1 Peter series – “Holding onto Hope in a Hostile World”

1 Peter 1:22-2:3

²² You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.  ²³ For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. ²⁴ As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. ²⁵ But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you. 2 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. ² Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, ³ now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

 If you want to increase your appetite for the Bible then third:

• Refocus on the grace of God.

Look at verse 3 “now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness” Peter once again calls us to look at and lock into the grace that was given to us when we were saved. Are you going to go after God’s grace or the garbage? Sin may start out sweet but it soon sours. Some of us have such a faulty view of God that we’re almost afraid to get into His Word because we think God is just out to get us. Here’s the truth, God wants to meet with you not beat you. Be motivated by grace not guilt, read based on the relationship not rules. In order to put it into practice you need to first recognize you: 

Need the Word – BIBLE has been called Basic instruction before leaving earth , but in reality its Basic Instruction Book for Living on Earth. God’s Word is not optional its obligatory. Not only do we need it we must:

Read the Word –Are you drinking from the Bible on a daily basis?

Feed on the Word – Not just reading the word but feeding on the word with fellow believer’s. Take time to meditate and memorize the Word. It’s not just about being in the word it’s about the word being in us. For when we feed on the Word we:

Heed the Word – As James 1:22 says: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Pay attention and put principles into practice. Joshua told God’s people in Joshua 1:8 “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” Without the study and application of scripture there is no success. Are there any areas where you are walling off the Word? Sometimes we spend more time fighting the Word than letting it fill us. What we fill the holes in our heart with will determine our happiness. Many of us are trying to fill the emptiness with the earthly and the external instead of the eternal. Ultimately what we are full of will determine how free we are, the problem is that most of us are so stuffed with self, society, and sin, instead of the Savior, that we have become slaves. It’s no wonder that we are never satisfied. What goes into your life will determine what comes out, praise or poison. Now when studying the Scripture it’s helpful to keep the acrostic S.P.E.C.S. in mind by asking these five questions:

Is there a Sin to confess?

Is there a Promise to claim? 

Is there an Example to follow?

Is there a Command to obey? Don’t delay to obey, don’t put off what the Lord is prompting you to do.

Is there a Stumbling block to avoid?