Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

1 Peter 5
Night Vision

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. v8-9

From the devotion, the key takeaway is this:

Notice that he doesn’t give just anyone living wisdom for the fight. He looks for the difference between the intellectual understanding and practical application.  We all know lots of guys, pastors, and full-time theologians who have been given the Intel that God provides and are still getting slaughtered by the enemy. The Bible says the more spiritually undivided you are the better your Intel gets. More integrity, more clarity, “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright…. Is a shield to those who walk in integrity.”

Francis Chan uses 2 Peter 1 to emphasize how Jesus wants us to "make every effort"...to be in action.  Help me be in action...help me make every effort.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are....You make every effort all the time...for all of Your children...including myself!  Thank You Jesus!  Forgive me for not making every effort.  Help me turn from my laziness and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me make every effort.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of this cancer, including all of these side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.



 

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. v10-11

I do desire to have a rich welcome to the eternal kingdom.  I also wish to not stumble...and according to Peter I am to do these things:

 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. v5-8

...and I must "make every effort to confirm my calling and election".  Key it appears is being ineffective and unproductive in my knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Ineffective implies both a head (absolute truth) and heart (application) understanding of scripture.  I certainly desire this.  Help me Jesus with these things.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God full of love, patience, kindness, mercy, compassion, etc. for me...even though I know I am not worthy of such things.  Thank You Jesus that You bless me with these things.  I am deeply grateful for them and for everything that You do.  Yet again I am undeserving.  I am full of anger, impatience, harshness, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith - my effectiveness and productivity in my knowledge of You.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.’” When the angel of the Lord had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, and they called that place Bokim.There they offered sacrifices to the Lord.

Joshua 13, 15, 17, 24, Judges 1-2:5

The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.’” When the angel of the Lord had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, and they called that place Bokim.There they offered sacrifices to the Lord. Judges 2:1-5

Day 73 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on the death of Joshua and Eleazar (Aaron's son), their burial, as well as the burial of Joseph's bones - this latter burial done at the request of Joseph at his deathbed.  Once Joshua passes, we also see the failure of the Israelites to conquer the remaining inhabitants of the promised land. Judges 1 details these failures. 

My commentary* indicates "[t]he danger of an incomplete conquest is the lingering presence of pagan influence. As long as the Canaanites remain, the Israelites will inevitably intermarry with them, and, just as inevitably, turn to worship their pagan gods. Failure to drive out the inhabitants may indicate not only the softness of Israel’s resolve but also a certain fascination with the pagan culture about them. Whatever the reasons for their failure, God considers it a breach of covenant and knows that widespread idolatry is soon to follow."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. "

God expects much of us and ultimately we will all be held to account.  As believers, we must get to work (see John Piper's post on this)!  We must in Peter's words, "make every effort" (mentioned 3x in 2 Peter 1).

“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:47-48

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You have blessed me with much - my cup overflows.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  I often fail to make every effort - please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from such sin.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

2 Peter 1

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. v5-9

Both the MacArthur Bible Study Commentary (for purchase) and the Summaries of Every Book in Bible indicate that this general epistle written by Peter is primarily to help believers avoid damage to their faith (and the church) by falling prey to false teachers and teachings.  This last letter by Peter to the church seeks to push the church and believers to grow stronger and by wary of weakening influences.

Peter warns of how we can become "ineffective and unproductive in [our] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v8).

The words "add" and 'increasing measure" are key here as growth and spiritual maturity are, in John Piper's words, "not optional".  Piper uses Peter's own words from his first letter.

We must grow in Christ.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has helped me grow in Christ - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving for how You have blessed me.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.   Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.

Revelation 4

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. v11

God is praiseworthy as He has not only capable of all things, all knowing - but He is also full of love for His children, myself included.  He is patient, kind, compassionate, gentle, etc.  He is also merciful...all things for which I am not deserving!  I am DEEPLY grateful for You God and for what You have done for me Jesus but I am not deserving...I am NOT making every effort as You command me to.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me make every effort and to be in action.

Help me live with the end in mind and be Jesus to others.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus what an AMAZING God You are...Thank You for all of the love You have poured for me already, what You continue to do, and what You will always do for me.  I know that Your love cannot be taken from me and that You will always be with me...awesome!  Thank You Jesus.  Yet once again I am not worth such love...I am not making every effort.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from my sins towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer. Please help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. v14

I recently said that "I don't get along with so-and-so"...how wrong and sinful!  God blesses me beyond what I deserve and my actions are like spitting in His face!  Please forgive me Jesus!  I need You desperately in my life.   

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for all of the many blessings You provide!  I am not deserving.  I reject Your commands or I am not obedient.  Please forgive me!  Help me turn from such sin and towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength, comfort, and freedom from pain.  Please heal her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Please also heal Kay and Lacey!  Help me also understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  Help me be peaceful with everyone! 

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. v11-13

The author of Hebrews continues to warn us about falling away...towards sin and unbelief.  The author wants to avoid the fate of unbelief - a fate of struggle in this world and damnation eternally - see also John Piper on this rest.  I get it...life can be painful and full of struggle.  But God IS with us and gives us rest...a rest that is not available elsewhere in this life and an eternal rest...for those who believe.

A key point Piper raises is how disobedience is seen by God - He reveals it to us in our reading of the Word (so we should be reading the Word to stay obedient) and He knows all about all of our disobedience.  A fear of God knowing about our disobedience and fear of God's understanding of this disobedience should drive us closer to God. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who helps me understand my sin so that I can shed myself of these impurities - I desire to be refined by You.  Thank You Jesus for helping me in this way - I am grateful!  Yet I am undeserving of such love.  I sin daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message to me today and every day.

Therefore, my brothers and sister, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. v10

2 Peter 1

 Therefore, my brothers and sister, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. v10

God gives all of us spiritual gifts and Peter encourages us to find these gifts as God designed us with a special - eternal - purpose in mind.

See also post here.

 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

 

I believe God gave me spiritual gifts in both writing and teaching but perhaps more.  I need to find ways to use these gifts and confirm and use whatever other gifts God has given me.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who is before, in and has created all things, including all of the spiritual gifts all of us have.  You have knit all of us together in wonderful ways just as You have knit each one of us.  Your design is amazing.  Thank for You for the many blessings of experiencing Your gifts.  I am not worth the love You bless me with.  I am weak and lazy.  Please forgive me.  Help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal her of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us bring Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. v10-11

Building on my post yesterday, John Piper gives another stem-winder of a post encouraging us to grow - using 2 Peter 1:5-11 as the basis for his post.

I know I must grow in my ability to pray - for more requests more of the time - among other things.

Please God help me become a prayer warrior.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and I have seen the power of prayer in my own life and in the life of others - thank You Jesus for hearing and responding to all of my prayers.  I know You do.  I am not deserving.  I know I could pray more...and continually.  Please forgive me for falling down in my prayer life.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

Hebrews 4

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. v11

God wants us to focus on His greatness, His holiness, on how special he is.  The Sabbath exists for this purpose (and other purposes).  We are to worship Him and focus on His greatness, etc.  

My Prayer: Lord, You are great and Your works are great.  You are deserving of rest and created the Sabbath for this purpose.  You also gave us the Sabbath so that we can rest and so that we can glorify You - because You are worthy of our worship.  We need to worship You because of who You are for us.  You died on the cross for us...for me specifically.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such an act.  I am still very much quick to anger and slow to listen.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me keep the Sabbath holy.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength, comfort, and freedom from pain.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

Revelation 3

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. v19

Whatever our circumstances we should be thankful (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and see our circumstances as discipline, training and as preparation for what God wants for us as part of His plan.

See also:
- Prov 3:11-12 (NIV) My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
- Prov 15:5 (NIV) A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

This link also provides a great number of excellent examples on this topic.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, capable of all things and full of mercy, compassion and patience for me...despite knowing everything about me including my sin!  Thank You Jesus!  What a great God!  I am not worth such a God and the many blessings You pour out on me.  I am NOT in action as You desire for me...You say "make every effort" but I fail to do this!  Please forgive me and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me "make every effort" and help me see Your rebuke and discipline as coaching and training for my good and Your glory!  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. v5-8

I pray daily to grow in my faith.  This is not optional - God calls us to grow in our faith.

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God[.] Hebrews 6:1

 

As iron sharpens iron,
    so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up...1 Thessalonians 5:11

 

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation[.] 1 Peter 2:2 

 

 I struggle with my own thoughts - whether I am growing in my faith or not.  Of course I am my own worst critic. Proverbs 27:17 is the key reminder for me to be in relationship with other men to ensure I can grow in my faith.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God - You saved me and You have transformed my heart and my life, helping me become a better father, husband, son, employee, etc.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such blessings - I am harsh with others.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. v14

We exist to glorify God and to bring others to Jesus (see also here) - plain and simple to save them. The author of Hebrews makes it clear in v14 that people are watching us (believers) and if they don't see "holiness" in us they won't be drawn to Jesus. 

V14-17 include other warnings/encouragements, including:
- to be on guard for bitter roots that prevent fruit or in other words for "hinder[ance]s and the sin that so easily entangles" (v1)
- to avoid sexual immorality or godlessness, using Esau as an example of someone who through the promise of quick earthly satisfaction (a meal) threw away his father's blessing (v16-17)

On the subject of v14, there are MANY other scriptures about how we are to be a light. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who came to save me and feeds me - well beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  I worry and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Make Every Effort to Live In Peace With Everyone

Hebrews 12

¹⁴ Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

What a damning verse this is for me for I daily am either verbally assaulting someone or thinking about it thereby sinning in my heart.

²³ Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.  (Proverbs 4:23)

My Prayer: Lord, You are so pure and holy and You wash away all sin.  Forgive me please for my sin of anger and verbal assault.  Purify me of my anger - transform both my heart and my life so that I can live in peace with everyone.

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.

Revelation 22

 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. v12

Judgement day is made explicit by Christ in the above verse and it is encouraging, motivating, and somewhat scary all at the same time.  Encouraging to the extent that I will be rewarded for how I did live with the end in mind, motivating to the extent that I need to wake up much like the churches in Sardis or Laodicea Revelation 3, and scary to the extent that I have NOT lived with the end in mind.

Help me live with the end in mind and "make every effort".
 
My Prayer: Lord, You have made every effort for me and You have provided me with life...in abundance...so that I could live to bring others to You and glorify You.  What a great God You are, as You are so full of patience, compassion, mercy, etc. I am not worth such blessings....I worry, I am prideful, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me....To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15 and 2 Thessalonians 1

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me....To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:10, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Today, I once again draw on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper describes how grace is not just pardon for our sins but also power for our obedience.  Piper states: "[t]herefore, the effort we make to obey God is not an effort done in our own strength, but “by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified” (1 Peter 4:11). It is the obedience of faith. Faith in God’s ever-arriving gracious power to enable us to do what we should."  Humility remains one of the cornerstones of our faith: faith is a gift (Ephesians 2:8) and we are not deserving (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8, Romans 6:23) and here we are reminded how this cornerstone of faith works with regards to grace and how it drives our obedience. Thank You Jesus!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who is full of grace for me - for my salvation and faith, but also for my obedience and sanctification - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of any of these blessings - my sin continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Revelation 7

Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat.  For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” v16-17

During the end of times, we have the assurance that God will be with us and that He will protect us...these verses are greatly comforting as they provide greater detail and clarity around how He will be with us, and how He will provide for us and protect us - God is great!

I should be thankful for my circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18) because I know that regardless of what is happening, "...in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). I also know that God WILL be with me...and that I will be with Him even to the end of the ages...and during those end times it will be great to be with God.

My Prayer: Lord, You are my provider, my refuge, my protector, my hope, my encouragement, my teacher, etc.  I am NOTHING without You!  You are so patient, compassionate, and merciful to me...I am not worth such love and care...I am lazy.  Please forgive me and help me turn from my sin...my laziness.  Help me "make every effort".  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do. Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

Revelation 21

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. v4

I read through Revelation chapters 11 through 20 and they were scary and gripping at the same time.  I know that God reigns but it was indeed a bit scary to read through what will happen to those who believe in Christ.  If we don't repent and accept Jesus as our Lord and savior then we will indeed perish...in a quite gruesome manner.  

Yet I know that I am sealed by Christ and eternity in heaven with Him cannot be taken from me.  That however should not stop me from living with the end in mind and always striving to be more like Him and to "make every effort" to glorify Him.  

Heaven will indeed be a glorious place.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed great and You reign...from the beginning of time to the end of time...and You will never leave me or forsake me.  You will be with me until the end of the age.  I know You love me and You bless me richly...more than I deserve.  I am not worth such love and blessing because I worry.  Forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me.

Psalm 120

I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. v1

What is important to note here is not that God gives does not always give us the answer we want but that He will always hear our cry and respond. "Heard my cry" (or similar) appears in the Bible in twelve places, including in other Psalms.  The most often referred to scripture where these words appear is when God hears the plea of the Israelites during their suffering in Egypt.

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. Exodus 3:7

Yet God may not and often does not provide the response we want.  We must make every effort to understand what God is doing in our lives during those times when we don't get the response we want.


For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8


There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens[.] Ecclesiastes 3:1

My Prayer: Lord, You are great and You always hear my cry.  I know that You love me and that Your response is never for harm but to prosper me and to give me hope and a future.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love.  I worry - please forgive me.  Help me turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

1 Timothy 4

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. v14

Timothy is known to have a gift of teaching and sharing the Word of God.  He has a passion for it.  Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1 to "fan into flame the gift of God".  What's important here is that we ALL have the gift of God, yet makes each of us unique is HOW God gives us different skills and how He wants us to use this gift of God.

Paul writes about the distribution of gifts in both Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12.

See also this post from August this year.

We should make every effort to determine and discern our gifts - ALL of us are valuable and indispensable.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor.  1 Corinthians 12:21-23

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves and who has helped me better understand what roles I can play in the world and in the church - thank You Jesus for this as well as for putting others in my life who have blessed me with THEIR gifts.  I am grateful for how You have knit us together so that we can support and encourage one another.  Yet I am undeserving of such blessings and love - I know I sin and daily.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart soul and mind.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.