The Giver of All things

I'll think twice before I text Pastor Milton again. I was thinking actually earlier this week as I was getting ready for the sermon, I was thinking about the first time at Cornerstone that, I led worship. And it was a, it was a terrible week leading up to that morning. And So I'm really nervous getting ready for, for the worship time.

And Pastor Milton walks over and says, hey, man, just don't mess up. But why don't you, with, with that, why don't you open up your Bible to 2 Peter? We're gonna be in 2 Peter chapter 1. We're gonna read for the passage right now, we're gonna read through verse 11, but then we're gonna focus on 1 Peter 13 and 4.

I'm reading out of the ESV. And it says, Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence. By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises.

So that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue and virtue with knowledge and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For whoever lacks these qualities is so near-sighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling an election sure, for if you practice these qualities, you will never fall. For in this way, there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Would you pray with me? God, I'm thankful for this passage of scripture.

I'm thankful for the words that you spoke through this to us. And God, as we read it, and as we think about it this morning, would you speak to our hearts. God, we realize that that is, that is only By you, that you are the only one that can open our eyes to see the truth in scripture. And so God, would you do that for us this morning as we read this, as we listen to your word, would you speak to our hearts?

God, we're thankful for your word. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Verses 3 and 4.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. Through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence by which he has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them, you may become partakers of the divine nature. That, that first statement, his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. This is the controlling thought really of these two verses.

Verses 3 and 4 and then it forms all the way through verse 11. Another way of expressing that phrase would be His divine power has given to us all things needed for life and godliness. Peter makes this huge statement and then uses the next 4 statements after that in verses 3 and 4 to explain the way or the channel or the method by which God gives us all things. So this morning we're going to look first at God as the giver, as that controlling statement, and then the four things that he uses or the methods by which he gives us all things.

It's a theme all throughout scripture that God is a giver. He isn't a grumpy old man sitting on a throne in heaven. Waiting to spoil our fun. He is eager to give happiness, satisfaction, victory, fullness.

He is a giver 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. All sufficiency in all things at all times, no qualification. Psalm 84:11 says, for the Lord God is a son and a shield. The Lord bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. No good thing. James 1:17. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights.

Every good and perfect gift is from Him. Philippians 4:9. My God will supply every need of yours, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Ephesians chapter 2, Paul says, God is so rich in mercy, he saved us so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of His grace.

It's important to note that in each one of those passages he doesn't qualify any of it. There's no qualifier to reduce or to hedge God's bets in those statements. He will give, he will supply. He has endless riches at his disposal for our needs in all circumstances, in all relationships, in all stages of life, in all situations at work, raising your children, dating relationships, in singleness, in every battle with pride, at every moment of temptation.

He has granted to us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness. Those are huge statements. And Peter isn't just referring to spiritual things when he makes that statement in 2 Peter. He says all things pertaining to life and godliness.

I've noticed that sometimes when I read a big statement like that in scripture, I can almost tend to try to hedge the bet for God. You guys do that too when you read those? I, I almost wanna say, well, he, what he probably means is spiritually, he gives me everything that I need. Just to try to cover God in His promise.

But the statements here in 2 Peter are not tempered. They include both eternal and physical things, life and godliness. It's partly obvious because it's, it has the two words, life and godliness. It's also obvious because of the, of the word that he uses.

Zoe is, is the Greek word for life and it, and it's used for both things. It's the physical and it's the eternal. It's used interchangeably. Peter uses this word in several situations.

He uses it in John 6 when he's talking with Jesus and says, to whom else shall we go? You have the words of, and he qualifies it there, he says eternal life. He, he uses the word when he preaches in Acts and he's preaching about Jesus Christ, giving testimony. He says, you are the ones who killed the author of life.

He doesn't qualify with eternal right there. He just says life. So Peter knows how to use the word. He doesn't qualify it here.

Which means God's on the hook for this statement, right? The famous Puritan author. Milton Vincent Once said, Put, put this statement in these words. He has given to us all things needed for the lifestyle we are to live as believers.

So in other words, I guess that means If it's for the lifestyle we are to live as believers, maybe the my request for the Maserati is out. It's not every whim that we have, right? But it's what we need for life and godliness to live as belonging to Christ. There are times I think it's appropriate, it's natural for us to wonder, does God really give us what we need?

I remember several months ago, when we were out at, at UCR talking with college students there. I was with, Angelo Tomaselli. We were going around talking with folks and there was this 11 student that we came up to and I started talking to him about God and asked if he believed in God, asked what he thought about God. And he said, well, if God existed, he wouldn't allow all of the bad things that happen in the world.

It was a, it was a fantastic conversation. It's an important question to ask, right? It's important to actually face the question. Can we say that God has given everything?

If we lose our house. Can he say we, he's given everything. if we lose a job. Can he say, we say that he has given everything we need.

If we're diagnosed with cancer. They're serious questions and yes, absolutely, yes, that is exactly what the passage is referring to. In every situation, he has given everything that we need. I don't, I don't want to oversimplify those questions.

I know that, I know that those come in, in times of, of difficulty and pain. So it's, it's not a simple answer with some of those things, but I think it's, and I, and I don't want to get in the weeds also with the, with this particular question, but I think it is important. If we're gonna deal with this passage, we have to face this question, right? And so, I think there are a couple of thoughts that are important within that line of thinking.

Is it really that God gives us everything we need even in the difficult circumstances? So first, I think that's what's important to address is we do live in a sinful world where people are able, they have the opportunity to do bad things and to sin. Sin causes problems and causes pain. God being a giver doesn't mean that he stops all bad things from happening.

It means that even in the midst of the most difficult circumstances, he stands ready to give and to give and to give from his riches. God, the great giver stands ready to help us and give us what we need in order to respond in the midst of difficulties. So that's one thing that's important is that it doesn't, him being a giver doesn't mean that he stops the bad things from happening. The second thing that I think is important is we tend to look at things in a, in a right now mindset, right?

We see things in the moment and, and we want solutions right now. Even more and more so we're like that, an instant gratification mentality. But God tends to see things outside of time with a much longer perspective and a perfect understanding of the good that's being accomplished not only here in the physical and the right now, but long term and in the spiritual things as well. 1 Corinthians 13:12 references that when it says, for now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.

Now I know in part, then I shall know fully. Even as I have been fully known. We don't have a full picture right now of everything that God is accomplishing. There's a much greater timeline in play throughout our life, and sometimes that difficulty is what God uses to bring about the greatest good in us and through us.

one example comes to mind of this. A short time ago, we were thinking through. Some stuff for our oldest son, Caleb, and decided that it'd be good for him to go 2 days a week to a preschool, just for his development in certain ways. And As we thought through that, it was a process of thinking that through and then talking to Caleb about it and getting him ready for that.

He visited several times the preschool to check it out with Shawna, and he was getting excited about it all the way up until the day before actually going to the preschool. The night before, things started coming off the rails a little bit and he wasn't so excited anymore. and so he, he would on and off cry a little bit about, like I don't wanna leave, I don't wanna go. we go to bed that night, get up the next morning.

He's, he's crying again. and I, I kept talking with him, Caleb, I think this is gonna be really good. I think you're actually gonna really like it too, but it's gonna be good and, and this, this happens all through the morning, through breakfast, through getting in the car, through the drive to the preschool, through getting to the preschool. I go in there, I stay with him for a little while.

and, the whole time as a dad, I'm thinking, man, am I doing something wrong? Like is it a bad decision, you're, you're just thinking through all these things naturally. so the day goes by. That evening talking situations through with him.

the first words out of his mouth about preschool. Can I go again tomorrow? And not that that is the entire validation for the decision, but, the fact that he saw afterwards the good of it. And he recognized there was good in it for him.

He just didn't see it at the moment. After that statement in verse 3, Peter goes on to describe the ways, like I mentioned, or the methods that God uses to deliver everything pertaining to life and godliness. So the next 3 points that we look at on your outline, if you've got the outline or you're taking notes, the next 3 points that we're gonna look at are the ways that God delivers everything that we need. First, God delivers.

what we need. Through the knowledge of himself. The verse here says, His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to his own glory and excellence. It's through the knowledge of God that we're granted all things needed for life and godliness.

Let me say it again cause it's a huge statement. And a recurring theme actually in the book of 2 Peter. It is through the knowledge of God that we are granted all things for life and godliness. That's, that's a massive statement, right?

It's, he points to knowledge and says, this, this is the way that God gives you everything you need. So, my natural question is, so how well do I know God? What volume of good am I bringing in by the volume of good that I, of knowledge that I have about God? And I'm gonna pass along the question to you that came to my mind.

If you were to rate on a scale of 1 to 10, your knowledge of God, Where would you put yourself on the scale? The question that is a pretty natural question to ask. If this is the channel, what's my capacity? One Yet, in relation to the actual Information, the actual qualities of God.

we've got to be just on a minuscule level, but I think it's valuable. You could even jot that down on your, on your note and try to give yourself a fair assessment. Say, where, where do you think you're at? Jot that down in your notes.

I think that's valuable to, to make that assessment. And then the resulting sta statement is, if you want more of God's provision for life and godliness, Increase your knowledge. That's hard work. It's not a passive activity, right?

Acquiring knowledge is not an easy task. I like how Proverbs 4:7 phrases the pursuit of wisdom and insight. It says, the beginning of wisdom is this, get wisdom. Surely the first way to grow in the knowledge of God is, is in scripture, right?

It's been such a, such a challenge to me in recent weeks as Pastor Milton has talked about the word of God and being fully devoted and how much we listen to God in His word. That takes time though to read, study, progress in knowledge. I can point though to the times in my life where I've been closest to God. And feel the most full of life.

And those are definitely the times that I can say I'm spending consistent time with God, learning about him. That brings me life. I'm full during those times. One recent time that was really vivid for me was in Isaiah 53.

I was just drawn to the passage and I spent a lot of time reading and thinking and getting books on Isaiah 53, just spending so much time. And I felt like it was, it was a period where I was getting to know a friend better. Every word of the passage, meaning something and telling me a story about Jesus, who he is. Getting to know a friend, the knowledge of a person through that.

From a practical standpoint, I, I thought it'd be valuable to just mention a few suggestions. If you're thinking, yeah, I'd love to increase my knowledge of God, so like what's a quick step that I can take? there are the Bible reading plans I know that are, that are put out in the lobby. You can pick up the little cards that you stick in your Bible.

That's one thing that you can do. Another thing is there's the women's studies, Bible studies and men's Bible studies during the week here that gets you into the word and that kinda helps you learn even how to study. That can give you the tools that you need in order to kinda build the practices and the habits. That would be another thing.

also, if you wanted to just read a psalm a day, I know that Shawna was doing that recently, reading a psalm a day and just spend time in that and pray through that. Another one would be if you wanted to serve in Ina. Short commercial break for Ina volunteers. because then you hear kids memorizing scripture and by default, when you're listening to them tell it, then you're also memorizing it and you just get more time hearing scripture.

That's a great way to, to feed that into your mind. Or if you're just interested, come talk to me afterwards. I'll, I'd love to do something with you over the month of December and read through a book of the Bible or something, with you. And, on the topic of memorizing scripture too though, I remember hearing John Piper talk about how memorizing not even just verses but chunks of scripture can be really valuable because it not only teaches you an isolated truth but it teaches you the thought process of scripture and helps you understand how the, how it's thought through in scripture.

And so it programs your mind and our minds are crazy things. Whatever you, whatever you put in there. And you fuel your mind with, it's going to get processed. It's gonna come up in back to your mind somewhere down the road in some scenario and you're eventually going to act on it, probably, right?

So whatever we bring into it and feed our mind and I find that with scripture. If I memorize scripture, I'll, I'll find myself going through the day and suddenly that scripture will pop into my head and say, oh wow, that's amazing. I can see what I read, what I memorized. I can see it in practice now in this, particular area of my life.

Another thing is, God said, If you want to see his handiwork, or if you want to hear testimony about who he is, look at the sky. The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech and night to night reveals knowledge. Study his work in nature.

If you want to know more about God, see his work. I think it is important, so we, we've captured this, it is through the knowledge of God. I think it's important to note in a statement. If we do not have knowledge of God, we will not experience God as the giver of all things needed for life and godliness.

It isn't just Pastor Milton's job to know about God. And then to tell us about it on Sunday. We are collectively responsible to know God. I think it's neat in this verse.

Look, look at that verse where it says, pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence. Him who called us. There's a relational beauty to that too. It's not this stoic knowledge.

It's not just academic knowledge, it's a personal knowledge. Know about the one who called you. Alexander McLaren, a Scottish pastor, made an insightful comment on this. He said, I fancy that when this apostle wrote these words, he remembered a time long ago when somebody stood by the little fishing cobble there and as the men were up to their knees in slush and dirt, washing their nets, said to them, Follow me.

I think that was in Peter's estimate, God's call to him. In a similar way, can you look at your own life and identify this is, this is When God called to me. This is what he called me from and rescued me from. This is what he called me to His glory and excellence.

That word excellence, glory and excellence, could be expanded to his excellent virtue. His excellent character, his glory, and his excellence. So through knowledge, To his glory and excellence. The next thing that he does is he gives to us his precious and immense promises.

The promises, something, it's a, it's a declaration or something to do an implication of obligation with it, right? Something that you take as a guarantee of coming action. Is that a fair way to, to characterize a promise? it, it seems like talk and promises have become especially cheap in our culture.

It's hard to know if somebody really intends to To follow through on what they say or if it's just words, right? I think that's, I think that's fair to say that it's, it's hard sometimes to tell unless you look at the character of the person who's making the statement or making the promise. Peter probably had, certain things in his mind. When he says these promises of God, when he says, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises.

But it's plural. He's talking about multiple promises. He references promises later on in chapter 3. He talks about the promise of, of bringing a new heaven and a new earth.

Where righteousness dwells, but he, he says it in the plural. He's got multiple things in mind when he says God's promises. And they aren't cheap. They're not normal.

They're valuable and very great. I think immense captures that, that idea for me. It's very great. It's an immense promise.

That same word precious is used in 1 Peter 1:19 when Peter says, you were ransomed from the feudal ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things like silver and gold. But with the precious blood of Christ. And that word precious is also used in Revelation 21 when it says, it's talking about the new Jerusalem. It's built out of Precious gems.

Talks about precious gems. Just like precious gems, precious metals, God has given to us precious promises of great value. The, the first thing that comes to my mind, if I'm gonna talk about myself and precious promises, the first thing that would come into my mind is the promise that I gave to my wife, when we were married. That, that to me would capture a precious promise.

That's a picture on our wedding day and I promised to her. I will love you as Christ loves his church, even to the giving of my life for you. I will treat you with honor and dignity. I will dwell with you according to God's word.

I will lead our home as Christ leads me. I will walk in a manner worthy of my calling with humility and gentleness, with patience and forbearance. I will be diligent to preserve our unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. For better or worse, in plenty and in want and sickness and health, and joy and in sorrow until death parts us.

To me, that's a precious promise. A very great promise. I can point to One of significance like that in my life, right? A precious and very great promise.

Peter is talking along those lines and he says, God has given to us His precious and very great promises. I, I read that, I've been, I've been in this passage thinking about this for a long time. And when I see that, I say, OK, so, he talks in in chapter 3 about the, the New Jerusalem, new heavens and new earth. But what all is he talking about then?

God's precious promises. What are they? And so I tried an exercise. OK, Jonathan, so list out what God's promises are to you.

I'm going to pass along that question to you. And it's time for a good old school, class activity now. So in your, in your sermon notes, there are 5 lines. I'm serious about this actually.

So there are 5 lines, pull out, pull out that sheet of paper or if you have a phone or tablet or whatever you're taking notes on, and I'd like you to take the next 30 seconds and write down the 1st 5 promises of God that come to your mind. In the top right, write your name, pass it to your right when you're, no, I'm just kidding. Not that. But I am serious about writing down the promises.

So spend the time, 30 seconds, write down the 1st 5 promises of God that come to your mind. And pins down. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. So I'll admit that I was a little disappointed in myself when I did this exercise.

cause I, I did a couple of stutter steps. 00 yeah, oh yeah, OK. Oh yeah, that, that's, that was, that promise of God, yeah, that promise of God. But what it showed to me was If I can't spit them off like this, they must not be in my head very much.

And if that's what he's saying, is by, by that, by that glory and excellence, he granted to us His precious and very great promises and we're going to see the purpose of why he gave those to us. If I can't call those to mind, I must not be leaning on them very much. So, it got me on a, on a bent to say, OK, what are the precious promises of God? And so I want to read to you a list that I started.

This is not a comprehensive list of God's promises, but it is, it is a significant list of his promises. I want to read this to you. I'd encourage you, don't try to write any of them down. Just, if you would just listen and listen to what God has promised over time.

And soak that in. Let God do that work in your heart as you hear this, OK? God told Abraham, I will give you this land. He told Abraham, I will bless all nations through you.

He promised Abraham and Sarah that he, that she would have a son in her old age. He told Israel during their time of slavery in Egypt, I will be with you. He also told them, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt. He told Moses, I will be with your mouth.

He promised through Moses that he would send frogs, flies, locusts, hail, blood, death upon Egypt until they let his people go. He promised to provide water to his people in the desert. He promised to provide manna in the desert. He promised to hear anyone in need in Israel.

He promised not to acquit the wicked. He promised victory in battles. He promised to meet Moses in the tabernacle over the mercy seat. He promised to dwell among the people of Israel and be their God.

He promised that his presence would go with Israel. He promised rest. He promised to cut off anyone who prostituted themselves to magic or worship of the dead. He promised to discipline people's sins.

He promised to break the pride of power. He promised fierce, terrifying judgment against sin. He promised beautiful peace and blessing when his people obeyed him. He promised to stop saving Israel when they turned to other gods.

He promised to make a great name of David and establish his kingdom. He promised that if his people were unfaithful, he would scatter them among the nations. He promised to teach wisdom. He promised to to deliver David.

He also said he would judge with equity. He will punish transgression with a rod and iniquity with stripes, speaking of Jesus' death. He will not alter his covenant. He will not endure an arrogant heart.

He will deliver us from evil. He will remove his protection from those who turn their back on him. He will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. He will be exalted.

He will strengthen his people. He will help them. He will uphold them. He will not give his glory to another.

He promised to make Israel a light to the nations. He promised to send a light to the Gentiles. He promised to send a Messiah to deliver his people from their sins. He promised to have everlasting love and compassion on Israel.

He promised to put an end to Israel's lewdness and whoring. He promised rest. Jesus said he would tell the reapers in the last day, gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but, but gather the wheat into my barn. And Jesus promised, after 3 days I will rise.

He promised to listen and answer when we pray persistently. He promised to give words and wisdom in the midst of persecution. He will remember our sins no more. He will put his law on our hearts and write it on our minds.

He will take vengeance and he will repay wickedness. He will reward each of us according to our work. If anyone hears his voice and opens the door, he will come in. To the one who conquers, he says, I will be his God and he will be my son.

He will understand my disappointment, sorrow, and weakness. He will do abundantly more than all I can ask or imagine. He will give me the power to live like him. He will help me.

He promised to be with me. He promised to never leave me. He will pray for me. He will fulfill his purpose for me.

He will give wisdom if I ask Him. He will give me life to the fullest. He will give good and perfect gifts. He will listen to me and hear my cry.

He will make me complete. He began and will complete the good work that he started in me. He will lift me up and carry me. He will lead me through the depths and the darkness.

He will walk me through the fiercest part of the storms in life. He will hold me up with his powerful and righteous right hand. He will put to shame those who contend against His people. He will help the poor and the needy.

He will humble the proud. He will direct my steps. He will give an inheritance far beyond my imagination. He will give me strength to serve Him.

He will destroy all false gods. He will destroy those who destroy the earth. He will come riding in the clouds arrayed in glory. He will by no means clear the guilty.

He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. He will reward our fasting. He will listen to our prayers. He will revive my soul.

Whoever comes to him, he will never cast out. He promised to give the helper, the counselor, the Holy Spirit to be with us forever. He promised to come to us and not leave us as orphans. He will forgive me when I confess my sin.

He will forget my sin. He will make me pure. He is preparing a place for me in heaven. He will give us rest and he will give us peace.

And that's a small sampling. of his promises. God has given to us those precious and very great promises by His glory and His excellence. We can either believe that and act on those promises.

Or believe other promises. That brings us to another thought that's important to consider. God gives us an escape from the corruption that is in the world. This is where the passage really.

Really gets interesting to me and comes alive. Almost everything in our life hinges on some promise. Right? So we just read these promises of God, all these things that God has promised to us.

God promises these things. Sin promises us things. We hear promises constantly. The same word, where, where it says right here, So that through them, through the promises, you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Turn, turn a couple of pages over in in your Bible to, to chapter two. And in verse 19. Actually, back it up, back up to 18 for speaking loud boasts of folly. They entice by sensual passions of the flesh, those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.

They promise them freedom. But they themselves are slaves of corruption. That word corruption is the same word that's in our passage in verse 4. God giving us an escape from the corruption that is in the world.

They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. Look at that promise. Sin promises that, doesn't it? Sin promises freedom It promises happiness, it promises satisfaction.

It promises glory for ourselves. It promises excitement. But instead, Instead of fulfilling the promise, it's corrupt and deceitful. And it will not fulfill that promise, and it will come with death.

There's an either or. to this relationship. Do you see that between the promises of God over here and the promises of sin, the promise of corruption on this side. Think about it with me if you would.

When we come to that moment of temptation and sin, any sin, Pride, lust, pornography, selfishness, dishonesty. There's a, there's a moment of realization that we come to. what I'm talking about, right? There's that moment that we come to of clarity.

Do I want to fulfill the desire for this sin and what it promises to give me? Or do I want to believe that God will fulfill his promise to me? We, we have those moments where we, we can make those selections between one or the other. Which promise will we believe?

Let's, let's talk about a practical example. Let's say in a specific interaction at work, you're tempted to give in to anger, to give yourself over to the, the flames of anger burning unchecked in your heart. Your desires tell you if you just stay quiet, allow the anger to burn, you get the satisfaction of that feeling. Along with the increased perception of control and all that goes along with anger, right?

But those promises lie. They are corrupt promises to you. They don't give you control. Instead, as it says in 219.

You become a slave of corruption. Anger will take control of you. You will not control anger. And this is why he says, By which he has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped.

God's promise. Allows us to share in the divine nature in the virtues of God. And as we share in that, we escape the corruption of the world. Do you see the trade I'd encourage you, the next time you come to that place of decision with sin, when you come to that moment of realization, Ask yourself, what is this sin promising me?

What does it promise to me? And what is the, what is the alternate promise of God to this sin? Day after day, we face those choices. And the battle of which promise we're going to believe.

And God provides a way of escape from the corruption and says, share in the divine nature. If you look at that phrase that's in between, so you got the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers. That partakers, you, you could alternately say that sharers of the divine nature. It's not that God is saying we become gods.

But he's saying the divine nature that is in me. That excellence that he refers to earlier. He'll, he'll let you have that excellence. He will give you the beauty of that divine nature.

In part now, In our human experience and surely in the end, when he, when he brings us to Himself. We can share in that divine nature and escape the corruption of the world. That corruption word. is corruption or deterioration or decay.

It's the sense of It brings with it a deterioration. Of our soul The corruption that's in the world. It doesn't say the corruption of the world. It says the corruption in the world.

From sinful desire, right? As a result of sinful desire, because of sinful desire. that corruption is in the world. So we put all of those pieces together.

His divine power has granted to us all things needed for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us His precious and very great promises. So that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desires. Look at what God has given to us. And when you face those moments, hold up God's promise and listen to that promise.

It's natural to say, if God has given us all these things, so what do we do with it? And that's exactly where Peter is going in this. He finishes that verse 4 because of sinful desire and then he says, for this very reason. Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, and then goes on to say, live this way.

God has given you everything you need. When you face a situation and you say, I am in need, God. He is standing there ready to hand it to you. Go to him and ask for what you need.

And he will give it to you in that moment. I think as I thought through this passage and in closing, 11 story. Or one illustration, came to my mind as I was working on a project at home. I I had purchased some tools specifically for this project at home and I was a little bit excited to get to use them., I had, I had prepared in advance.

I had gone out and looked at exactly which tool I wanted to have, and, and said, OK, this is gonna be perfect. This is gonna make the task easy and enjoyable. And when I got to the task, I got through each moment of the day. In anticipation.

I couldn't wait to get to the next step of the project. I was saying, oh man, I got to finish this up so I can start using that tool. I want to use that one. I, I got almost through the day and I, I turned to Shawna at home and I said, it's, it's just like playing with toys.

Like this is the best day ever. And there's a sense in which God is saying that in this passage to us, isn't it? He says, I've given you all things needed for life and godliness. Why would I not approach life in the same way, saying, God has given me every tool that I could possibly need.

The niche tool for these things that happen in my life. All I have to do is go to him. And he will give me the tool that I need to take. And in that sense, I, I think we can look forward to whatever, whatever God brings into our life in the sense of saying, he will supply what we need.

His divine power has granted to us all things needed for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desires. Would you pray with me? God, I am reminded this morning of the The incredible number. And the incredible greatness, greatness of your promises to us.

God, you have given us good and precious. And immense promises. And you promised to give us everything that we need. God help me to believe your promises.

And to seek those promises out. Rather than the, than the corrupt promises that are in the world because of my sinful desire. God, make all of us collectively strong in our knowledge of you. Help us to grow in our knowledge of you.

We trust you. And pray in Jesus' name. Amen.