Feb 25th: Cure for the nearsighted and the blind 2 Peter 1:5-9

Well, I must admit, the time has finally come for me to venture into the land of "bifocals". While I have prayed for my eyes regularly, I must yield to science and God's provision via corrective lenses...I am at the point where I can't read my own blog. What a drag! I will still keep seeking the Lord to heal my eyes though.

Have you ever stopped to think how people functioned years ago before the eyeglass was invented? (...thanks Benjamin Franklin). They must have needed to depend on each other much more for everyday things. We so take our eyesight (corrected eyesight) for granted these days.

While our Lord brought eyesight to the blind (physically), He also cured (cures) a lot of our blindness. While I need to take the effort to go to the eye doctor and get an examination, and have lenses made and fitted to the frames...the Apostle Peter says I must also make every effort to add to my faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self control; and to self control, perseverence; and to perseverence, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

Faith-->Goodness-->Knowledge-->Self-Control-->Perseverence-->Godliness-->Brotherly Kindness-->Love

If we do not have these, we have forgotten that we have been cleansed from our past sins...we are nearsighted and blind.

When we finally get corrective lenses we feel like a whole new world opens up to us, the edges of objects seem sharper, our depth perception improves, we see things we haven't seen before...well, when we add to (and walk in) the qualities of Jesus our Lord in increasing measure we again gain our Godly sight...we can see through God's eyes, we can pierce the darkness with our daily obedience.

If we are to WAJD, we need to add to our faith...
Let's start right now!

Feb 19th: Escaping the corruption in the world 2 Peter 1:3-4

As we continue our study of 1st & 2nd Peter we reflect on God's divine power.
During the "horse and buggy" days, a carriage was pulled by one horse and therefore was deemed a one horsepower carriage. Then the steam engine was developed and eventually the gasoline powered vehicle. Today the pony (motorcycle) is driven by a 100 horsepower engine. Can you imagine pulling a wagon with one hundred horses at once? Wow! That's power.

Well, how do we compare this to God's divine power??

How can we define God's power?? How would you tell someone about God's power??

You would probably talk about the creation of the world, or the human eye, or the beauty of the rose, or the color of a butterfly, toucan, or tiger, or maybe the roar of the ocean, or the landscape of the Rockies. As you move more into the spiritual realm you may talk about forgiveness over sin, God's grace, redemption, salvation....

Would you ever mention that you can now participate in the "Divine Nature of God"?

Yes, the Divine Nature of God!! Wow,Wow!

"His 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. Through these he has given us his very precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

What is God's divine nature? Love, Mercy, Grace, Hope, Justice, Provision...

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself."

If there is something that we think we are lacking in God we need but ask because He has given us everything we need. We just need to know it!!

This divine power will also allow us to escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Do you (I) have evil desires? Really, what are your (my) desires? Do you (I) pursue these in public or private? Is promotion an evil desire? How about pride? What about jealousy, self-righteousness, coveting?

Ask, "Lord, do I have any evil desires in my heart? Please show me these in prayer, through Your Word, via my Pastor, in circumstances, by Your Spirit."

Do you believe this Word of God? If we are to WAJD, then we must "desire" these things: to believe in God's divine power, His precious promises, His divine nature.

Feb 4th -- Where Does Our Faith/Grace/Peace Come From?? 2Peter 1:1-2

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ gives us the answer to this question. And it is very simple...

Through righteousness and knowledge! (Of our God and Savior(Lord) Jesus Christ!

Let's read - "To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord."

Who provides (provided) the righteousness?
Where does our knowledge come from?

You see, it is all His! Through God, our Savior, and the Holy Spirit comes righteousness and knowldege. He called us, showed us Himself, allows us to know Him more and more, and gives us a precious faith. Is there a better faith?

We need to have faith in many things as we live out our lives:

Faith that the food we eat for breakfast is pure, safe, and has been harvested/processed/packaged with our health in mind; Faith that the water we drink is pure enough to keep us from illness; Faith that our electricity will stay on all through the night so our alarm will function at the start of our day; Faith that the starter will turn our engine when we turn the key; Faith that our employer will actually pay us for our hard work at the end of the pay period; Faith that the "other" car will stop at the intersection red light; Faith that our children will be taught properly at school in preparation for their future: Faith that the pill we took for our headache was designed and manufactured with the proper chemicals and packaged in the proper container; Faith that the bank will keep our money on deposit...one thing we don't need faith for is that God will remain "faithfull", why?? Because He cannot lie.

God doesn't "just get us by", He desires for us to have abundance...Grace and Peace in abundance. How? Through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. The more we know Him, the more grace and peace we have.

On this earth, Jesus knew His Father and therefore walked in confidence. If we are to WAJD then we must use our precious faith and listen to the Holy Spirit as we read God's Word to know Him better. As we learn of Him, our grace and peace grow abundantly.

Well, let's all grow in our knowledge together...