What character qualities do you find most attractive in other people?
If you could be better at one thing, what would you want to improve? Keeping
that one thing in mind, how do you think you are going to be able to add
it to your life? What do people often do to "grow" intellectually, spiritually,
or in some similar way? Let's look at the book of 2 Peter chapter one
and see if we can't find God's answers to some of these questions....
We find in verse one that Simon Peter wrote this book. And we also find
to whom it was written:
"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have
obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God
and our Savior Jesus Christ:"
I like how Peter introduces himself to us in this verse. He calls himself
a servant AND an apostle. As an apostle of Jesus Christ, Peter claims
authority to be heard in the name of the Lord. That means we need to listen
to what he is going to say... And as a servant, Peter reveals to us his
attitude of humility toward and his total dependency upon His God. Is
that how you would describe your relationship with the Father today, dear
lady? Are you His humble servant, completely trusting in Him for all things
that pertain to life and godliness? Have you placed your faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ as Savior? Or is there room for improvement... This
is the audience to whom Peter is addressing - "to them that have obtained
like precious faith with us". Christians are those who have been saved
only by the grace of God; it is not obtained by our own initiative or
works, amen? The Christian life begins with faith, and upon this faith
in Christ are we to build and add the proper character qualities to our
lives. When we trust Christ as Savior, HIS righteousness becomes OUR righteousness.
And along with the righteousness that has been given God's children, two
other qualities can be added to our lives as seen in verse 2, which says:
"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God,
and of Jesus our Lord."
The Bible says God's grace and peace are "multiplied" toward us as we
walk with God and trust His promises! Grace is channeled to us through
Christ. We do not deserve it, yet God has given us what we do not deserve
in His great mercy and love for us. And the result of that loving experience
in our lives is peace... Peace with God, and the peace of God. It is a
peace that passes all human understanding, amen? Over and over again this
grace and peace is multiplied unto us throughout our lifetime! Multiplication
is an ongoing process, is it not? How does it keep going?? This grace
and peace is multiplied unto us over and over again "through the knowledge
of God, and Jesus our Lord." That means as Christians, we need to actively
participate in learning the truth! There is great benefit made available
to us through the Word of God.... Therefore, we need to get busy learning
all about the power of God that has been made available to us in order
that we might grow and add to our lives those character qualities that
are pleasing to the Lord....
Verse 3 says, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things
that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that
hath called us to glory and virtue:"
Ladies, it is God's power and God's power alone that allows us to add
godly and right qualities to our lives. There is not some other secret
way, no other method with which we can be equipped to grow. It is only
as the verse says, "through the knowledge of Him". How equipped do you
feel for life and godliness today? Are you resting in God's power or some
other power - your own perhaps??
There is a very close relationship between the knowledge of God and Christ
and our spiritual growth. Hence, we must spend time learning of God's
precious promises, for they are HIS promises to HIS children of HIS power
equipping us to grow and become like HIS Son! This is how we are to become
partakers of such divine nature and escape corruption....
Verse 4 says, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
I hope every one of you today have come to a place in your lives where
you have realized God's promises for what they are - exceeding great and
precious! And they are available to one and all... When you have actively
and faithfully applied God's promises to your life, you will come to understand
just how truly great they are and they will become more precious to you!
They are precious because through them we escape corruption and tap into
the very power of God! Through them we lose interest in the garbage of
this world. Through them we grow in character and add godliness to our
lives, those qualities that we so desire to have when we read and learn
what it is that pleases our Lord. We naturally want to be like Jesus when
we learn of Him... Our growing knowledge of God stirs in our hearts a
hunger for righteousness and more righteousness, that our lives might
have His blessing upon them. When we taste of God's grace and peace, we
want a steady diet of it, for it is truly addicting! We want it multiplied
unto us over and over again, and it is - but only through those exceeding
great and precious promises....
I hope you are resting in them today dear lady, for they are promises
of His performance in us, for us, and through us. Are you persuaded that
God will do what He says? If indeed you are resting in Him today, you've
fully embraced God's exceeding great and precious promises! But if you
are not resting in Him, you are not persuaded of His ability to do what
He promised, and you will divide your grace and peace right down to the
smallest of proportions until it no longer exists! Yes, the Christian
life begins with faith, but that faith must lead to spiritual growth,
and multiplication of grace and peace in our lives, amen?
Romans 4:21, "And being fully persuaded, that what he had promised, he
was able also to perform."
2 Tim. 1:12, "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless
I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that
he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."
Hebrews 11:13, "These all died in faith, not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced
them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
I don't know about you ladies, but if I could be better at one thing,
I would like to improve at resting in the promises of God, amen?
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
