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Seek Peace

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Character- 1 Peter 3:10-12 - Seek Peace - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Character- 1 Peter 3:10-12 – Seek Peace – Growing As Disciples

For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:10-12 (NIV)

Peacemaker

Do you want to live the life that I have called you to live? Yes, of course I want to live the life that you have called me to live. Do you want to enjoy life and see many good days? Yes, who would not want that? Do you want me to hear and answer your prayers? Most of all I want you to hear and answer my prayers. Why is that? I want to know you. I want to love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I want to live in a close and intimate relationship with you. I want to hear your voice. I want to know and do your will. In every way I want to do what pleases you. When you asked, “Do you want me to hear and answer you prayers?” I was not thinking that you asked, “Do you want me to give you everything you ask for?” What were you thinking? I was thinking of living in a back and forth conversation with you. My prayers are a conversation with you. I want to draw near to you. I want you to draw near to me. I want to talk to you. I want you to talk to me. That is very good. Isn’t that a desire that you have put into my heart? Yes, it is.

There are some things that you must do with your life if you want to live in a close and intimate relationship with me. You have my full attention. Oh no, you have my full attention. You tell me what you must do. I thought you might say that. I must turn away from evil and do good. How will that be demonstrated? I will keep a very close guard over the words of my mouth. I will keep my lips from speaking evil. I will use the words of my mouth for doing good. How will that be demonstrated? The words of my mouth will be an expression of seeking and pursuing peace. I will not allow my words to fan flames of conflict. My words will lead to peace. You will use my words to bring about peace. Yes, I will. What else? I’m not sure what else there is to say. I know that turning away from evil and pursuing peace will allow me to love life, see many good days and live the life that you have called me to live. Yes, it will. There is more. You will hear my prayers. Yes, I will. Many of our conversations will be about you using me as a peacemaker in the world. You want me to be a peacemaker. Yes, I do. That is how I will use your life. That is how you will learn to love life and see many good days. You will be a peacemaker for me.

Lord, I will turn away from evil and do good. I will seek peace and pursue it. I will keep a close guard over the words that come out of my mouth. I want to love the life you have given me to live with and for you. Hear and answer my prayers as I follow you. Amen

Key Question…  How are you turning from evil, doing good, and seeking and pursing peace in all your relationships?

Living It Out… Turn from evil and do good as you seek and pursue peace in all your relationships.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will give you good days as you turn from evil, do good, and seek peace and pursue.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are seeking and pursuing peace in all your relationships.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you turn from evil and do good as you seek and pursue peace.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Character – 1 Peter 3-10-12 – Seek Peace – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

See Good Days

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 27 - 1 Peter 3:8-12 - See Good Days - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 27 – 1 Peter 3:8-12 – See Good Days – Growing As Disciples

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.  For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.  He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:8-12 (NIV)

Good Days

I want to see a lot of those. You want to see a lot of what? I want to see a lot of good days. I want to live a life that you can and will bless. How will this be possible? What must you do for this to be true of your life? I knew you were going to ask me that. So, you were prepared? Well, kind of, sort of, maybe. You don’t sound so sure of yourself. I’m not actually. Why is that? If I want to see many good days, I will need to do the opposite of what comes naturally to me. What’s that? I am a debater. I like to do battle. I like to fight fire with fire. That kind of behavior only stokes flames of anger and resentment. That kind of behavior stirs up evil words and insulting behavior. Engaging in this kind of behavior is an unwinnable battle that will never lead to peace and harmony or bring me any good days. That is a very good lesson that you have learned. I can safely say, I have not been a quick learner. For that, I need your forgiveness. You are forgiven.

What would you like to do differently? How do you want to change your behavior? I want to live in harmony with others. I want to be sympathetic and loving and compassionate and humble. I want to repay every insult and evil, said or done against me, with a blessing. That will be counter cultural. That will not go unnoticed. That will stand out in the world. Exactly, I want to be a bold and bright witness for you in the world. I want my behavior to shine as a bright light that draws others to you. That will be very good. So, I will turn from evil, to do good. I keep evil and deceitful words from coming out of my mouth. I will humbly make every effort to seek peace and pursue it. What will happen to you when you live your life in this way? I will see many good days. I will live a life that you can and will bless. Your eyes will be on me, you will hear and answer my prayers. Yes, I will. Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, I have often been tempted to repay evil with evil and insult with insult. Many times, I have succumbed to those evil desires. Forgive me. Help me to bless those who have harmed me. Help me to seek and pursue peace. Help me to be a bright witness for you. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 27 – 1 Peter 3-8-12 – See Good Days – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional study guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com