Author: David Short

FAITH MUST BE ADDED TO

2 Peter 1:5-7

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

Personal Challenge

Being a follower of Christ is not comprised of just a statement of faith. Our actions must be changing us into the image of Jesus. Peter provides a progression of this change in our lives. We must add to our faith in Jesus, virtue. Virtue refers to the vigor and courage to attain more excellence. To virtue we add knowledge. This is not worldly knowledge but an understanding of who Jesus is by following His teachings. To this knowledge we add self-control, then penseverence, then godliness, then brotherly kindness, then love,. Our end goal as a follower of Christ is to be love to everyone that we come into contact with. Glory be to God!

ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH

Jeremiah 33:6-9 (40:6-9 LXX)

‘Behold, I bring her health and healing for her wounds, and I will show them how to obey. Yes, I will heal this city and bring about peace and faithfulness. I shall return the captives of Judah and Israel and will restore them, even as before. I will cleanse them from all their wrongdoings by which they sinned against Me. I will not remember their sins by which they sinned against Me and withdrew from Me. This shall be for the gladness, praise, and majesty of all the people of the earth, who shall hear all the good things I will do. They shall fear and be provoked concerning all the good things and the peace I shall bring upon them.’

Personal Challenge

God separated out a group of people from all the rest of the inhabitants of the earth and entered into a covenant with them. If they would worship Him as the only true God, love their neighbor, and be a light to everyone else showing God’s love for them, then He would take care of them and give them peace and health. They failed over and over again, and yet God continued to love and protect them. He Then sent His son to establish a new covenant. Follow His Son, love Him, love our neighbor, and be a light to those around us to bring them into His loving arms. We are failing at this again. Lord have mercy! Lord have mercy? Lord, have mercy!

GIVEN TO US

2 Peter 1:2-4

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Encouraging Words

Why do you follow Jesus? That is a question that I have heard
more than once. It is often hard to answer in a simple way when you have been following Him for almost 7 decades. What I say say is that the rewards for being His follower are too many to count. This passage gives just a few of them. His grace and peace are multiplied in His followers’ lives. His divine power is given to us in all things that pertain to life and godliness. He calls us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us through His great and precious promises. We may be partakers of the divine nature. We have our part to play in these gifts, but He also helps us to do that. Glory be to God!

NOTHING HIDDEN

Jeremiah 32:27 (39:27 LXX)

“I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Shall anything be hidden from Me?”

Personal Challenge

Just as Adam and Eve hid in the garden of Eden, so too, do we also attempt to hide from God when we do wrong. There is no hiding from the One who is everywhere at all times. It is always in our best interest to run to Him in repentence. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

RESIST

1 Peter 5:8-10

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

Command With a Promise

Most modern day people that claim to be Christians will often talk about what a wonderful life they have. Be careful. Being a follower of Christ means going against the ways of the world. Followers are called to be sober and vigilant. We are called to resist the devil and his manipulations of the world. We must be steadfast in our faith, knowing that we will suffer for bucking the tide of a wonderful, worldly life. By living this way, we also know that our God in His grace, will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us. Glory be to God!

Saint of the Week

St. Nektarios of Aegina

SATIATED

Jeremiah 31:25 (38:25 LXX)

For I have satiated every thirsty soul and filled every hungry soul.

Encouraging Words

A characteristic of a follower of Christ is their perspective on earthly stuff. If a person is truly a follower, and is striving to be in alignment with Jesus and His teachings, then they will be at peace with their life. Whether rich or poor, healthy or sick, prestigious or lowly, they will be joyful in life. There is a deep satisfaction, a satiation, in one’s life that deals with the thirst and hunger of our souls that is only fulfilled by Christ. Glory be to God!

HE CARES FOR YOU

1 Peter 5:6-7

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Encouraging Words

As followers of Christ we know the order in which our redemption works. It all starts with God caring for us. Before anyone ever starts submitting to God and following His leading, He cares for them. Whether they submit to Him, or not, He cares for them. He created us in our mother’s womb in His image and within His love and care. Because we recognize His love for us we then humble ourselves to Him and we see His love play out in our lives as He exalts us. It all starts with Him loving us. We can never “earn” it. Thank You, Father!

AN EVERLASTING LOVE

Jeremiah 31:3 (38:3 LXX)

The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I drew you in compassion.

Encouraging Words

God loves us more than we will ever understand. No matter how far from Him we may venture, that will never impact His love for us. He never takes His eyes off of us. In His compassion, He waits for us to return to Him. Glory be to God.

CLOTHED WITH HUMILITY

1 Peter 5:5

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

Personal Challenge

Peter, one of the designated leaders of the early church, makes it clear that it is imperative that we submit ourselves to one another and clothe ourselves with humility. This can often be difficult to do but it is a fundamental characteristic of a follower of Christ for this is what Jesus did. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!