I Peter 1:14-25   We are to be girded.. prepared.. for "action"-  What action?  Obedience.  The Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC) says this.. "Obedience is a conscious act of the will. Christians in conflict need a tough-minded holiness that is ready for action."  The BKC says that Peter is giving us 5 exhortations:

prepare your minds for action

be self-controlled

set your hope

do not conform to evil desires

be holy

To have "hope " and to "be holy".. are commands. We will have hope with prepared minds and self-control.  We will be holy by not conforming to our evil desires.  To obey these commands.. to be "obedient children".. it is essential to deliberately and consciously determine to live according to the Truth.  Our lifestyles should reflect "not [our] former ignorance but the holy nature of [our] heavenly Father who gave [us] the new birth and called [us] to be His own." BKC

"..be holy yourselves also in all your behaviors" Peter writes.  Behavior - our lifestyle, our conversation, - becoming conformed to God's perfect and holy will and not to "this world" as Paul wrote in Romans 12.  Peter continues.. "conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth." (v17) 

We are to  live this way because:

Our Father is "the One who impartially judges according to each man's work"

We have been "redeemed.. with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ." 

We have "been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God." 

"Obedience to the truth", Peter says, purifies our souls.  It is seen in "a sincere love of the brethren".. a fervent love for "one another from the heart." 

Life is short.  Over and over the Bible reminds us and Peter repeats..  that "All flesh is like grass.." It won't last. Psalm 49 says it this way.. "But people, even rich ones, will live only briefly; then, like animals, they will die." (CJB v12) But... God's Word "abides forever"! Long for the Word.. like a baby longs for milk.. Peter tells us (2:2)  Here is the secret of real life.  Read it. Study it. Obey it. 

Father in heaven, how we need Your power from above to fill us continually so that we can live according to these Truths.  Thank You for saving us.. for redeeming us by the blood of the Lamb. Thank You for giving us Your Spirit to guide and counsel us, to empower us to walk in holiness.  Thank You for loving us and enabling us to love one another from our hearts. Have Your way and will in us today we ask, in Jesus' name. Amen.