photo: closest I could come to illustrating our topic!
Do you ever find yourself saying to a friend…or maybe only quietly to yourself because you can’t say it out loud?
This is just too hard. The place I’m in right now is too difficult, too painful, too impossible, too ____ to be able to live through as a person who is in Christ. My situation is the exception to the rule. The circumstance I’m living through right now is different. This one really is impossible!
I have so been there!
IF YOU ARE IN CHRIST, THIS IS ENCOURAGING!
This passage can be a comfort and encouragement. Read it through. Meditate on its words. Are you understanding what it says? If we are in Christ, we have His divine power that has granted all things having to do with both life AND godliness available so we can live out a life that is like the one He has called us to: one of glory to Him and excellence. It comes about as we get to know Him through His WORD…and grow in maturity.
How do we get to know Him? The most direct way is through His Word, the Bible. That is the clearest way. But other ways that help us grow are through a good church where we have a community of believers…not perfect people, but people who are growing by His grace in their knowledge of Him and relationship with each other.
A pastor who is preaching from GOD’s Word in worship on Sundays; a place where people are taught GOD’s Word both on how to understand it and how to apply it; and a community who is serving each other and the world in ministry.
YES, THE WORD IS PRIMARY, BUT WE ALSO NEED COMMUNITY AND WORSHIP
Understand, church is not a place for perfect people. It is a place for people like you…forgiven people who are growing in their awareness of their need for GOD’s grace and are learning to extend it to others. This is not a place where people are supposed sit and soak. It is not a place to gather in a christian bubble and pat each other on the back telling each other how much better our group is than others…or congratulate ourselves for what a great job we are doing at ___.
Have you ever been in a church that is like the latter? Of course, sad to say, most of us have been in a variety of churches if we have been believers any length of time. None are perfect for sure, but knowing what makes up a good church helps guide us in deciding which church to choose beyond the style of music, how much we personally like the pastor, how many friends we have in the church and decide on more substantive issues. Granted, these issues will be part of our decision for sure, but there are other aspects that are important as well!
WE DON’T THINK OF MAGICAL GOING WITH THEOLOGY BUT…
To put this in magical terms from a child’s point of view, I think of it as Christ the King granting me super powers when I become His child. He takes His magic wand and sprinkles me with these magic powers that don’t go away. I told you they were from a childish, magical viewpoint. I’ve been around Mia a lot! This is the child who plans to be a queen when she grows up…seriously!
Whether I make use of them is another story. But I have them available to me now! As I go through a variety of life experiences, I am able to learn to use the magical power He has given me…much of which I didn’t know I had. Yes, this is a very simple, simplistic illustration, but it gives you a glimpse of what He is talking about here.
It’s also a great reminder to me:
Put what you know into practice!
His divine power has granted to us
all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him
who called us to his own glory and excellence,
by which he has granted to us
his precious and very great promises,
so that through them
you may become partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped from the corruption that is in the world
because of sinful desire.
II Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)
MEDITATE on this passage this week as you memorize it.
PLAN TO SHARE with us in either comments or links to your posts next Monday how GOD is using this Scripture in your life.
- Maybe it is only a beginning that you can barely see.
- Maybe it is a looking back and seeing what GOD has been doing that you didn’t realize fully.
- Maybe you’re in the middle of the process.
- Or you are finding ways that help you or your family memorize Scripture more effectively.
