II Peter 1 (NIV)

Summary:

Verses 1&2

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, writes to those who, through righteousness from God, have received a faith as precious as those of the apostles.  He wishes us grace and peace in abundance, through the knowledge of our God.

Making One's Calling and Election Sure
Verses 3-11

God's divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and goodness.  Through these attributes, we have been given precious promises, so that through them we can participate in divine nature and escape the world's corruption brought on by evil desires. 

We should make every effort to add goodness to our faith, knowledge to our goodness, self-control to our knowledge, perseverance to our self-control, godliness to our perseverance, brotherly/sisterly kindness to our godliness, and love to our kindness.  Possessing these things with increasing amounts will prevent us from becoming ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of Christ.  If anyone lacks these things, they are near-sighted and blind, forgetting that their past sins have been cleansed.  (They have relapsed into living with guilt.)  So, we should be eager to make our calling and election sure.  If we do so, we will not fall, but will receive a rich welcome into Christ's eternal kingdom.

Prophecy of Scripture
Verses 12-21

Peter will always remind us of these things, even though we know them and are firmly established in the truth.  As long as he lives in the tent of this body he will refresh our memory, because he knows that he will soon put his body aside as Christ had told him.  Peter will make every effort to ensure that we remember what he has told us after he is gone.

The apostles did not follow legends or myths of Christ's power and coming.  They were eyewitnesses of His majesty.  Christ received honor and glory from the Father, when He said " 'This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.' " (Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7, Luke 9:35; Verse 17b)  The disciples heard God's voice while they were on the sacred mountain.

The word of the prophets is now more certain, since their prophecies of Christ came to pass.  We should pay attention to their words, which are like a light in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts.  No prophecy came by the prophet's own interpretation.  Prophecies never had their origin in the will of humans.  Men and women spoke from God while carried by the Holy Spirit.

Lori's Thoughts:

Faith is like a precious stone.  The richer we are in our faith, the more beautiful this stone gets.  Faith is a confident expectation of something.  God has promised to make us whole and to save us from this evil world.  Expect peace and love. Be strong in your faith.

Once you have faith, that is you believe in God, do something with it.  Share that love.  Don't just talk about it.  Using it = goodness.  Think about why you do good.  That way, when people doubt and question your motives, you'll have a solid response = knowledge.  Self-control: you now know what it is like to live a life of self-love compared to living a life with love for God, others, as well as yourself.  Sometimes loving others is difficult - people are broken and have a tendency to vent their frustrations at the wrong person, because they feel safer than confronting those that hurt them.  Self-love begins to look more attractive.  Just remember, nothing worthwhile is ever easy.  And people can change.  You did.  Just ask God for the strength to continue loving others.  It's so rewarding when they love you back.

Perseverance: don't give up.  If you are weak, let yourself fall in His loving and strong arms.  He'll hold you.  Godliness: a lot of people picture a solemn, passionless old person when they think of this word.  Not so.  In actuality, almost everyone pursues godliness.  Triathletes perfect their bodies with diet, exercise, and rigorous training.  Actors and musicians do the same, to look good when they perform.  Anyone in the military trains their minds and bodies intensely.  We strive for excellence and perfection.  This is godliness.  So, I encourage you to get physically fit.  We function better when we feel good about ourselves.  I also encourage you to get spiritually fit.  Be a soldier for God, fighting with Him against the dark forces that plague us with guilt, pain, and suffering.

Brotherly kindness: not letting your new-found awesomeness make you arrogant.  Love: conquers all.  We are more than conquerors in Christ.  We are champions.

Peter writes this letter to tell us that this is real.  We can't see God.  We can't prove His existence.  Non-believers will use this against us.  But, some people did see God - in human form.  They want to share their experience with us.  I believe Peter.  The Holy Spirit spoke to the prophets, who spoke to the disciples, who speak to us.  Experience God for yourself.  Go tell others about Him.