Thought for October 19, 2023

•  1512: Martin Luther becomes Doctor in Biblia
• 1781: Cornwallis surrenders to Washington at Yorktown
• 1901: Edward Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance March" premiers
• 1914: Post office uses a car to collect and deliver mail for the first time
• 1917: Love Field opens in Dallas
• 1960: Martin Luther King arrested in Atlanta sit-in
• 1971: Last issue of Look Magazine
• 1987: Black Monday as Dow closes down 22%
• 2003: Mother Teresa sainted
• 2005: Saddam Hussein goes on trial
• Born: Hal Wallis. Robert Reed, Peter Max, Evander Holyfield, Amy Carter, 
• Died: King John [Magna Carta], Jacobus Arminius [opposed Calvin's doctrine of predestination], Jonathan Swift, George Pullman, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Elizabeth Arden, Martha Raye, Mr. Blackwell, William O Cushing ["Ring the Bells of Heaven"]

Thought:

Yesterday, we looked at girding our minds in times of trial. In chapter 2 of First Peter, Peter tells us how keeping our mind right should be reflected in our actions. If you get your mind right, stay sober, don't be led astray by false doctrine, and love each other, then how should you act?

• Put aside some things: [2:1]
• Malice--a desire to cause injury, pain or distress to someone. Think about it. When you are under trials and you think someone has caused your trials, what is your reaction. Revenge, hope evil upon them. But Jesus told us to love those that persecuted us and despitefully used us.
• Guile--cunning deception and duplicity. Again, if my trial is attributed to someone--they caused this, it's their fault, my response might be to plan a scheme to get even. We are to love, not plan an attack.
• Envy--my trial may make me discontent because I envy that others are not going through this. They got the position I wanted. they are never sick, They are living in luxury. And I envy them rather than considering it all joy when I encounter various trials. 
• Hypocrisy--feigning to be what I am not. Perhaps in my trial, I externally say and do all the right things--but internally, I am filled with anger, envy, malice, bitterness. I put on a good front, but inside I am raging. God looks at the heart. He knows my thoughts. I might fool others, but not Him.
• Long for the word., [2:2] Putting aside those things is hard. How can I do it? Go to the word and to the Word. His word give us hope, strength, promises, the end of the story. Find comfort and strength in His word.
• Be a living stone [2:5] We are to be part of the living temple of God. I need to be a living stone in that temple. Why a stone? Peter reminds us about Jesus--the cornerstone, the key stone. We are to be little stones but with the same characteristics as Jesus. God has chosen us as the stones with which to build His kingdom. We need to be solid, without flaws, strong in Jesus. In Revelation 3 we are told that those that overcome will be pillars in the temple of God. 
• Offer an acceptable sacrifice [2:5-8]  These are spiritual sacrifices. Recall Romans 12--present your body as a living sacrifice which is your spiritual service of worship.  And that sacrifice starts with renewing the mind.
• Proclaim His excellencies [2:9-10] We use every opportunity in trials to praise His name. We praise Him on the good days and bad days. And often, times of trial provide the best opportunities to share His praise with others--how do I deal with this trial--through the power, grace and mercy of Jesus. 

When I face a trial, I have to choose how to respond. I can choose to be bitter and angry. I can choose to blame others and think evil thoughts about thm. I can choose to put on a good appearance, but be seething and bitter inside--OR I can go to the word and the Word, use the trial to grow into a living stone, see the trial as an opportunity for witness and praise. And I find that when my response is constant praise, I gain strength to face the day because I remember that HE is with me. 

Blessings

Larry