Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. v20-21

I am well aware of the pitfalls of arrogance as I have experienced them many times and continue to fall prey to this dangerous sin.  I have posted about confidence in Christ vs self and how their is a fine line between humility and hubris.

Peter warns us of arrogance in an indirect manner here by reminding us our understanding of scripture is something we can rely on because it came from God himself and the Word is not from prophets. We must also understand that our own understanding is made possible through faith and through the Holy Spirit.

Bottom line, we must thank God for how He provides these things and the blessings in our lives - it is through His power that we exist and experience the blessings we have, including both faith, scripture and our own understanding of scripture.

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. Romans 12:3

 

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23, Matthew 16:24

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God full of love and grace for me...and You provide Your Word, the Holy Spirit, and You provide me with faith.  I am grateful for all of these and I know You are so much more and do so much more as my words are insufficient for how great You truly are.  Thank You for blessing me so richly with faith and for Your Son who died for me.  I am not worth such love as I am often arrogant, and selfish, etc. among my many sins.  Please forgive me from my sins 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 us lead 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 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.

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.

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

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

I have previously posted on these verses on being alert regarding the pervasiveness of sin in this world.  Yet this morning, I am encouraged to focus on how we can stand "firm in the faith" through the fellowship of other believers.  We cannot do this alone. 

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

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. Hebrews 3:12-15

Lord Jesus, please help me surround myself with brothers and sisters in Christ so that we can in the fellowship of Christ and prevent each other from falling into sin.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You have many people into my life - brothers and sisters in Christ who have helped protect me from sin...Thank You Jesus for these many blessings. Yet I am not deserving of such blessings. I am harsh with my words and actions and I have slandered and gossiped.  Please forgive me Jesus and 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 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.  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.

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

1 Peter 5

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. v5-6

Peter reminds us to be humble within the church.  We must submit to our church elders and among fellow members of the church.  We must allow Jesus to work through us and we must not grumble and complain.

I have previously posted about this here in 1 Timothy 5.

Similar teachings are also found in Hebrews 13, Romans 13, and 1 Timothy 6. 

Too often I want to make things about me, and not about Him.  Lord Jesus, help me remain humble not just within my church, but also in my roles as a father, husband, and employee.

My Prayer: You are a great God creator of all things and able of anything.  You don't need me but You suffered and died for me, choosing me as Your adopted son.  Thank You Jesus for coming to rescue me.  I am not worth such love because of my arrogance and other sins.  Please forgive me and help me overcome such 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 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.  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.

But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

1 Peter 4

But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. v13

Peter encourages us to endure in any suffering we experience when we live as God intends and when we are insulted or suffer for being a Christian.  Our faith will be tested but God will give us victory, either in this life or in Heaven.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God - You willingly laid down Your life for me even though You lived a perfect life.  You rose from the grave and You provide Your Word, the church, and the Holy Spirit for me so that You never leave or forsake me.  Thank You Jesus.  I have experienced Your encouragement during hard times and I am grateful that You love me even though I am broken.  I often lose focus on You and I am easily distracted (conformed) by the patterns of this world. 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 and cure 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.  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.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. v8

 
As a follow up to my post yesterday, Peter is writing us to be ready for when Jesus returns, not just for ourselves, but for others so that they can see Jesus in us and be attracted to Him and be snatched from the fire (Jude 1:23).

Peter expands in verses 9-11.

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. v9-11

My Prayer: Jesus, You are a great God full of love and mercy for me.  I know this because You pursued me even though I am broken and I sin.  You restored me and reconciled me to You.  You give me life.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such effort as I continue in my sin...worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength and help me love others as You do.  God give me strength to be who You intend me to be and so that I can please and glorify You.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength to be who You intend us to be as parents.  Help me be the husband and spiritual leader You intend me to be.  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 Savior.  Help me serve You, my church, my family, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.