knows what's right and wrong, he is right because he's God! If we just keep our eyes on him-by spending time talking to him in prayer, worshiping him alone and with others, and reading his Word every day-a lot of those tough decisions and confusing choices tend to get straightened out. This is not because we're so smart but because he is.


And Amen to that!

"If you are kind only to your friends," Jesus said, "how are you different from anyone else? Even the pagans do that" (Matthew 5:47). But Jesus said we are to be kind even when it's hard because kindness is right-whether it's easy or not.


I mean, it's super easy to be nice to people who give you food, rides to places, money, and treats you like a super awesome friend! (I like those people). It's hardly a challenge to be nice to them.
But when someone comes along and treat you like you're just there and nothing else, they push you around, even bully you sometimes, steal your food!!!
You just feel like you want to punch them or something. Especially when you see them treating someone you love with so much disrespect. Grr.
It's kind of hard when you think, "Okay, so you treat me like that? Expect me to treat you like that. Don't expect me to be nice to you when you treat people badly."
So, you're saying you have to be kind to even THOSE PEOPLE.
Yep. Pretty much. We can't change them, but we can change ourselves.
Maybe if we're nice to them, they'll be nice back. Or maybe they're just lacking a little love. You don't know their story or why they are acting that way so you shouldn't judge them. Love them, like you would love yourself. :)

Remember, that everyone is facing a struggle. You are, she is, he is, etc.
So why don't you be the bigger person this time? Treat them like you would treat your favourite person!! WHOO! Who knows, they might change :)
If not, hey, you blessed them with your love and you would be able to show His glory, as God will shine through you to others!! Yay!! :)


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So yeah :)
Those are some of my thoughts for today.