SOAP Devotional 2014-04-22
Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer
Scripture:
You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. (1 Peter 4:2, 3 NLT)
Observation:
True believers don't spend their lives anymore just trying to so things that satisfy their earthly desires, but instead are anxious to do the will of God. They have had enough of doing the things ungodly people enjoy, that they used to do. They no longer want to practice immorality, lust, gluttonous feasting, drunkenness, wild parties, or making other things idols in their lives.
Application:
How can people claim to be true believers and still continue living just like they always did. True believers are anxious to do God's will and not chase after fulfilling their own desires. True believers have had enough of ungodliness. We are not to even want to watch filthy movies or tell dirty jokes or hint toward sex outside of marriage. We are not to over eat or get drunk. And Christians should want to avoid wild parties. And we should never make idols out of the things that we have or want to have. Where obtaining these things are all that matter. Do you see any contradictions between what I am saying and things in your own life as a believer? If you do, it is time to repent and get on the right path. Be anxious to do the will of God!
Prayer:
Father, I know that there have been times my past that some of these things were what I pursued rather than your will. So I understand that people have to grow in areas in order to overcome, even believers. But I see the key to this passage in this phrase, “you will be anxious to do the will of God”. Lord, whatever things I need to grow in, let me be anxious to do your will, for that is what makes the difference. It is what will always pull me back if I falter or miss the mark.
