May 15th

[hannaleeAdmin]

Passage: 2 Peter 3
Hello! To end off 2 Peter, I thought I would try to do this inductive style, with observations questions and a reflection Sorry if it's kinda all over the place

Observations:
v.5-6 "For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished."
- [OT ref. Genesis] shows God's involvement in the process of history

v.7 "But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire..."
- contrasts with use of word "water" in v.5-6

v.8 "...with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."
- this life on earth that may seem so long is really nothing compared to the eternal life that is waiting for us in heaven!

v.9 "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
- this is a new perspective for me, I never really thought about it this way! God, with His patient and merciful character, wants us to be saved and is giving us an opportunity; I should see my life on this earth as a gift from Him and not put it to waste!

v.10 "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed."
- scary imagery 

v.18 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
- reminds me of 2 Peter 1; it talked about knowledge and using it to build upon our faith! knowledge is très important

Questions:
v.1 "This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved."
Who is Peter writing to?
Study Bible: "Unlike 1 Peter, this epistle contains little information about the identity of its recipients."

v.17 "You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability."
Losing your stability - What does this look like? How to prevent? Can it be "un-lost?"

Reflection
Am I ready for the second coming of Christ? Am I living a life of holiness and godliness, grateful for this time and opportunity that God has given to me?

[JamesAdmin]

Scripture Passage: Romans 11:33-36;

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."

After a long night shift and a whole day of being concerned about paperwork - it's quite beautiful to recognize that we have been given restricted knowledge deliberately. Just how I shared with you at bene on saturday, from Deuteronomy 29:29, "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."
-Essentially stating exactly what it sounds like, that secret things belong to our Heavenly Father - and yet we are revealed only a tiny fraction of them. Intentionally. With good purpose.
-I sit here exhausted, wondering if I'll have the finances to go to school at Trinity, with my future being completely uncertain. God and only God knows what He has set me for. Do I trust this very God? Or do I look to the worldly standards of what it means to live a satisfying life?

I consider it a gift to be able to trust God wholly. We even consider 'trusting in God' to be a cliche term, one that has our faith be 50% certain of what is to come. I wish to receive the FULL gift of complete reliance upon God. I want to be dependent. I desire to be child-like, and to look towards God and His promises rather than the external.

Romans 11 finishes off to state, "For from him and through him and to him are all things."
-This means that God initiates, God in His providence allows things to continue, and that He is the ultimate end to everything. God is God and we are not - who can bring a charge against Him?
-Everything at the end of the day is God's anyways... Why do I bother trying to make a name for myself? Or to amass worldly resources? Nothing will last except God and God alone! What a comfort to know this truth.

Babe, hope you're getting amazing sleep and I'm glad to hear that you've been making a better recovery in terms of your health. Hope these devos are refreshing to your soul.