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Monday, November 23, 2009, 06:51 PM PST
[ Devotions and Bible Studies]
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 John 1, New King James Version)
Jesus always was and always will be. He is the Word of life (See JOHN 1:1 and JOHN 1:14) He is that eternal life who was with Father from all eternity, and was manifested in the flesh to us, in order to fulfill the law and take the consequences of our sin upon Himself, so that we can enter into His presence and have fellowship with Him and with each other as His children. Knowledge of what He has done for us will bring us to a point of true joy. However, many people gravely misunderstand exactly what He has done, and so misunderstand the nature of God.
Jesus revealed the nature of God, that there is no darkness in Him. That He is pure light, pure goodness, pure love. It is this purity, this holiness, that destroys what is ugly and evil in His presence. Light abolishes darkness, it eliminates it. We are full of all manner of sin and darkness, hatred, lust , and covetousness. If we try to claim otherwise, we are calling God a liar, and deceiving ourselves. So since we are full of darkness, we cannot enter into His full presence on our own. His absolute pure, unfiltered radiance, pure love, and pure beauty would destroy us. This is the reason for the cross of Christ.
The cross is perhaps one of the most misunderstood events in the Bible. Many people are under the impression that God the Father was so angry over our sin that He had to take it out on someone, and so He took it out Jesus in much the same manner as someone who is so angry at someone that they can only calm down enough to forgive if they first kick the dog to vent their anger. Yet God does not tell us to forgive that way, He does not tell us to forgive others by venting our anger on an innocent victim. Surely, God is not asking of us that which He is incapable of doing? No, this is a misunderstanding, not only of the cross, but of the very nature of God.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are ONE. Three persons, yet just one God, they are one in essence. This is a mystery which we can not fully understand, but which we must keep in mind to even begin to grasp what took place on the cross.
The cross is not an incident of God looking at our sin, and becoming so angry that He looked around, saw Jesus, and said, "Either you pay the price for these people or I will destroy them!" Jesus Himself is God (See COLOSSIANS 2:9), every bit as much as the Father and the Holy Spirit are God, the three persons of the trinity were in complete harmony when God decided to do this. So God did not look outside of Himself and find someone to "take it out on", rather God looked within Himself, to sacrifice of Himself, for our good.
Knowing that imperfect, sinful human beings full of darkness could not stand in the presence of His pure light, He made a way for our cleansing. And that way was a rending of the very heart of God. First, Jesus laid aside that glory, in order to walk among us, then when Jesus hanging on that cross, He said, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34) At that moment, the Father and the Son were were separated. The Godhead itself, until that point existing throughout eternity in perfect unity and harmony, in complete togetherness, was torn apart, and for the first time the Son knew what it was to separated from the the father. Just as all of us are born with a sinful nature, separated from being able to experience the full presence of God, unable to have fellowship with Him, so now the Son took our sin upon Himself, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that He became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him, so for the first time He had the stench and filth of sin upon Himself, and the Father looked away. In that moment, violence was done not only to the Jesus, but against the Triune nature of God.
Exactly what happened is somewhat of a mystery beyond our comprehension, but we do know in that time, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are one, were torn apart from each other. Our language fails to express how this provided our cleansing, and our minds could not fully grasp it even words were found, but somehow this rending of god not only forgave our sin, but cleansed away the very stain of it from our souls so that we could enter into God's presence.
Just as our sin was placed on Jesus, destroyed on the cross, and then left behind in the grave when He rose again, His righteousness is placed upon us when we receive Him, this enables us to enter into the Holy light, the pure, full presence of God, and not be utterly destroyed.
Heaven is the place where we will experience the full pure, unfiltured presence of God, a place where no evil or sin exists, or can exist. It is pure light, pure joy, pure love.
Hell is the place for everything that cannot be in His presence. A place separated from God and His love. Hell is the absence of God and all that He is. No good thing exists there, no joy, no light, no love. Only hatred, sadness, pain, and utter loneliness and regret, there is nothing in hell that is in any way desirable. Yet people choose it.
There are only two options for the eternal soul, one is heaven, in Holy Presence of God, bearing the righteousness of Christ which has been given to us as a free gift, and the other is hell, apart from God and all that is good. When a person rejects God and His solution to the problem of sin, they are, by default, choosing hell. There is NO third option. It would be foolish for a cancer patient, after his doctor tells him that there is a cure, to become angry that there is only one cure available. The logical response would is to be overjoyed that one is available, and to take it without hesitation. Yet people reject Christ, and become angry that there is not another solution to the disease of sin.
There is no question that we have all sinned, the Bible is clear on that, and if we deny it we call God a liar. Through Christ, God offers forgiveness, He offers cleansing, He offers to cover us in His own righteousness since we have none of our own. We are offered this greatest gift, and the only question remaining is, will we accept it?
Lord, I thank You that You have shown me my own sin, and brought me to the point of being willing to confess it, and agree with you that I am a sinner incapable of cleansing myself. I thank You for the gift of salvation through Christ. I ask Lord, that if there are any who read this who do not know You, that you would use it to speak to them, and draw them to Yourself. Amen
Thursday, November 19, 2009, 11:11 PM PST
[ Devotions and Bible Studies]
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:1-9, New King James Version)
Scoffers abound in these last days, they call the Bible an ancient book that has no bearing on our lives today. They laugh and say that it has been so long since Jesus lived on earth, and that if He was going to return He would have done so already. They scoff at us Christians for continuing to put our faith in Him and in His promise to return. They claim that the earth has continued on as it is now from the beginning. They refuse to believe in the creative power of God. They willfully ignore all evidence that does not support their view. They ignore overwhelming EVIDENCE OF A GREAT FLOOD and FOSSIL EVIDENCE INDICATING THAT LIFE APPEARED SUDDENLY, ABRUPTLY, in complex forms. They ignore the COMPLEXITY OF A SINGLE CELL, and they ignore the scientific concept of IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY.
They do all of this willfully, it is not that they can't believe, it's that they won't believe. Harvard University Biochemist Dr. George Wald admitted to this when he said,"When it comes to the origin of life there are only two possibilities: Creation or spontaneous generation. There is not third way. Spontaneous generation was disproved one hundred years ago, but that leads us to only one other conclusion, that of supernatural creation. We cannot accept that on philosophical grounds; therefore, we choose to believe the impossible: That life arose spontaneously by chance!" (George Wald, "The Origin of Life", Scientific American May 1954.) So they laugh and call Christians irrational, they say that Jesus has been gone to long and we are foolish to watch and wait for Him, and all the while they knowingly ignore mountains of evidence against the very base of their theories, and choose to embrace what they know is a scientific impossibility.
But God is not mocked, and neither is He late. Things are happening right on His time schedule, 2000 years is not a long time to Him, after all, in comparison to eternity what is 2000 years? He isn't taking this long because He has forgotten, rather He is giving humankind time to repent. He is giving time for us to fill ourselves up with our wickedness to the point that we are sick of it, and turn to Him. Many are turning to Him, and many others continue to fill up their iniquity to their own judgment.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3:10-18, New King James Version)
Although God is patient, and although He waits to give us time to repent, He will not wait forever. He will return, at which time the chance to repent will be gone, it will time for judgment.
We Christians need to keep in mind that this earth will not last forever, it and all the sin and sadness on it, are temporary. We need to live our lives focused on eternity, in obedience to God, with our eyes on His Kingdom. Looking forward to the time when He makes a new Heaven and a new Earth, one without sin or all of the sadness, sickness, hatred, strife, and death that sin brings.
We must live for God, not for our own selfish desires and dreams. We need to become living sacrifices, aware that we are here to bring God glory, aware that we exist for Him, and not He for us. We need to realize, that while God does love us, while He does desire to bless us and give us joy, He doesn't exist for that, He doesn't exist in order to please us, we exist in order to please Him.
We need to keep in mind that the suffering of Christ is our salvation, we did not earn it, and have no reason to boast.
We need to study diligently, and guard against false teachers who twist scripture. We must look at all scripture in context and in light of what the rest of Scripture teaches. We must examine all teaching in the light of God's word. We need to apply God's word steadfastly and pray, and "grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
Lord, I thank You that You love me, even though You are not obligated to at all. I thank You that You have given me Your word, even though You did not owe me a thing. I thank You that forgive me even though I don't deserve anything from You. I pray Lord that You will take me and form me into the person You created me to be. I pray that You will do what You want with me, and that I will not get in the way. I give myself to You Lord, do Your will.
Friday, November 13, 2009, 11:00 PM PST
[ Devotions and Bible Studies]
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. (2 Peter 2:1-3, New King James Version)
In Old Testament times there were false prophets who claimed to speak for God, but in reality spoke for their own political, social, or financial gain. So it is no surprise that the church also has its share of false teachers, who claim to speak for God but teach things not of Him. Verse two says that these false teachers even deny the Lord. Upon a casual reading, one might think that false teachers blatantly and openly deny that Jesus was the Messiah, but if they did that it would be obvious that they were false. False teachers tend to to be much more subtle.
The Greek word translated as "deny" is "arneomai". It can in some cases mean "to openly reject or oppose" but its primary definition is "to contradict". So these false teachers are contradicting the Lord who died to purchase their right to become children of God. The word can also mean to "refuse", which would indicate that many of these false teachers know the truth. They know that they are teaching what is false, and they don't care. They know that what the Lord would have them to do, and yet they refuse Him. These wolves in sheep's clothing covet, and therefore use the office of teaching for their own gain.
This a sad and gravely serious thing, these teachers are bringing destruction upon themselves. What is even more heartbreaking, is that many have followed them and many more will follow them. This is so tragic, not only for those who come to the church seeking to learn of God, and instead end up getting ensnared, believing and following theses false teachers, but it is also tragic for the unbelievers who never even seek to learn of God because when they look at the church all they see is this division, greed, and self seeking.
God sees this, and He has been patient, giving them time to repent, but His judgment will not be idle forever. Their destruction is coming. As they lead many down the path to hell, they are earning for themselves a great and horrible judgment.
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:4-22, New King James Version)
God has always judged the proud, haughty sinner who refuses to see his own sin and repent of it. From the angels who sinned and were cast out of heaven, to the people before the flood who became vile, to Sodom and Gomorrah, God has always judged blatant unrepentant sin. Whether it is lying, stealing, murder, or sexual sin, all sin comes down to idolatry and pride. When we knowingly commit any sin, we make ourselves and our own desires into a god whom we serve. Convincing ourselves that we know better than God, we put ourselves on the throne that belongs to God alone. God does not take that lightly, it must be judged. We can either turn to Christ who took that judgment for us, turn to Him accept His gift, or we can continue to put ourselves on the throne, thinking that we can somehow save ourselves.
God will bring strict judgment on false teachers, because they are hindering those who desire to know God. They are leading others astray, they are messing with God's people, and God will not tolerate that. They presume to know better than God, presume to know more than the apostles. They seek to fulfill their own desires and live according to their own will.
They are proud, boastful, and speak evil of "dignitaries". It isn't exactly clear who or what these dignitaries are. If you cross reference to Jude 8-9 it seems that they were supernatural beings of some sort. One thing that is clear is that these false teachers are arrogant, speaking authoritatively about things they do not understand or have authority to speak about. They are self-assured and proud, trusting in themselves.
Like Balaam, they seek their own good, not the good of God's kingdom or God's people. It would seem from verse 14 that they also are full of lust, teaching licentiousness. They appeal to people's flesh and encourage them to sin. They promise freedom but bring people into bondage to sin. It is evident that no true rebirth has taken place in their lives. Like a pig that has been washed up, perfumed, and decorated with ribbons but is still a pig inside and will go back to wallowing in the muck as soon as it can, these teachers have not truly been transformed. They are not new creations and so they return to their old selfish ways. The knowledge they gain of scripture only serves to dress up their sin, and hide it under a guise of religion, and also serves to condemn them for rejecting the truth they know.
They are causing harm to the Lord's people, and God will judge them very harshly. God does not like it when someone tries to mess with His children. He has shown this repeatedly throughout scripture. One example is found in Exodus, where we see God's judgment on the nation of Egypt because they are enslaving and mistreating God's people and refuse to stop when God warns them repeatedly. God also desires to show mercy, if only these people will repent. Just as showed mercy to Saul of Tarsus, even though Saul was murdering God's children. When the Lord showed Himself to Saul, Saul repented. When the Lord revealed Himself to Pharaoh, Pharaoh hardened. If false teachers continue to lead people astray even after the Lord has clearly shown them His truth, God will judge.
Just as surely as God has always been ready to judge unrepentant, intentional sin. God also has always been ready to deliver those who know Him. Those who know Him and admit their sin to Him. Those who deal with their sin His way. He has always been ready to overlook sin when a heart is repentant, and to provide a way of escape to those who belong to Him.
God is a protective Father, he has no tolerance for those who harm His children, especially that harm has eternal implications. These teachers abound in today's church, to the point where one has to always check everything that is being taught and comparing it with scripture. They are often gifted speakers, that can move the emotions of the hearers, but their words are great swelling words of emptiness, and lure away those who are seeking to know God.
While this chapter is sobering, there is also cause for great joy. Knowing that God is our loving father, and is watching out for us. We can rejoice, knowing that He can deliver us out of temptation (VERSE 9), and can give us the wisdom to recognize these false teachers (JAMES 1:5), and knowing that it is He who can keep us from stumbling.
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
(Jude 1:24-25, New King James Version)
Lord, I thank You that You are watching out for Your children. I pray for those who are deceived, and sincerely believe falsehood, I pray that You would open their eyes. Also Lord I pray for those who are knowingly teaching what is false, that You will bring them to repentance before it is too late . I praise You Lord that You have forgiven me all my sin, I praise You that you guard my steps and protect me like a loving Father. I thank You Lord that every time I stumble You pick me up, and set me back on the right path. Lord, I thank You for salvation, I thank You for Your word, and I thank You for Your love, which I do not deserve. Truly to You be all the glory Lord!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 06:19 AM PST
[ Devotions and Bible Studies]
12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:12-21, New King James Version)
Because of the barrenness we most certainly face if we do not AID and NOURISH those precious gifts God has given us, and because of the assurance of bountiful spiritual fruit if do, Peter wants to make sure that church is reminded to do this, not only while he is alive, but even after he goes on to glory. He wants to leave the church a legacy of Godly teaching, so he writes. God placed His own words in Peter's heart and then moved Peter to write them down. God used him to preserve His word for future generations. I wonder if Peter realized he was writing scripture, as later on he goes on to explain this same process of inspiration as it happened to the Old Testament prophets, I wonder if he was aware that it was taking place with him, right at the same moment? Regardless, praise God that Peter wrote down what God was placing in His heart, praise God that He preserved His word for all future generations of Christians.
Peter explains that he and some of the other disciples saw the majesty of the glorified Christ at the transfiguration, and heard the voice of God the Father declare Jesus as God the Son. (SEE MATTHEW 17:1-7). Therefore, Peter knows without doubt that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies in the Old Testament, for Peter, it is not only a matter of faith, but a matter of sight.
Now Peter urges the church to heed those words of prophecy and to study the scriptures diligently until God's word transforms and their hearts and the light of Jesus Christ shines from them to everyone around them. To study and live by God's word until their own faith becomes sight.
Peter then reminds them that the prophecy of scripture did not come from men, but from God. He tells them that it "is of no private interpretation". tTe word that is translated "interpretation" also means "origin", so he is assuring them that Scripture was not made up by men, but rather came from God.
He will go on to explain about false prophets and teachers and the terrible judgment that awaits them. Peter is reminding the church that it is essential to check all teaching with the entire counsel of God's word, and ensure that it lines up. To do that we must be diligent students of His word.
Lord, I thank You for Your word, thank You that You have given us clear instruction on how to live for You. I praise You that You spoke through the apostles and prophets and moved them to record Your word, and that You have preserved it all these years. I thank You that Peter followed the urging of Your Spirit, and recorded the things You put on his heart, even though he may not have understood that You were using him to write Scripture. I pray Lord that You will help me to be a student of Your word, and I pray that Your glorious light will rise up within me and shine out to those around me. Help me to follow the urgings of Your Holy Spirit, and not to hinder or suppress that light. I know You have closed the book on Scripture, and not another word will be added to it, but You still have Your own purposes for each of us. Help me to walk in step with that purpose, even when I don't understand what it is. Help me Lord, to leave the legacy that You want me to leave. I pray that the light of Your Holy Word will shine out of my heart, and will illuminate my life.
Monday, November 9, 2009, 12:22 PM PST
[ Devotions and Bible Studies]
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:1-11, New King James Version)
In Christ we have been given everything we need to live as God calls us to. We cannot claim that we don't have self-control, or patience, or anything else we need for Godly living, because if we are saved, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and if we have the Holy Spirit in us, we will have the fruit of the Spirit. That fruit comes to us by the divine power of God, through knowing Christ.
By this power we have been given the precious promises of God, and the ability to partake in the divine nature, that is we have been given the chance to one day be transformed into His image. Being set free from the depravity of this fallen world, we will one day be transformed into pure, undistorted images of God.
Because of these promises and assurance, we need to be diligent in making the most of what we have been given. We are told to "add" to the things we have been given. The Greek word translated "add" in this verse can mean "add" in the same sense it does in English, that is to contribute or fully supply something, but it can also mean to aid and assist, or to minister nourishment to something. So we are to aid, assist, and minister nourishment to all hose things God has given us which pertain to life and godliness.
We are like farmers who already have all things that pertain to farming and reaping a good harvest. The farmer may have land with rich fertile soil, a plow, plenty of water, sunshine, seed, and fertilizer, however he must put them to use if he desires a bountiful harvest. If the land is never plowed, if the seed is never planted, watered, or fertilized, he won't have a harvest. So we also must put to use these things God has given us, and nurture them to maturity. In doing so we will enjoy an increase, and abundance of fruit in our walk with our Lord.
We have been given faith, we must put that faith into practice to produce virtue. It is interesting that the Greek word translated virtue means "valor" and "excellence". So what does valor mean? The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines valor as "strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness : personal bravery". It is our faith, put into practice, that will give us this strength of mind or spirit, this personal bravery that we need to do what God has called us to do. Our faith in God tells us we don't need to fear, then this strength of mind and spirit will allow us to do all that God calls us to, and to do it with excellence.
We are also told add to knowledge to that virtue. So faith comes first, which gives rise to the valor we need to live Godly, then we need to tend to knowledge. By careful study of God's word, we will learn what we should do and how we should walk, this will give us the chance to nourish and encourage self-control in order to live by that knowledge. Self-control will require the use of our perseverance, because every day we will face many challenges to that self-control, and will need to keep going, and not give up. This will all aid and nurture godliness in our lives. We also need to nurture brotherly kindness and love.
If we don't nurture, nourish, and encourage that which God has supplied us with, we will experience lack, and we will find ourselves unable to keep our eyes on eternity, but rather will shortsightedly look only to the moment. We will not look back and remember our past, nor will we look ahead to our future with Christ. We focus on the present moment and what we want right now. We will even forget that we have been cleansed from our past sins, will forget that we are set free. If we forget that we are free from our past sins, we will find ourselves falling back into them.
We need to be diligent in all this, in order "to make our call and election sure". This is not to say that we are in danger of losing our salvation, or that our election by God is in question, rather it is to assure our own hearts as 1 JOHN 3:19 says, and to keep us from stumbling back into a lifestyle of sin and becoming useless to God.
If we do these things, we will not be unfruitful, we will not be useless to God and to His kingdom. Rather, we will enjoy a bountiful harvest of godly fruit.
Lord, the last thing I ever want is to be useless to you. I desire to serve you with my whole heart. I desire to be used of You to bring others into Your kingdom. Help me Lord to make use of all that you have given to me, to nurture those things and nourish them to maturity in my life, and therefore to enjoy a bountiful harvest of spiritual fruit, and to be of use to You for Your purposes.
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Devotions and Bible Studies Posts
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