Saturday Reading: 1 Peter 2:21-25
Key Verse: 1 Peter 2:22
22 He who did no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth,
Devotion:
What an example to live up to! Well, we will never be able to live up to the example Christ has shown us because we know sin. Christ did not sin. He was able to live His life without sin. Does that mean we should give up before we start, knowing that we have already sinned? Certainly not! Christ went to that cross so that we would have our sins forgiven and that we can start afresh; He has already made that possible so that we can continue walking forward – that is what He wants us to do, that is what He has called us to do.
We do need to keep in mind how Christ lived His life because it is the template that is laid down for us to try to live up to. Now we know we are sinners so all we can hope to do is to try to not sin. But we do know that Christ also showed us many other attributes such as not always trying to get even with others when they do things against us. Christ faced all sorts of people in His last days that did things physically against Him, and yet He held His peace and held His temper. That in itself should encourage us to know that it is possible; not because we can be anything like Him but rather that we have the same God helping us when we ask! If Christ could do everything through God the Father then why should we expect anything less?
We may well be like sheep that have gone astray in that we have wondered far from God’s will at times in our lives, but when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ we have God with us. We have the Holy Spirit who is within us just as Christ has promised. With Him in us we should always be mindful of what God would have us to do because if we do run off and follow the world, we are dragging the Holy Spirit with us. Just what are we doing when we do that? God, who knows no sin, is being backed up into a small corner in our lives just because we are selfish enough to think that we can do things without thinking of the consequences! Don’t go there or you will be taking God with you!
Points to Ponder:
Are you walking away from God?
Are you grieving the Holy Spirit?
Key Verse: 1 Peter 2:22
22 He who did no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth,
Devotion:
What an example to live up to! Well, we will never be able to live up to the example Christ has shown us because we know sin. Christ did not sin. He was able to live His life without sin. Does that mean we should give up before we start, knowing that we have already sinned? Certainly not! Christ went to that cross so that we would have our sins forgiven and that we can start afresh; He has already made that possible so that we can continue walking forward – that is what He wants us to do, that is what He has called us to do.
We do need to keep in mind how Christ lived His life because it is the template that is laid down for us to try to live up to. Now we know we are sinners so all we can hope to do is to try to not sin. But we do know that Christ also showed us many other attributes such as not always trying to get even with others when they do things against us. Christ faced all sorts of people in His last days that did things physically against Him, and yet He held His peace and held His temper. That in itself should encourage us to know that it is possible; not because we can be anything like Him but rather that we have the same God helping us when we ask! If Christ could do everything through God the Father then why should we expect anything less?
We may well be like sheep that have gone astray in that we have wondered far from God’s will at times in our lives, but when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ we have God with us. We have the Holy Spirit who is within us just as Christ has promised. With Him in us we should always be mindful of what God would have us to do because if we do run off and follow the world, we are dragging the Holy Spirit with us. Just what are we doing when we do that? God, who knows no sin, is being backed up into a small corner in our lives just because we are selfish enough to think that we can do things without thinking of the consequences! Don’t go there or you will be taking God with you!
Points to Ponder:
Are you walking away from God?
Are you grieving the Holy Spirit?