DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2020-11-01
WRITTEN AT: Vicksburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Peter 3:1-4
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ^1-4 The same goes for you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated by your life of holy beauty. What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in.

OBSERVATION: These days, we hear so much about prostitution, drug abuse, job demands, lashing out at husbands, etc. that we wonder how on earth do couples ever manage to stay together. I believe that Peter saw very similar practices in his day, as he was led to commit a whole chapter to address: wives; husbands and just families as a whole. Today we will look at the first thing covered by Peter – wives. Ladies, please open your heart to what the Lord might say to you through His word, and not so quick to judge my understanding of this passage.

APPLICATION: I love the living Word of God – the Bible. Written decades ago, yet God knew that men’s hearts would be hardened and they would normally reject the word preached to them. However, God foreknew that the honest, sincere, pure and heartfelt actions of a wife would impact them more than any words spoken to them. I believe it is natural for women to desire the current trends, whether in dress or in current practices of other women, for everyone looks for success and then they follow that example with hopes of making themselves successful. But God wanted the women of Peter’s day, and of all future generations, to know that He designed and crafted woman. Of course He also crafted man, and He therefore knew full well what makes a man’s eyes and heart turn towards his wife, and ultimately towards Him. So He spoke the words of this Scripture through His servant to help us get on the right track. God knew from the heart of women, that they would probably concentrate on their outward beauty, because that’s how they probably feel others are attracted to them. But notice that right up front God spoke to this and showed women that this was unimportant in the light of everything else. God ordered that women start from the inside, and endeavor to cultivate inward beauty. What are some things that you’ve heard about this practice? From the abundance of the heart, a person speaks. If the heart is gentle, calm and filled with admiration, then words along that line will be spoken. Respect for self will most often produce respect for others. Humility is an inward belief that dictates God first, others second and then me. That will be expressed through our speech and in the way that we respect God, and others, that we come into contact with. A heart surrendered to God. This results in respecting and obeying the Word of God. He made us, and He longs for the day when we will unite with Him in glory, so He teaches us with these things in mind. Those that have not accepted Jesus as Savior, or have fallen away from Him, tend to disregard His commands and pay little attention to what He expects of His children. Man’s laws are most often totally in opposition to what God commands, so as women follow the ways of the world they will wind up saying and doing things that God does not approve of. I have been blessed with great women of influence in my life – my grandmother; my mother; my wife; aunts; and others. I have seen God at work in their lives and I have seen His Word proven right through their lives. God made women, so I believe He wanted nothing but His very best for women and for all with whom they associate. Draw close to God dear woman of God, and He will draw close to You. Be obedient to His Word, and rejoice in all the ways that He bless you and yours.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, on behalf of all the women in my life, I ask that You use Your Word powerfully in their lives today. May they be drawn close to You, and may they strive to live according to Your perfect design. Marriage as a whole is really struggling, and I’m sure that it can only be attributed to women and men, seeking after their own selfish means rather than obeying Your commands. Lord, I believe that we set good examples for others, especially our younger generation, when we remain strong in our walk with You. Please continue to teach us Your ways so that others might see Jesus in our lives and in our marriages. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!