By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
MONDAY
THEME: “EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES”
SCRIPTURE: 2 Peter 1:4
“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.”
REFLECTIONS
It is indeed an incredible privilege to be a Christian. The value of being a Christian is humanly not computable. There is no honor so beautiful, enduring, valuable, and priceless as our redemption to be Christians –Christ-like. A sinner converted to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit is placed above the highest pedestal any human mind can imagine or fathom. Likewise, the joy of being a Christian is resounding, enlivening, and elating. To abide in Christ and walk with Him is the most precious opportunity human beings can ever attain. The world may have a weird perception of Christians because of the pretenders who are not genuine yet desire to assume a cloak like that of a Christian. You cannot be Christ’s with your loyalty divided. People who want to stay with both worlds – Christ’s and Satan’s deceive themselves because they will soon realize they cannot attain the good one. Those who merely warm up Church pews lose many blessings in Christ.
Peter, writing to the believers in 2 Peter 1:1-4 remarked: [1]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: [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, [4]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.”
Check the privileges you have by casting your lot on Jesus’ side: i) you obtain like precious faith with the apostles – this faith is described as precious and life-giving; ii) you receive a faith that is wisely shaped by Christ’s righteousness – an enduring, unwavering, and unflickering faith; iii) you acquire Christian values that make people knowledgeable and wise; iv) you get reconciled and glued to Christ – your value appreciates, with daily grace and peace multiplying; v) you are given divine power that hinges on life and godliness as a gift; vi) you are blessed with a special calling by glory and virtue; vii) you access exceedingly great and precious promises; and viii) you will partake of the divine nature that loathes sin. Every promise of Christ is life-giving.
The exceedingly great and precious promises for you today include: i) receiving a new heart and the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26,27); ii) your sins are forgiven and you are justified by His blood (Romans 5:1,2,9-11,19); iii) in your struggles, His grace will be sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:9); iv) in times when you are afraid, God says, “I am with you, I will help you” (Isaiah 41:10); v) when in need, “my God shall supply all your need . . .” (Philippians 4:19); vi) in your loneliness, He says: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5); vii) to bear fruit, abide in Christ and He will abide in you (John 15:4,5). While without Christ, you can do nothing, you can boldly claim: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (John 15:5; Philippians 4:13). May your joy be complete in Christ Jesus. Amen
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 518 – “Standing on the Promises”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for making His precious promises known to you; thank God for giving you a promise for every situation; pray to claim His promises daily;
– Pray claiming promises on behalf of the mourning, ailing, impoverished, homeless, strangers, drug addicts, etc.;
– Pray for lactating mothers, pregnant women, teachers, security service personnel, and health care providers; pray for Christians in politics that they may exude Christ’s character;
– Pray for family unity, peace in homes, and a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.
