Happy New Year!

Here is the third of a few messages I am writing on 2 Peter 1:3-9 (click to read) preparing us for our new year’s resolutions.

The previous messages talked about how God gives us everything we need to live the life he desires for us, and he had given us promises that allow us to overcome our temptations and human desires that are in opposition to God’s will for us.

In verses 5-7 Peter writes about the characteristics we should strive for in response. “In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.” NLT

So in the new year we can all set our foundation for specific resolutions on:
Faith – That we are saved, and that God is there to support and encourage us.
Moral Excellence – the RSV Bible uses the word Virtue, some other versions use Goodness. In my words, “striving to do the right thing.”
Knowledge – Proverbs says, the “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge” so put our trust in God’s word before man’s words.
Self Control – All personal achievement begins with self control. When we feel we cannot keep ourselves on the right track, let us remember to ask God for help.
Patient Endurance – Also known as Persistence. Essential for accomplishing our objectives.
Godliness – A demeanor that keeps us focused on God.
Brotherly Affection – The close caring for our Christian family.
Love for Everyone – I like the expression of looking at others with the “eyes of love.” Rather than seeing everyone’s faults. Seeing them as God’s children in need of our support to be what God wants them to be, as well.

How wonderful it would be if we all set our foundation on these attributes.

Dear Lord, as we begin a New Calendar Year, thank you for your guidance, promises, and support. Help us establish our foundation on You so that we may set and achieve goals that glorify You. Give us your peace this year. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Here is the second of a few messages I am writing on 2 Peter 1:3-9 (click to read) preparing us for our new year’s resolutions.

Yesterday I wrote about verse 3 that God has given us all we need to live the life he desires for us.

In Verse 4 Peter writes, “And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”

There are many promises for us in Bible. Here are some that help me live how I think God desires.

Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

John 14:27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Matthew 6:31-34, “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

So as we prepare to make resolutions for the new year we can rely on God’s promises for support in living the life he desires for us.

Dear Lord we thank you for your promises to strengthen us, support us, provide for us, and give us eternal salvation. Help us resolve to rely on your promises to be who you desire us to be. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Here is the first of a few messages that I mentioned yesterday I would be writing based on 2 Peter 1:3-9.

In verse 3 Peter writes, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him”

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we change. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:17, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” We have God’s Spirit living in us helping us, and God is asking us to submit ourselves to his Spirit.

There is always a conflict in us because we are human. A conflict between our human desires and temptations, and the “godly life” God wants for us.

Some of these temptations cannot be overcome on our own. But with God’s help we can overcome. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:13, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” And in Romans 8:26 he writes, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness.”

So to begin our new year, let us first believe God has given us everything we need to live the life he desires, and ask him for help in living it that way.

Dear Lord, thank you for giving us your Spirit to guide, teach and support us. Remind us to rely on your power to help us live the life you desire for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

As we approach a new calendar year, a time many people establish resolutions and goals for self improvement, I thought this passage from 2 Peter 1:3-9 would be a great place to inspire a mindset of incorporating our faith in our resolutions.

Over the next few days, I am going to write a series of messages based on this passage which says;

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.” NLT
Dear Lord, thank you for giving us everything we need to live the godly life you desire for us. Help us rely on your support as we strive to do your will. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

I sometimes wonder why some of these atheist organizations are so opposed to Christianity. They successfully pushed prayer and teaching of creation out of Public schools, they are trying to remove crosses from memorial sites, and even trying to have all the gravestones at Arlington cemetary changed from crosses to something else.

Jesus predicted this when he was living. In Matthew 24:9 Jesus says, “You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.”

In other parts of the world, the stakes are even higher as we have read about the killing of people because they are Christian, and the destruction of Christian historic sites and artifacts.

Jesus tells us not to fear however, In Matthew 10:26, “But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you.” and verses 28-31, “Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

And in Matthew 10:32-33, Jesus tells us to stand up and acknowledge Christ saying, “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”

We need to have courage and stand up for our Christian faith, resist the push to eliminate Christianity from our culture, and vote for people who support Christian values.

Dear Lord, We have had such a wonderful history in America as a country where most people supported and defended Christian values. Help us keep that tradition alive, and give us the courage to stand up against those who would try to silence your good news. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.