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Dwell on These Things

  Dwell on These Things Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things (Philippians 4:6-8 NAS95). The command to dwell on these things is a present middle imperative. This is a command that is to be followed continually, not a one-time event. In other words we are to make this a way of life. We are to focus our attention on those things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, of excellence, and praise worthy. This is very important for every believer as this command follows the command to be anxious for nothing (Philippians 4:8). If we are anxiou...
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Hind's Feet

  Hinds’ Feet Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds' feet, And makes me walk on my high places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments (Habakkuk 3:17-19 NAS95). In the darkest hour, when there is no hope of rescue, God can make a way. What a beautiful image of hinds’ feet, those perfectly designed hoofs that mountain sheep use to defy gravity as they walk the perilous crags on high.  Though our path often leads us through difficult valleys, we can always count on the Lord. Can you say, “The Lord is my strength?” Are you rejoicing in the God of your salvation?  How easy it is to panic under great distress. When trouble comes your wa...
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Looking for and Hastening the Day of the Lord

  Looking for and Hastening the Day of the Lord But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:10-13 NAS95). Oh, how we ought to long for the coming day of God when the new heavens and new earth appear! Why do we cling to this sinful existence that tortures our souls? Rightly does Peter remind us of Lot. Who, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men  by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt...
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How To Spot a Fake

  How To Spot a Fake For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased"— and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God (2 Peter 1:16-21 NAS95). Peter said they did not follow cleverly devised tales. The world is full of counterfeit gospels and antichrist.  Pet...
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Remember Who You Are

  Remember Who You Are Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind (2 Peter 1:12-15 NAS95). Nothing brings the need for the Gospel in focus more than the imminent possibility of death. Peter has just told his readers to make their call and election sure (2 Peter 1:10). Nothing can so give composure in the prospect, or in the hour, of death, as to know that we have faithfully and simply followed the Lord Jesus, and sought his glory (Matthew Henry). Therefore, it is not a meritless task to add godly virtues to our faith. Peter wrote that he wi...
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Love

  Love Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love . For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8 NAS95)[Emphasis Added]. Each of the virtues mentioned in these verses coalesce into this last virtue of love. Love is the ultimate test of our faith. Peter was questioned by our Lord after Peter had boasted of his loyalty and failed.  So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He *said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He *said to him, "Tend My lambs." He *said to him again a se...
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Brotherly Kindness

  Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness , and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8 NAS95)[Empasis Added]. Oh that we might be able to echo David’s words: As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight (Psalms 16:3 NAS95). Brotherly kindness is a virtue of great importance as it aligns with the second greatest commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself. If we are commanded to love our neighbors, how much more should we love our brothers and sisters in Christ? Jesus said, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if...
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Godliness

  Godliness Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness , and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (2 Peter 1:5-8 NAS95) [Emphasis Added]. The word translated godliness in the passage above carries the idea of proper worship. Used only by Peter (Act_3:12), and in the Pastoral Epistles. It is from εὐ, well, and σέβομαι, to worship, so that the radical idea is worship rightly directed. Worship, however, is to be understood in its etymological sense, worth-ship, or reverence paid to worth, whether in God or man (Vincent’s Word Studies). Therefore, whether in private worship or corporate wors...
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Perseverance

  Perseverance Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance , and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8 NASB) [Emphasis Added]. The word translated perseverance above has the nuance of patient endurance (Strongs). The King James Bible translates that word as patience. If you think about it, the battle against sin really does require a good deal of patient endurance. Mortification of the flesh, this side of heaven, is a never ending battle. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not (Romans 7:18 ...
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Self-Control

  Self-Control Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control , and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8) [Emphasis Added]. Self-Control or temperance is one’s ability not to let the use of what is good in moderation become excessive. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:11-13). Having one’s affections set on worl...
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Knowledge

  Knowledge Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge , and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8) [Emphasis Added]. Knowledge is to be sought by the Christian. That is to say knowledge that goes beyond mere facts. Facts are critical, but just knowing the facts is not enough.  Paul prayed for the Ephesians: [I] do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened...
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Virtue

  Virtue And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue ; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8 KJV) [Emphasis Added]. The KJV translates the Greek word used above as virtue, but the New American Standard Bible translates that word as moral excellence. Moral excellence is probably a better translation as the word, in classic Greek, speaks to one’s God-given ability to perform heroic deeds (The MacArthur Study Bible). It also came to mean excellence that made one stand out. With that understanding, to be diligent to add virtue to our lives would require us to use whatever energy or courage God has provided us to that end. What does that look like? Well, I suppose it ...
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The Foundation

The Foundation Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust (2 Peter 1:3-4). Peter has written to us about the foundation for living the Christian life. That foundation is knowing Jesus Christ. It is not just knowing about Him; it is having the true knowledge of Christ and His divine power. For he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6b).   Therefore, Peter provides a list of virtues to add to our faith that, if employed, provide the means to the true knowledge of Christ. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, k...
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Boast in the LORD

 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD." (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). One of the pitfalls of pursuing a biblical education, formally or informally, is spiritual pride. There is something about knowledge that tends to puff up one’s ego. Paul in dealing with the subject of food sacrificed to idols makes the following statement. Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know ...
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Abstain from Every Form of Evil

  Abstain from Every Form of Evil Scripture “Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22 NKJV). Commentary This seems like a no brainer. Who doesn’t know we are to abstain from evil? However, if it is so fundamental to the Christian life, why is this warning given so many times in Scripture. The answer is as obvious as the command: we are in a battle with evil our entire Christian life, and the enemy has an ally, our flesh. Focus for a moment on just one word in this command. Consider the word EVERY if you will. Why is this word there? You know, don’t you? It is there because we tend to pick and choose the evils we will allow in our lives. Today it might be anger, tomorrow greed, and the next day fear. This is not how a Christian is to live. It’s true that we will often fail in one way or another, but to have a mindset other than to abstain from all forms of evil is to make a pact with the devil. If we are not totally sold out for God, then we have not surrendered...
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