WHEN YOU DESIRE LIFE AND LOVE TO SEE GOOD DAYS
10 FOR HE WHO WOULD LOVE LIFE
AND SEE GOOD DAYS, LET HIM REFRAIN HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL, AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE ON THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ARE OPEN TO THEIR PRAYERS; BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.”
1 Peter 3:10-12 (NKJV)
Apostle Peter quoted the above Bible passage from the Book of Psalm number 34, verse 12 to 16.
If someone desires life, love many days, that is, love to live long and desires to see good; such should keep or restrain his or her tongue from evil, and their lips from speaking deceit (Psalm 34:12,13; 1 Peter 3:10).
We can deduce from the passage that, to some extent, you can determine how long and how well you live on earth (Psalm 34:12,13).
You can determine whether you will see good on earth or not, through what you do—how you live your life.
The Bible admonishes us to tame or control our tongues (James 1:26; 3:7,8).
The Bible also says we should be swift to hear and slow to speak (James 1:9).
If you succeed in taming your tongue, you are a perfect or mature person; and you are able to control your whole body.
In other words, if you can control your tongue, you can control your body also:
“FOR WE ALL STUMBLE IN MANY THINGS. IF ANYONE DOES NOT STUMBLE IN WORD, HE IS A PERFECT MAN, ABLE ALSO TO BRIDLE THE WHOLE BODY” (James 3:2 NKJV).
Many have brought problems on themselves because of inability to bridle or control their tongues (James 1:26).
According to our text, deceitfulness is one of the sins that can rob you of long life and seeing good days on the earth (1 Peter 3:10).
Now that you claim to be born-again, you claim you are regenerated; then you should refrain from lying and deceptions, if you actually desire long life and want to see good days: “THEREFORE, REJECTING ALL FALSEHOOD [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, FOR WE ARE ALL PARTS OF ONE ANOTHER [and we are all parts of the body of Christ]" (Ephesians 4:25 (Amp.)
READ: Zechariah 8:16,17
A believer who wants to see good days should turn away from evil and do good. Let him also seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:12-14; Romans 14:19).
The Bible enjoins us to pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
In another place, it says: “IF IT IS POSSIBLE, AS MUCH AS DEPENDS ON YOU, LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL MEN" (Romans 12:18 NKJV).
People who have come to Christ, accepted Him as their Lord and Saviour, should no longer live for themselves, but for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15).
Even though you are a believer, the things mentioned in the text, 1 Peter 3:10-12, are the things you need to do to draw God’s hands to your life; that He may do you good.
Living in an habitual sin and claiming that Jesus has paid the price for your past, present, and future sin will not bring God’s good hands on your life.
Of course, Jesus has paid the price for our sin (1 John 2:2), but he has not paid the price that we may continue in sin:
12 THEREFORE DO NOT LET SIN REIGN IN YOUR MORTAL BODY, THAT YOU SHOULD OBEY IT IN ITS LUSTS. 13 AND DO NOT PRESENT YOUR [body] MEMBERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS TO SIN, BUT PRESENT YOURSELVES TO GOD AS BEING ALIVE FROM THE DEAD, AND YOUR [body] MEMBERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS TO GOD. 14 FOR SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU, FOR YOU ARE NOT UNDER LAW BUT UNDER GRACE. 15 WHAT THEN? SHALL WE SIN BECAUSE WE ARE NOT UNDER LAW BUT UNDER GRACE? CERTAINLY NOT!" (Romans 6:12-15 NKJV)
The price Jesus paid on the cross for mankind sin is not a license to continue in sin. He paid the price that we may be free from sin, live above sin, and not to continue in it: “FOR YOU WERE BOUGHT AT A PRICE; THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY AND IN YOUR SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD'S (1 Corinthians 6:20 NKJV).
READ: 1 Peter 2:24
Jesus has released us from the claw or bondage of the devil, but our liberty should not be used as a cloak for sin: “FOR YOU, BRETHREN, HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LIBERTY; ONLY DO NOT USE LIBERTY AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLESH, BUT THROUGH LOVE SERVE ONE ANOTHER” (Galatians 5:13 NKJV).
READ: Colossians 2:13-15; 1 Peter 2:16
If you desire life, love many days, that you may see good on earth; then depart from evil (Psalm 34:12-14).
When you live right, in holiness, that is, you walk in Integrity; God will watch over you and be attentive to your prayers (2 Chronicles 16:9).
If you truly desire a result oriented prayer, you have to live in line with the Word of God: “THE EYES OF THE LORD WATCH OVER THOSE WHO DO RIGHT, AND HIS EARS ARE OPEN TO THEIR PRAYERS. BUT THE LORD TURNS HIS FACE AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL" (1 Peter 3:12 NLT).
You will not fail in Jesus’ name. Peace!