2 Peter 1:3-4

OK...to continue on with 2 Peter, verses 3-4 says, "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desires."

When I read verse 3, do I really believe that I have everything that I need to live a godly life? I can live my life with the constant peace and joy that I talked about in my last entry. I can rise above every sin that tries to pull me down. I can live in constant communion with my Heavenly Father. I don't have to get completely overwhelmed and frustrated in my mothering abilities. I don't have to get stressed out. I don't have to argue with my 4 year old or my husband. I don't have to live with insecurity. I don't have to live in a state of worry or fear about what the future holds. I have absolutely everything that I need because of His divine power that is constantly at work within me. I don't have to live this Christian life alone. I don't have to wonder if I will sink or swim. He will never leave me or forsake me.

Again in verse 3, Peter uses the word "knowledge", referring to that intimate relationship with Jesus Christ..... "I have everything I need through the knowlege of Him..." The word know in Scripture reflects the very personal intimacy between a husband and a wife. Intimacy with God should be that personal. I have to spend that one-on-one time with Him or our relationshop will not flourish. It is never enough to just know ABOUT God, because even the devil himself knows about God. Matthew 7:21-23 says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord did we not prophecy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never KNEW you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." Those verses make me shutter and I wouldn't ever want God to say those words to me. I want to love God...the person...not just His benefits. If I truly love Him, I will spend time with Him through prayer and Bible reading, and I will become more and more intimate with Him as time passes, more mature in my Christian walk.

As I seek Him and truly get to know Him, God freely gives.
2 Corinthians 9:8 says, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." Another wonderful promise. I was called and chosen by God to do great things for His glory, and He will not leave me hanging. I have all sufficiency...in all things...at all times. Now, if I can just remind myself of that as I go through each and every day because each and every day brings stressful situations, doesn't it?

2 Peter 1:4 mentions the "great and precious promises of God". It is so easy to let the words of the Bible become second nature. Sometimes while listening to sermons, I catch myself thinking, "Not this story again. I know this story. I have heard it taught a thousand times." That's wrong because even in those most familar stories God can show me something new. I should pray and ask God to open my eyes every time I open the Word of God so that it never loses its excitement. I should always view it as "great and precious".

2 Peter 1:4 also talks about our ability as Christians to rise above sin. I am a "partaker of the divine nature" which means that because He lives within me and gives me everything I need, I can "escape the corruption that is in this world because of sinful desires". Francis Chan said that sin is like a whirlpool or a vortex. It literally sucks you in and then takes you down. He gave the example of alchohol and how it is a dangerous thing that too many people dabble with saying it is their "freedom in Christ". You drink a little, and want a little more, you drink more and then want more and more and more, until eventually it becomes an addiction. Not everyone who drinks will become an alchoholic, but it could be you so it is best to stay away. The same thing with smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco, looking at pornography on the Internet, experimenting with drugs, flirting with someone when you are married,...well you get the idea. It can easily be a downward spiral. But, praise God, because of the divine nature that is within me, I can always rise above that pull....as I get to KNOW him more and more.

2 Peter has been a powerful book to read. I want to encourage you to read Chapter 1....maybe over and over again until it sinks in. I know I want it to sink in. I want to be changed when I read scripture.

Well, I am rambling and I still have verses 5-11 to cover in the coming days. I will take a break from it in my next post and share some pictures of the girls playing in the pool and just haning out in the yard, and of course on Monday I will share the events from the weekend.

Until next time....