Tuesday, January 18, 2011

"Prepare, Obey, Be Holy."

The believer in Christ should be action minded. We should look at the situation around us with a sober mind, all the while knowing that Christ is revealed and is revealing heaven to us.

1 Peter 1:13 (ESV) - "Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

When we trap ourselves in the negative former mindset we will never see a way out of it. We will always be looking "for" revival, but never living "in" revival. We will always see ourselves as the sinner and not the saved.

1 Peter 1:14 (ESV) - "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance."

This verse says it all. Peter knew a little bit about being trapped by his own ignorance. He never had a clue until the Holy Spirit burned it into him in the Upper Room.

The blank and vacant faces staring back at the preacher on Sunday morning often sum it up. 

The former ignorance sometimes is not so "former". Sometimes it is very presently in the now. It's also not very passionate. It's dull and listless. Quite unbecoming.

If we are going to be obedient children then we will be preparing our minds and not just trying to get through life.

Geting through life is not living. It is just waiting to die.

1 Peter 1:15-16 (ESV) - "(15) ...but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, (16) since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

 Not should, but SHALL. Not becoming, but BE.

If you are waiting around to become more holy, it's not going to happen. You can't get more holy than the imparted righteousness you have in the indwelling Christ and Holy Spirit. You are either holy or you are not.

If you are a born-again, Spirit-filled believer than you ARE holy! 

Be what you actually are.

It doesn't mean that you are a robot. Paul as well as Peter has made it clear that we need to conform our minds to what has been done in our spirit. This is why these verses all work together.

The conformed mind to the will of God is a prepared mind. A prepared mind makes it possible to be obedient to God. An obedient child to God is a holy child by every understanding of what God has called us to be.

Start looking at yourself in the same way God looks at you. Stop living in your past. 

You are no longer anything like you used to be. Start living as the person God says you are.

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

No comments:

Post a Comment