Category: II Peter

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Planting Time Ends With Harvest Time

I am attaching a picture today of the garden we are planting. Take a look at the harvest that is coming to our lives.

I  want to encourage you to continue to grow by following these Scriptures.

“Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil advice, who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those who make fun of God. 2 Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings and think about them day and night. 3 So they grow strong, like a tree planted by a stream— a tree that produces fruit when it should and has leaves that never fall. Everything they do is successful.” Psalm 1:1-3 ERV

“The man who is right and good will grow like the palm tree. He will grow like a tall tree in Lebanon. 13 Planted in the house of the Lord, they will grow well in the home of our God. ” Psalm 92:12-13NLV

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. Then it gives peace. It is gentle and willing to obey. It is full of loving-kindness and of doing good. It has no doubts and does not pretend to be something it is not. 18 Those who plant seeds of peace will gather what is right and good.” James 3:17-18 NLV

“No, we will speak the truth with love. We will grow to be like Christ in every way. He is the head,  and the whole body depends on him. All the parts of the body are joined and held together, with each part doing its own work. This causes the whole body to grow and to be stronger in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16

These verses below are a prophecy about Jesus and the hope he would bring to the world. Look at the end, we are called trees, the Lord’s trees. He has planted us.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is on me. The Lord has chosen me to tell good news to the poor and to comfort those who are sad. He sent me to tell the captives and prisoners that they have been set free. 2 He sent me to announce that the time has come for the Lord to show his kindness, when our God will also punish evil people. He has sent me to comfort those who are sad, 3 those in Zion who mourn. I will take away the ashes on their head, and I will give them a crown. I will take away their sadness, and I will give them the oil of happiness. I will take away their sorrow, and I will give them celebration clothes. He sent me to name them ‘Good Trees’ and ‘The Lord’s Wonderful Plant.’” Isaiah 61:1-3 CEV

We are always to be in a place where we are growing. Growing in our knowledge and in the character that God wants us to develop.

“…Be careful that you do not fall from your strong faith. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Glory be to him, now and forever! Amen.” II Peter 3:17-18

We still have a few more days of planting ahead but I encourage you to search out the Scriptures and find verses, seeds, that you desire to see grow in your garden and get them planted.

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The Gift of the Invitation

Christmas is a time when there seems to be worldwide celebration. It’s not just an American, British, Chinese, Japanese, Asian or European holiday – it belongs to all of us. Just like Jesus!

Remember the words of the angels:

“An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord was shining around them. The shepherds were very afraid. 10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid. I have some very good news for you—news that will make everyone happy.” Luke 2:9-10 ERV

The message was to ALL people – A-L-L or as in the verse above to everyone. So that means you and I are in that grouping. No one has been left out. Good news to all! I love that, God’s gift was exclusively inclusive.

“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” John 3:16 ERV

God’s love extends to everyone in the world. Some Christmas parties are only for those who belong to a certain company or club; others are for a particular group of neighbors or friends. Some have special printed invitations that are proof that you have been invited and deserve admittance but God offers an ALL invitation.

“Then the Lord will save everyone who asks for his help.” Acts 2:21 ERV

“The Lord isn’t slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.” II Peter 3:9 ERV

I encourage you today to RSVP to the invitation you been given. There will be a great celebration and all of heaven is waiting for your acceptance.

“Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, “Let’s celebrate! I’ve found my lost sheep.”

7 Jesus said, “In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over ninety-nine good people who don’t need to.” Luke 15:6-7 CEV

God’s plan for us is to have a good and joyful life. The angels said the news that brought would bring great joy. Jesus said he came to give us a full and abundant life.

“10 A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.” John 10:10 CEV

God has given you the invitation, I encourage you to accept the Gift and receive the abundant life that He desires you to have!

Have a joy-filled Christmas.

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Cheerleading

Do you realize that this year is 2/3 complete? What goals are we accomplishing – what successes have we had so far? Do you know that our Father is gracious and loving and He has such big plans for us? Plans for our success and benefit? Oh my goodness – He is our biggest cheerleader! He is at everything soccer game, basketball game, swim meet, 4H and FFA event and on every shoot. He’s there cheering us on and He does it with a good attitude and doesn’t say bad words if the “ref” gets it wrong.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

I used kids’ activities as my examples because each of us as a parent has been there to cheer our kids on and to tell them they are great but God does it in a much greater way.

He also there in every prayer we pray over our kids, He’s in on every discussion we have with our mate, He attends every business meeting, goes on every trip, is there for every sale and training session. He’s not a dead beat or absentee Father! He’s involved in our lives as much as we allow Him to be. He’s there!

He’s written everything down that we need to succeed. It’s not a suggestion book or an advice column but He has given us what we need to succeed in every area.

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:8-9 NIV

Oh, He’s also given us a freewill. We can go out and try things on our own. We can fail, we can fall flat on our faces and He will be there to pick us up and set us on the right path once again. Don’t we do this with our kids? How our hearts break when they try to do it on their own and don’t listen to our instruction. We know what’s best and they ignore us – and we love them anyway. We reach out to hold them, to comfort them and then to give them instruction once again. Our Father is just like that – where do you think we learned it?

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3 NIV

If this year hasn’t brought a life of victory, maybe it’s because we are trying to do things on our own without reading the instruction manual, or it could be that our enemy has devised a plan against us. If it’s the former, we need to get in the book and take it to heart – “lean not to our own understanding, in all our ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths”.

And if it’s the latter, get in the Word and take the authority that has been given us by the Father and put the enemy in his place. Don’t quit, don’t give up but go forward in the power and authority that the Father has made available to us.

“We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God’s own power, when we learned that he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness. 4 God made great and marvelous promises, so that his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world.” II Peter 1:3-5 CEV

We have been given everything we need to live a life of victory – we have been given God’s great and precious promises! He’s cheering us on today! Listen for His voice and follow His words.

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What does it mean to be gracious?

What does it mean to be gracious or graceful? Some of meanings are godly character, kindness, dignity, mericiful, compassionate.

Graceful – full of grace. Gracious – displaying grace.

So what is grace?

Grace: receiving the goodness of God that we don’t deserve. It is given freely with no strings attached. The grace of God took Jesus to the cross long before we were ever born so that we could be brought into right relationship with the Father.

In II Peter 3, the entire chapter is written about the return of the Lord to earth. Peter says that some will grow weary waiting, others will call it foolish but he admonishes us to be ready. God is not willing that any should perish but He desires that all should repent. The reason it’s taking so long for Him to return is the Father wants all to come to salvation in Him.

In our waiting, we are to grow in grace. It doesn’t mean we get more grace but that we learn the scope of God’s grace to a greater extent. When we are born human we have all the “humanness” we will ever have but we grow in our capacity to understand and function in our humanity. It’s the same with our life given to us by grace.

As we grow in our knowledge of the Father, we see more clearly how His grace is given to each and everyone of us. We see that He has provided for us through His amazing love and goodness. He is merciful and He is gracious (full of grace). We are to be like Him. Growing in grace causes us to see that our failures and those of others are covered by His grace and so we can go forward, forgiving as we ourselves have been forgiven.

Who needs a shower of grace today? Do you or maybe it’s your spouse or your kids? Maybe it’s a cranky neighbor or co-worker – grow in grace today.

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” II Peter 3:18 KJV

or maybe you understand it better this way

“Let the wonderful kindness and the understanding that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you to keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever! Amen.” II Peter 3:18 CE

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