What are you looking forward to? as we continue to consider 1 Peter 1:13, we are reminded to “hope to the end.” We have been encouraged to Know the Truth, and to Live in the Truth, and here we are reminded to Trust the Truth. Are we living in an expectation for what God is going to do in our lives? God has a wonderful plan for His children, we are reminded that He is preparing a place for us where He is! With that we need to ask ourselves if we are living each day with an anticipation for what is to come. This understanding should cause us to strive for personal holiness. We need to understand that, as a believer, Satan will attempt to cause us to rationalize our sin, and justify our actions. We are to protect ourselves by choosing to live holy lives, and choose to live in the power of the Word of God as the Holy Spirit applies that Word to our lives. The expectation that we have as believers is a great motivation to anticipate what is to come. … READ MORE

I remember the first time I told my wife (we obviously were not married at the time) that I loved her. It began to lead our relationship in an entirely different direction. No longer where we “just friends” we were courting, and that lead to a deeper relationship. But it did me no good to tell her that I loved her, if I did not demonstrate my love by my actions. In 1 Peter 1:13 we are reminded that as we “gird up the loins of our minds,” we are to “be sober,” in other words we are to act in accordance too our words. It is not enough to know the truth, we also have to live out that truth with a determination, that marks us as different from those who do not have a relationship with Christ. As we put into practice the truth that we know, it demonstrates that we have been transformed by the renewing of our minds. In Philippians 4:9 we are told, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, DO: ang the God of peace shall be with you.” (Emphasis mine). We must learn to implement … READ MORE

1 Peter 1:13 gives us three clues toward gaining victory over our spiritual battle with our minds and emotions. The first of those are seen in the phrase “gird up the loins of your mind,” where we see the importance of knowing the Truth. Jesus said, in John 8:32, “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” You cannot be free to follow if you do not first know the truth. Knowing the truth starts with an organized systematic study of the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). To many people attempt to be spiritual experts, but have never personally read or studies the Bible. If I do not know that the Bible says, there is no way that I can have victory over the sinful tendencies of my mind and emotions. Not only do I need to know the Word of God, I must also come to understand it. I must set aside my presuppositions and ask myself “what does the Bible say?”; and in light of what it says, what does it mean. Ignore the chapter and verse divisions, as you seek to see and understand the context of each section of Scripture. Remember, … READ MORE