Good morning, all!

Father, we know that we go through challenges in life and sometimes we don’t always understand them. So, give us the understanding that will help us to go through them, to know that You walk with us and perhaps the only understanding we need is that YOU are with us always so help us to not lose sight of that truth, amen.

2 Peter 1

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love.
We should live like God which is evident by the kindness we show one another, and that kindness is grounded in LOVE.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And if kindness and love is in YOU it will be evident in your life and there is NO way you can be barren or without fruit, having a personal relationship with OUR Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
But when you lack the love of Christ you are blind, and you can’t see things in the distance, and you FORGOT we’ve been cleansed sin.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.
So, dear brothers give it all you got so that you can be sure you are among those God has called and chosen and if you live like this you will NEVER fall.

Bottom line

I love that Peter has written this passage of scripture, I believe it was of course inspired by God but it was also a result of the life experiences he had. I mean we should grow and mature from our experience, right? So, when did Peter fall? When he denied Jesus? Sure, but I believe he also denied Him by the way he lived when he didn’t follow the example Jesus had shown him.

[Gal 2:12 KJV] For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself. Peter had eaten with the Gentiles with Jesus but now he refused to eat with them, and he separated himself and would not keep company with them any longer. That was NOT the example set and that did NOT qualify as kindness and love. So, what happened? He lost sight of the Cross, he forgot his mission in life and now he was blind. How is it one minute you walk with Christ and next thing you know you forget all about Him? His work? His example? I believe pride entered his heart and he lost sight of heaven, the call and eternity. Remember any form of pride is a sin and as the word declares it does NOT exist in heaven, God considers it the only enemy because it robs us of a life of love and forgiveness. Pride is sneaky because it will lie to us, it will tell you to reject people because they don’t measure up or they’re not deserving and sometimes it tells us that God is okay with it too. You know what happens to the proud man?

[Hab 2:5 KJV] Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, [he is] a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and [is] as death, and cannot be satisfied. The proud person can never be satisfied, they spew nothing but hell and death by the words they speak, and they ultimately destroy their own home. We should always bear the fruit of Christ which Peter clearly calls out as kindness and love, without them we are barren…no new life and unfruitful just like the fig tree…didn’t Jesus curse the fig tree because it had no fruit?

[Pro 22:14 NASB20] The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; He who is cursed of the LORD will fall into it. We are the adulteress when we speak words that are unkind to one another, no way to produce the fruit of Christ without them so we become cursed just like the fig tree and we FALL into a deep pit…it’s a grave we fall into because we have NO life in us. What makes our mouth a deep pit? Words of pride and so we fall from grace, we fall further from God, we fall so far away we have forgotten Calvary and now we can’t see eternity…we are blind. Peter says we never fall if we keep our calling, what that look like?

[Pro 22:11 NIV] One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend. Impossible to fall when you have the King for a friend, make sure the words you speak today are full of grace.

Point to Ponder

How’s your vision? [Pro 29:18 KJV] Where [there is] no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy [is] he. Happiness awaits us all, it’s found in God’s word…be kind and love someone today and you will bear much fruit…don’t be a fig tree.

Let’s walk in His grace, in Him Phil

Faith – Family – Friends