Skip to main content

Promises...

           His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (II Peter 1:3-4)

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” (Genesis 8:22)

Over the past few days, I’ve been transplanting seedlings into larger pots. It’s becoming a challenge to find places to put them that has the light they need, but it calls to my mind God’s promise that the seasons will follow one another. In setting up the world to work this way, He has given us what we need for agriculture, which supplies many of the things we need for physical life.

Throughout the Old Testament, He made promises about the Messiah and salvation. A book I’ve just finished reading suggests that we should read Scripture in search of promises. Years ago, David Wilkerson put together the Jesus Person Pocket Promise Book. Herbert Lockyear wrote All the Promises in the Bible, and Larry Richards wrote Every Promise in the Bible, which are all helpful, but I agree with searching the Scriptures.

When the going gets tough, we need His promises, and we need to lean on those promises. They are a great place to start (or re-start) memorizing Scripture because there’s more to them than just good words. The promise of today’s first passage is that if we need it, God has given it to us. But as I’ve said before, what we think we need is often not the same as what God knows we need. And what this passage promises us is not only what we need, but specifically what we need for a godly life and to participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

That’s the thing about promises, we need to examine them to make sure we are among those to whom they are made, we need to meet the requirements and conditions if there are any, and we need the wisdom to  understand what’s really meant.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:10)   “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)           Joshua grinned when he saw Rex standing by the door, studying something on the ground. "Hey, man! Are we ready to do this thing?"          Rex looked up. "Josh, I can't do it. We're still best buds, but I can't stand your fiancée."           I've met "Rex" many times. I've been Rex. Joshua (Jesus) loves the Church. He's not a fool. He knows the Church is far from perfect, but she is His chosen bride. The Rexes of this world, who think themselves His friend, turn away from her. "You don't need the Church to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ssssssubmmissssssionnn

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ . (Ephesians 5:21)             "Ssssssubmmisssssssionnn." Can't you just hear the serpent hissing this most horrible of words? If you listen to the serpent or the world, submission means groveling, allowing yourself to be abused, denying yourself your own humanity. Nothing could be worse than submission, could it?             Submission has never been a problem for me, as long as things are going the way I want them to. The rest of the time? Well, let's just say that while I don't know how to fight physically, I don't know how to not fight mentally. One of the fights I've been having with myself for years is about submission.             My first breakthrough took place on a trip to a bookstore. As I walked into the store, my thoughts were very clear. 1) I was goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shark Fins, Triple Dog Dares, Heroes, Villains and Sidekicks

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)            There's a scene in Jaws in which someone sees a shark fin and starts a panic. As   all the swimmers scramble to shore, boats surround the fin, which falls over to reveal two kids. With several guns pointed at them, one of the kids points at the other. The message is clear: it was his idea. In Christmas Story, there's a scene in which one kid "triple dog dares" another to do something stupid. Since it's a triple dog dare, well, what choice does the boy have? There doesn't seem to be any end to the trouble that peer pressure can cause. ...
Post a Comment
Read more