Life and Godliness

"...seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." 2 Peter 1:3

What a comfort to read this verse and realize that we are equipped for every work that God has called us to through a relationship with Jesus Christ. There will never be a day where we do not have exactly what we need to live a godly life! Through Christ, we have the ability to make right choices and glorify Him through our lives, thoughts, relationships, time and actions.

Within this verse, there is a sense of responsibility on behalf of the believer. There is no excuse to choose ungodliness when everything needed to live righteously has been given. How gracious of the Lord to not expect anything of us that He has not already given to us!

In a broken world corrupted by sin, it seems like such a daunting task to pursue holiness and live righteously. And yet, the good news of the Gospel is that through Christ, we have  been granted "everything pertaining to life and godliness" AND we are able to become "partakers of the divine nature" who have "escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."

THANKS be to God! May we choose to live in light of this glorious truth today, allowing a true knowledge of God to enable us to glorify and honor Him. Today may we "walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." Galatians 5:16.

Keep your head up

"Therefore if you have been raised up in Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:1-2, New American Standard Bible).

In a holiday rush, with flash sales, traffic, and other things asking for our attention, it can be easy to take our eyes off the Lord and begin to focus on other things more. In the verse above, we are called to set our hearts and minds on God.

How? One way to remember Him is to thank Him for who He is in the past, present, and future:

• Past - His Son's life that set a great example for us as well as His sacrifice for all mankind, and how we are offered forgiveness (Ephesians 2:1-7). This forgiveness we can receive as a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). 
• Present - His Word and how He can renew believers' minds through the Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Romans 12:1-2). 
• Future - His faithfulness to carry out His holy purposes and promises (Numbers 23:19, Jeremiah 1:12, 2 Peter 1:1-8).

This reminded me of Peter's story, when Jesus asked Him to walk on water. You can read more of his story here. Lecrae refers to Peter's story in his song, "Walking on Water:"

"Let me show you my Supply, yeah you need to know Him

He got me walkin' on the water when the wind's blowin' 

And when the storm's brewin', and when the tide's high

That's when I lean into the truth that I abide by."

God Father, thank You for sending Jesus to free us and for inviting us into a repaired relationship with You. Help us remember and share who You are. Help us keep our focus on You. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo by Mike Specian from http://www.pha.jhu.edu/~mspecian. He has another website, http://www.mikespecian.com/.
You can hear the full song "Walking on Water" on YouTube here.

Press On

"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him" (Colossians 2:6, New American Standard Bible).

There is something about the perseverance of marathon runners. Great perseverance can also be seen in the football player who was tackled, then stands up to continue the game. It can be seen in the sculptor who keeps molding to evoke just the right feeling on their masterpiece. It can be seen in the counselor at a homeless shelter as she continues to have hope for the next person coming along.

Spirit-filled perseverance can be seen as a Christian keeps their trust in God, no matter the circumstance. It is startling for me to hear stories of Christians dying as a martyr in their home country, because they confessed they believe Jesus is the Messiah and Lord over all. It can also be seen when the teenager stands up to obey God, even when their friends disagree, and when the businessperson decides to act honestly in a tough situation. It can be seen in the family that keeps trusting and praising God, in the midst of financial hardship.

With God leading the way in life, we can trust that He will be faithful to guide us. As believers, we can continue to walk in Him, trusting in His lead. We do this out of thankfulness for who He is, instead of out of guilt, because He has redeemed us - we have experienced and witnessed His love, His grace, and His transforming way. Let us cling to that change He is making in us, and let us walk forward with hope and confidence in who He is. Let us be ready to reach out to serve and to witness to others with the same kind of love He has shown us.

Lord, thank You for Your mercy and Your Word. Help us cling to it, and help us get to know You more through it. Guide us in how to follow You with perseverance today. Help us share why we desire to keep our course with You leading the way. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from www.shape.com.