Weekday Devotionals
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 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. [2Pe 1:3-4 KJV]
I wonder sometimes if I really believe this. God has really given me(past tense) everything I need for both my physical life and my walk with God? Because of these promises, I can escape the corruption of the world and have a share in God’s divine nature? Wow...what an absolute life transformation is given to those that believe.
Pastor Pete’s message from last Sunday is rich with these nuggets of truth taken from God’s promises to all believers. When I contemplate the times in my life when I have struggled the most spiritually, it is always the result of believing a lie and not walking in the truth.
To quote a portion of Pastor Pete’s message “What I think determines who I am”. Wouldn’t it be great if we just had a check list of the things about which we should be thinking? What a great question...and I’m glad you asked. God has given us just such a list. It is found in Philippians 4:8…
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.
So, in other words, If you find yourself thoughts in your head that are not true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous or praise worthy, get rid of them.
I know… easier said than done. It really comes down to what we are believing that most affects our behavior. Not only What I think determines who I am but what I believe determines who I am.
When we start to believe the “Original Lie” of which Pastor Pete spoke, and the lie continues by believing that we need to the fix ourselves. Many times, we do this by doing more of Spiritual Growth Ingredients that we should be doing but not as means to work out in ourselves what only God has already done.
When the people asked Jesus what shall we do to work the works of God? Jesus replied…
“This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” John 6:29
Just believing? That’s it? The simplicity of that statement is what makes it difficult for us. It’s easier to swallow if there was something incredibly challenging that we had to do to receive a reward. Like trying to get in shape, it takes a long time of consistent effort before we see the reward.
I’m reminded of the story of Naaman from 2 Kings, chapter 5. He was a great army captain of the armies of the King of Syria and he was sent to Elisha the prophet to be healed of his leprosy. When Elisha told him to simply wash in the Jordan river to be healed, he was angry. He expected to have to do something hard and difficult. His servant reminded him of this fact and he chose the simple path to healing that God had provided through His prophet Elisha.
God wants us to rest in His work, His finished work, not try and fix ourselves with our own. God created Adam on the 6th day. He had already completed everything else in creation. On Adam’s first day on the Earth, he did not have to DO anything except rest in God’s finished work. That same rest is here for all of us...if we only just Believe.
Love y’all…
Tony T.
I wonder sometimes if I really believe this. God has really given me(past tense) everything I need for both my physical life and my walk with God? Because of these promises, I can escape the corruption of the world and have a share in God’s divine nature? Wow...what an absolute life transformation is given to those that believe.
Pastor Pete’s message from last Sunday is rich with these nuggets of truth taken from God’s promises to all believers. When I contemplate the times in my life when I have struggled the most spiritually, it is always the result of believing a lie and not walking in the truth.
To quote a portion of Pastor Pete’s message “What I think determines who I am”. Wouldn’t it be great if we just had a check list of the things about which we should be thinking? What a great question...and I’m glad you asked. God has given us just such a list. It is found in Philippians 4:8…
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.
So, in other words, If you find yourself thoughts in your head that are not true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous or praise worthy, get rid of them.
I know… easier said than done. It really comes down to what we are believing that most affects our behavior. Not only What I think determines who I am but what I believe determines who I am.
When we start to believe the “Original Lie” of which Pastor Pete spoke, and the lie continues by believing that we need to the fix ourselves. Many times, we do this by doing more of Spiritual Growth Ingredients that we should be doing but not as means to work out in ourselves what only God has already done.
When the people asked Jesus what shall we do to work the works of God? Jesus replied…
“This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” John 6:29
Just believing? That’s it? The simplicity of that statement is what makes it difficult for us. It’s easier to swallow if there was something incredibly challenging that we had to do to receive a reward. Like trying to get in shape, it takes a long time of consistent effort before we see the reward.
I’m reminded of the story of Naaman from 2 Kings, chapter 5. He was a great army captain of the armies of the King of Syria and he was sent to Elisha the prophet to be healed of his leprosy. When Elisha told him to simply wash in the Jordan river to be healed, he was angry. He expected to have to do something hard and difficult. His servant reminded him of this fact and he chose the simple path to healing that God had provided through His prophet Elisha.
God wants us to rest in His work, His finished work, not try and fix ourselves with our own. God created Adam on the 6th day. He had already completed everything else in creation. On Adam’s first day on the Earth, he did not have to DO anything except rest in God’s finished work. That same rest is here for all of us...if we only just Believe.
Love y’all…
Tony T.
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