I delight in You my God, on this Your day, and desire that I be bought close to you in thought and deed. I am so thankful, for Your gift to this earth, of Your Son Jesus Christ, so that when we come in contact with His teachings and life history; we can accept Him for our own Saviour; and be saved from certain sin and death.
I appreciate the love and care that Simon Peter, the reformed disciple of Jesus, had for his church fellowship; and savor his words again today. 2 Peter 1 : 1- 4 “………To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers by the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” To know Jesus Christ, is to love and accept Him. He gives us His grace, peace and divine power, so we can live a godly life in Him. To read and believe His promises, and then claim them for ourselves, can only actuate them in our heart and life, because He as God, cannot lie, and will always deliver to us His promises. The faulty link can only be with us, by hanging onto darling sins, unbelief and lack of real faith that God will hear us, and bring to pass for us, what He has promised. As always, the answer to any sin or lack of faith is in humbling our heart, and in sincere prayer to Jesus ask for forgiveness and or increase of faith. Jesus cannot resist our cry of repentance and need.
James another man who knew Jesus personally and also started his letter with, “a bond servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ”; has given us good and helpful counsel, as we journey toward heaven. James 4: 6 – 10 “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’ 7 therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom, 10 humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” If we repel the call of Jesus and go our own way, we have every reason to lament, or if we think we have it all together better than some, and do not ask for the guidance of Jesus or head His words, we have every reason to lament and mourn: for a time comes, when the baseness of the human heart and life apart from Jesus, will be revealed.
1 John 1: 8, 9 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 2: 1”………. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Psalm 32: 5 “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” V 1 “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” V 11 “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” As all of us have found, sin is a weight upon our mind and spirit, and when it is not confessed sin pulls us down to despondency away from a place of joy. I am so grateful, that we have a simple and sure way to be freed from a burden of sin, into a place of sunlight, with God.
I am so glad, that with Jesus, there is a way to rise above sin and enduring downheartedness. Philippians 4: 4 – 7 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.”
Lord I thank You for these promises, and ask that they become a reality in my heart; because I am asking to become Your true child.