Corona Devo 2052

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.  ~2 Peter 1:3 

We have all of the ingredients....everything we need for living a godly life.

~~~

As my neighbors can (unfortunately) attest, I am often borrowing last-minute ingredients because I don't have everything I need for a recipe.  In my defense, many times I have some, but not enough of what I need.  I may start a batch of something and then in multiplying it...I don't have everything I need.  But sometimes, I just plain don't have an ingredient that the recipe calls for.

And so, I text/call/or show up at one of my (kind/generous/merciful/gracious) neighbor's doors, and I ask if I can borrow sour cream, an egg, garlic...once I even asked for carrots in a last minute veggies-and-dip situation.

Even though I love to cook and even though I usually have a full pantry, sometimes (too often) I do not have everything I need.

In contrast to earthly preparations and having what we need physically (recipes and beyond), God reminds us today that He has fully equipped us to live (well) for Him.

We will never have to beg or borrow.  Once we have asked forgiveness for our sins and accepted Jesus into our heart, we are spiritually-equipped, and by his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life (2 Peter 1:3).  

But....if you are like me: we might still need to ask God for help from time to time.  Read on for his specific instructions on how to live life well, and if we find (in a circumstance or trial or panic!) that we are "out" of an ingredient, or that we "don't have enough" (patience/peace/kindness/virtue), then we can simply ask our Heavenly Father for more...and He willingly provides it.  

His Word promises this provision.  (Now that's a precious promise.)

God gives us everything we need today for living a godly life, and He not only gives it to us, but He gives us the steps to live it:

Gives:

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 

(4) And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.  ~2 Peter 1:3-4

YES!  God has given us everything we need for living a godly life...and we're going to need it.  

God knows exactly what we are facing today: the details, the distractions, the difficulties.  

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life... (4)These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.  ~2 Peter 1:3-4  

YES!  God gives us His promises and if we can cling to them in the midst of the insanity of this world...and not fall prey to falling apart or falling back-into-sin during our challenges...then we will escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

What does this actually mean?

God taught it to me in real time yesterday.

Faced with an on-going school situation that has left our daughter sullen in regards to the class--I am angry.  I wanted to confront the teacher.  I am imagining my conversation with the principal and then with the superintendent afterwards.  I want to take action and take names.    

However, in contrast, and in not-escaping the world’s corruption caused by human desires (in my case--anger) last night in family discussion about this situation, my (living a godly life) husband had done research and he spent considerable time discussing the class/teacher/and situation with our daughter, educating her with documented sources, truth and with God's Truth. 

My motives were anger and injustice (corruption caused by human desires), and his were moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, (6) and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, (7) and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone (2 Peter 1:4-7).

His way was better.  God's way is better.

First, God says that he gives us the way: By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life (2 Peter 1:3).  And then He gives us the steps to accomplish His way in our lives: 

Steps:

(5) In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, (6) and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, (7) and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.  ~2 Peter 1:5-7

YES!  God gives us an action plan to accomplish things in this life His way, and here's a hint: anger and retaliation are not a part of it.  But here's what is: 

(5) In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises.

Supplement your faith with a generous provision of

moral excellence, 

and moral excellence with knowledge, 

(6) and knowledge with self-control, 

and self-control with patient endurance, 

and patient endurance with godliness, 

(7) and godliness with brotherly affection,

and brotherly affection with love for everyone.  ~2 Peter 1:5-7

How are we doing in living in these ways?  

Spoiler alert: I flunked this test yesterday!  But God gives us His cheat sheet with all the answers, and they are listed above.  By Murphy's Law, we will have a fresh opportunity to live a godly life any minute now, and by his divine power, God has given us everything we need to do so ( Peter 1:3).

Outcome/Promise:

(8) The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. 

(10) So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.  ~2 Peter 1:8-10

YES!  I love that we serve a God who isn't afraid to confront us (with His Word) when we begin to dip our toes into the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 

We can do better, and by his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life (2 Peter 1:3).

No need to beg or borrow.  We just need to ask and obey.

We have all of the ingredients....everything we need for living a godly life.

Let's live God's way today!

Blessings, 

Sarah 

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com