In Prison or Abundance God is God

Praise our God, all peoples,
   let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives
   and kept our feet from slipping.
For you, God, tested us;
   you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison
   and laid burdens on our backs.
You let people ride over our heads;
   we went through fire and water,
   but you brought us to a place of abundance.
Psalms 66:8-12 (NIV)

Thank you, Father, that even though our trials have been harsh and difficult you have been faithful to bring us through. Help us to remember that even though our own sins sting us, you still are faithful to provide a way out to freedom in Christ. Praise be to you that in the end you will bring us to a place of abundance and work all things for our good. Praise be to you in us today!

I Almost Waited Long Enough

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)

All I can think of is the story of Saul in I Samuel 13. Saul waited seven days in the face of the enemy and the army of Israel looking to him to lead them. He was waiting for Samuel the priest. He panicked and offered the offerings himself. Just as he got done, Samuel arrives.  Samuel tells him he acted foolishly by not keeping the command God gave him. 

What hits me, is the question of how many times I have been impatient and not persevered and tried to take things into my own hands? 

I don't want to condemn myself or anyone else because I know that God is forgiving, merciful and gracious. He is faithful and just to forgive us from all unrighteousness. I do want to remind us to patiently endure in our present circumstances. Whether that be a situation at work or at home, God, who began a good work in you, is faithful to complete that work. 

Father, help us to remember, even when confronted with unbearable pressure, to wait on you, to persevere. Praise be to you in us today!

Don't Be Crazy

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)

When I was in college I played goalie for the soccer team. It was a small school and we played in a league that had several semi-pro type players. One game against a team that called themselves the Pars got pretty physical and the ref warned everyone (mostly this one guy from the other team) that he would call the game if it got out of hand. 

Shortly into the second half the ref awarded the Pars a free kick. The player from the other team who was player just shy of dirty, thought it should have been a penalty kick. While he was complaining we blocked their attempt and went down and scored. Crazy guy "attempted" to block a pass from our best player and kicked him full force in the shin. The ref blew the whistle and called the game. 

Crazy out of control guy was just getting warmed up. He was yelling at the ref and his entire team was trying to restrain him from attacking the ref. He broke free, ran directly at the ref, jumped in the air and kicked the ref square in the chest. Crazy out of control guy and his team were kicked out of the league. 

Proverbs 25:28 warns, "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control." If you don't have self-control, you have no defense. While crazy guy was busy complaining about the call, we scored. Sometimes we do that too, don't we. Something happens and we start complaining (maybe just to ourselves) but, we get distracted from the battle at hand, our defenses are down like broken walls, and the enemy can walk right in. 

Self-control is knowing that God is Sovereign and acting like it even when we don't see exactly see or discern what God is doing. 

Father, help us to by faith be self-controlled. Praise be to you in us today!

MORE THAN KNOWING ABOUT

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)

I am a teacher so knowledge is pretty important in my world. Every day I am trying to help students learn a concept or master a skill to increase their knowledge. But knowledge without God is just vanity. 

Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Again in Proverbs 9:10 we are told, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Peter isn't talking about general knowledge, he is talking about knowing God. 

Peter was Jewish. The Hebrew concept of knowledge has to do with experiential knowledge. The NIV translates Genesis 4:1 "Adam lay with his wife Eve". The KJV reads "And Adam knew Eve his wife". The word is to know. The point is the Adam knowledge of Eve was not just in thought but in intimate experience.  Our knowledge of God is to be experiential. 

When Peter encourages us to add knowledge to our goodness and faith he's not talking about taking a lot of notes during church and reading books. Peter is talking about knowing God like you know your spouse of best friend. 

Father, help us to know you, to know you experientially. Open our eyes to see you in our lives. Praise be to you in us today! 

DO YOU MANAGE YOUR SIN?

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)

I must admit that I have been struggling with these verses. Mainly because I have been wrestling with my understanding of sin management in my own life. You see, if I view these verses as a pathway to manage my sin I will fall into the sanctification/holiness by works trap. But, if I look at them as a pathway to participation in the divine nature then it's more about accepting the holiness God has given me in Christ (see I Corinthians 1:30). 

When Peter says to add to my faith goodness he is not telling me to remember to be good enough. He is just reminding me of the direction I need to point myself. Somehow an ungodly saying got into my head last week. Finally, yesterday I thought to think of a godly saying. So, I started saying to myself, "The holier, the happier". I know it's hokey. I wasn't trying to be a theologian. I was just trying to win the battle for my mind. I was trying to have a good thought, a virtuous thought aim my thinking, not an ungodly one. You know, it has helped me to redirect my thinking. Just a little effort to add goodness to my faith. 

Father, help us to add goodness to our faith. Thank you that you are our holiness (I Corinthians 1:30)! Praise be to you in us today!

WHICH SIDE OF PRAISE ARE YOU ON?

Which side of this Song of Praise are you on? 

Songs of Praise 

In that day you will say: 
      “I will praise you, Lord.
   Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
   and you have comforted me.
Surely God is my salvation;
   I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
   he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water 
   from the wells of salvation. 
In that day you will say: 
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
   make known among the nations what he has done,
   and proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;
   let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
   for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
Isaiah 12:1-6 (NIV)

I think I have found myself on both sides of these verses. There have been times where God has worked and I am filled with relief, joy and thankfulness. And there are times when I am looking for salvation, for "glorious things" to be done in my life. I think I am looking for some more glorious things to be done in my life, but, I look back to what he has done to give me hope and faith to seek him at this time.

What side of praise are you on today?

DID YOU EARN THAT PROMISE?

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 

II Peter 1:4

I think what is amazing is that the promises of God are given, not earned. The opportunity to participate in the divine nature is a gift of grace not a state of being to be reached by some effort on our part. 

His promise is that he has given me everything I need for life and godliness. His glory and goodness in me is his promise. 

When I don't feel righteous I remember I Corinthians 1:30, "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." 

When I don't feel like God is working in my life I remember Philippians 1:6, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." 

When I sin I remember I John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (Emphasis mine)

What is a promise that helps you remember? 

Father, help us to remember your promises and participate in the divine nature. Praise be to you in us today!