Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times {1 Peter Study}: Week 7

@KregelBooks

It’s Week 5 in the Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times study I’m participating in.

{Did you read Week 1?  Week 2?  Week 3?  Week 4? Week 5? Week 6?}

This Mom’s Review: Week 7

Today’s study is based on 1 Peter 3:13-4:6:

¹³And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

¹⁴But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

¹⁵But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

¹⁶Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

¹⁷For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

¹⁸For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

¹⁹By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

²⁰Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

²¹The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

²²Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

1 Peter 4

¹Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

²That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

³For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

⁴Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

⁵Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

⁶For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

1 Peter 3:15 tells us to “be ready always to give an answer” about our faith.  When I envision a woman witnessing for Christ, I see someone with:

– a meek spirit like Christ;

– a welcoming nature, not obnoxious;

– a serving attitude and body;

– a heart and head full of Scripture needed for witnessing;

– eyes and heart open on the lookout for someone in need of a Savior.

In comparison, I need a lot of work in all of these areas.  I thank God that I’ve realized recently that Satan has really helped me waste a lot of time in 2011, and most importantly that God has forgiven me and given me the ability to move forward, instead of drowning in my own regret and shame.

By getting into God’s Word {really meditating on it} and by working on my character – to become more like Christ – I can become an effective witness!  I can!  I will!

It’s your turn!  How do you envision a woman witnessing for Christ?   In what ways can you improve your witness?

I am looking forward to Week 8!

I received a copy of the above study book from Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest review.

 

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