Category: Good Life Journal

Scripture:

[1] God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

[2] Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

[3] though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

Observation:

God is ALWAYS in control.  He was in control yesterday, He is in control today, and He will be in control tomorrow.  He is in control of literally everything from the very breath we breathe to the finely tuned alignment of planets in the universe enabling life on earth.  If we know this, what is there to fear? There is no reason to fear it – the economy, a virus, a family matter.. If we know that “it”, whatever “it” is, is part of God’s plan for us, for our families, for our country.. why do we fear?

Application:

We believe God is in control and that He loves us, but even knowing that we sometimes go to a place where we think the troubles we are going through, or the troubles our country is going through, are bigger than God.

In turbulent times we have a tendency to rely on other gods.  We rely on our money, our government, our intellect, or whatever it is, expecting to ease our suffering.  Not to say that we should not USE strength in government, intellect, money, or any other tools, and gifts the Lord has given us, but we should not rely wholly on them.  We can rest on the strength of God and find peace knowing that nothing surprises Him.  He is always in control and it, whatever it is, is part of His plan.

God allows the turbulence in our lives to build us up.  Similar to a tree needing wind to build strong roots, we need trouble to build character.  Rom 5:3-4 “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [4] and endurance produces character, and character produces hope..”

Whether it be real or manufactured crisis with social issues, government, family, sickness, or whatever.. while going through the trials is not fun, these things build our character and ultimately produce hope, if we fall back on God’s love for us and know that the Holy Spirit lives within us.

Prayer:

Lord build me up.  Give me wisdom to help me navigate the storms of life.  Help me endure the suffering, knowing that You are in control and have great plans for those who seek You with all their heart.  My trust and hope is in You Lord.  In Jesus mighty name I pray, amen.

Journal Ps 53-55 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.

They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none wo does good, not even one.” Ps 53:2-3

Observation:  It is difficult to think this means me…

When God says “none”, he means none.

Analysis: One of the hardest things to understand about the Gospel are the statements about the utter depravity of man.

Paul picks up this same reference in Romans 3:10-11, quoting: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; non one does good, not even one.”

How many times does the scripture say, “none” or “no one”, and doubles down at the end, “not even one?”  The scripture here is emphatic: All have sinned; none have a “good” gene; all have and are practicing rejecting God; no worth, no good, nothing.

Harsh, I think, very harsh.

Why is that?  Because I would like to think there is something of worth in a heart, especially mine.  Let’s face it, I am selfish.  More than anyone else I want to be something of value to God.

Let me say that a different way: I want to be found by God with a value that is intrinsically mine.  That is the way that all Men look at themselves and unfortunately not the way God looks at Man.  I can’t be a “little bit” good somewhere inside.

I have heard that spiel: “There is a little good in [fill in the blank here]; I just know it.”  The problem with thinking like that is Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross is now based on a curve.  He died 100% for so and so, but only died 80% for that fellow over there (because there was 20% good in him).

That is not the reason for Jesus being the necessary Atonement for the Sin of Man.  He is my Redeemer because I needed a Whole Redeemer, not a partial one.  Everyone is in the same boat.

It is difficult to embrace this biblical fact because I want to project “a positive attitude” and think the best of all I encounter.  I realize that to be true to the Gospel I must have a split understanding: How does God see Man (totally depraved and needing redemption) and how I treat Man (with grace and mercy, knowing that I am a passenger in the same boat).

Working at this understanding without getting an attitude helps me understand the Mystery and the Wonder of the Gospel.

Prayer:   Lord, it is your unfathomable Grace that is predominate here.  I can see why the fathers of the faith from old wrote and wrote about the intricacies of the Gospel—so that boneheads like me would not wander astray from the fruitful tree.  Help me to conform my mind to your Word, O Lord.  I want to see and embrace this biblical fact without stupid and silly condemnation of others—knowing that I deserve your total wrath but am saved by faith in the Atonement.  AMEN.

Journal Ps 44-47 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “O God, we have heard with our ears—our fathers have told us—what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:

You with your own hand drove out the nations, BUT them you planted;

You afflicted the peoples, BUT them you set free;

For not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm and the light of your face—for you delighted in them.”  Ps 44:1-3

Observation:  When the Psalmist reflects on the works and wonders of God and his mighty deeds, it looks like these are stories that should be repeated from generation to generation.  I wish I was absorbed enough to remember to tell his stories…

Analysis:  How absorbed am I with the Works and Deeds of God?

I think the synonyms of the word “absorbed” are appropriate to know: engrossed, captivated, amazed, fascinated, enchanted, struck with wondrous reflection—it is not difficult to apply these words in my mind and how I think.  It is that I can’t remember the last time I experienced the meaning of these words thinking and talking about the Most High.

The Psalmist makes it a point to say: “I have heard about You and Your Works and Deeds from our fathers” and then goes on to describe how God delivered and saved; that the father’s sword did not win the land, but God did.

They were not absorbed with wonder about the results as much as they were absorbed with Him!

“His right hand and his arm, and, and…the light of his face!!  He did it, he did it all!!”

I must put effort into really thinking about stuff like that.  It has been years (it seems) that my heart has reacted with the intent to dig down deep in my soul to find praise.  Oh, I can THINK just fine (and I should), but to cultivate wonder….

John Piper wrote a book titled “Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ.”  It is that second word, “savoring”, that begins the endless love affair with Christ.  I can “do” the Gospel perhaps just fine but savoring the Gospel…ah, there’s the ticket to long for….and to communicate to the generations.

Prayer:  Lord, you see the dumps I am in.  I don’t know if it is illness, fatigue, or just what…but I know this isn’t a pleasant place to be in. Thank you for the encouragement from this weekend.  It is a treasure for me.  AMEN.

Psalm 40:16 – But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!”

Observation- The psalm points to Christ’s sacrifice for us and his prayer to the Father. All who seek the Lord are called to rejoice and be glad that we are in Him through his loving sacrifice for us. Our love is not subsiding and we should tell others with exclamation of His greatness!

Application- I must always remember daily, never get over the gospel that Jesus has met my greatest need. First, I have to actively seek the Lord. Walking with the Lord requires action on my part to be in prayer, be in His word, to follow Him. This is how I will  know Him, be closer to Him and trust in Him more. This relationship is cause to be joyous not burdensome like the law. I must love God, love others and everything I do should be motivated by the love of Christ. The love of Christ is the most powerful thing in the world and the greatest news so I should continually, emphatically praise His name!

Prayer – Father,
Thank you for your love and salvation! Let me seek you and remember your love daily not forgetting to praise and honor you.

Scripture: “But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth.  I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

But for You O Lord, do I wait; it is You O Lord my God, who will answer.  For I said: “Only let them not rejoice over me when my foot slips!”

(reflecting) For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever before me. I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.

But—my foes are vigorous, they are mighty, and many are those who hate me wrongfully.  Those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good.

Do not forsake me, O Lord!  O my God: be not far from me!  Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation! (Ps 38:13-22)

Observation:  From good times to bad: If I wanted to find one book in the Bible to model/imitate godliness with, it would be Psalms.  David doesn’t hold anything back…

Analysis:  How many people have I come in contact with that think a “good, positive outlook” should be the norm of exhibiting Christianity? Happy is good and proper religion; sad is not.

Over my few decades?  More than I care to admit.  To be fair, I was in that throng of folks for a long time.  Have I been miraculously delivered from “happy” to “real?”  I admit: that is a dumb question.

Happy or otherwise emotion isn’t a binary evidence of being a good Christian.  Like David writes above, sadness, despair, sorrow, and other synonyms are part and parcel of life.  It is what is done with it that is the issue to be faced.

David is describing what may be a major conflict.  It might be a minor disagreement. Whatever it is, it is driving him to his figurative knees and letting loose with a cry to God: “Look at these guys!  How am I going to overcome them?  I am like a deaf man, I cannot hear You God, I cannot see You God.  Protect me, help me.  Be my salvation!”

Stuff like this could be accurately called trials.  Although, to get the definition correct, God doesn’t give us trials for Him to see if I would succeed or fail.  He gives them so I could perceive where I succeed or fail.  God already knows my frame; I am the one who is habitually and periodically blind.

What is my response?  Well, being personally candid, I am trying not to short cut the Work of God in my heart.  Hard to do because often I want to turn on a dime and like Dudley Dooright, do right.  Rooting out unrighteousness is more than a dime’s worth of work.  Everyone must figure this one out but “let the Spirit do His work.”

It is called authenticity for a reason.

Prayer: Father, walking the authentic path is difficult.  I expose my weaknesses when all I want others to see are what I think are my strengths.  I think I realize that I am short cutting maturity when I do that.  Help me to be patient through these drills.  Help me do them over and over until I lay my heart fully at the foot of the Cross.  AMEN

Scripture: “For they have gone out for the sake of the Name…” 3 John 7a

Observation:  While this section is talking about missionaries and the like, this is a good place to identify, “as they go (for the sake of the Name), so should I…”

Analysis:  I try to pick up on phrases like this.

I think it helps me focus on what I do and why.

I live for the sake of the Name.

I pursue being a godly husband for the sake of the Name.

I serve, for the sake of the Name.

I write, for the sake of the Name, and more.

There is a guy I know who is going off to unknown lands soon.  He is going for the sake of the Name.  Easy to identify and applaud.

His father is staying home, going to work, and doing daily stuff…also for the sake of the Name. Also needs to be applauded.

Reminder: Look for those evidences of Grace in other lives.  God is working miracles.  Have eyes to see that Grace and mention it.  Never know where that is needed to keep a person our of the deceitfulness of sin. (Heb 3:12)

Wherever I live, wherever I go, whatever I do—do all for the sake of the Name.

Prayer:  Lord, it puts a different spin on my day when I think of doing the next thing, taking the next breath, thinking the next thought for the sake of the Name—your Name.

I am freshly reminded that I want to walk worthy of the Gospel and not dishonor you in any way. AMEN.

Scripture: “I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.  And now I ask you, dear lady…that we love one another.

And this is love: that we walk according to the commandments.

(And) this is the commandment: just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.” (excerpts from 2 John vs. 4-6)

Observation: I read the above selection and I am calmed.  Why?  I think it is because I see the Doctrines of God in John’s voice.

Love is very distinct biblically and nowhere near the tumultuous expression of love that I bring to the table.

Analysis:  I just took a great big “sigh” and thought, “I will be working on loving like God wants me to for the rest of my life.”

Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.  Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34) Jesus further clarified the commandment, “Greater love has no one than this: that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

John picked up on that principle thoroughly.

In the first part of the verse above, John identifies to the “dear lady” that he found some of the children walking in truth.  Reversing the statement, John insinuates that other of the children were not walking in truth.

Assuming the “dear lady” is also aware of the situation and perhaps is distraught, not of the “truth-walkers” but of the ones who were not, it appears that John is attempting to refocus by reminding “that we love one another.”

Ok: I am thinking that I pulled an obscure analysis out of this selection.  Maybe not.  How does this apply to me?

How many times have I wrung my hands, heart, and mind over the ones lost and not fully rejoiced over the few that were found?

Ok: here’s something harder.  How many times have I rejoiced over the ones lost?  Yep, hard to think about—but accurate in a biblical way.  “Oh, Lord, I totally messed up that witnessing opportunity.  They could have been saved if only I had that answer and presented, and, and….” “Wait a minute, son.  Who draws?  Me.  Who saves?  Me. Did you reach out and do what I asked?  If so, then you have done what I said and loved.  Get over it and rejoice in Me.”

I often do just what I wrote above.  I forget that evangelism and Election are hand in hand.  And I neglect to react in love.

The “dear lady” needed reminder from John.  So do I.

Prayer: Father, being thankful in everything is a difficult choice to make reflexively.  Help me train myself to do just that.  AMEN.

Scripture:

[1] Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. [2] This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, [3] but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

Observation:

The spiritual world is real.

False prophets are in this world and as believers in Jesus Christ, we need to be vigilant.

It up to us, as true believers, to test the spirits to know whether they are of God or from the antichrist.  It is one or the other.  Those are the only two choices.

Application:

Our sovereign God gave Satan huge power in this world.  As the great deceiver, Satan uses false prophets to confuse us and lead us astray.  Following Christ as a believer does not make us immune to being confused by false prophets and false christs.  In fact, we are an even bigger reward for Satan than a non-believer.

But God..

But God is sovereign and always in control.  Satan only has the power that God gives him.

These seem like simple questions but can be hard in practice if we are not vigilant – Do the prophecies we hear, or the works we see, align with God’s word?

The closer we are with the Lord, the easier it is to test the spirits.  As true believers, God gives us spiritual discernment.  He also gives us His living Word.

The more we immerse ourselves in the Word, the more we get to know our Lord on a personal level, the easier it is to discern whether the great signs and wonders we see are from Him or the evil one.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for choosing me and thank You for Your living Word.  Lord I long to know You better.  As I navigate this life, help me know You so well that I can always trust the discernment You give me through Your Spirit, to know which wonders and prophecies come from You and which are from the enemy.  In Jesus’ mighty name I pray, amen.

Scripture: “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.  The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8

Observation:  Sounds straight forward…except how do I fit these statements with other things that I have learned through the Scriptures?  Are the things written by John somewhat different from the stuff written by Paul or Peter or anybody else?

Analysis:  Why in the world did I pick this particular reference?  Honestly, I struggled with the choice.  I sort of struggle with John’s Epistles generally when I try not to pick out the “eye-candy.”

The Holy Spirit is kind to folks to provide snippets of Scripture to provide easily memorized statements of promise.  But the Letters were written many thoughts in mind, all of them for a reason that is important for Growth in Christ.

Take for instance the doctrine of the devil.  These three statements are really about the devil and what that creature is like.  But how do the things we don’t about get filled in with Biblical facts concerning the devil?

I think I know: with imagination, stories, media portrayal, philosophy, and other stuff.  Hardly any Biblical facts.  Even the stuff that comes readily to mind (like being a liar and snaky functions all the way to demonic possession, etc.).  Straight out of the Bible and yet, in some way maybe incomplete in a total sort of way.

I am staying away from the term “interpretation” and instead use “analysis.”  I find that when I try to interpret, I am using my own experience, thoughts, frame of reference to define something.  Instead I am using “analysis” to see all the facts what the Bible (and other books of given Grace) says about an issue.

Example: Current world view can distill the statement, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil…” into an unbiblical doctrine called “Dualism”, a theory that there is an eternal conflict between God (or Jesus) and the Devil—winner take all.  There are countless variations on this theme.

If I subscribe to any of the above variations, I immediately redefine the Eternal Gospel into something less than the truth.

“Needles, you are sifting needles out of a pile of straw.”  Yeah, I guess I am but I think the principle is the worth the effort.  I must use the entire Bible to analyze doctrinal concepts and fully resist taking any single statement of Scripture out of context.

By the way: Devil sinning from the beginning: “I want to be equal or close to the same value as God.”  Is 14.; Man follows the credo of the Devil from Eden: “Sure I will take a bite, it would be cool to be like God.”  Lucifer rebelled, lied and enticed Man to rebel.  Jesus came to set Man free from the chains that the Devil shackled with, due to his leading lies (look at Romans 6 and more).

This is my opinion: Who is my greatest enemy?  The guy staring back in the mirror and the enemy within.  It is not the devil.  Just saying….

Prayer:   Father, I don’t know what got into me writing this.  I hope that it makes sense and promotes your magnificent Worth and Majesty.  May your Name be glorified forever.  AMEN and AMEN

Scripture

1 John 3:23-24 – And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he commanded us.  Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him.  And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit he has given us.

Observation

In these closing verses to 1 John 3, John reiterates how we are to be known as children of God.  First of all, we have to believe in the name of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  Second, our belief is not just in word but action as we are called to love one another.  We are to keep his commandments which tells us this is an ongoing process of obedience not a one-time decision.

Application

When I place my faith and trust in Jesus Christ and receive his love I am a child of the King!  To receive the love of Christ means I am born anew.  Therefore, I need to live my life for Him and model the servant leadership of Jesus.  I need to walk towards Him and away from sin.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I must share the love of Christ with others.

Prayer

Father,

Thank you for your love, grace and mercy you give me in Jesus.  Let the Spirit guide me to live a life to follow you and love others in obedience.

Scripture: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse up from all unrighteousness.

If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.”  1 John 1:8-10

Observation:  Three simple statements.  Three simple points of the Gospel.  Three statements that so many get messed up and twisted.

Analysis:  I have thought sometimes that John got these out of order.  And then I have wondered what order would I have put them in?

Looking at the face in the mirror, I understand that these statements follow the twists and turns of my heart contending with the Gospel.

1. How often do I try to convince myself I don’t have sin, or I am not “sinning?”  So much so that I don’t even know that I am deceiving myself—just like the Scripture says.  I am not dealing with the truth, I am dealing with a lie disguising itself as a ‘truth.”
2. If I want to be set free, first step is to confess sin.  Easy to write, but if I haven’t come to grips with #1 above, what am I going to confess?  I mean, really?  I can say I am a sinner, but individual and specific sin?  The kind of sin I must argue with myself that it wasn’t as bad as it was?
3. Here’s a statement that I have used to deceive myself before: “I have been saved…therefore I cannot sin.”  If I have the courage to take a deep breath in the morning and be totally transparent, I know that isn’t EVER true.

So, there are two statements identifying my mental, physical, and spiritual condition:

1. If I say I have no sin (noun), I am in deception.
2. If I say I have NOT sinned (verb), I make God a liar.

I am lying to myself, saying that I am the truthful one, and telling God He doesn’t know what He is talking about.

Wow.

Yet, that is how man conducts his life.  It has been from the Eden Incident.

That is why I am convinced I must get the Gospel straight in me first.  Because if it isn’t straight in the empty space between my two ears, how am I to give the straight skinny of the best news in all of Eternity to anybody else?

Prayer:  Father, sometimes I think I dwell on Sin an awful lot.  I would like to think I dwell and concentrate on the Gospel—but I understand from my wife on how I sound most of the time.  I think it is because sin is so deceitful that if I don’t keep at it, it will find me casually accepting the lie of Eden.

Make me have joy, O my Lord; to rejoice in Your Salvation all my days.  I liked the worship music Sunday.  Truthful.  AMEN.

Scripture: “This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved.

In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles…

Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish and at peace.”  (2 Peter 3:1-2, v14)

Observation:  Being reminded of the vision; remember the Word of God; be diligent to be found by Him…these words and statements are strong, have meaning that cannot be ignored, and gives hope.

Analysis:  Isn’t it something that when these epistles are read, the meat of them all tilt in similar ways?

Preach the Gospel is found, however…

Watch over your soul and the souls of the brothers and sisters in the local church are also found—sometimes with specific and particular focus.

What could the situation be that Peter is addressing in this first sentence of Chapter 3?  Is it that some forgetfulness was occurring?  Was a lack of diligent pursuit of Jesus Christ happening?

I wonder what it looked like?  I guess if I examine myself, perhaps I could take a guess.

If I was forgetting, what would that look like?  Probably like permitting the cares of the world to SLOWLY take predominance over the active pursuit of the Lord Most High.  Maybe SLOWLY substituting tasks to take the place of study. Maybe SLOWLY letting prayer to be mostly at meals and a quick shot up to the ceiling.  Maybe SLOWLY letting fellowship being only about meals, sports, movies…

Maybe SLOWLY relaxing against being a disciple.

What happens in me is the creeping sensation of Jesus Christ becoming less preferential in my daily life.

Would I be in a situation to renounce Jesus as Lord?  Goodness, no; at least I pridefully assert that I wouldn’t.  Would I be in a situation where trying to identify godliness, any kind of godliness, even a smidgen of godliness may be difficult to downright impossible?  Uhh, yeah, I could.  And have.

I can forget to watch over my soul and my brother’s soul while trying to focus on the Great Commission.   Biblical reality says I need to do both to the exclusion of neither.  Think that’s hard?  Me, too.

What do I do to address both?  I study the doctrines of God; those lessons of the prophets and apostles and godly men that came ages before me.  I must stand on their shoulders if I want to bypass some, but not all, lessons.

Unless I like to be found lacking in maturity…

Prayer:   Lord, writing these journal entries are not supposed to be peaches and cream all the time, right?  I need to be looking intently in the mirror to see what kind of man I am—and more importantly I think, not to be afraid nor disappointed in what I see.  If I see clearly, armed with the knowledge of the Gospel, then hope is generated because of the promise of the Gospel.  And I am hopeful, O Lord of my Salvation.  AMEN.

Scripture: “…then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passions and despise authority.  Bold and willful, they do not tremble…” 2 Peter 2:9b-10a

Observation:  There is nothing like finding what to do by studying what not to do…

Analysis:  Peter, being a Jew, sure knows all the disreputable stories from the Old Testament times.

Many times, I have wanted to get into the front of the Bible and check them out, but I never have gotten around to it.

There are a couple of things to glean from this section of scripture.  I know that I need to be bold enough to recognize the promise for me AND to recognize the reality of where the other side of the promise may lie for me as well.

As to have sober judgment, I think I must hitch up my britches and see that “despising authority” isn’t a phrase that belongs to “those folks”; even as a so-called Believer it can be a “root of deception” in my heart.

I think that is a problem with understanding Grace.  Like Peter wrote in the previous chapter, the power of God (Grace) exists to pursue godliness, or holiness, or righteousness.  Grace does a lot more things.  If I look at the other things that Grace does and forget or (gasp) ignore the call to Holiness, did I just thumb my nose at the Almighty?  I reckon I did.  I worshipped myself rather than Him, the created thinking a shortened version of Grace is better than the full Grace of the Creator—grading on the curve, right?

Bonhoeffer described it as “greasy grace.”  Slippery and sliding, greasy grace has a fluid definition depending on who is wielding the dictionary.

Fierce personal transparency cannot settle on a shortened, vague definition of sin as it pertains to the man in the mirror.  If I want to grow in godliness, like God wants me to, and deny sin, like God wants me to, then if takes some serious decisions.

Indulging passion is so easy.  All I have to say is “Ah, what is it going to hurt?” and I am toast.  Griping, grumbling, complaining, despising authority: “Ah, what’s it going to hurt—besides it is my constitutional birthright as an American.”

I want to daily be a Christian, nose to the grindstone sort of guy.  It takes that kind of surrender to succeed.

Prayer:  Father, it is such small step from preaching to the man in the mirror to preaching to others—not with honorable concern but with condemnation.  Usually I get it backwards, easy on myself (if at all) and hard on others.  Help me keep it straight and serve you all my days.  AMEN

Scripture:  “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence by which he has granted to use his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue and virtue with knowledge and knowledge with self-control and self-control with steadfastness and steadfastness with godliness and godliness with brotherly affection and brotherly affection with love.

For if these qualities are your and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  2 Peter 1:3-8

Observation:  I have noticed that these long, run on sentences are short on the “eye-candy”, easy to memorize scripture references. Perhaps because they contain so much context that it is difficult to take pieces of them out of context.

Analysis:  My goodness.  Peter is saying a lot of things to remember in these short 200 hundred or so words.

Recently there was a scripture reference that was brought freshly to my attention.  Titus 2:11-12 says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.”

I am intrigued on how these two scriptures are so similar.

It is not too big a stretch to see that the Scripture in both say:

• It is the power of God’s grace that makes change happen in me;
• That grace is not only for salvation, but it is for specific change in me, causing/instructing me to renounce ungodliness.
• That grace is for increasing in knowledge of Jesus Christ (and the doctrine behind the Gospel for one reason—that I may become effective in his calling or, in other words, I can walk worthy of the Gospel in an effective manner).

In the book being studied at Sat AM Coffee at IHOPS, the writer says, “The flesh works to make you forget the design (that you are saved to be holy) and think only of the remedy (if you sin, you’ll be forgiven”.  How often do I remember the REMEDY that Grace provides, and I forget the DESIGN of Grace empowers me to become?

Holiness (as it pertains to the function of being a Christian) is not talked about a lot.  There is a bunch of introspection and change involved—none of which are widely celebrated in the body of Believers.  And that is too bad.  I suppose that some change is embarrassingly personal.  But a lot isn’t.

Paul wrote to Timothy, “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress.”  (1 Tim 4:15) Godliness/holiness is seen and presentable.  It is also EVIDENCE of the Grace of God in my life.  By increasing in Godliness/Holiness it makes me more effective than if I wasn’t increasing.

Why wouldn’t I want to be more effective in Him?  Oh, yeah—it is because I like the flesh more.  Phooey.

Prayer:  Lord God, please make my eyes singly on you.  No matter what the world around be brings I want to put it aside and follow you.  Hard to do because the flesh can be strong, and I can succumb to weakness.  Make me change as I put my nose to the grindstone and just not read but EMBRACE your Word.  AMEN.