A Life Worthy

Tag: 2 Peter

  • One-a-Day Friday, 6/13/14

    number 1For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge… (2 Peter 1:5b)

    So you’re trusting God.

    Excellent.

    You’re practicing the goodness that comes out of a faith relationship with Him.

    Wonderful.

    Peter’s not through with you yet.

    You see, there’s only so far you can go if you’re ignorant.  Just ask my students.  Think about it.  How much can you trust God, really, if you don’t have knowledge of who he is and how he has chosen to work in our world?  What we call “blind faith,” is really just, “lazy hope.” I am willing to climb on an airplane because, though I don’t fully understand the physics of how it works, I understand enough to know that an airplane does fly.

    Usually

    If someone offered me a ride on a flying chicken sandwich, I would have to say “no,” because I understand enough to be confident that a chicken sandwich big enough to hold me would never be capable of sustained flight.

    That may be the worst analogy I have ever allowed to go to print.  But you get the point, right?

    If you are going to live for Christ, if you are going to do good on his behalf, then you must know him.  Spend time today getting to know him better.  God has given us 66 books on the subject of how much he loves us, and how he wants to work in us and through us.  Study them.  Study him.

    There will be a test, Beloved.

    It’s called Life.

  • One-a-Day Thursday, 6/12/14

    number 1For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness… (2 Peter 1:5a)

    Faith is the starting point.  If you don’t trust God, if you don’t act out of that trust, then nothing you do will have any lasting significance.

    So, it starts with faith.

    But it doesn’t end there.

    If your faith is real, it will produce good deeds.  They will flow naturally from your relationship with the Father.  Don’t take my word for it—go talk to James.  He says that, “Faith without deeds is useless.” (James 2:20)

    I like James.  He gets right to the point.

    As will I.

    What are you doing to add goodness to your faith?  What actions stand as proof that your trust in the Father is more than just words?

    Thursday awaits…

    Be good, Beloved.

  • One-a-Day Wednesday, 6/11/14

    number 1His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2 Peter 1:3).

    We have everything we need—We talked about that yesterday.

    Through our knowledge of him—That takes us back to Monday.

    Who called us—We didn’t call him.  He called us.  Which is a good thing, because, frankly, we probably never would have called him, and the consequences of that are terrifying.

    Chew on it for a moment, Beloved.  The Lord of the Universe has called you.  Muddy, itchy, scabby, sloppy you.  He knew just who he was calling, and he is in no way disappointed now that you’re his.

    By his own glory and goodness—Notice that it does not say, “For his glory,” or, “Because of his goodness,” though either of those would make sense.  It says, “By his glory and goodness.”  These are the attributes that draw us to God.  His glory—the holy, powerful, awesome, untouchable, unattainable perfection who is the Lion of Judah.  His goodness—the gentle, kind, loving, cross-bearing, wretch-saving peacemaker who is the Lamb of God.

    This is He who calls you.  This is He who equips you.  This is He who sends you forth in his name.

    Wednesday is no match for you.  Go get ‘em, Beloved.

  • One-a-Day Tuesday, 6/10/14

    number 1His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness …  (2 Peter 1:3).

    Everything we need.

    Everything.

    You know all those reasons you have for not living the kind of spiritual life God has called you to?  Yeah, your weakness, your lack of insight, an absent spiritual gift or two or three or five—all those good excuses that allow you to live a plain, ordinary life?

    Peter just blew those out the window.

    Open window

    Poof

    Gone.

    You have everything you need to live the life you have been called to live.

    So…

    Chew on that this morning, Beloved.  It’s kind of a game changer.

  • One-a-Day Monday 6/9/14

    number 1Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:2).

    I know we have talked about this before, but I think it bears repeating.  The phrase grace and peace appears in nearly every New Testament letter.  Paul used it.  John used it.  Here we see Peter using the phrase.  It is always used as a blessing to believers.  It is always used at the beginning of the letter, kind of a launching pad.  It is always used in the same order.

    Grace

    and

    Peace.

    Which reminds us that grace must come first.  Without grace—the completely undeserved blessing we have received from God—how can we ever know peace?  His grace sent his Son to the cross to purchase our peace with his blood.

    Peter goes another step, pointing out that this grace and peace come through “The knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”  God’s grace is not an anonymous gift left on our doorstep.  Jesus stands and holds it out to you; you must come and take it.  You must learn what it cost, and why.

    To appreciate the gift, you must know the giver.

    Spend time with him today, Beloved.  Take hold of the grace and peace he offers you.

    The gift cost him more than you can ever fully know.

    And you are worth it.