2 Peter 1:4
“- –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.”
There is an old adage that goes something like this: If you are not standing on God’s promises, you are just sitting on the premises. One is an active process of involvement, and the other is a passive pastime of taking up space and contributing little.
It is sad that our churches are often filled with gripers, moaners, and fault finders. These are the ones who are taking up space and simply sitting on the premises instead of living a victorious life by standing on God’s promises. If you are one of them, I hope to serve you your Eviction Notice. We have enough “sitters.” We need more “standers” — those that search out God’s promises and stand firm on them.
So, what is Peter saying in today’s scripture passage? He makes it so plain that it is difficult to get more basic. Peter says that God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him. I don’t know what everything means where you live, but in my mind it means the whole works.
I once read about a man who was traveling by ship from Europe to America. He could barely scrape up enough money for his ticket and a few things to eat during the trip. After a few days at sea, the man saw all the wonderful food in the dining room and smelled the tantalizing aromas that sent him into ecstasy. He was so hungry he knew he had to do something about it. The penniless passenger summoned up all of his courage and asked the ship’s steward if he might do some work so he could eat a meal or two. The steward was startled by the passenger’s humble request. He sat the man down and explained that the price of the ticket he had purchased to make the trip included all the food he could eat. All the food he needed belonged to him from the first day of the voyage, but he was starving from the lack of knowledge of all that he possessed.
That traveler’s problem, as well as the problem with many of us, is not knowing what is ours — he didn’t read his ticket and we don’t read our Bible! It is just as simple as that. Peter says that God has given us His very great and precious promises. These are given to us so that we can live an abundant and Godly life.
If you have personally received Jesus as your own personal savior, then claim the promises you have been given. Write down every promise that God has for His children. In fact, it would be a great idea to have a notebook just to record each promise that you find. Then claim it as your own.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil