2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
I know we touched on this yesterday, but I feel compelled to touch on it a bit more.
Prophecy.
Definition- pertaining to a foreteller . Foretelling. It's telling something in advance of it's occurring. God allows people to foretell the future for a reason. The Holy Spirit guides human beings by giving them visions, night visions, and so forth.
Prophets - 'inspired man'
Men inspired by God.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost
Moved by the Holy Ghost.
The need for prophecy? A revealing of the future gives us PROOF that the revealer has power. Right? Any prophet of God would NOT take credit for the prophesying, they would give GOD all the glory. God is the REVEALER, not the person being used by the Lord, the person inspired by God through the Holy Spirit.
We have a MORE sure word of PROPHECY.
Where WE do WELL if WE take HEED!
Prophecy is like a LIGHT shining in the darkness!
Prophecy is like a light in the NIGHT shining until the day dawns!
Prophecy is like a light shining in the night until JESUS arises in our HEARTS!
So is prophecy important?
We are told we do well when we listen to prophecy.
We are told we will have light in the darkness. Meaning if we don't have this light we are LEFT in the dark! If we are left in the dark then we are lost! This is how important prophecy is to our LORD, to US!
We NEED light to shine in the darkness around us!
We NEED JESUS to arise in our hearts!
This is through prophecy, through the sure word of God. We HAVE to trust in our Lord, we have to believe in HIM, we have to study HIS word and we HAVE to STUDY - to TAKE HEED to PROPHECY! This is real! This isn't something for people long ago, this applies to US right now. In fact we can know even with more surety that God's prophecies are true, they've all come to pass as He has said they would, and those that have yet to come to pass WILL come to pass without a doubt!
We've studied prophecy in the past and we will study it in the future all by the GRACE of God!
Let us TAKE HEED!
Let us get out of the DARKNESS!
Let the DAY STAR ARISE IN OUR HEARTS!
Please Lord, please!
Through Your love!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
We have NOT followed cunningly devised fables
2Pe 1:13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
2Pe 1:14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
We can only teach and encourage others while we are alive. Too many believe that they can converse with the dead, not realizing that every dead person they are conversing with is in fact a part of Satan's army of evil spirits. People don't want to hear that, in fact they'll outright dismiss the very thought. The ones they've conversed with have been sweet, kind spirits of loved ones who knew things only they could know and none other. People tend to forget our deepest secrets are known to those in the spirit realm- to God, to angels- good and evil. At our every turn there are those paying attention to our lives ready at any moment to deceive us. If a visitation from a dead loved one can convince us that we don't really die but just move on then the mission of Satan has been accomplished.
Peter would have ALL understand the messages he is giving them, so much so he wants to stir the people up so they'll remember all that he's telling them. He knows his own end is near and he wants all those that look to him - to receive God's word through him as through all the disciples- and he wants them to REMEMBER.
2Pe 1:15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
He want them to remember! He wants us to remember! We are being told to REMEMBER the truths being given, and what truths they are. They don't talk of a stagnant life spent cowering and hidden from life, but rather a life of growth into the being that God would have us be in our SAVIOR. It's a constant growth, a constant adding to our faith. It's a realization that we will have many obstacles thrown at us. It's a knowing that we ourselves can put obstacles in our way by ceasing to GROW in Christ.
2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
NO cunningly devised fables. Even in Peter's time, even during the time immediately following our Savior's ministry and death, and rising, there were those who loved to say that everything was just a fable, cunningly devised, but nevertheless just a fable told to make fools of those who believe in them.
Today this very same accusation is ringing loud and clean in our world. People claiming loudly and with great conviction that what we believe is truly nothing more than a fable, a great fable that men have used to dupe people throughout the ages to make fools of them.
The truth, the REAL truth is that there are NO cunningly devised fables here, NONE, not ONE. The truth is just too hard for people to believe because it calls for a life spent living towards selflessness and not selfishness. People love living for themselves and possibly the immediate extensions of themselves more than they love the idea of living for strangers, for their enemies whom they are suppose to love.
Peter and other apostles WITNESSED the truth of our SAVIOR'S majesty!
2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2Pe 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
They were there! They heard firsthand! And they have no reason to lie, none. What did they gain by telling the truth? They gained torture and death. They were NOT set up in earthly mansions and given a life of ease and pleasure. They were abused constantly. If it were all lies what were they lying for? Glory? They receive precious LITTLE glory and honor here on earth. Movies and books like to portray them as being revered in great numbers but the truth is they were hunted, wanted men whose audiences weren't huge crowds of adoring fans. They had nothing to gain upon earth for their endeavors, nothing. Not a single Apostle went on to live a life of luxury. Today we are NOT promised a life of ease here, we are NOT promised luxuries and adoration from others. We are told when we decide to make Christ our Lord and Savior that the life we'll lead will be a very hard one and we too can face all the same obstacles that the Apostles faced- a life of ridicule and abuse.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
We must take heed to PROPHECY- because PROPHECY is a light shining in darkness, a guiding light that will lead us right to the end when our SAVIOR returns.
We can't make up what we want out of prophecy. We can't take those prophecies and put meanings where we want them to be so that we are creating stories that are far from the truth. GOD gave those prophecies to mankind, God spoke through those men through the Holy Ghost. These weren't tall tales told to people, but truths - future happenstances. These truths were given to them and to us so that we would take heed- so that we would pay attention and know what would come to pass. Throughout the years SO incredibly many prophecies have come to pass there is no way to doubt the truth, none and yet people do.
We are given admonitions and it is up to us to heed those warnings. We make the choices to listen or to close our ears. We make the choice to see or to remain blind. We are not forced to the truth because a forcing of the truth takes away the truth altogether.
Is anyone who is forced to LOVE someone truly in love with that person? No. Of course there are a lot of tales about those who are forced to love someone falling in love with them over time, but that is fairy tale stuff in a lot of those cases. Forced love is NOT love. In fact it sounds impossible to force love doesn't it? You have to ask how can you be forced to love someone? You can be tortured until you admit to love. You say that's a false love only brought about by coercion and just words mouthed without any truth to them. I agree. Forcing LOVE by loves very nature is impossible. And truth is God's love and none of us is forced to the truth, just as forcing love is ultimately impossible, so is forcing a belief in the truth of God.
The truth exists and is there for our acceptance or rejection, we choose, no one else chooses for us.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we accept the truth of God, His love in all thing, always!
Amen.
2Pe 1:14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
We can only teach and encourage others while we are alive. Too many believe that they can converse with the dead, not realizing that every dead person they are conversing with is in fact a part of Satan's army of evil spirits. People don't want to hear that, in fact they'll outright dismiss the very thought. The ones they've conversed with have been sweet, kind spirits of loved ones who knew things only they could know and none other. People tend to forget our deepest secrets are known to those in the spirit realm- to God, to angels- good and evil. At our every turn there are those paying attention to our lives ready at any moment to deceive us. If a visitation from a dead loved one can convince us that we don't really die but just move on then the mission of Satan has been accomplished.
Peter would have ALL understand the messages he is giving them, so much so he wants to stir the people up so they'll remember all that he's telling them. He knows his own end is near and he wants all those that look to him - to receive God's word through him as through all the disciples- and he wants them to REMEMBER.
2Pe 1:15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
He want them to remember! He wants us to remember! We are being told to REMEMBER the truths being given, and what truths they are. They don't talk of a stagnant life spent cowering and hidden from life, but rather a life of growth into the being that God would have us be in our SAVIOR. It's a constant growth, a constant adding to our faith. It's a realization that we will have many obstacles thrown at us. It's a knowing that we ourselves can put obstacles in our way by ceasing to GROW in Christ.
2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
NO cunningly devised fables. Even in Peter's time, even during the time immediately following our Savior's ministry and death, and rising, there were those who loved to say that everything was just a fable, cunningly devised, but nevertheless just a fable told to make fools of those who believe in them.
Today this very same accusation is ringing loud and clean in our world. People claiming loudly and with great conviction that what we believe is truly nothing more than a fable, a great fable that men have used to dupe people throughout the ages to make fools of them.
The truth, the REAL truth is that there are NO cunningly devised fables here, NONE, not ONE. The truth is just too hard for people to believe because it calls for a life spent living towards selflessness and not selfishness. People love living for themselves and possibly the immediate extensions of themselves more than they love the idea of living for strangers, for their enemies whom they are suppose to love.
Peter and other apostles WITNESSED the truth of our SAVIOR'S majesty!
2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2Pe 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
They were there! They heard firsthand! And they have no reason to lie, none. What did they gain by telling the truth? They gained torture and death. They were NOT set up in earthly mansions and given a life of ease and pleasure. They were abused constantly. If it were all lies what were they lying for? Glory? They receive precious LITTLE glory and honor here on earth. Movies and books like to portray them as being revered in great numbers but the truth is they were hunted, wanted men whose audiences weren't huge crowds of adoring fans. They had nothing to gain upon earth for their endeavors, nothing. Not a single Apostle went on to live a life of luxury. Today we are NOT promised a life of ease here, we are NOT promised luxuries and adoration from others. We are told when we decide to make Christ our Lord and Savior that the life we'll lead will be a very hard one and we too can face all the same obstacles that the Apostles faced- a life of ridicule and abuse.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
We must take heed to PROPHECY- because PROPHECY is a light shining in darkness, a guiding light that will lead us right to the end when our SAVIOR returns.
We can't make up what we want out of prophecy. We can't take those prophecies and put meanings where we want them to be so that we are creating stories that are far from the truth. GOD gave those prophecies to mankind, God spoke through those men through the Holy Ghost. These weren't tall tales told to people, but truths - future happenstances. These truths were given to them and to us so that we would take heed- so that we would pay attention and know what would come to pass. Throughout the years SO incredibly many prophecies have come to pass there is no way to doubt the truth, none and yet people do.
We are given admonitions and it is up to us to heed those warnings. We make the choices to listen or to close our ears. We make the choice to see or to remain blind. We are not forced to the truth because a forcing of the truth takes away the truth altogether.
Is anyone who is forced to LOVE someone truly in love with that person? No. Of course there are a lot of tales about those who are forced to love someone falling in love with them over time, but that is fairy tale stuff in a lot of those cases. Forced love is NOT love. In fact it sounds impossible to force love doesn't it? You have to ask how can you be forced to love someone? You can be tortured until you admit to love. You say that's a false love only brought about by coercion and just words mouthed without any truth to them. I agree. Forcing LOVE by loves very nature is impossible. And truth is God's love and none of us is forced to the truth, just as forcing love is ultimately impossible, so is forcing a belief in the truth of God.
The truth exists and is there for our acceptance or rejection, we choose, no one else chooses for us.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we accept the truth of God, His love in all thing, always!
Amen.
Friday, March 2, 2012
If you do these things you will never fall
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
A constant reminder.
Don't we all need constant reminders?
We live in a world that would love to take away any reminders of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
The reminders that we live in a fierce battle between good and evil.
Satan would have us living with blinders on, thick, tight blinders that seem all but impossible to remove. He doesn't want us to realize that we are actually, truly, really, honestly FIGHTING for our eternal life.
He comes up with so very many tricks to fool us. He'll say we're trying to work out our own salvation when in truth only Christ can save us, but doesn't God's word say this to us…
Php 2:12 ... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
We are REALLY told this… really and truly!
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Php 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
Work out our OWN salvation with FEAR and TREMBLING.
For it is GOD which worketh IN US both to will and to do of HIS good pleasure.
God work IN US.
We have to CHOOSE to do ALL things WITHOUT murmurings and disputings.
Just as we HAVE to choose to ADD to our faith and not simply stop at believing, but make that belief a reality.
We have to do ALL things without murmurings and disputings because then we will be BLAMELESS and HARMLESS-the SONS of GOD- without rebuke, in the MIDST of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom we will SHINE as LIGHTS in the world.
HOLDING forth the WORD of LIFE that we may rejoice in the DAY of CHRIST. That we have NOT run in VAIN, neither labored in VAIN.
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
IF YE DO THESE THINGS YE SHALL NEVER FALL.
Do what things?
These things--
2Pe 1:5 '…add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. '
We are NOT to be idle! We are NOT to stop at faith! We are NOT to live disregarding God's instructions, God's will. Yet so many do, so many could careless about God or His will. So many get discouraged because Satan is fighting against their walk with Christ. Satan is pulling out all stops to get us to turn from God, and barring that to turn us down a path lined with a false god.
The truth in God is NOT a path that is wide and easy, but narrow and HARD to traverse, hard to even find it!
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
FEW there be that find it!
You'd think it'd be easy to find because we are given so much incredible information leading us to the path of Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. But it's not easy to find, because only FEW will find it. Why will only a few find it? Because only a few will be willing to walk that narrow way in a world where walking the broad way is the norm. So many things will keep people from finding that narrow way. And Satan will be behind every single one of those ways. There is a REAL battle we are in, a daily, hourly, minutely battle and yet because this war is fought on a spiritual plane, affecting our physical plane we don't often recognize the war but attribute all of the trials and tribulations huge and tiny to just being life.
Calling Satan out, pointing at His dealings isn't something he wants done, he'd much rather we ignore his presence. As long as we ignore him then he can go on his merry way attacking us right and left, tripping us up and hiding the hand being held out to help us up. He wants us down in the filth of sin wallowing in it never seeking to reach for the ONE who can clean us of the filth he is trying to drown us in.
By the grace and mercy of our God may we have our eyes wide open to all the attacks Satan sets up for us, and when we see these attacks may we seek shelter in our Savior! May we don all the armor, all the protection that our SAVIOR offers to us through His amazing LOVE.
Help us LORD.
Save us LORD JESUS!
In Your love, in YOUR righteousness now and forever and ever!
Amen.
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
A constant reminder.
Don't we all need constant reminders?
We live in a world that would love to take away any reminders of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
The reminders that we live in a fierce battle between good and evil.
Satan would have us living with blinders on, thick, tight blinders that seem all but impossible to remove. He doesn't want us to realize that we are actually, truly, really, honestly FIGHTING for our eternal life.
He comes up with so very many tricks to fool us. He'll say we're trying to work out our own salvation when in truth only Christ can save us, but doesn't God's word say this to us…
Php 2:12 ... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
We are REALLY told this… really and truly!
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Php 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
Work out our OWN salvation with FEAR and TREMBLING.
For it is GOD which worketh IN US both to will and to do of HIS good pleasure.
God work IN US.
We have to CHOOSE to do ALL things WITHOUT murmurings and disputings.
Just as we HAVE to choose to ADD to our faith and not simply stop at believing, but make that belief a reality.
We have to do ALL things without murmurings and disputings because then we will be BLAMELESS and HARMLESS-the SONS of GOD- without rebuke, in the MIDST of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom we will SHINE as LIGHTS in the world.
HOLDING forth the WORD of LIFE that we may rejoice in the DAY of CHRIST. That we have NOT run in VAIN, neither labored in VAIN.
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
IF YE DO THESE THINGS YE SHALL NEVER FALL.
Do what things?
These things--
2Pe 1:5 '…add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. '
We are NOT to be idle! We are NOT to stop at faith! We are NOT to live disregarding God's instructions, God's will. Yet so many do, so many could careless about God or His will. So many get discouraged because Satan is fighting against their walk with Christ. Satan is pulling out all stops to get us to turn from God, and barring that to turn us down a path lined with a false god.
The truth in God is NOT a path that is wide and easy, but narrow and HARD to traverse, hard to even find it!
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
FEW there be that find it!
You'd think it'd be easy to find because we are given so much incredible information leading us to the path of Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. But it's not easy to find, because only FEW will find it. Why will only a few find it? Because only a few will be willing to walk that narrow way in a world where walking the broad way is the norm. So many things will keep people from finding that narrow way. And Satan will be behind every single one of those ways. There is a REAL battle we are in, a daily, hourly, minutely battle and yet because this war is fought on a spiritual plane, affecting our physical plane we don't often recognize the war but attribute all of the trials and tribulations huge and tiny to just being life.
Calling Satan out, pointing at His dealings isn't something he wants done, he'd much rather we ignore his presence. As long as we ignore him then he can go on his merry way attacking us right and left, tripping us up and hiding the hand being held out to help us up. He wants us down in the filth of sin wallowing in it never seeking to reach for the ONE who can clean us of the filth he is trying to drown us in.
By the grace and mercy of our God may we have our eyes wide open to all the attacks Satan sets up for us, and when we see these attacks may we seek shelter in our Savior! May we don all the armor, all the protection that our SAVIOR offers to us through His amazing LOVE.
Help us LORD.
Save us LORD JESUS!
In Your love, in YOUR righteousness now and forever and ever!
Amen.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
He that lacketh these things is blind
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Blind.
Unable to see and in this case- unable to see afar off.
Where are we supposed to be able to see afar off, how far?
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them AFAR off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
The promise for the future that is AFAR off is HEAVEN. These men of God KNEW they would NOT inherit that promise anytime soon but rather AFAR off.
We have to look AFAR off to that future if our HOPE is in Christ. Is it any wonder we are considered blind if we are caught up in sinning? Sinning holds us to the here and now, trapping us, binding us to the father of lies who claims ownership of the earth. When we stop growing in Christ, we become stagnant in sin. To grow we have this list of things we are to ADD to our Faith- our FIRST believing. The things we have to add are:
Virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity.
When we find ourselves all caught up in sin we have to realize we are NOT adding these things to our faith life.
If we are to have hope in the far off country we are seeking, our heavenly home, then we need to live in Christ. By HIS grace and mercy may WE ever keep growing in these additions to our faith.
Satan doesn't want us growing in Christ. Satan is going to try and keep us from adding anything to our faith at all. Satan will bring up obstacle after obstacle. Every step we make towards adding these things to our faith we will be attacked viciously by Satan. I mean VICIOUSLY! The attacks are geared towards bringing up our cherished sins, our favorite sins, the sins that we have to fight to give up, the sins we have to resist unto blood.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
By His GRACE, His LOVE, His MERCY!
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Blind.
Unable to see and in this case- unable to see afar off.
Where are we supposed to be able to see afar off, how far?
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them AFAR off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
The promise for the future that is AFAR off is HEAVEN. These men of God KNEW they would NOT inherit that promise anytime soon but rather AFAR off.
We have to look AFAR off to that future if our HOPE is in Christ. Is it any wonder we are considered blind if we are caught up in sinning? Sinning holds us to the here and now, trapping us, binding us to the father of lies who claims ownership of the earth. When we stop growing in Christ, we become stagnant in sin. To grow we have this list of things we are to ADD to our Faith- our FIRST believing. The things we have to add are:
Virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity.
When we find ourselves all caught up in sin we have to realize we are NOT adding these things to our faith life.
If we are to have hope in the far off country we are seeking, our heavenly home, then we need to live in Christ. By HIS grace and mercy may WE ever keep growing in these additions to our faith.
Satan doesn't want us growing in Christ. Satan is going to try and keep us from adding anything to our faith at all. Satan will bring up obstacle after obstacle. Every step we make towards adding these things to our faith we will be attacked viciously by Satan. I mean VICIOUSLY! The attacks are geared towards bringing up our cherished sins, our favorite sins, the sins that we have to fight to give up, the sins we have to resist unto blood.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
By His GRACE, His LOVE, His MERCY!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Add to our faith
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
ALL diligence- all attention, all detail, do we do this are we really diligent in our pursuit of a life following our Savior? We are to ADD to our faith- VIRTUE.
Virtue- moral excellence; goodness; righteousness. (dictionary definition)
Add to our FAITH- moral excellence, goodness, righteousness!
In this society when having very little virtue and moral excellence is commended especially among our youth, our young adults who are fed a steady stream of moral-less programs on television and movies, adding VIRTUE to faith is rare. While it is rare we must diligently add this to our faith. We don't stop at faith, we CAN'T stop at faith, we have to ADD to it. And ADDing to it means living our lives with the things we are adding. What good is our faith if we choose to live without any moral excellence- seriously! Is it any wonder people could careless if we love God, if we love Jesus , if we have all the faith in the world as long as our lives seem no different than any others? We MUST add to our faith moral excellence-virtue.
We must add to that virtue- knowledge. We cannot ever be content with the knowledge we possess but forever seek to learn more, so much more.
To that knowledge we need to add- temperance.
Temperance- moderation or self-restraint in action, statement, etc.; self-control. (dictionary definition)
We have to have self-restraint! We have to have self-control! We have to deny OURSELVES! Do we? We need to because if we give into our every desire, our every fleshy lust we are not living in the spirit at all, we are living in the flesh and that flesh will lead us into sin because it is so very, very selfish, so self-centered.
To that self-control we have to add patience. Our entire lives demand patience because this life as a Christian is a long, long journey we are undertaking. We are living our lives as pilgrims, true strangers in this strange land and whenever anyone undertakes a long, long journey they must have patience or else that journey will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible.
To patience we have to add godliness.
Conforming to the laws and wishes of God; devout; pious. (dictionary def)
Without this conformity to God's laws we follow NOTHING! Seriously. What's it mean to follow someone without any principles, without any moral standards? God is far from moral-less. God has LAWS. The moral law of God is something we ALL must follow. When we fail to follow the moral law of our God then we are NOT living with godliness in our lives, and if we are not living with godliness then we are living godlessly.
To godliness we must add brotherly kindness. Being kind is something many have forgotten. Simple kindnesses are all too often dismissed in favor of selfishness, self-absorption. We think more of our own selves, our feelings in the moment, our desires in the moment than we do another's. THIS is a sickness that has infected our world on so many, many levels and unfortunately it has NOT spared those who claim to be God's.
To brotherly kindness we have to add charity.
Love. Love. Without love we are truly NOT following our Savior and to think we are well, we're deluding ourselves.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
BLIND.
CANNOT SEE AFAR OFF.
FORGOTTEN WE'VE BEEN PURGED FROM OUR OLD SINS.
How true.
If we forget that we've had our old sins purged what happens? Those sins remain, they return, and if our old sins return the repentance we sought for them is no longer there. We have to repent again! We have to seek forgiveness all over again. If we follow the word of God as given to us here then we will NOT forget we were purged from our former sins. If we DO NOT follow the word of God we will forget and our old sins will over take us again.
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, we will FOLLOW the WORD of God.
More tomorrow on this all by the grace of our Lord and Savior!
Please LORD, please help us.
In YOUR love!
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
ALL diligence- all attention, all detail, do we do this are we really diligent in our pursuit of a life following our Savior? We are to ADD to our faith- VIRTUE.
Virtue- moral excellence; goodness; righteousness. (dictionary definition)
Add to our FAITH- moral excellence, goodness, righteousness!
In this society when having very little virtue and moral excellence is commended especially among our youth, our young adults who are fed a steady stream of moral-less programs on television and movies, adding VIRTUE to faith is rare. While it is rare we must diligently add this to our faith. We don't stop at faith, we CAN'T stop at faith, we have to ADD to it. And ADDing to it means living our lives with the things we are adding. What good is our faith if we choose to live without any moral excellence- seriously! Is it any wonder people could careless if we love God, if we love Jesus , if we have all the faith in the world as long as our lives seem no different than any others? We MUST add to our faith moral excellence-virtue.
We must add to that virtue- knowledge. We cannot ever be content with the knowledge we possess but forever seek to learn more, so much more.
To that knowledge we need to add- temperance.
Temperance- moderation or self-restraint in action, statement, etc.; self-control. (dictionary definition)
We have to have self-restraint! We have to have self-control! We have to deny OURSELVES! Do we? We need to because if we give into our every desire, our every fleshy lust we are not living in the spirit at all, we are living in the flesh and that flesh will lead us into sin because it is so very, very selfish, so self-centered.
To that self-control we have to add patience. Our entire lives demand patience because this life as a Christian is a long, long journey we are undertaking. We are living our lives as pilgrims, true strangers in this strange land and whenever anyone undertakes a long, long journey they must have patience or else that journey will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible.
To patience we have to add godliness.
Conforming to the laws and wishes of God; devout; pious. (dictionary def)
Without this conformity to God's laws we follow NOTHING! Seriously. What's it mean to follow someone without any principles, without any moral standards? God is far from moral-less. God has LAWS. The moral law of God is something we ALL must follow. When we fail to follow the moral law of our God then we are NOT living with godliness in our lives, and if we are not living with godliness then we are living godlessly.
To godliness we must add brotherly kindness. Being kind is something many have forgotten. Simple kindnesses are all too often dismissed in favor of selfishness, self-absorption. We think more of our own selves, our feelings in the moment, our desires in the moment than we do another's. THIS is a sickness that has infected our world on so many, many levels and unfortunately it has NOT spared those who claim to be God's.
To brotherly kindness we have to add charity.
Love. Love. Without love we are truly NOT following our Savior and to think we are well, we're deluding ourselves.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
BLIND.
CANNOT SEE AFAR OFF.
FORGOTTEN WE'VE BEEN PURGED FROM OUR OLD SINS.
How true.
If we forget that we've had our old sins purged what happens? Those sins remain, they return, and if our old sins return the repentance we sought for them is no longer there. We have to repent again! We have to seek forgiveness all over again. If we follow the word of God as given to us here then we will NOT forget we were purged from our former sins. If we DO NOT follow the word of God we will forget and our old sins will over take us again.
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, we will FOLLOW the WORD of God.
More tomorrow on this all by the grace of our Lord and Savior!
Please LORD, please help us.
In YOUR love!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord
Grace and peace- THROUGH the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
Knowledge comes to us how? Can you do nothing and gain knowledge? As a rule- no. How can you learn to read if you are not taught? If you don't have to be taught then how do we have people who do not know how to read? So much in our lives does NOT come to us automatically. We are taught a lot. Even by our parents as babes we are learning constantly. People can learn a lot through watching others and whatnot, but some things must be deliberately taught to us. When we find something we desire to learn we can go to a lot of sources and from those sources we will gain the knowledge we want to have. Yes, you can force someone to learn. Ask the majority of kids in school and they'll tell you they believe they are forced to go to school, forced to learn. But learning something from a desire to know more is a lot better than feeling as if you are being forced to learn.
We- who desire so much to have the grace and peace of God and Jesus our Lord- will find learning of them desirable, yes? Grace and peace multiplied through knowledge- we must constantly seek to learn more of our God, of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Exceeding GREAT and PRECIOUS PROMISES.
Do you know of the promises that are so great and precious?
The promise of salvation, the promise of no more tears, no more pain, there are a lot of promises we are given and we must know them, learn them. We are made PARTAKERS of the DIVINE NATURE by these promises. By these promises we can ESCAPE the corruption that exists in our world through lust!
We can escape!
Grace and peace- THROUGH the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
Knowledge comes to us how? Can you do nothing and gain knowledge? As a rule- no. How can you learn to read if you are not taught? If you don't have to be taught then how do we have people who do not know how to read? So much in our lives does NOT come to us automatically. We are taught a lot. Even by our parents as babes we are learning constantly. People can learn a lot through watching others and whatnot, but some things must be deliberately taught to us. When we find something we desire to learn we can go to a lot of sources and from those sources we will gain the knowledge we want to have. Yes, you can force someone to learn. Ask the majority of kids in school and they'll tell you they believe they are forced to go to school, forced to learn. But learning something from a desire to know more is a lot better than feeling as if you are being forced to learn.
We- who desire so much to have the grace and peace of God and Jesus our Lord- will find learning of them desirable, yes? Grace and peace multiplied through knowledge- we must constantly seek to learn more of our God, of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Exceeding GREAT and PRECIOUS PROMISES.
Do you know of the promises that are so great and precious?
The promise of salvation, the promise of no more tears, no more pain, there are a lot of promises we are given and we must know them, learn them. We are made PARTAKERS of the DIVINE NATURE by these promises. By these promises we can ESCAPE the corruption that exists in our world through lust!
We can escape!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Precious Faith
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ
Like PRECIOUS FAITH with us THROUGH the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
We have no faith outside of the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Is it any wonder Jesus could say this--
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
He could say this because it's the quality of faith that matters far above quantity. The tiniest bit of faith if it is pure is a very, very powerful thing.
The tiniest bit of pure faith could move a mountain.
The tiniest bit of pure faith makes NOTHING impossible to us.
Pure faith is complete belief in the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Many will say they have no problem at all believing that God and His Son are righteous. We have to APPLY that righteousness to ourselves, it's there where people falter and it's no wonder- we are so incredibly far from being righteous the idea that our Savior, that our God would see us as righteous is mind blowing. We have to accept Christ's righteousness as ours, and again our filth tells us that we do not deserve that righteousness. That to be touched by the righteousness would mean our death because we are so repugnant, so repulsive, so offensive to all that is good and right. Our Savior DIED to make the gift possible, the UNDESERVED gift of HIMSELF, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Satan would have us NOT accept Christ's righteousness. Satan would have us believe that we are too filthy to ever be cleaned.
Precious faith- through the righteousness of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST- that's the only way we can truly have faith at all. We have to STOP focusing on our righteousness of the idea that we must obtain our OWN righteousness because that is a devil trap. We have to focus on our Savior's righteousness, His purity, His goodness, His sinlessness!
He SAVES us- we MUST believe in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS that HE wants to cover us with.
Faith.
Faith not in ourselves, but in God and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, always!
Like PRECIOUS FAITH with us THROUGH the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
We have no faith outside of the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Is it any wonder Jesus could say this--
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
He could say this because it's the quality of faith that matters far above quantity. The tiniest bit of faith if it is pure is a very, very powerful thing.
The tiniest bit of pure faith could move a mountain.
The tiniest bit of pure faith makes NOTHING impossible to us.
Pure faith is complete belief in the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Many will say they have no problem at all believing that God and His Son are righteous. We have to APPLY that righteousness to ourselves, it's there where people falter and it's no wonder- we are so incredibly far from being righteous the idea that our Savior, that our God would see us as righteous is mind blowing. We have to accept Christ's righteousness as ours, and again our filth tells us that we do not deserve that righteousness. That to be touched by the righteousness would mean our death because we are so repugnant, so repulsive, so offensive to all that is good and right. Our Savior DIED to make the gift possible, the UNDESERVED gift of HIMSELF, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Satan would have us NOT accept Christ's righteousness. Satan would have us believe that we are too filthy to ever be cleaned.
Precious faith- through the righteousness of GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST- that's the only way we can truly have faith at all. We have to STOP focusing on our righteousness of the idea that we must obtain our OWN righteousness because that is a devil trap. We have to focus on our Savior's righteousness, His purity, His goodness, His sinlessness!
He SAVES us- we MUST believe in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS that HE wants to cover us with.
Faith.
Faith not in ourselves, but in God and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, always!
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