Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday!

He says to open our Bibles to 1 Peter 2:1-3. We bow our heads and ask the Lord to open our eyes and hearts to what He has to say to us. My pen is in my hand. My notebook is on my lap. My Bible is open to the appropriate place.

He points out the word, “therefore,” the first word in this chapter, and reminds us to always ask, What is it there for? The preceding chapter ends talking about the Word of the Lord enduring forever, never changing in an ever-changing world. I think of how my world has changed, things I could not control, things I never thought would happen, things I can’t go back and fix, things that might change tomorrow. I liked the statement that the Book I was holding open in my hands would never change and would endure through anything forever!

He continues with the passage: As a result of this Word enduring forever, what was our reaction to be in light of this?

1. Lay aside all malice (wicked ill will towards others), a desire to see someone trip and fall.

2. Deceit -- deliberately dishonest.

3. Hypocrisy - a front, a mask, trying to portray yourself as something you are not.

4. Envy -- When you compare yourself to others and you feel you are coming up short. But we should know that He deals with each of us personally, and supplies each of us with exactly what we need.

5. Slander -- Did you know that even TRUTH can hurt other people if spoken with the intent to belittle?

There are times when we should just keep our mouths shut!

It is these five things that we need to put aside.

And then something happens. Deep within my heart. Almost a voice, a whisper. VERY distracting to me as I like to take good notes. But HE wouldn’t quit. And so I listen.

“Why is it you never talk to me about YOU?”

“What???” I think silently.

“You heard me.”

“Yeah, I did, but what’s that got to do with this sermon?” (As I’m trying to listen to Pastor and take notes.)

“Everything!”

I try to squish it down, part of me taking notes:

Verse 2 says we should be as newborn babies, as innocent as these sweet ones, cleansed, with none of the above blemishes, with no unrighteousness, and desiring (longing for) His word. The word, desire, shows a continuous action, to keep on desiring.

Pastor says, God loves us as we are, but doesn’t want to leave us there. He wants to see us grow and change. How does this happen? Through His Word. We should desire it in such a way that nothing keeps us from it. And once we have tasted it, nothing will keep us away.

Verse 3 uses the word “gracious.” Peter wrote in Greek, but he spoke in Aramaic. So what was he really saying here? In Aramaic, this was an often used word, like when you put out a delicious meal, fantastic, more than good!

“So when are we going to talk about YOU?”

There it was again.

I go home frustrated. After all, I pray! A lot! I sit all afternoon stewing. I start tearing apart my prayers.

I pray for others -- whenever anyone comes to mind, I usually pray for them and if I know of any need in their life, I will pray about that, too.

I’m thankful. I try to thank Him for all things, even the hard things. Since reading Ann’s book, 1000 gifts, I’ve even been more thankful than ever.

I come to Him with my needs, my failures, my sins. . . What in the world is He asking of me when He says, “When are we going to talk about YOU?”

I finally have to admit, I don’t talk about ME -- the real, personal, the intimate, the what’s-troubling-me ME! I don’t talk about dreams and disappointments, likes and dislikes, gains and losses, etc.

“Can’t you just read my writings, Lord? It’s all in there!”

“No, we are not pen pals. What’s so hard about face to face, ear to ear, get to know each other kind of talk?”

And so --- my life takes a new direction. Prayer will change. Tomorrow will be different.

Did you get that from this sermon???? I searched my notes and I didn’t see it. But that’s what I heard on Sunday, and I’ll live it Monday, and Tuesday. . . And Wednesday.. . .

Linking up with other bloggers who heard it on Sunday and are striving to put it into practice on Monday. You can find their posts here: