What makes you laugh?
All it takes is one verse
“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 1:1 KJV
The book of Peter was written by the Apostle Simon Peter around 64 AD, before he was martyred by King Nero in 68 AD. Peter who is introduced as “a servant (one who gives himself up to another’s will , those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men) and an apostle (a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders), of Jesus Christ. Peter, who is a servant messenger, wrote this letter “to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Is it written to just those that have obtained? Are we to read this letter as just what he wrote to people of that time, or should we read as it was written directly to us, by the messenger with orders from Jesus Christ, Amen. To us because we “have obtained”, received by divine allotment, chosen to receive by the casting of lots; which are pebbles used for systematically making decisions. Casting lots which is the act of using stones to make a decision, like plucking a daisy and/or (because sometimes we have to check twice) flipping a coin, when we used to leave things up to chance. We didn’t trust Jesus, or most likely didn’t know him at all, we let a stone make a decision for us.
Lot is also a word for portion; which means recompense; compensation or reward given for loss or harm suffered, or retribution; punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act. “The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; Therefore will I hope in him.” Lamentations 3:24 KJV. So by not trusting in Jesus we cast a lot and put our faith in a pebble instead of The Stone, by casting a lot without care one could be tossing away their lot or portion, which is our reward for Jesus paying the price for our sin.
Rejoice that Jesus is not like us, and us “obtaining like precious faith” doesn’t happen by chance. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 KJV. We have received our portion by divine allotment, which is the amount of something ALLOCATED; distribute resources or duties for a particular purpose, to a particular person. Simon Peter who was ordered by Jesus, wrote a letter to all; past, present, future, who (particular person) have been chosen (for a particular purpose) by the Casting Stone, Jesus Christ, amen.
If you are receiving this letter, what else have you obtained? So far we have obtained Jesus Christ and a letter from him but wait, there’s more (little salesman pitch) “Like precious faith” has also come into our lives. Like, equally precious, equally honored, to be esteemed equal to, precious faith which is of great value; not to be wasted or treated carelessly, amen. Faith which is the conviction of truth, and trust in God or in Christ with faithfulness of continual loyalty and support. And with this you are not alone.
Its written to Those who have received equally precious faith with us? If Peter is writing this letter how can there be an us? Can’t only one person be writing a letter? As said before Peter is a slave to the will of Jesus Christ. Us is then Simon Peter and Jesus? Yes and no, us is those that have received and will receive Jesus, equally as one. As Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 1:13 “Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” No, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism,” Ephesians 4:4-5 KJV. This letter was written with one man’s hand in service to Jesus, to all those who have or will receive Jesus, so if you a receiving this message I have good news, amen.
The good news is that “through the righteousness of God and Jesus Christ” you have received Jesus. If you are receiving this message and feel it in your heart, you were chosen from before time began by the Casting Stone. “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8 KJV. Amen.
Before this letter was written, you were chosen to receive it. In equal time that those who received this letter from Simon Peter, you have also received it. You, the new creation in Jesus Christ now a slave to his will. Again I read, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 KJV. Everything that will be done, has been done already. To those who worry about what your works will be or fear if you will do them , fear not for they have already been done through Jesus. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 KJV. To those who worry about the problems you may have, they have already been solved through Jesus. “That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 KJV. God has taken care of every worry or fear and all he asks for in return is, “that which is past”, for us to follow Him.
Now that we have received the message in the first verse, let us move on to receive the rest message from Simeon Peter. The rest of this message is concerning our problems we may face on the inside along our walk. Let us learn how to keep a closer watch on our personal lives as well pursuing the characteristics or virtues that come with living a righteous life. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV. I pray we all continue receiving guidance from God to walk in His will so that we do not waste the precious gift that has been given to us through the sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory now and forever, Amen.
2 Peter 1:2 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,”
The second verse affirms that if we study Gods word and learn who He and Jesus are, that through this knowledge, grace and peace will abound within us. I feel the more I study and learn Gods word, the more I gain confidence I am following Gods will for my life. I become more faithful in my first instinct because its no longer my instinct. Before, my first instinct was my own and was what led me down a dark path but back then I had zero knowledge of our Lord and Saviour. I believe that grace and peace is multiplied on us when we can rest in the Lord that He is making the decisions in our lives now, for us and by us trusting in Him. We trust in Him by filtering all our decisions through his word, which then is not us but the Holy Spirit working within us. The more we read and replace our previous knowledge with that of the word, the more the Bible becomes our conscience.
Do you ask yourself when making decisions, what is Gods will for me to do?
How often do you follow through with that decision?
Also in this verse, my bible references Daniel 4:1 King Nebuchadnezzer is blessing peace upon all people, nations and languages. Next verse King Nebuchadnezzar feels he should show the signs and wonders God has “wrought toward” him. Through reading and gaining knowledge of God we see miracles after miracles that God hath performed, we also see how His power is glorified also through his wrath. We know the Bible to be true, all these events occurred and people forgot Him. Now, here we are 2000 years from the greatest miracle, and He is more forgotten than any period biblical or since. Now filtering the world through His eyes what do we see. Hate like never before with division across endless agendas, wars for reasons nobody knows and will only be remembered by which side is writing the history books, greed and prices for a soul has gone up, afraid to say hello or interact with a stranger when most don’t even know who the true enemy is. Like Nebuchadnezzar, we are all beasts of a field. Knowing of his glory, we carry on grazing in disbelief. Even those saved are out to pasture in the vastness of his wisdom. Comfort comes in faith that even though we will always fall short, our Lord and Saviour will always lift us up. Knowing Jesus was a gift from God who loved us enough to give us His only begotten son. It is in His name we are saved, and it is through Him that we pray. In Jesus name, Amen.
33 and a Third 