Verse of the Day 8/24

Verse of the Day 8/24   

1 Peter 3:8-9 Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers, and be compassionate and humble, ⁹ not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing.   Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

For today's verse we'll go to 1 Peter 3 where the heading for the passage in the Holman Christian Standard Bible is "Do No Evil". It begins with the statement "finally" but is not closing out the letter; rather, it is completing what had been started in chapter 2 and into chapter 3 where Peter addressed civil relationships, workplace relationships and relationships with our spouses.  He is calling for all of his readers and all of us as believers to have the same mind, be "like-minded" in this and then lays out these not so easy to live by principles of being sympathetic , show brotherly love with a tender heart and humble mind.  They are not easy to do or apply in our lives but what a change they could bring about if we all followed his advice, his challenge.

The common way of doing things today is returning evil for evil, getting even.  This can be in spoken words, facebook posts or Twitter "tweets".  But you know how it goes, back and forth, with ever increasing emotions and animosity between sides.  Instead of joining in the fray we are to live to be a blessing and in doing so receive blessings of our own.  It is not a new concept but goes all the way back to Genesis 12 with God speaking to Abram.

Genesis 12:2-3  And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."  English Standard Version (ESV)

To live this way is to believe what God has said and what He is saying to us in His Word by His Spirit.  Belief is accepting His truth but doesn't end their.  When we are convinced of it and have conviction that it is true, our lives will be a demonstration of that truth, of our beliefs.  When we do so, we will not repay evil with evil but live to be a blessing so that the world will take notice.  Read the short passage below.  How does it speak to you today?

1	Living for Jesus a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do; Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me.
	O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee, For Thou, in Thy [redemption],* Didst give Thyself for me; I own no other Master, My heart shall be Thy throne, My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
2	Living for Jesus who died in my place, Bearing on Calv'ry my sin and disgrace; Such love constrains me to answer His call, Follow His leading and give Him my all.

--   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 3:8-12 English Standard Version (ESV)

Suffering for Righteousness' Sake

⁸ Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. ⁹ Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. ¹⁰ For

"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.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."