Chapter 4
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20peter%204&version=ESV
STUDY
- How are we supposed to live the "rest of time"?
- What is the reaction that people living apart from God will have when you don't join them in their sin?
- Why is the gospel preached even to those who are dead spiritually?
- What are the deifintions of "self-controlled" and "sober-minded" ?
- What does love cover?
- How are you to show hospitality?
- What should we do with the spiritual gift God has given us?
- How should we react to the trials and suffering that come our way?
APPLICATION
- When was the last time unbelievers wanted you to join in sin with them (be it gossip, drunkenness, slander, etc.)? How did you handle the situation? How did they react?
- What does "sober-minded" and "self-control" mean to your personally?
- What trials and sufferings have come your way recently? How have you handled them? How have you reacted?
PRUNING ME
GIFTS
06/13/2012 10:12
Sin is fun for those walking in sin, but for those who are not, we have a different view of fun. Have you ever been made fun of because you didn't join in on the sinful fun- whether it be gossip, slander, drunkenness, theft...whatever? I can recall a number of times.
There are many unbelievers and I'm sure some who call themselves believers who find fun in getting drunk. That was me 5 years ago. But with drunkenness, comes foolish decisions. Trust me, I have made many in my drunken past. I don't even understand, at all, how I thought this was fun 5 years ago. Yeah, maybe in the moment, there is laughter- but it comes from a false sense of happiness. Drunkenness brings on temporary happiness, because of what the alcohol physically does to you. Even if you don't get wasted, the mere "buzzed" is a false sense in happiness too. You enlighten yourself with alcohol. I would much rather enlighten myself with the Spirit. There is no waking up with a dreadful hangover- instead I wake up and see better ! When filled with alcohol, you think you can do things that are impossible, only to hurt yourself or others in the process- when filled with the Spirit, you can do things that are impossible, because through God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)
This text also talks about those who walk with Jesus have been given a gift- one we should use to serve one another. This gift could be a number of things, but here are a few examples:
- creativity
- music
- leadership
- administration
- love for children
- prayer
- service
- generosity
Do you know what your gift is? You may have more than one- but we are told that we have at least one. One of my gifts is transparency. It wasn't a gift but rather a curse until I learned how to harnness it and use it to glorify God. Hence, this website and the reason I started it! (Why the Site?)
Are you using the gift(s) God has created in you for His purpose? Over time, you might see changes in your gifts, you might see new ones added, like me, you might need to learn how to harnness or cultivate your gift. If you don't know what God has gifted you with, ask Him, ask close friends and family. Many times other people can see a gifting in you that you didn't even know was there!
I would love if you left a one or two word response to this blog with what God has gifted you with. If you want to remain anonymous, just put "anonymous" as your name :) Let's see the variety of gifts that God has gifted each one of us with! If you don't understand or don't think you have been given a specific gift, I encourage you to ask yourself if you are in a relationship with Jesus. If this is something you want to know more about, please read: Receiving Christ.
On 1 Peter Chapter 4
- Leanne
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