Monthly Archives: October 2009

Adding things in gets tough…

In going through the character list of 2 Peter 1:5-7, I thought self-control was tough. (And it is.) But this list doesn’t get any easier!

After self-control comes perseverance. If there is anything that doesn’t mark an American life very well (besides self-control) it’s perseverance. We just don’t stick to things very long. We tire easily. We can’t stand our cell phones for more than a year. Our computers need upgrading. Our TVs are out of date and out of touch and out of speed from one NFL season to the next. It’s a throwaway society. We throw away relationships quickly as well. Christians are no better at marriage commitment these days than non-Christians.

This list is tough. No wonder we don’t read 2 Peter! We may read it because it’s short and it helps us check off a Book of the Bible reading list, but we certainly miss the message of this letter! We ignore this opportunity for godliness and participating in the divine nature… why? Because it takes too long and I’ve got stuff to do!
It really doesn’t help that other cross references with perseverance have other nasty words attached to it. Romans 3:5f is a good example. Paul calls on his readers to glory in their suffering. How ridiculous! An American reading this? No wonder we’ve quit reading the Bible!

Suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance produces character. Character produces hope.

This list gives me a headache. I’m feeling queasy. Why is this stuff being required of me? I’m a good guy! I give a check every week to my church. Isn’t that enough? I sing the songs.

But now I’m being asked to persevere? To have some self-control? I need to go lie down until this feeling goes away!

Add in Self-Control

As I work my way through the characteristics of 2 Peter 1:5-7, this is one where I feel like writing, “I’ll get back to you on this one.”

This word carries the connotation of one who has mastered their desires. The word refers to sensual desires. Not just sexual desires, but anything to do with the senses. Control.

In Galatians 5:23, it’s listed as a fruit of the Spirit.

In I Thess. 5:6 we are encouraged to keep awake and stay sober. It’s a call to have our mental faculties sharp. We are alert, not distracted by our selfish desires.

In I Peter 4:7 the call is to be serious and discipline ourselves for the sake of prayer. Chasing our fantasies and not having our physical desires under control distract, especially in prayer.

The call in effective Christian living is to stay alert. It’s a discipline. Self-control is one of those tough deals we need to have and Peter has to put it right in the middle of this list! Self-control comes before godliness, mutual affection, and love. There is a call to bring our earthly desires under control. Quit chasing sensual desires without thought to what those passions might mean.

Again, it’s not just sexual. What pleases our senses can get out of control. It can be food. It can be material things. For guys, it can be the incredible sound of a Harley and our fantasy to own one of those things, even if we don’t have the resources to afford one. We too often let our passions control us and we get into all kinds of trouble.

Lord, help me rein it in. Help my mind be ready for action! Help my spirit rise up and my passion for you overtake all other passions. Help me to learn to enjoy the stuff of this life in balance with my passion for you.

Add to your goodness knowledge

The word for knowledge here is different from Peter’s use of knowledge earlier. This use of knowledge is one that is more general. This word is used for general knowledge of the faith.

Colossians 2:3 speaks of all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge being hidden in Christ. When we KNOW CHRIST, we discover true wisdom and knowledge. This is a journey that can’t be exhausted. In fact, if we begin with the general knowledge of Christ in this verse, over time we will find we KNOW Christ, as Peter uses the word in verse 3.

What mattered to Paul more than anything? In Philippians 3:8 it was knowing Christ. My walk with Christ needs this continuing education piece. I have found the more I dig into the Word, the more I am propelled into a life of prayer. My thirst for knowing Christ goes far beyond filling my head with facts about his deity, his humanity, his sacrifice, etc. I have a drive in me in that rises up and calls out to truly know him in a way that gets into my heart and spirit.

Line upon line, precept upon precept… Lord, let me know you more today.

Add to your faith goodness…

The next characteristic in 2 Peter 1:5 is goodness. Other translations say “excellence” or “moral excellence.”

It is a virtuous course of thought, feeling and action. When we have faith, we need to add the action. The action needs to be virtuous. We are called to right thinking. The course of action is dwell on the goodness of God. Our minds and our spirits need to be filled with what is good. My spirit needs to feed on the abundance of the Kingdom of God.

Ps. 119:4 — The precepts of the Lord are to be carefully kept. When I dwell on the Word, I am full of life. The words of the Kingdom flow in my spirit.

Lord, help me dwell on your incredible goodness today!

Make Every Effort…

2 Peter 1:5ff

I have challenged my church to take one of the characteristics listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7 and meditate on it each day this next week. We don’t have to do one a day. If it takes two days, or a week, it’s okay. The goal is to see what happens when we “make every effort” to add something good into our lives.

Every day I want to add in some thoughts from each characteristic in these verses. A good resource to use is the NET Bible website. The verse listed here can be compared to other translations, then there is a tab marked “Commentaries” that is actually a cross-reference system. It’s not the best system in use but all you have to do is scroll over the verse reference and the verse will pop up for you to read. Then you can see if it’s relevant to the word you are studying.

For FAITH, I found a lexicon definition stating faith was the conviction of the truth of anything. Specifically for Christians, it’s holding to the truth of the claims of Christ.

When we study FAITH, we should end up in Hebrews 11. In v. 6 it says without faith it is impossible to please God. All through this chapter is the lesson of ACTION. When Abraham believed God, he acted.

We start with faith. We hear the call of God and respond. May our lives be filled with FAITH. Let us hear the call of God and respond.

Growth and Life in the Power of the Spirit

My message this week will focus on Ephesians 4 and 2 Peter 1. While I have posted my text, which is rare for me, I also wanted to add some links for the exercise I recommended in my message. At the end of my message, I suggested taking each one of the characteristics Peter listed and doing basic devotional study. Doing one characteristic per day would take a little over a week.

Some good basic Bible study sites:

Crosswalk.com has a nice Bible study module.

The NET Bible translation has a great site where you can compare several translations, then look up words in the Greek or Hebrew dictionaries.

Enjoy.

Contending

“I want you to know how hard I am contending for you…” (Col. 2:1).

Paul is referring to a great struggle. This has been brought home more to me this week and I need to wake up even more in my prayer life. There is a generation to contend for in our lives. My two younger sons are in high school. Other friends of mine who have kids the same age are facing struggles. We can call them “normal teenage years” and normal “teenage stuff.” But it’s more than that. This is personal. So, I contend. I struggle in prayer for God to do something magnificent in my boys.

I also contend for others. There are kids I know who are children of promise. Born out in miraculous circumstances. Now, they are in a precarious place in their lives. I need to contend for them in prayer. I don’t let it pass off as “teenage years.” Not now.

There are children yet to be born. Children of promise. This is serious stuff. It’s not “normal pregnancy” stuff. These are the promises of God and I must contend for those promises.

Paul contended for his churches. He struggled in prayer even for believers he had not met. He didn’t chalk up issues to “normal church struggles.” For him, it was war. Prayer was the main weapon. He contended.

I must contend for this next generation. As I teach, as I raise my kids, and I pray, I contend for their lives, their hopes, their place in the Kingdom of God.