From: November 29, 2023
“Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18 NLT).
The apostle Peter closed his second epistle, encouraging believers to “grow in the grace and knowledge” of Jesus. He warned against being led away by the error of the wicked, advising its alternative, namely, to grow in Christ. He understood that in spiritual life, as in physical life, nothing remains static. It either grows or declines. But healthy things grow.
This growth is to take place in two arenas: First, in the grace of Jesus, and second, in the knowledge of Jesus.
First, what is this grace of Jesus and how do we grow in it? It is the unmerited favor of God. We grow in this grace by receiving God’s favor through Jesus and continually drawing on it and applying it to ourselves and others. We are no longer under God’s judgement and condemnation. We are under His grace. So, we grow by applying this new freedom in every relationship.
This grace is also the gift of the Spirit, who seals us, abides in us, and empowers us to bear spiritual fruit. We grow in the grace of Jesus by becoming more like Him in His character. For the “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23).
Second, what does it mean to grow in the knowledge of Jesus? How does one grow in the knowledge of any person? Don’t we spend time together? Sometimes talking, walking, working, playing, eating…? We do life together with someone and we grow in the knowledge of that person. So it is with Jesus. We grow in the knowledge of Him by spending time with Him, reading His Word, praying, always abiding in Him, always seeking to follow Him and listen to His voice.
Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
PRAYER: Dear Father, we want to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Fill us afresh that we might grow in grace. Help us to hear Your Son that we might grow in knowledge of Him, always able to recognize His voice. We want to grow up in Christ Jesus. In His name we pray, amen.
From: November 29, 2022
REMEMBER WHAT THE PROPHETS AND APOSTLES SAID
In the apostle Peter’s second letter, he shared his intent to stimulate their thinking by urging them to always remember the words of the holy prophets and of the commands of Jesus given through the apostles. In this way, Peter put the writings of the apostles on equal footing with that of the prophets. For both the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles wrote by the inspiration and authority of the Lord. As Peter stated earlier in his second letter, “No prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God” (2 Pet. 1:21). Likewise, the apostles of Jesus did not speak their own words, but bore first hand witness to what they had seen and heard of Jesus, as they were commanded by Him.
So Peter wanted believers to remember and always be mindful of what is now called the Old and New Testaments. His desire was that by remembering the words of the prophets and the apostles that the minds of believers would be stirred up to pure and wholesome thinking.
But how are we to remember what the prophets and apostles said? Read, study and meditate on God’s Word. Faithfully gather together for worship and the preaching of the Word. For the key to a renewed mind is what we put in it.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your Word. It is one of Your greatest gifts to us. Help us to always desire it and remember it. Even more, through Your Spirit, empower us to live by it. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: November 29, 2016
A new administration comes into power, jealous co-workers, and a governmental prohibition against prayer… Sounds like something from today’s headlines, doesn’t it? Well, actually this is what the Hebrew exile Daniel faced after Darius the Mede conquered Babylon. Even though Daniel had been an advisor to the Babylonians, Darius was so impressed with him that he made him one of his top three administrators and even planned to put him over all of his 120 “satraps” (Persian governors). Many of the Persian leaders became jealous of Daniel, so they schemed to get rid of him. They couldn’t find anything wrong with his work or character, so they focused on persecuting him for his faith. They persuaded Darius to pass a law against prayer and waited for Daniel to break it. They didn’t have to wait long. That very day, Daniel went “to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem,” and prayed. Daniel had broken Persian law, so Darius had no choice but to throw him in the lion’s den. Yet, God rescued Daniel, thus revealing His glory to Darius. In response, Darius executed Daniel’s detractors, elevated Daniel and made a “decree” instructing his whole kingdom to worship the “God of Daniel.” God used Daniel’s faithfulness to turn a prayer prohibition into a nationwide prayer meeting!
From: November 29, 2015
Better to put your hope in the unchanging Word than in the ever changing circumstances of this world. God’s Word will accomplish what it says. The one who wrote Ps.119 knew this. Take some time to study this the longest chapter in the Bible. List the different words used for Word, such as: “law, promise,” etc…
From: November 29, 2014
What should you do if the government bans prayer? Ask Daniel. Daniel’s story is instructive to those who must live as a religious minority under a worldly government. God gave Daniel wisdom to navigate the political tangle of Babylonian and Persian rule and yet remain steadfast to his faith. Even so, he still often experienced persecution and threats to his life. How do we live out our faith at work or school, when expressing our faith is discouraged by company policies or prohibited by federal laws? As Daniel did, we should submit to the authorities over us, unless they cause us to break faith with the ultimate Authority, our God. Daniel feared the Lord more than the lions. And the Lord rescued him.