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But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. --1 Peter 1:15-19 I want to focus your attention on the phrase, “throughout the time of your exile” in today’s passage.  It’s an important insight that can directly impact how you live your life here on earth as a follower of Christ. The Bible calls us strangers or “aliens” in this world because our affections and ambitions are to be focused on things beyond this life. Like Abraham, who lived in tents and kept on moving through the Promised Land, we are merely travelers through this life. As believers today we need to live in spiritual “tents,” not getting too attached to the stuff of this world. This world is not our home. We’re only here temporarily! We are in exile from heaven, which is our true home. And since our true citizenship is in heaven and not on earth, we must detach ourselves from the things of this world, and attach ourselves to eternal things. If you live like an alien and stranger who is in exile here on earth, other people may wonder about you a little bit. But that’s fine. Just be ready to fold your spiritual “tent”, because you’re moving onward and upward one day! Live your life as a citizen of heaven who is temporarily exiled here on Earth.

Faith and Obedience

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
1 Samuel 15:20-22

In 1886, a musician named Daniel Towner was taking part in a D. L. Moody revival campaign in Brockton, Massachusetts. He recounted an experience that took place during a testimony service. A young man described the struggles he had been facing. Towner wrote that he said, “I am not quite sure—but I am going to trust, and I am going to obey.” Struck by the turn of phrase, Towner wrote it down and sent it to a pastor named John H. Sammis along with the story. In a few days he received back the poem we know as the song “Trust and Obey.”
When we walk with the Lord in the light of his Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
When we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
There is no obedience to God without faith. If we do not trust Him, we will not obey what He commands and avoid what He forbids. We must believe God can be trusted. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

If our faith is not what it should be, our obedience will be lacking as well.