II PETER & I JOHN

Today is Christmas!  December 25th!  Praise the LORD for His Birth!  I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas.  I hope this is a special day for you at church as well.  Today, we have a service at 11:00am and I'm looking forward to it.  I'm in II Peter and I John this morning, and here are a few gems to share:

1) GRACE AND PEACE MULTIPLIED!  How would you like to have your grace and peace multiplied?  The Bible says that can happen.  In II Peter 1:2, it reads:  "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our LORD."  Yes, it can multiply and it multiplies by increasing our knowledge of God and His Son, Jesus Christ.  Now, how will that knowledge increase?  Well, by reading more about them.  The more we read and meditate and implement the Word of God, the more our grace and peace are multiplied.  Notice, not added, but multiplied!  This is not the grace that God has towards us, but the grace we show to others.  We become more Christ-like and our grace shown to others grows in such a way that it is multiplied.  Our peace, that which we have in the midst of life's troubles, multiplies as we get into God's Word.  So, the choice is ours.  Live with what you have, or let it multiply as we get into God's Word more and more.  That is the secret to greater grace and peace!!

2) REMEMBRANCE- Christian growth and health is not in the learning of "new" truths, but in the "remembrance" of old truth.  Notice what II Peter 1:12 says:  "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth."   Notice the phrase:  "though ye know them".  Here we see that Peter is reminding people of things they already know, but he realizes the importance of being reminded of these truths!  Notice these verses as well: II Peter 1:13 "Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;"; II Peter 1:15  "Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.";  II Peter 3:1  "This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:"  We sing the song:  "Tell me the old, old story..."  Yes that is what we need!  Not a new story, but the same one our fathers heard.  The same one we were brought up with.  The same one we tell our children and grand children.  Let us not seek new truth, but be ever thankful to hear a preacher or teacher who simply "reminds us" of that which "we already know".  That is how we know it is truth!

3) HE PROMISED US!  In I John 2:25, it reads:  "And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life."  God has promised us eternal life!  That is true for all that have trusted Christ as their personal Savior.  How wonderful this promise is.  Then to know the Bible says that God cannot lie add more significant weight to this promise.  It is real!  It is true!  It will be ours throughout eternity.  Wow!  Praise His holy name!

4) TO BE LIKE JESUS- I John 4:17 gives us an important phrase:  "because as he is, so are we in this world."  We are a reflection of Jesus Christ on planet earth.  We are to be like Jesus.  I love that chorus:  To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, all I ask, to be like Him..."  That is what this old world needs.  More Christians living like Jesus Christ to show Christ to a lost world.  LORD, please help me to live like You and to love like You and to forgive like You and to minister like You and to care like You and to have compassion like You, and.......... on and on!  Let that be our goal.

I hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas!!  Blessings on you my friend.  Merry Christmas!!