Monday 30 November 2009

1 John 1

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Confess. Receive. Receive forgiveness. Receive cleansing.
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Sunday 29 November 2009

2 Peter 3

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.


Opportunity to repent is the reason the earth still exists.
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Saturday 28 November 2009

2 Peter 2

"1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed."


Beware prophesy that excites the flesh. What reaction does it produce in you? Joy? Freedom? Conviction of sin? Love for God? Or just greed, ambition and pride?


"3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words"
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Friday 27 November 2009

2 Peter 1

"2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue"

Grace and peace come from the knowledge of God, we access the promises and the power of God through the knowledge of God.

"5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,"

But, faith and righteousness preceed knowledge.
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Wednesday 25 November 2009

1 Peter 5

10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

Settlement follows conquest.

1 Peter 4

1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin

1-2 Since Jesus went through everything you're going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you'll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want. The Message

I think the message version explains that verse so clearly. Suffering weans us from having to get our own way.

Tuesday 24 November 2009

1 Peter 3

9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

Sow blessing.
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1 Peter 2

17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.

There is no honour in only honouring the honourable.

Monday 23 November 2009

1 Peter 1

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit[d] in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

Purity? Obedience.

Sunday 22 November 2009

James 5

20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul[o] from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Go after the wanderer!
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Friday 20 November 2009

James 5

8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Patience possesses the future.


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Thursday 19 November 2009

James 4

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Resistance to the Devil without submission to God is doomed to failure.
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Wednesday 18 November 2009

James 2-3

14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

Demon literally means dominion or power. Demonic wisdom is all about power struggles and status. The wisdom of God is "willing to yield" like Jesus, who only did what he saw the Father doing.
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Tuesday 17 November 2009

James 1

27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

As a summary of the Christian life, I find this pretty challenging.
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