Sunday
April 14
1. CHOOSING OUR THOUGHTS CAREFULLY
a. According to the Word of God, where does true obedience begin? 1 Peter 1:13, 14; Romans 12:2.
“All true reformation begins with soul-cleansing. It is by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the mind through the power of the Holy Spirit, that a change is wrought in the life.
“By beholding Christ we become changed. If the mind dwells upon temporal things constantly, these things become all-absorbing, affecting the character, so that God’s glory is lost sight of and forgotten. The opportunities that are within reach for them to become conversant with heavenly things, are overlooked. Spiritual life dies.”—Sons and Daughters of God, p. 105.
b. Where does the natural course of human thoughts and motives run? Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9.
c. What shall we do when we realize that our thoughts and motives are not clean? Acts 8:22.
Monday
April 15
2. SOBRIETY OF THOUGHT
a. How can we “gird up the loins of our mind” in a practical sense? Genesis 4:7.
“Those who would not fall a prey to Satan’s devices, must guard well the avenues of the soul; they must avoid reading, seeing, or hearing that which will suggest impure thoughts. The mind must not be left to dwell at random upon every subject that the enemy of souls may suggest. The heart must be faithfully sentineled, or evils without will awaken evils within, and the soul will wander in darkness. ‘Gird up the loins of your mind,’ Peter wrote, ‘be sober.’ ”—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 518.
b. Why is it immensely important to control the thoughts of our heart? Proverbs 23:7 (first part); 24:9 (first part).
“The thoughts must be brought into subjection to the will of God, and the feelings under the control of reason and religion. Our imagination was not given us to be allowed to run riot and have its own way, without any effort at restraint and discipline. If the thoughts are wrong, the feelings will be wrong; and the thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character. When we decide that as Christians we are not required to restrain our thoughts and feelings, we are brought under the influence of evil angels, and invite their presence and their control. If we yield to our impressions and allow our thoughts to run in a channel of suspicion, doubt, and repining, we shall be unhappy, and our lives will prove a failure.”—The Review and Herald, April 21, 1885.
c. Why does the apostle Peter plead with us to be sober and “hope to the end” for grace? 1 Peter 1:13 compared to 1 Peter 5:8.
“Guard faithfully your thoughts. Keep every approach to your heart well fortified. You must put up the bars against the approach of Satan. Watchfulness at one point while others are neglected will not avail. . . . There are perils before us which we must meet, and our only safety is in God.”—This Day With God, p. 174.
Tuesday
April 16
3. FLEE FROM FORMER LUSTS AND BE HOLY
a. In what various aspects of our life are we to be extremely sober-minded in order to become holy? 1 Peter 1:14, 15; 4:2, 3.
“Let none flatter themselves that sins cherished for a time can easily be given up by and by. This is not so. Every sin cherished weakens the character and strengthens habit; and physical, mental, and moral depravity is the result. You may repent of the wrong you have done, and set your feet in right paths; but the mold of your mind and your familiarity with evil will make it difficult for you to distinguish between right and wrong. Through the wrong habits formed, Satan will assail you again and again.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 281.
b. Although we are constantly reminded to be holy (1 Peter 1:15, 16)—which may somehow sound as if it could be achieved through our own efforts—in reality, by what means are we enabled to become holy? Leviticus 20:7, 8; Philippians 2:13; Titus 3:5.
“Although we have no merit in ourselves, in the great goodness and love of God we are rewarded as if the merit were our own. When we have done all the good we can possibly do, we are still unprofitable servants. . . . What we have accomplished has been wrought solely through the grace of Christ, and no reward is due to us from God on the ground of our merit.”—The Review and Herald, June 27, 1893.
c. After the appeal to be sober, why does the apostle remind us about the judgment to come? 1 Peter 1:17; Colossians 3:5, 6.
“Every man’s work passes in review before God and is registered for faithfulness or unfaithfulness. Opposite each name in the books of heaven is entered with terrible exactness every wrong word, every selfish act, every unfulfilled duty, and every secret sin, with every artful dissembling. Heaven-sent warnings or reproofs neglected, wasted moments, unimproved opportunities, the influence exerted for good or for evil, with its far-reaching results, all are chronicled by the recording angel.”—The Great Controversy, p. 482.
Wednesday
April 17
4. REDEEMED BY CHRIST
a. What does Peter bring as a good reason why putting forth efforts to overcome former lusts is not only worth it, but also our duty; 1 Peter 1:4, 18, 19; 1 Corinthians 6:18–20.
“All men have been bought with this infinite price. By pouring the whole treasury of heaven into this world, by giving us in Christ all heaven, God has purchased the will, the affections, the mind, the soul, of every human being. Whether believers or unbelievers, all men are the Lord’s property. All are called to do service for Him, and for the manner in which they have met this claim, all will be required to render an account at the great judgment day.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 326.
b. When was the plan of redemption established? 2 Timothy 1:8, 9.
“God had a knowledge of the events of the future, even before the creation of the world. He did not make His purposes to fit circumstances, but He allowed matters to develop and work out. He did not work to bring about a certain condition of things, but He knew that such a condition would exist. The plan that should be carried out upon the defection of any of the high intelligences of heaven—this is the secret, the mystery which has been hid from ages. And an offering was prepared in the eternal purposes to do the very work which God has done for fallen humanity.”—The Signs of the Times, March 25, 1897.
c. From where does faith in God actually come? Romans 10:17; 1 Peter 1:21.
“No man can create faith. The Spirit operating upon and enlightening the human mind, creates faith in God. In the Scriptures faith is stated to be the gift of God, powerful unto salvation, enlightening the hearts of those who search for truth as for hidden treasure. The Spirit of God impresses the truth on the heart. The gospel is called the power of God unto salvation because God alone can make the truth a power which sanctifies the soul.”—The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 7, p. 940.
Thursday
April 18
5. THE CROWN OF OBEDIENCE
a. After appealing to the believers to war against our former lusts, what goal does the apostle set forth as the ultimate form of obedience? 1 Peter 1:22.
“Peter continued, ‘see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.’ The word of God—the truth—is the channel through which the Lord manifests His Spirit and power. Obedience to the word produces fruit of the required quality—‘unfeigned love of the brethren.’ This love is heaven-born and leads to high motives and unselfish actions.”—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 519.
“ ‘Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren.’ . . . How important, then, it is that all who take hold of the work, those who canvass and those who work in the office, shall faithfully preserve and practice the highest, holiest principles of the Word of God.”—The Publishing Ministry, p. 297.
“We need to cherish love in our hearts. We should not be ready to think evil of our brethren. We must put the least construction on what they do or what they say. We must be Bible Christians. [1 Peter 1:22 quoted.] . . .
“We must inquire into the character of our thoughts and feelings, our tempers, purposes, words, and deeds. . . . Unless we search diligently examining our hearts in the light of God’s Word, self-love will prompt to a much better opinion of ourselves than we should have.”—This Day With God, p. 83.
“If there were not some lack in our own experience, we would not be so suspicious of our brethren. It is the one whose conscience condemns him that so readily passes judgment. Let everyone tremble and be afraid of himself. . . . ‘Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren.’ ”—The Review and Herald, October 29, 1901.
Friday
April 19
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What should I do if a sinful or impure thought enters my mind?
2. How often should I search my heart in regard to the nature of my motives?
3. How can I cultivate a deeper sense of purity in my life?
4. What can more fully develop my gratitude for the price Jesus paid for me?
5. How genuine is my love toward my brothers and sisters?