1 Peter 4:1-2 Arm yourselves with a Christ like mind/attitude

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu! Jesus Help Me!

  When we reflect to our past, many times we either have, or should have called out "JESUS HELP"; yet our Pride held us back. Then we trekked through the woods creating our own path.  This was not an easy task, yet we still insisted and persisted in doing so.  Why?  When we follow Jesus; when we follow God; when we follow the leading of the Spirit; it is not always easier but the end result is much greater.  Let's look a 1 Peter chapter 4 and see what happens!
   Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
   "The commitment God calls us to have is nothing greater than the commitment Jesus had in enduring suffering for our salvation. In the last days, we need to have a commitment to God that will endure through great struggles."(quote from Blueletter Bible & David Guzik). 

   God is not calling us to do something special; we can suffer nothing compared to what Jesus suffered for our sake. To save all of us, sinners, so we may revel in heaven, praising God for eternity.  Jesus tells us we must take up his cross and follow (Matthew 16:24). Don't stop at 24 - continue with v. 25 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."  Wow!!

  arm yourselves also with the same mind, Jesus wants us to have the right attitude when going into battle. We must die to self and then we can become victorious.  After WW 2 the men who were in the major battles that survived contributed a lot of their success to the fact that they knew they would probably die, so in their minds they were already dead, and they fought with great vigor and ferocity.  We must be armed in the same way when battling for Jesus.
   for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,     Suffering helps us be like Christ, yet people will do anything to avoid pain.  We, as followers of Christ should be willing and prepared to do God's will and to suffer for it if necessary.
  that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.  When we focus on Christ and what he wants us to do we can and will overcome sin.  Pain and danger reveal our true values.  If you suffer for doing good (God's will) and faithfully obey no matter the obstacle, then you have made a clean break from sin.

   Can you in your truest of hearts say you have made a break from sin?  This does not mean you are sinless; but the lusts, the lures of the past cease to pull you in.  Are you standing on solid ground, the ROCK; or wallowing in sinking sand?

   HOW YOU SEE GOD IS HOW YOU SERVE GOD!   Love you all!

Soli Deo Gloria

Johnny