To Those Who Have Obtained Like Precious Faith
The Divine Readings – 2 Peter 1:1-11
Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 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, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Lectio Divina Prayer
Heavenly Father, by your own lovingkindness and grace, in Christ, You have freely given to us faith and with it EVERYTHING for a God filled life that knows You intimately. This EVERYTHING is filled up with your great and precious promises that make us partakers of Your very nature of holiness and true righteousness which has powerfully released us from the fallen sinful nature, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life that corrupts the whole world.
Lord, by the gift of faith You have given me life that truly overcomes the corruption of Adam’s fall, it ensures that I have been set free to practice virtue and not vice. That I now, by virtue of the gift of Holy Spirit, can grow in knowledge of You and Your will. You have granted to all who call upon Your Name, the mind of Christ. This divine knowledge empowers us to walk the self controlled life that Jesus walked enduring and overcoming all obstacles. Walking in brotherly kindness and love towards the household of God, but also loving and doing good to all men.
LORD, thank You for the promise that if we practice and grow in these things our lives will neither be complacent or unproductive. Please Lord, do not let me be puffed up and self righteous, but always knowing that the victorious life I now live in Christ, I live because you have cleansed me from my former sins, and translated me from the kingdom of darkness into Your glorious light. It is by Christ, and the great and precious promises in Him, and in Him alone, that we have the firm assurance that we will never stumble and You have opened wide for us the gates of heaven and eternal life.
O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!
Amen!
