April 20-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
2 Peter 1:1-2, Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: 2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Observe what it is saying.
Simon Peter writes a second letter where he identifies himself as a servant and apostle. He acknowledges whatever our title or position may be in the church, we are all servants of Jesus. In fact, there is no higher calling in the world than to serve our Lord Jesus. He writes to all who have received the precious faith found in the righteousness of Jesus. He clearly identifies Jesus as both God and Savior. There is no question in Peter’s theology that Jesus is fully divine. As one of three persons in the Godhead, He alone could save us. Only a perfect righteous Being could pay the cost for our sins. No sinner could atone for the guilt of another sinner. This is what makes our faith so precious. It was a sacrificial gift of love offered to us from God Himself, through His Son. This demonstrates how highly valued each of us are as His creation. God took the initiative to redeem us before we ever knew anything was wrong. The heavenly update was always available for download as soon as we realized our need for it. In his greeting, Peter prays that grace and peace would be theirs in abundance. However, it is not any grace or peace but only that which comes from a personal saving knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. What a beautiful prayer to offer others that they will overflow with God’s grace and peace!
Relate it to your life.
Do I consider my faith as precious? Do I fully understand the depth of love that is behind such a gift?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of salvation that You alone provided for me. I pray for myself and others that we will fully embrace the grace and peace that come in knowing You. Amen.
April 21-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
2 Peter 1:3-4, 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.
Observe what it is saying.
His divine power relates back to the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. We have one God who fully displays Himself in three persons. It is a remarkable statement that this eternal power gives us all we need to live a godly life. We do not have to manufacture godliness on our own. It comes through knowing the Lord in a close and personal way. He is the One who called us through His own glory and goodness. Imagine that the Lord of the universe, of all creation, as vast and grand as it is, knows us and calls us to know Him! If we ever think lowly of ourselves, we need to return to this passage and read it again to be reminded how valuable and loved we are by God. It is through this same glory and goodness He has given us the precious promises of Scripture which give us guidance and counsel to spiritually participate in God’s holy nature. We are welcomed into that Most Holy space to enjoy the deepest and richest fellowship we can ever imagine with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We realize how special this is as we leave the corrupting sin behind that was fueled from our old unredeemed desires.
Relate it to your life.
Through Jesus, God has welcomed me into the rich fellowship of the Trinity.
Do something.
Jesus, I want to leave this world behind so I can fully enter and enjoy Your Most Holy place. Amen.
April 22-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
2 Peter 1:5, For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness…
Observe what it is saying.
Because we participate in the rich fellowship of the divine nature as the redeemed people of God, then addition of Christlikeness is a vision of who we are to become. It makes sense if we have trusted in Christ for our salvation that we have been given the Holy Spirit to work deep within to transform us into the very likeness of Christ. Our faith is the beginning point of this whole transformation process. We must believe the precious promises of the gospel found in Scripture for the new life to come to us. So, Peter says, “make every effort” which literally means to do your best with hurry, haste, earnestness, diligence, and zeal to add these holy qualities to your life. This original wording reveals we must have an urgency in doing so. We cannot be casual about our relationship with the Lord. Our apprenticeship is not an elective course. Growth is a necessity. If we are not growing, we are losing ground. We must be intentional in participating with the Holy Spirit in our discipleship so that we can escape the corruption of this world and live into the hope and promise of new life.
Relate it to your life.
In my Christian life, I should expect to be progressing by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I cannot make growth happen on my own. I need Your Spirit to empower and equip me with the new life into which I have been redeemed. Amen.
April 23-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 5:5-7, …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.
Observe what it is saying.
If we are a growing follower of Christ, we will find ourselves increasing in these Christian virtues. It begins with faith. Faith is the absolute certainty that we can rely upon God’s gift of salvation found in Jesus Christ to give us eternal life. Goodness is the Greek word that can mean excellence or courageous. This multi-faceted word reveals the transformation that comes in our redemption. Knowledge is the practical application of wisdom which enables a person to make good decisions in the daily circumstances of life. Self-control keeps our passions and desires at bay so that we are in control of them, not they us. Perseverance refuses to give up, but trusts God is working good in the midst of all that happens to us. Godliness or piety recognizes our love for God leads to our love for one another. Mutual affection is the Greek word philadelphia. It literally means love of brothers and is a friendship kind of affection for those you know and care for. Lastly, Agape love is the self-surrendering love Christ perfectly displayed at the cross. It is this same kind of self-surrendering love we are to have for God, each other, and all people, including our enemies. Here's a mini self-examination to determine if we are growing based on this Scripture: Faith--Do I trust in Christ alone for my salvation? Goodness—How am I becoming more like Jesus? Knowledge—Am I making wiser decisions? Self-control—How often does my personal sin (like pride, lust or greed) rear its head? Perseverance—Do I trust the Lord in affliction? 5. Love (last 3 qualities together)—Would those closest to me describe me as becoming more loving?
Relate it to your life.
These qualities will be added as I surrender and fully open myself to the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Do something
Lord Jesus, help me to grow up and into all of these qualities that You perfectly exhibited. Amen.
April 24-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
2 Peter 1:8-9, 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.
Observe what it is saying.
So far this week, we have been given the What- participating in the divine nature. As redeemed followers of Jesus, we are invited to enter directly into the rich beautiful fellowship that exists among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We were given the How- adding to our faith many Christlike qualities through the empowerment and equipping of the Holy Spirit. Today, we discover the Why- our growth keeps us from being unfruitful in knowing our Lord Jesus Christ. As we find these qualities becoming more prominent in our lives, then we know that our faith is real and we are making good progress. We will see results in our daily life, witness, and service as we faithfully follow Jesus. Such growth will encourage us along our journey. It will not be perfect. There will be difficult days and disappointments when we do not live up to the growth we have made, but we can still have the assurance of our salvation knowing that the Holy Spirit is still at work, and we are still progressing. However, if we do not find these qualities increasing in our lives over a period of time, then we have been blinded by darkness, and we will forget whose we are and that have been set free from our sin. We will not have the encouragement that the assurance of faith brings. Without exception, authentic faith leads to authentic growth and transformation over time.
Relate it to your life.
I need to prayerfully consider how my life is progressing by the fruit it is producing within me.
Do something.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.
April 25-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
2 Peter 1:10-11, 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.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter summarizes what he has taught us this week. The reason we add to our faith the many qualities of Christ is that we are making every effort in the power of the Holy Spirit to confirm what we have been given in our redemption. We have been called and elected to participate in the glorious kingdom of God. God has chosen us to be included in His family. God wants us to be confident that we belong to Him. So, if we are growing Christians then we will not stumble. That does not mean we will never sin, but we will not fall away from our faith if we are making daily progress in our journey with Jesus. Ultimately, and best of all, we will be warmly welcomed into the eternal kingdom that our Lord and Savior Jesus has brought to us. The entry begins now and lasts for all eternity. This speaks of the eternal values of heaven being increasingly produced in our lives, and, also, tells of the eternal span of time that will never end. We will enjoy being present with Jesus forever and ever. As someone said, “If we do not enjoy spending time with Jesus now, what makes us think we will want to spend all eternity with Him?”
Relate it to your life.
I acknowledge that I absolutely enjoy living in the eternal kingdom of Jesus today and look forward to dwelling in its beauty and power forever.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I want to spend my every moment with You. Prompt me to remember You are here. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
2 Peter 1:1-2, Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: 2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Observe what it is saying.
Simon Peter writes a second letter where he identifies himself as a servant and apostle. He acknowledges whatever our title or position may be in the church, we are all servants of Jesus. In fact, there is no higher calling in the world than to serve our Lord Jesus. He writes to all who have received the precious faith found in the righteousness of Jesus. He clearly identifies Jesus as both God and Savior. There is no question in Peter’s theology that Jesus is fully divine. As one of three persons in the Godhead, He alone could save us. Only a perfect righteous Being could pay the cost for our sins. No sinner could atone for the guilt of another sinner. This is what makes our faith so precious. It was a sacrificial gift of love offered to us from God Himself, through His Son. This demonstrates how highly valued each of us are as His creation. God took the initiative to redeem us before we ever knew anything was wrong. The heavenly update was always available for download as soon as we realized our need for it. In his greeting, Peter prays that grace and peace would be theirs in abundance. However, it is not any grace or peace but only that which comes from a personal saving knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. What a beautiful prayer to offer others that they will overflow with God’s grace and peace!
Relate it to your life.
Do I consider my faith as precious? Do I fully understand the depth of love that is behind such a gift?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of salvation that You alone provided for me. I pray for myself and others that we will fully embrace the grace and peace that come in knowing You. Amen.
April 21-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
2 Peter 1:3-4, 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.
Observe what it is saying.
His divine power relates back to the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. We have one God who fully displays Himself in three persons. It is a remarkable statement that this eternal power gives us all we need to live a godly life. We do not have to manufacture godliness on our own. It comes through knowing the Lord in a close and personal way. He is the One who called us through His own glory and goodness. Imagine that the Lord of the universe, of all creation, as vast and grand as it is, knows us and calls us to know Him! If we ever think lowly of ourselves, we need to return to this passage and read it again to be reminded how valuable and loved we are by God. It is through this same glory and goodness He has given us the precious promises of Scripture which give us guidance and counsel to spiritually participate in God’s holy nature. We are welcomed into that Most Holy space to enjoy the deepest and richest fellowship we can ever imagine with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We realize how special this is as we leave the corrupting sin behind that was fueled from our old unredeemed desires.
Relate it to your life.
Through Jesus, God has welcomed me into the rich fellowship of the Trinity.
Do something.
Jesus, I want to leave this world behind so I can fully enter and enjoy Your Most Holy place. Amen.
April 22-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
2 Peter 1:5, For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness…
Observe what it is saying.
Because we participate in the rich fellowship of the divine nature as the redeemed people of God, then addition of Christlikeness is a vision of who we are to become. It makes sense if we have trusted in Christ for our salvation that we have been given the Holy Spirit to work deep within to transform us into the very likeness of Christ. Our faith is the beginning point of this whole transformation process. We must believe the precious promises of the gospel found in Scripture for the new life to come to us. So, Peter says, “make every effort” which literally means to do your best with hurry, haste, earnestness, diligence, and zeal to add these holy qualities to your life. This original wording reveals we must have an urgency in doing so. We cannot be casual about our relationship with the Lord. Our apprenticeship is not an elective course. Growth is a necessity. If we are not growing, we are losing ground. We must be intentional in participating with the Holy Spirit in our discipleship so that we can escape the corruption of this world and live into the hope and promise of new life.
Relate it to your life.
In my Christian life, I should expect to be progressing by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I cannot make growth happen on my own. I need Your Spirit to empower and equip me with the new life into which I have been redeemed. Amen.
April 23-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
1 Peter 5:5-7, …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.
Observe what it is saying.
If we are a growing follower of Christ, we will find ourselves increasing in these Christian virtues. It begins with faith. Faith is the absolute certainty that we can rely upon God’s gift of salvation found in Jesus Christ to give us eternal life. Goodness is the Greek word that can mean excellence or courageous. This multi-faceted word reveals the transformation that comes in our redemption. Knowledge is the practical application of wisdom which enables a person to make good decisions in the daily circumstances of life. Self-control keeps our passions and desires at bay so that we are in control of them, not they us. Perseverance refuses to give up, but trusts God is working good in the midst of all that happens to us. Godliness or piety recognizes our love for God leads to our love for one another. Mutual affection is the Greek word philadelphia. It literally means love of brothers and is a friendship kind of affection for those you know and care for. Lastly, Agape love is the self-surrendering love Christ perfectly displayed at the cross. It is this same kind of self-surrendering love we are to have for God, each other, and all people, including our enemies. Here's a mini self-examination to determine if we are growing based on this Scripture: Faith--Do I trust in Christ alone for my salvation? Goodness—How am I becoming more like Jesus? Knowledge—Am I making wiser decisions? Self-control—How often does my personal sin (like pride, lust or greed) rear its head? Perseverance—Do I trust the Lord in affliction? 5. Love (last 3 qualities together)—Would those closest to me describe me as becoming more loving?
Relate it to your life.
These qualities will be added as I surrender and fully open myself to the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Do something
Lord Jesus, help me to grow up and into all of these qualities that You perfectly exhibited. Amen.
April 24-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
2 Peter 1:8-9, 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.
Observe what it is saying.
So far this week, we have been given the What- participating in the divine nature. As redeemed followers of Jesus, we are invited to enter directly into the rich beautiful fellowship that exists among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We were given the How- adding to our faith many Christlike qualities through the empowerment and equipping of the Holy Spirit. Today, we discover the Why- our growth keeps us from being unfruitful in knowing our Lord Jesus Christ. As we find these qualities becoming more prominent in our lives, then we know that our faith is real and we are making good progress. We will see results in our daily life, witness, and service as we faithfully follow Jesus. Such growth will encourage us along our journey. It will not be perfect. There will be difficult days and disappointments when we do not live up to the growth we have made, but we can still have the assurance of our salvation knowing that the Holy Spirit is still at work, and we are still progressing. However, if we do not find these qualities increasing in our lives over a period of time, then we have been blinded by darkness, and we will forget whose we are and that have been set free from our sin. We will not have the encouragement that the assurance of faith brings. Without exception, authentic faith leads to authentic growth and transformation over time.
Relate it to your life.
I need to prayerfully consider how my life is progressing by the fruit it is producing within me.
Do something.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.
April 25-Stand Fast
Write out the Scripture.
2 Peter 1:10-11, 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.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter summarizes what he has taught us this week. The reason we add to our faith the many qualities of Christ is that we are making every effort in the power of the Holy Spirit to confirm what we have been given in our redemption. We have been called and elected to participate in the glorious kingdom of God. God has chosen us to be included in His family. God wants us to be confident that we belong to Him. So, if we are growing Christians then we will not stumble. That does not mean we will never sin, but we will not fall away from our faith if we are making daily progress in our journey with Jesus. Ultimately, and best of all, we will be warmly welcomed into the eternal kingdom that our Lord and Savior Jesus has brought to us. The entry begins now and lasts for all eternity. This speaks of the eternal values of heaven being increasingly produced in our lives, and, also, tells of the eternal span of time that will never end. We will enjoy being present with Jesus forever and ever. As someone said, “If we do not enjoy spending time with Jesus now, what makes us think we will want to spend all eternity with Him?”
Relate it to your life.
I acknowledge that I absolutely enjoy living in the eternal kingdom of Jesus today and look forward to dwelling in its beauty and power forever.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I want to spend my every moment with You. Prompt me to remember You are here. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals