Stand Firm and Take Heart

Read 1 Peter 5:8-14
Title in NIV: The devil, your enemy.
Closing remarks and greetings.

The first two words convict me greatly: "Be self-controlled...". I feel like Paul in Romans 7:14-24 "We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do no want to do-- this I keep doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law, but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (we will answer that in a moment!)

If you are a person who feel better when you know "every one is doing it," then ... feel better! 1Peter 5:9 "you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering."

Have faith and be encouraged that God will not leave us in this miserable state. God "will restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." Even the next vs. of Romans says it too: Rom 7:25 says, "Thanks be to God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord!" He is the one who rescues us!! Thank the Lord.

Stand firm in the Lords grace. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all you who are in Christ.

I hope you have enjoyed reading 1Peter as much as I have enjoyed writing it. This is for the glory of God.
Have a blessed week!See you back next week. Don't forget to read the sidebars!