Meditations On Marriage, Family & Church Relationships

Day 31

2 Peter 1: 10 – 11 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Peter has just reminded us that we have been empowered and called to participate in the divine nature, and he has given us an exhortation to diligently and faithfully turn from worldly corruption to embrace the new life of godliness, and divine understanding, and virtue. He goes on here to share the promise that by so doing we will be assured of an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We certainly don’t want to just sneak in the back door of the kingdom when we can be greeted with the praise of our Lord saying “well done good and faithful servant”. Mat 25:21

Day 30

2 Peter 1: 5 – 9  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. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

Peter has reminded us that we are called to actually participate in the divine nature, to be godly and escape the corruption of this world! This blessed high calling is the very reason we should “give all diligence to add the things that are the very nature of God to our life. By God’s power we can repent of the corrupt worldly way of living, and begin to add to and submit to that which is of faith, that which is virtuous, acquiring godly knowledge, exercising self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.

The fruitful Christian life is the promised result of our faithfully following, learning from, and submitting to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Day 29

2 Peter 1: 1 – 3  Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

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.

Peter by revelation and experience has learned that through our knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, grace and peace are multiplied to us, and by His power we have received everything we need for life and godliness through this knowledge.  Jesus has called us by glory and virtue and given us great an precious promises through the gospel which shows us how we are to be partakers of “the divine nature”.

What a great blessing to be called out of the corruption  (death, and decay) the insanity of this world to life and godliness as  ”partakers” of the very nature of our Lord, God and Savior.  We must note that He has given  us  all of this “that we may be partakers” we have the choice!

Day 28

2 Peter 1: 1 – 3  Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

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.

Peter introduces himself in this letter first as a bondservant (one who is committed to life long servant hood to Jesus Christ)  and as one who is commissioned by Christ as an apostle (sent out one, an ambassador of Jesus Christ).  We see that he is writing to (those / we), who have obtained (are in possession of) like precious faith with Christ’s disciples. Our precious faith is like Peter’s (is common to us all)  and comes to us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ  John 3:16 -

As we look at Peter and consider his words, the challenge to us would be to ask: What kind of servants are we to the Lord Jesus, and how precious to us is the faith we also have obtained by His righteousness?

Day 27

1Peter 5: 6 – 11 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.

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. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Peter is describing the battle and the battle lines in our lives, the enemy is Satan the destroyer, and as in any battle there are wounds and suffering which all the brotherhood (Christian body) experiences. Our victory is in our common faith and the knowledge that after we have suffered a while, our gracious God, “who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus” will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us, for His glory, and dominion forever and ever!!   Praise God that we have such revelation and truth from Him to believe in !

Day 26

1Peter 5: 6 – 11 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.

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. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

It is not hard to see that Satan is a cruel and powerful enemy, as we look at the insanity of this world and the terrible cruelty and tyranny of people, governments, and rulers. In Jesus we can find the strength, the hope, and the purpose, to stand steadfast in the faith, to be sober and vigilant to resist the evil with the strength that God supplies.

Day 25

1Peter 5: 6 – 11 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.

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. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Peter continues to teach that since God gives grace to the humble, we each should humble ourselves under His mighty hand, knowing that God will exalt us in due time (how different this is than in the world). He is our mighty God and we can cast our cares on Him because He has proven He cares for us.

Humility is a virtue that we learn from the Lord Jesus, who humbled himself and became a man to suffer and die and rise again for our salvation. Should we think of ourselves more highly than our Lord?

Day 24

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.”

Peter is saying to the young Christians, just as I have exhorted the elders to fulfill their responsibilities and serve the flock as godly examples, likewise you also submit yourselves to your elders. Submit yourselves to one another in humility (just as Jesus taught). The fact is that whatever efforts we make in this life motivated by pride will be resisted by God, and whatever we do out of humble submission to the Lord and one another will be blessed!

Day 23

1Peter 5: 1 – 4  The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

As we think about Peter the apostle, the elder, the bondservant of Christ, one of the witnesses to the life and sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ we should seek to completely understand his exhortation and instructions for those who would carry out the position of elder in the church.

Shepherds of God’s flock (the church) are not to hold the position of elder by compulsion, for dishonest gain, or to lord it over (to rule) God’s people. Elders are to willingly and eagerly serve those entrusted to them, being examples (as Jesus who washed the disciple’s feet). In so doing elders will receive great reward.

Let us be sure that the elders we follow have the Christ like character of Peter!

Day 22

1 Peter 4: 17 – For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now

“If the righteous one is scarcely saved,

Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

What sobering thoughts we must have here as we realize that the “time for judgment” is closer now than ever and if it begins with us (those who are the church), the “house of God,” then we with Peter should be concerned with the conduct of our own lives, and certainly with the ungodly and sinners of our time. Therefore when we suffer according to the will of God we now can commit our souls to Him in doing good because we know Him as our faithful Creator.