Tag: promises

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Genesis Devotions

Inheritors of God’s blessing

Genesis

I will bless you…and you will be a blessing…all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:2-3)

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner.

And in this passage, we see one of the first “Christmas promises.”

God told Abraham that in him all the peoples on earth would be blessed. That was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, who was a descendant of Abraham.

And we are inheritors of that blessing. (Galatians 3:8-9; Ephesians 1:3-14)

But like Abraham, we are not called simply to receive God’s blessing. We are to be a blessing to others. We are to shine the light of Jesus into their lives so that they too might receive the blessing we ourselves have received.

So as Christ’s church, let us go out into this world and be that blessing to the world.

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2 Peter Devotionals

By his righteousness, by his power, by his promises

2 Peter

The more I read this chapter, the more Peter’s words strike me.

He says in verse 2,

May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Peter 1:2)

How many of us know that grace in our lives? How many of us know God’s peace in our lives?

These are things that many Christians struggle to truly grasp in their lives.

Perhaps part of the reason is sections in the Bible like verses 5-10 where it almost sounds like, “It’s all up to you! Do your best to be a good Christian!”

But to pull those words out of their context is to lose sight of the grace and peace that God intends us to walk in.

Peter prays in this letter that grace and peace be multiplied to us through the knowledge of God and Jesus.

What knowledge is he talking about. Many things, I suspect, but we see some key things right here in this chapter.

First, we stand before God, not because of our own righteousness, but because of Jesus’.

That is why Peter can tell us that we have received a faith equal to the apostles themselves.

The apostles didn’t stand before God because they were somehow more godly than anyone else.

They had faults. They sinned. They failed.

But they stood because Jesus caused them to stand (Romans 14:4).

They stood in his righteousness, not their own. And so do we. That’s why we don’t have to worry about trying to earn our way into God’s good graces. We already have peace with him.

Second, God has given us the power we need in order to live as he has called us to. Peter tells us that God called us because of his own glory and goodness, not our own.

He knows we are weak in ourselves. And so he empowers us, giving us everything we need for life and godliness.

He doesn’t just say, “Good luck. You’re on your own.” Rather, he stands by us to help us every step of the way. All we have to do is ask.

More than that, he has given us his great and precious promises.

Promises that our sins are forgiven because of the cross.

Promises that when Jesus appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Promises that in the meantime, the Holy Spirit will dwell in us, leading us, guiding us, and empowering us to become more like Jesus.

These are the things we need to understand. And if we do, we will walk in grace and the peace of God.

And with that assurance and joy in our hearts, and by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, we start adding to our faith things like goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.

So let us meditate on Christ’s righteousness by which we stand, the power he provides, and his promises that make all these things possible.

And as you do, you will know the grace and peace of God in your life.

Categories
Ezekiel

True to his word

Ezekiel

In this passage, we see how true to his word God is.

He starts by talking about the exile of Jerusalem, and namely that of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah.

God had Ezekiel do a little drama to show the exiles what would happen to their king: that he would be forced to flee Jerusalem under cover of night, that he would be captured, blinded, and brought to Babylon to face Nebuchadnezzar.

Following that, he would scatter the Israelites among the nations.

All these things came to pass.

God told Ezekiel to demonstrate all this, so that all who heard would know that he was the Lord, the only true God.

It was something that the Israelites had trouble accepting. And because God was patient in passing judgment, they took it for God being unreliable. They said,

The days go by and every vision comes to nothing? (Ezekiel 12:22)

This was a proverb that was common in Ezekiel’s time, and people claimed that all these visions that Jeremiah and Ezekiel were having were simply lies or delusions.

But God responded,

‘I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.’

Say to them, ‘The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled. For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations among the people of Israel.

But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay.

For in your days, you rebellious house, I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ (Ezekiel 12:23–25)

God is true to his word.

But this is not only true in prophecy. It’s also true concerning his promises. And if he promises something, he will keep his promise.

What promises has he made to us?

“Whoever believes in [Jesus] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

And these are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many, many more.

So let us cling to the promises of God, knowing that he is indeed true to his Word.