Living Fountain

Living for God, 1st Peter 4:1-6

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1st Peter 4:1-6 Amplified Topical Reference Bible

So, since Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God]. So that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living by his human appetites and desires but he lives for what God wills. For the time is past already for doing what Gentiles like to do- living [as you have done] in shameless , insolent wantonness, in lustful desires, drunkenness, reveling, drinking bouts and abominable lawless idolatries. They are astonished and think it very queer that you do not now run hand in hand with them the same excesses of dissipation and they abuse [you]. But they will have to give an account to HIM Who is ready to pass judgement on the living and the dead. For this is why the good news (the Gospel) was preached [in their lifetime] even to the dead, that though judged in fleshly bodies as men are, they might live in the spirit as God does.

In what ways as a believer in Christ, armed yourself with the same thought and purpose to “patiently suffer rather than fail to please God”?

Are there circumstances in your life where you have chosen to suffer or put to death the flesh that is done with intentional sin in order to live in Christ that is by the spirit of God?

Have you noticed a difference in the lives of people you know perhaps even in your family that have recently had an encounter with THE LORD that changed them? If so, list them and thank the LORD for the change that you see in them and if the LORD leads you to tell them, then do so, but if not then don’t .

In what ways have you noticed in your own life, when you have had an encounter with the LORD, that you have changed a direction or path that you were intentionally walking in. If so, give the LORD the honor and praise HE is due for the changes that you have chosen to do in order to walk in obedience to the LORD.

Define the following from an English dictionary.

  1. Shameless
  2. Insolent
  3. Wantonness
  4. Reveling
  5. dissipation

Then look up this same passage of 1st peter 4:1-6 in either the New King James, ESV, NIV or other favorite study BIBLE.

Reflect over the passage and then write out your own thoughts or any questions that The LORD brings to your mind and close with a time of prayer.