Confirming Our Calling
2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV) 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Do we understand that God has given us everything we need to live a godly life? What is a godly life? Quite simply, a godly life is the way we are expected to live. But how? How can mortal man live such a life? Allow me to share with you something it took me a lifetime to learn—if God calls us, He also enables us.
Peter reminds us of the stepping stones by which we can live as those who have escaped the allure of anything this world has to offer. The foundation is faith—did you know we are each given a measure of faith? (Rom 12:3) To our faith we are to add goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
I have sought after holiness for the better part of my life. Why? Because God says, “I am holy, be thou holy likewise.” I like to remind myself and others that this is not a suggestion, it is an expectation. Have I failed in my endeavors? More times than I can count. Yet, I keep trying to walk on the pathway of holiness. It is a pathway that is sometimes rocky, sometimes full of twists and turns. But there are no dead ends!
May we purpose today to remain on the pathway that leads to holiness, knowing, understanding and believing that we are called and empowered to live in a way that reflects Jesus, only Jesus.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Restore, Confirm, Strengthen And Establish
1 Peter 5:10-14 (ESV) 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
12 By Silvanus (Silas), a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with the kiss of love.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
I Stand Amazed In The Presence
By Charles Gabriel
I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner condemned, unclean.
How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
On this lovely Friday morning I encounter my God with wonder and amazement, and of course the hymn “O How Marvelous” came to my memory. When I read these last few verses in 1 Peter, I am again assured that the salvation I received through Christ is not for an hour, nor for a day, but for all eternity. And, while I am bound to this earth Christ will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish me.
Restore—bring back to previous state. We need to understand restoration is so much greater than refinishing or refurbishing. To be restored is to return us to the relationship with God that He intended before sin separated us.
Confirm—to establish the truth. During one of my sermons on the character of God, I said do you know there is one thing God cannot do? A girl around eight years old spoke up loudly and said, “God can do anything.” I answered, “You’re right! God can do anything but lie.” When we are confirmed in Him, we are in a secure position of knowing He is the God of truth.
Strengthen—to make stronger. Again, this is not for a day or even a season. When we walk with God, we are continually made stronger.
Establish—to achieve permanent acceptance. Not temporary and not temporal, but eternal, praise God!
Peter finishes by offering peace to all who are in Christ, and truly, there is no peace apart from Jesus.
May we begin each day by praising God for all He has done, is doing and will continue to do in our lives.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
God, my Deliverer
Psalms 18:1-3 (ESV) 1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
Although David lived a somewhat tumultuous existence, during periods of peace he turned his full attention to God, praising Him for his deliverance from his enemies. This psalm was thought to have been penned during such a time, and David clearly understands the source of his strength. Sometimes I wonder if our lives could be enhanced and our Christian walk deepened if we followed David’s example of writing out our praises to God.
David identifies God as the source of his strength, his deliverer, his hiding place, and he knows that nothing is impossible with God. I wonder if we as modern day disciples of Christ have learned where to turn both in good times and in bad. Are we as quick to praise God when we are safe and secure as we are to beg for his help during illness or distress?
The single most valuable lesson we can learn is the constancy of God. One of my favorite hymns is “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” It includes the thought that “there is no shadow of turning with thee.” When we grasp hold of the tenet that God is our everything, and regardless of what is happening in our lives right now, He is waiting for us to to enter into a deep and abiding relationship with him, then we will acknowledge Him as our Lord and praise Him as the One who saves.
May we open our eyes to a new awareness of just how big God is, and how He will inundate us with His love if we only let Him.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Clothe Yourself with Humility
1 Peter 5:5-9 All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
1Peter 5:7 is one of the scriptures I memorized early in my Christian walk, because it is good to have something reminding us that we do not have be anxious or fearful. But I am a little bit ashamed that it was a number of years before I realized the importance of verses 5-6.
When I read the words “clothe yourself with humility” I am reminded of a poem I wrote years ago about the heat clinging to me like a grown man’s overcoat. Just as an adult’s coat on a child is heavy and oppressive, humility does not quite fit unless God does the measurements.
None of us is righteous apart from Jesus. Likewise, humility does not seem to be something with which we are born. But being humble before God and our fellow man is necessary if we are to resist the enemy.
May we present ourselves before God daily, asking that He grow humility within us. In doing so, our daily lives will be sweeter and more pleasing to God and more uplifting to our fellow man.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
For Love Covers a Multitude of Sins
1 Peter 4:7-11 (NRSV) 7 The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. 11 Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:7 (MSG) 7-11 Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!
“Love covers a multitude of sins,” or “Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything.”
If I am known for anything, it is for prefacing my sermons with the words “this is one of my favorite scriptures.” I cannot help myself—I love the Word of God. So, 1 Peter 4:8 has to be included as one of my favorite scriptures.
You see, around forty years ago I made the statement, “it’s easy to love God, but hard to love people.” Immediately, 1 John 4:20 came to mind (how can you love God whom you can’t see, and not love people whom you can see,) and the Holy Spirit quickened my Spirit. I asked God to let me see people through His eyes, and He did!
So, I love people. I enjoyed everything about preaching. I loved reading and researching the Scriptures. I loved seeing the words on paper and committing them to memory. And I loved watching the people’s faces as I delivered the message. But what I miss is pastoring the people God placed in my charge. I miss loving them when times are good and loving them when times are bad. I miss praying with them and for them.
If I can teach anyone anything, it is that God is love and there is no limit to His love. The more time I spend with Him, the more time I want to spend with Him. And the more my love grows for Him and for His creation.
May we today and everyday seek out God’s love and let His love shine through us. To God be all of the glory.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 