2 Peter 3: Will You Flee From Lusts?
Verse of the Day: (V3) “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.”
1. Own Lusts (V1-9)
V4 “And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
Those who profess to believe in God but have never believe in Him with their hearts will eventually walk after their own lusts and face His judgment as in the days of Noah when He destroyed all, except eight souls, with a great flood. However God is longsuffering and is always waiting for all to come to repent their sins and believe in Him with their hearts, so that they shall escape eternal condemnation and be with Him in heaven forever.
V9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
2. Own Destruction (V10-16)
V12 “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”
God promised the people that He shall not destroy the world with the great flood again, but shall destroy them with great heat if they continue to rebel against Him. Indeed, God shall not only judge and destroy the unbelievers but also the professing believers who seemingly know His Word, yet refuse to obey them, and thus face their own destruction.
V16 “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
3. Own Stedfastness (V17-18)
V17 “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.”
Finally, Peter, who denied Jesus thrice, repented his sins and became an Apostle of Jesus, admonished all who believe in Jesus to grow in grace and in His knowledge so that they shall not fall into wickedness but shall be stedfast and abounding in His work and Word.
V18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to grow in grace in You, and flee from lusts and sins.
2 Peter 2: Wells Without Water
Verse of the Day: (V17) “These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.”
1. Wages Of Unrighteousness (V1-16)
V1 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”
God through Apostle Peter warns His people that there shall be false men of God who preach everything except His Word to enrich themselves like Balaam the false prophet. These false preachers were for the love of money than souls, and instead of leading souls to God, they lead them to fiery hell. However, God shall severely judge and destroy these false preachers. Let us stay faithful to God’s true preachers, and flee from the false ones.
V15 “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;”
2. Wells Without Water (V17-19)
V18 “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.”
God reminded His people that there are false preachers who serve themselves, and are like wells without water and clouds with great storm that deceive people to eternal hell. Indeed, wells are to provide water for people, but if there is no water, it is a useless well!
V19 “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.”
3. Way Of Righteousness (V20-22)
V20 “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”
Let us be men of God who preach and teach His Word, and lead and show the people the way of His righteousness. Let us fully trust and obey God and His Word, than to pretend that we are His people, and eventually He shall judge and cast us to eternal damnation!
V21 “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be the well with water that preach only Your Word.
2 Peter 1: Is God Pleased With You?
Verse of the Day: (V17) “For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
1. Precious (V1-8)
V1 “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:”
2 Peter was the last letter of Apostle Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, before God promoted him to glorious heaven. As with all last letters, it summed up what God has for His people, through Peter, that they must believe in God’s precious promises, and continue in their precious faith in Him amid intense persecution and worldly temptation.
V4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
2. Purged (V9-12)
V9 “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”
Though we are saved by grace through faith in God, yet we are still in our old nature of flesh and sins, and the only way to know that we are truly saved and called of God is when we keep confessing and purging our sins, and abounding in the fruit of the Spirit.
V10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”
3. Pleased (V13-21)
V15 “Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.”
Again, God, through Peter, reminds His people that since we have only one life, and soon it will pass, only what is done for Jesus will last. Therefore, let us please God in our words and works just like Jesus, God’s Son, whom God was well pleased with Him. Let us continue to trust and obey God’s Word because this is the only best way to please Him.
V19 “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to please and glorify You by trusting and obeying You.
1 Peter 5: Will You Cast All Your Care Upon God?
Verse of the Day: (V7) “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
1. Crown (V1-4)
V3 “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.”
Christians, especially the pastor or the under-shepherd of the church, let us not be weary in well doing as God, our Chief Shepherd, knows all our labour of love, and He shall reward us with crowns when we get to His glorious home in heaven. Let us be examples of God’s holiness and righteousness, and keep on sharing the Gospel of Christ, that all may come to know Christ as their personal Saviour, and in turn make Christ known to all.
V4 “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
2. Care (V5-9)
V6 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”
As much as God is real, the devil is also real and he is the enemy of God. The devil knows that he has limited time on this earth as God shall ultimately condemn and cast him into fiery hell in due time because of his pride and wickedness. Therefore the devil seeks to destroy God’s people so that all will go to hell with him. However, God is greater than the devil, and He shall protect and preserve His people. Let us therefore humble ourselves, and be vigilant, and cast all our care upon God who truly cares for us.
V8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
3. Call (V10-14)
V10 “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
Let us thank God for His amazing grace as He calls and convicts us of our sins, so that we repent of our sins, and turn to Him. The God of all grace has not called and promised us lives without suffering, but He assures us that He is with us through all our sufferings. Let us therefore be humble and faithful, as one day, we shall be delivered from all our sufferings when we are promoted to glorious heaven to be in God’s presence forever!
V12 “By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to cast all my care upon You as You truly care for me.
1 Peter 4: Are You Living In God’s Will?
Verse of the Day: (V2) “That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.”
1. Will Of God (V1-10)
V1 “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;”
Many times God allows us to suffer in our fiery trials so that we will draw ourselves close to Him and His Word and prayers, and cease to sin against Him. Indeed, when we live in God’s will and love, we cease to live in our lusts and flesh. Let us therefore love all the people including our enemies, so that we sin less, and stay in God’s perfect will.
V8 “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
2. Oracles Of God (V11-16)
V11 “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
Let us stay close to God’s oracles and words as only in them we shall know His perfect will for our lives. It is sad that many Christians know God’s oracles, yet they choose to disobey them and eventually suffer the consequences of their sins. This is why God has to send fiery trials to His children so that they repent their sins, and return to His perfect will.
V12 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:”
3. House Of God (V17-19)
V17 “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”
Let us take heed that God shall judge His house or children first as they are precious in His sight. Though God’s judgement is severe, yet it is beneficial to His children as it will draw them close to Him. If God severely judges His children, it is even more severe when He judges the unbelievers as they shall be condemned to fiery hell because of their sins of belief. Let us therefore flee from sins, and obey God’s gospel, and live in His perfect will.
V18 “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to live in Your perfect will even in great suffering.
1 Peter 3: Are You Suffering For Christ’s Sake?
Verse of the Day: (V17) “For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.”
1. Sight Of God (V1-11)
V4 “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
The home and the church are the two institutions that Christ loves as they are precious in His eyes. Let us like Christ loves our family and church knowing that they are precious in His sight. We may not fully agree with our family and church members in everything, but we must still love them. This is especially so for the husbands, as God shall not hear their prayers, if they do not love their wives - their weaker halves and joint-heirs with Christ.
V7 “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”
2. Will Of God (V12-17)
V14 “But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;”
As I write this devotion, my dearest sister, Daisy, is suffering much due to her severe illness. Though she has done nothing wrong, yet she knows that it is God’s will that she suffers, just like Christ, who also suffered much, when He died on the cross, not for His own sins, but for the sins of the whole world – yours and mine! Let us continue to endure our suffering for righteousness and Christ’s sake, and preach the gospel of Christ to all.
V15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”
3. Longsuffering Of God (V18-22)
V18 “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”
Let us not take for granted God’s longsuffering, as during the Great Flood, He destroyed all, except the eight souls in the ark, because the rest kept refusing to repent their sins.
V20 “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that I am suffering for righteousness’ and Your sake.
1 Peter 2: Who Am I?
Verse of the Day: (V4) “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,”
1. Chosen Of God (V1-8)
V2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”
Do you know that once we confess and repent our sins, and believe and receive Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we become God’s chosen and precious people? Indeed, what a privilege and honour to be chosen by the true and living God who shall protect us from harm, and provide for all our needs. Let us as new Christians continue to desire God’s holy Word and grow to be matured Christians serving Him until His glorious return or the day He calls us home. Let us taste that the Lord is gracious and full of mercy.
V3 “If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”
2. People Of God (V9-14)
V9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
Let us as Christians be holy and thankful to God, knowing that we are His chosen and precious people and have obtained His mercy, even in the midst of intense and great suffering and persecution. Let us truly trust God who call us that He is able to help and deliver us in all our troubles before He promotes us to be with Him in heaven for ever.
V10 “Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”
3. Servant Of God (V15-25)
V16 “As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.”
There are Christians after they have tasted that the Lord is gracious become proud and take for granted God’s blessings upon them. Let us as servants of God humble ourselves knowing that we are only sinners saved by grace, even though we are bound for heaven. Let us embrace suffering for Christ’s sake even as Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that the godly and righteous shall suffer in this ungodly and evil world.
V21 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that You have chosen me to be Your people and servant.
1 Peter 1: How Is Your Faith?
Verse of the Day: (V7) “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
1. Faith (V1-16)
V8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”
Faith in God is believing in God that He is the Creator and Saviour of the world, even though we cannot see or touch Him. When we believe and love God, He shall send His Spirit to dwell in us and grant us His Spirit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control in the midst of our sufferings, and eventually deliver us from our sufferings, so that our faith is tested and comes forth as precious gold.
V9 “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
2. Fear (V17-21)
V17 “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:”
Let us live by faith in God and have the fear of God in us and trust and obey Him and His Word, because our souls are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus, the Son of God. Indeed, only Jesus forgives and redeems us from our sins because only He is the perfect Son of God without sin. Whoever believes in Jesus and confess and repent his sins shall shun fiery hell, and have everlasting life with Him now and forever in glorious heaven.
V19 “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”
3. Flesh (V22-25)
V24 “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:”
There are only 2 things in this world which shall endure forever – God’s Word and souls. God’s Word is none other than Jesus Christ who shall live forever. However, all man shall die in his flesh as after all he is but flesh. The vital question is where will the soul of man be after his death? If we believe in Christ, our souls shall live with Him now and forever in heaven, but if we reject Him, our souls shall suffer in fiery hell after our death.
V25 “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please increase my faith that it be praise, honour and glory to You.
James 5: Are You Righteous?
Verse of the Day: (V16) “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
1. Riches (V1-6)
V1 “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.”
There is nothing wrong to be rich and wealthy, but when we cheat or deceive others to get riches, then it is absolutely wrong in God’s eyes. Indeed, only by grace and through faith in God, and not riches and wealth, can we have true happiness and salvation in God.
V4 “Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.”
2. Righteous (V7-16)
V7 “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.”
What God truly desires from His people is not so much of our riches and wealth, but the fruit of His Spirit such as patience, faith and righteousness. We may be very rich, wealthy and famous, but without God and the fruit of His Spirit, we are never truly joyful, contented and satisfied with our lives. In fact, God only answers our prayers, and show us great and mighty things that we don’t even expect, when we have the fruit of His Spirit.
V15 “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
3. Rain (V17-20)
V17 “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.”
One of the great examples of a man of the fruit of the Spirit of patience, faith and righteousness was none other than Elias. When Elias prayed, God answered him, and there was no rain on earth for three and the half years! Elias was just like you and me, sinners saved by grace, yet when he had righteousness in God, God answered him!
V18 “And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be righteous in You so that my prayers are answered.
James 4: What Is Life?
Verse of the Day: (V14) “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
1. Lusts (V1-10)
V3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
Why God does not answer our prayers? It is because we pray and ask God according to our lusts or selfish desires. We do not humble ourselves before God, and repent of our sins and turn to Him, but instead, we treat God as though He is obliged to answer all our prayers and desires. We fail to fully understand that our God is not only loving, but He is also holy, and therefore we must draw near to Him in humility and holiness, and then He shall draw near to us, and answer all our prayers and desires according to His perfect will.
V8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
2. Law (V11-12)
V11 “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.”
Why do we judge others? We judge others because we think we are more superior and righteous than others. However, God rebukes and disciplines us when we judge others, because only He is the Lawgiver, and only He has the right to judge. Indeed only God is able to save our souls from condemnation in fiery hell, and promote us to glorious heaven.
V12 “There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?”
3. Life (V13-17)
V15 “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”
Let us not boast of our achievements and successes, because our lives are from God, and He miraculously pumps our hearts for us to breathe and live. Our lives are like vapours that can vanish any time, and let us acknowledge God as our Creator and Saviour. Indeed, God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, and whoever believes in Him shall never perish, but have everlasting lives with Him in heaven. Let us therefore do good by sharing to all that Jesus truly saves so that all may come to His saving grace.
V17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that You are my life, and I live for You and You alone.
