Reflecting God ~ Embrace Holy Living ~ Friday, 25 October 2013 ~ ”Carnality Masquerading As Spirituality” 1 Peter 3

Reflecting God ~ Embrace Holy Living ~ Friday, 25 October 2013 ~ ”Carnality Masquerading As Spirituality”

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tender hearted, courteous, 9 not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For,

“He who would love life,

and see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil,

and his lips from speaking deceit.

11 Let him turn away from evil, and do good.

Let him seek peace, and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears open to their prayer;

but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”✡

13 Now who is he who will harm you, if you become imitators of that which is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.”✡ 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear: 16 having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Messiah. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil. 18 Because Messiah also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 This is a symbol of immersion, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.(Messianic WEB)

“Carnality Masquerading As Spirituality.” by Kerry Willis

Does anyone want to find the abundant flow of God’s holy favor in this life and in the life to come? If so, speaking evil of others is not the entrance. Do we want to know the delightful desires of God’s heart for forever and today? If so, allowing devil-like deception to flow from our lips must not be allowed.

My mentor, Rev. James Spruill, taught me this great truth. “The worst kind of deception is in the realm of the spiritual. Indeed, the most subtle deception is human carnality masquerading as holy spirituality. It’s devastating when the devil enters the church through God’s people.”

God’s people are to be holy people, honest people, and honorable people. The church is not the place where slander, gossip, or character assassination should be perpetuated or even tolerated.

“If anyone boasts, ‘I love God,’ and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both” 1 John 4:20~21, TM).

Hymn for Today:

”Love Divine, All Love Excelling” by Charles Wesley

1. Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven, to earth come down;
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart. 

2. Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into every troubled breast!
Let us all in thee inherit;
let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty. 

3. Come, Almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love. 

4. Finish, then, thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee;
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise. 

Thought for Today:

“I will put honesty before the risk of humiliation”(Joy Scott).

Prayer Needs:

Developing Christian leaders in Saint Kitts and Nevis.

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Kansas City , MO 64109-1593

Nazarene Publishing House

PO Box 843336 

Kansas City , MO 64184-3336

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