"By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life."
1 Peter 1:3
1 Peter 1:3
The word everything stopped me. God did not give some things, a few things, or even leave us to our own means of living a godly life. We don't have to strive and work to live a godly life. He has provided everything that is needed. For fun I wanted to see how Peter defined everything.
Everything means each, every, any, all, the whole, everything, all things. We come to know Him (v3-We've been doing this everyday for almost a year.) then through His divine power He gives us all things that we need for life. What kind of life is Peter talking about?
Peter is talking about a good life or in the spirit of Christmas a "wonderful life." There is life physical: the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate, every living soul. Then there is life spiritual: of the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God (my personal favorite), blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ. (Click over to read the complete definition: life)
Wow, what a life! All this belongs to those who come to know God. What an incentive to get to know Him.
Here's a cool nugget: the Greek word for life in 2 Peter 1:3 is also used in one of my most favorite verses in all scripture.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
8 Comments:
Thank you Wendy for you post and for the definition of life. I love how full the definition is as is the life promised through faith!
I dwelt on the verses about Gods timing, His patience and how he wants everyone to repent and be saved.
14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.
15 And remember, the Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved.
I have a persistent prayer for my daughter in this regard. Sometimes I despair and then I read promises like this in His word and I am reassured and renewed. I know others have shared their prayers for family members on this blog. I pray these words for you (verse 15). I hope they give you renewed hope and peace.
Have a blessed day!
Karen, Basel
Good Morning,
What a great post today Wendy! The reading in 1 and 2 Peter has been really good to me and over and over I have noticed the last week or so how much we do have being in Christ. What a true blessing it is to have Him in our lives and in our hearts. To truly live. That does not mean an easy life or one without hardship or suffering, but one that reveals God's glory.
Karen, I will join you in praying for your daughter and I marked those verses too. They are ones I have been praying for John for a long time. God will save and they will come to know Him. My husband had lunch with our associate Pastor on Monday. Things are happening here and I can see God working right before my eyes! It is the neatest thing to be a witness to Him moving and working in his life.
One other verse that popped out to me this morning was 2 Peter 2:19, "...For you are a slave to whatever controls you." I want my life to be controlled by God not anything else. Another verse I thought of when I read this was one from our reading the other day that said, "Your strength comes from God's grace, not from rules about food, which don't help those who follow them" (Hebrews 13:9b). I wrote this out on an index card and put it over my stove. I tell you ladies, this diet is making me miserable. It is controlling me because it is all I think about, it controls everything I do, it is the focus of conversation at every family gathering because I am having to plan to either take my own food or prepare something different to make sure I have something to eat. I know I have to do this to get well, but it has taken over everything. I guess I am just weary. This verse spoke to me because it said I can do it with God's grace, not by following all these rules. He can be my master, not all the things I can't have and want, all the things that are being served at all my family dinners, etc.
Hope you all have a great day! I have a W-I-L-D 5 year old little boy at my house :) He is so excited he is beside himself! The next few days are going to be a Christmas to never forget, he seems to be at the perfect age to really enjoy and take everything in.
Love,
Brandee, TN
Wendy, Karen and Brandee, I am identifying with what each of you wrote here this morning. The Lord has given us ALL we need. In my longing for Christ to return, I am so thankful for the time He is giving others to come to repentance. Karen, I especially think of my nephew. I saw his life described in so many of the other passages in our reading today. He is one who is sadly currently "delighting in deception" (2 Peter 2:13) How my prayers also continue for the lost. Brandee, that verse in 2 Peter 2 also stopped me in my tracks as I know I am often a "slave" to fear.
Two words took my attention, and Wendy you mentioned them in your post. "...know him..." 2 Peter 1:3
I’ve been on an intentional, concentrated journey to “know Him” through His Word, since January 1st of this year. There is such a vast difference between knowing about God and actually knowing God. One is head, the other is heart. Our lives change when the knowledge of God’s Word is received with understanding and personalized and applied.
I had a friend encourage me years ago to stop attending Christian conferences, stop reading Christian literature and start living. Although her directive may seem a bit harsh, I was well aware of the point she was trying to make. It is tragic, that as believers, we can sometimes have so much spiritual education with so little true understanding. So much learning and so little life.
There’s an old hymn that I just love. The chorus says, “Jesus I am resting in the joy of what Thou art, I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.”
Have I been finding out that greatness this year? Do I know Him better today, than yesterday? Not because I’ve read more, but because I’ve experienced more.
I want to share a poem with you today that I wrote back in February of 2005. I’m sure all of you reading this are familiar with the childhood chorus, “Jesus Loves Me”. That song is profound. As children probably many of us learned that song quickly and sang it easily, but has the message truly penetrated your life? Do you really know Him and have you personally experienced His love for you?
Jesus loves me this I know
For the Bible tells me so
How often I have sung those words
My mind believes, my hearts not heard
I long to feel His warm embrace
Or look into His precious face
To see His smile, sense His touch
And yet I feel I ask too much
So many times I've claimed this truth
For others, and I've seen it proved
But for myself I can't believe
And in my heart His love receive
For who am I to ask for this
Awaken with the Kings own kiss
A love that's found in fairytales
But on the cross became the nails
Oh, can't I see He died for me
For me He came to set me free
He calls me now to be His bride
Oh why still do I run and hide
Ashamed of how my life has been
The secrets only He has seen
The darkest places of my heart
He really wants to love that part?
My child, I love you as you are
You never can wander out so far
That My love does not woo you still
It is your heart I long to fill
With all of Me, My hopes and dreams
I have plans for you you've never seen
Stop trying now to understand
Just reach out and take My hand
With trembling soul I looked at Him
And suddenly all else grew dim
How could I doubt the love I saw
That beckoned me closer to draw
Oh Lord, I said, You've waited long
For me to know, accept this song
You love me, yes, You really do
And Father, Savior, I love You.
Praying we will all know Him and His love for us today,
Joy
Thank you dear Wendy~What a life we have through Christ! What favor God has shown to us! Not only does He interrupt us throughout our day, but He has shared His divine power with us-we have everything we need to live a godly life. Everything.
There were so many stops to take this morning as I read, oh, is precious Word. So full. So rich. So much to take in. So much to ponder over.
The ending was full of wisdom to me: We don't want to lose our, "secure footing," but "Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen,"
( 2 Peter 3:17-18).
Today, I want to know the LORD more that I "may know thee, the only true God,and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." John 17:3, and to "know You," Phil. 3:10-Paul's desire and my own heart's desire too. Daily we are transformed by the Holy Spirit in us; this reflection of Him in us comes out for those around to see. The more we read His Word, the more we live it out and naturally we're living His Will for us. Christ in us. Christ coming out. If we are to be able to live a godly life we must allow the Holy Spirit to guide us. "The Spirit of Truth...will guide you into all the Truth, (John 16:13).
Enjoy ---Christmas, Eve-Eve...
May each of you today be filled with His joy, peace, and love, filled to the brim! Lori - AZ
Good morning, ladies! Why is it that I started my vacation on Monday yet I was not able to post yesterday? So today when I was awakened at 5 am, I decided to get up and read instead of hibernating till 10 am (shame).
Great insight each of you. Joy, thanks for sharing your heartfelt poem. That says it all, doesn't it?
I like the verses you all chose as I marked them as well. In addition 2 Peter 1:5 also caught my attention to make every effort to respond to God's promises. How many of God's promises are left unclaimed because we fail to ask? We are given everything we need to live a godly life. Why don't we? We find out the promises of God by being in His word daily. Now this is not a "say it and claim it" deal. Peter tells us in the following verses that in addition to our faith, there should be discernment, knowledge, SELF-CONTROL (all caps for me because there are freshly baked cookies in my kitchen that I'm trying hard to ignore), patient endurance, godliness and love.
Have a blessed day, dear sisters.
Oh, I just had to pop back in, to make sure you all did not miss one particular verse! :) Let this sink in---it truly will give you joy all day long!!!
"God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," (2 Peter 1:11). Talk about Holy goosebumps! A grand entrance...What hope we have.
Love, Lori - AZ
I so love (growing) in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2Peter 3:18) with all of you.
As we are wished in the familiar carol ~ may your day be merry & bright! ~ and may the confident hope, joy and love of the season surround you and fill you to overflowing.
Love to all & blessings this day,
Liz
AK
Hi. I am looking forward to the new year and starting with the One Year Chronological Bible. Does anyone know if you will be following this on commenting daily again next year? Thanks...and God Bless you in this new year. DawnMarie
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