JUNE 14, 2014 - DAY 4

Prior to sitting down and reading the Bible, typically I'll pray and ask God to speak to me through the Scriptures I'm about to read. So as I prayed that prayer today I realized that perhaps there is more God wants to do in that time then I can even think of. So I wrote down what I want to get out of reading the Bible every time I read it. Here's what I came up with:

1) To know God's heart better and to know who he is more (even the parts of him that make me uncomfortable or that I don't understand or didn't grow up learning about)

2) To hear God clearly

3) To know the Scriptures and not forget them after I read them

4) To be transformed more into who Jesus is

5) To know how to live

6) To know truth

7) To know what God thinks of me - who am I?

8) Whatever God wants that I can't even think of.

So that's my list. It was good to write it out so I know why I'm even reading the Bible. 

Today I re-read 1 Peter 1 so I can get to know Scriptures better and not just read it once and hope to remember it. I them read 1 Peter 2:1-12.

Peter AGAIN for the third time so far in his letter talks about believers living as strangers in this world. I'm not sure if God is specifically trying to get my attention on this point (likely he is) or whether I am just noticing the wording because I've seen it 3 times now in 1.5 chapters. 

One verse I liked a lot is: v.12 - "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

 This verse is great for so many reasons. First, if we live like this, it's like Jesus! He lived a great life (perfect in fact) and people still accused him of doing wrong. 

Also, people are to see our good deeds. That means action on our part. We can't sit around and claim we love God if we don't have actions to back it up. I looked up the definition of deeds and it's great. It says: "an action that is performed intentionally or consciously"  - you have to CHOOSE to intentionally do something good. .

Lastly, it leads people to glorify God. I don't know if by then it'll be too late or not? But people glorifying God is a good thing!

There's much more in chapter I read but I'll leave it for now.