This is the final lesson in this series of twelve. I hope that you will enjoy it and be able to apply it to your life - where you live. I believe that the Bible is up to date and able to help each one of us with our daily lives and problems in 2010.
“For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:11
Ref: 2 Pet 1:3-4; 1 Pet 1:5; 2 Pet 5:8; 1 Pet 5:10; 2 Tim 3:15; Phil 3:10; 2 Tim 1:7; Mt 28:18; Jn 1:12
Isn’t that a wonderful promise? If you look in the verse just above that one, (2 Pet 1:10) Peter reminds again to do the things he has listed. He wants to make sure that you understand. He knows that it is only by accepting the starter faith and doing these things in the recipe list that you will be brought into heaven to be a part of Christ’s kingdom. And He also knows these are the things you will need to live as a child of God in this world. These are the things that strengthen you.
As you work on adding to the starter faith, Christ is protecting you from being destroyed by the lust of the world.
“having escaped the corruption (death) that is in the world through lust.” (2 Pet 1:4)
He knows much better than you the enemy that is searching for you. He is giving you time to grow spiritually in God’s unmerited favor, to learn about Him and what He expects from His children; and what His children can expect from Him.
“But grow in grace, and in knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2Pet 3:18)
He knows that as you feed, or study, on the scriptures it will strengthen you. Just as the physical friendship bread strengthens your fellowship with your earthly neighbor, the Bread of Heaven will establish and strengthen you in your place among the brothers and sisters in the church. It will settle you.
You won’t be jumping about from one place to another believing every new teaching that comes along. You will learn where your true strength comes from and learn to depend on Him alone.
In the gospels Jesus Himself tells you many times that God has given him all power, and that it is available to you for the asking. But as a wise man once said: With great power, comes great responsibility. And in this case it is the power to become the sons of God. And it is your responsibility to not only learn what that means, but to act on it so that others can see and glorify your heavenly Father.
You have nothing to fear. Daily as you face the lions of temptation: know that the keeper of your soul has chained them so that they can only come so close-but don’t you wander too close to them.
Each day as the arrows of doubt try to pierce through to your mind and make you double-minded and unstable in your trust in Jesus: know that His way is perfect, it is complete and you need add nothing else to it once you have added these seven things to the “starter” of faith, grace and precious promises.
All that is left is for you to place the recipe into the oven of your life. The heat of trials and temptations,at just the right temperature and applied for just the right amount of time will make you to become that new creation that God has plans for. Both of these,the heat and the time are controlled by God himself.(Read the first couple of chapters in the book of Job in the Old Testament to find this out)
You need patience and obedience until the baking is complete. Christ himself will remove you when it is time. In the meantime you can be comforted in the fact that He is in control.
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
God is faithful, he does not forget you.In His time, God will come and take His friend and child home to heaven to live with Him.
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Rev 22:12)
I invite you to leave me a comment, to let me know how the recipe is coming along in your life. As always thank you for reading my post.
God Bless,
Carrie
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