An Attitude of Prayer, Love, and Service

Read 1 Peter 4:1-11
Title in NIV: Exhortation to pray, love and serve.

Vs. 1 Peter says, "arm yourselves also with the same attitude". What attitude? Suffering in our bodies. When we consciously suffer in our body, our attitude shows spiritual matters are more important to us than the comforts of this world and flesh. We may suffer financially to help someone (our comfort is not as important as someones need for groceries, clothes, rent or a car part); we may suffer by loosing time (our comfort is not as important as providing for some one's need); we may suffer for not joining in with others (our comfort is not as important as compromising our morals and clean conscience); we may suffer when we loose a friend to selfishness (out comfort is not as important as praying, interceding and forgiving this person). You get the point. Making a stand is sometimes uncomfortable, but we need to be bold and sacrifice our comfort.

Vs. 3-5. I have a note in my bible to read this to my kids when they get picked on in school for not joining in something they do not feel is right. I will try my best to refrain from the question, "If everyone jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?"

Pray: Be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. The word 'sober' comes to mind. Titus 1:8 tells us to be sober-minded in KJ. Sober means not under influence of substances that alter behavior; serious, sensible, not flashy; orderly, able to reason, sanity and self-control; mental and emotional balance. So you see, sober does not only mean not drunk, but it also means not holding onto offense, not sinning in anger, not being bitter. A sober-minded person has love and forgiveness for those who have hurt them. Luke 6:28 says, "bless those who curse you and, pray for those who mistreat you." A sober-minded person is not influenced by substances or emotion. A sober-minded person can forgive even when 'emotionally' they do not 'feel' like it. God wants us to be clear minded and sober-minded so that we can pray.

Love: "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." Sound familiar? Jesus loved us so deeply that he was willing to give his life to cover over the whole worlds multitude of sins. We need to love that much. Love so much that we are not offended and that we cover over sins in love.

Serve: Offer hospitality. We never know when we will be entertaining angels (Heb 13:1-3). Use your gifts to serve others. I see a lot of people NOT using their gifts. As a church family, we should know what every ones gift is in our church because we have seen them use it. Like the 'body' illustration in 1 Cor. 12:12: I know what my big toe is for- balance. I know what my ear does- hear. I know when I stub my toe, it hurts. We should know what talent the people sitting beside us at church have.

If you do not know what your talent is, pray and God will show you what he wants from you. He may have to get through all your cobwebs, he may have to climb your walls, he may have to swim your oceans of doubt, he may have to hike over your mountains of lethargy, he may have to chip away at your fears, but He will show you. I am guilty of not using what God has given me, too. Sometimes I get tired of teaching. I have many unfinished stories and devos. But, I continually look for what God is trying to teach me and what he wants from me.

We should do all things- serve, sing, write, teach, speak- to glorify Him.