I have decided to try to blog from my personal devotional time. This may mean more blogging or it may not. Time will tell. I am not even sure I like the concept. I hope this will mean the best of both worlds. I will not share my personal devotional thoughts because those are personal but out of my time in the word of God may come thoughts that will be helpful for others. I will be making application to my own life during my time alone with God. If something seems to be useful for others and I have time I may share it. Here is today's:

The reading is from 2 Peter 1.

3As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! 4And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.

I am struck here by the concept that Peter is reinforcing. We should all be becoming better acquainted with Jesus. When we do and as we do become better acquainted we receive everything we need for living a godly life! The power is in the promises. The promises are in the Word of God. It is a simple concept: immerse yourself in His Word and you will share in His divine nature. Amazing!

5So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better.

It is a cycle. One produces the other. Faith produces a life of morality and practicing morality leads to knowing God better which is the goal of true discipleship. Below we learn how to do this. My translation (NLT) says, "Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence"

6Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. 7Godliness leads to love for other Christians,[c] and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. 8The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or, at least, very shortsighted. They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin.

The next verse may upset some people's theology because all they have ever been taught is grace is everything. Grace covers it all. You can't earn your salvation etc. . . While I agree that we are saved by grace I do not believe it should be used as an excuse for sinning, being spiritually lazy or viewed as "my free ticket to heaven no matter how I live." Walking with God will take ever ounce of energy we have especially in the culture in which we live. I continually live with the tension that the culture effects us a whole lot more than we (the church) effect the culture.

10So, dear brothers and sisters,[d] work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Doing this, you will never stumble or fall away. 11And God will open wide the gates of heaven for you to enter into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Let me live wholly devoted to you Lord. Let my relationships, attitude, choices of entertainment, reactions, time-management, and anything else that is in my life be surrendered to You.