SOAP Devotional 2014-04-04
Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer
Scripture:
So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16 NLT)
Observation:
We look forward to the grace gift of salvation that will come to us when Jesus comes back, but in the meantime, we need to think clearly rather than foolishly and exercise self-control rather than doing everything we think about. As true believers we must live as God's obedient children. We must not slip back into our old ways where we did not know any better than to just satisfy our own worldly desires. We must live our lives in a holy way in everything we do and not just part of what we do. We are to be holy just as he, our God, is holy just as the scriptures command.
Application:
I cannot continue to live my life the way I lived it before I was a Christian and neither can any other true believer. Those who think they can just do whatever they want because that is just the way they are, miss what being a Christian is all about. He may accept you just the way you are when you get saved, but he intends for you to stop being that way after you get saved. Thinking he allows us to keep acting like we did before we were saved is not thinking clearly, nor is it using the self control that he gave us when we got saved. We cannot, we must not continue living the same old way after we get saved and just use an excuse that says God knows how I am and he accepts me the way I am. That is a lie of the devil! God expects is to live our lives in a holy way in everything we do and not just part of what we do. We are to be holy just as he, our God, is holy just as the scriptures command. Do not slip back or continue in your old ways!
Prayer:
Father, help me to think clearly and to walk in your ways. Forgive me of my mistakes and help me to not make them again. And Lord, help me to have the boldness to preach this message to this world where people think they can call themselves Christians and act however they want to, which is the exact opposite of what this passage says.
