Verse of the Day 5/31

Verse of the Day 5/31

1 Peter 3:10-11For

"Whoever desires to love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit;
¹¹ let him turn away from evil and do good;
    let him seek peace and pursue it.  English Standard Version (ESV)

In yesterday's post we were challenged to "watch the way you talk" which involves being aware of what we're saying and being intentional not to bring harm to others in what we say.

I would think that it would be safe to say that we all have a desire to "love life and see good days" as stated in today's verses.  If we are to do so, part of the prescription will be to watch how we talk, have an effective filter on what flows out of our mouth.  In today's verses it involves keeping our tongues from evil and speaking deceit, not just at church, or the home but in all who we deal with in our lives.  A tall challenge indeed, especially if we are provoked.  The Message states "that goes for all of you" (or y'all to all y'all,) no exceptions".

God gives us the grace and the ability to enjoy life (John 10:10) in spite of it's challenges.  We have the opportunity to turn away from evil and to do good.  We can make the choice to seek peace and pursue it.  Read the passage below.   Be encouraged that the eyes of the Lord are looking down on us and that He listens to our prayers and will respond  well if our hearts are in the right place, seeking Him.

May this be our goal today:

    Say nothing evil or hurtful;
Snub evil and cultivate good;
    run after peace for all you're worth.  (v.11) The Message

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

1 Peter 3:10-18The Message (MSG)

Suffering for Doing Good

^8-12 Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.

Whoever wants to embrace life
    and see the day fill up with good,
Here's what you do:
    Say nothing evil or hurtful;
Snub evil and cultivate good;
    run after peace for all you're worth.
God looks on all this with approval,
    listening and responding well to what he's asked;
But he turns his back
    on those who do evil things.

^13-18 If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath. It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.