DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR THURSDAY DECEMBER 21:
WORD OF WISDOM
It's not always about you changing the situation; sometimes it's about the
situation changing YOU!
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DAILY DEVOTION
For All Who Believe
"He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him
not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of
the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
John 1:10-13
We live in a divided world. Nations go to war over border disputes,
resources, and desire for gain. Nations dissolve into warring factions that
can no longer live together. This is not a new thing-it has been with us
since sin entered the world. But the process of separating and dividing
seems to be accelerating in our era. New countries are being created
constantly-thirty-four new nations have been created just since 1990.
In a divided world, what is the hope for unity? It surely cannot be found in
government programs, for those have been tried and found wanting. It cannot
come from education, for more of the world is spending more time in school,
yet the divisions remain. It is not found in advances in technology and
communication, for despite their promises of connection, they often divide
more than ever. The only hope of peace for a world of sinful men is found in
the Prince of Peace, who is the Saviour for all who believe.
George Truett said, "Christ was born in the first century, yet He belongs to
all centuries. He was born a Jew, yet He belongs to all races. He was born
in Bethlehem, yet He belongs to all countries." There is hope in the message
of Christmas-not the consumer crazed holiday many observe, but in the story
of a Saviour who came for all those who take His offer of salvation in
faith.
When we share the message of Christ coming to save sinners, we are giving
hope to a divided world.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
2 Peter 1-3New King James Version (NKJV)
Greeting the Faithful
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.
Fruitful Growth in the Faith
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control
perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness,
and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound,
you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness,
and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election
sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an
entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Peter's Approaching Death
12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these
things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I
think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding
you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus
Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always
have a reminder of these things after my decease.
The Trustworthy Prophetic Word
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His
majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a
voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased." 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when
we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed,[a] which you do well to heed
as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning
star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of
Scripture is of any private interpretation,[b] 21 for prophecy never came
by the will of man, but holy men of God[c] spoke as they were moved by the
Holy Spirit.
Destructive Doctrines
2 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be
false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies,
even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift
destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom
the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit
you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle,
and their destruction does[d] not slumber.
Doom of False Teachers
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell
and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5
and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a
preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the
ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes,
condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward
would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the
filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among
them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing
their lawless deeds)- 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of
temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of
judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the
lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous,
self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas
angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling
accusation against them before the Lord.
Depravity of False Teachers
12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed,
speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in
their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as
those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and
blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14
having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing
unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are
accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray,
following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of
unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey
speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds[e] carried by a tempest, for whom
is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.[f]
Deceptions of False Teachers
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure
through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually
escaped[g] from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them
liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is
overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20 For if, after they
have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the
latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been
better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having
known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it
has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his
own vomit,"[h] and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."
God's Promise Is Not Slack
3 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir
up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the
words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment
of us,[i] the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that
scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
4 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
creation." 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the
heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,
6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.
7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word,
are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly
men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is
as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not
slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering
toward us,[j] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance.
The Day of the Lord
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the
heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with
fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned
up.[k] 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner
of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for
and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens
will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent
heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens
and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Be Steadfast
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be
found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the
longsuffering of our Lord is salvation-as also our beloved brother Paul,
according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all
his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things
hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own
destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you
also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the
wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Footnotes:
a.2 Peter 1:19 Or We also have the more sure prophetic word.
b.2 Peter 1:20 Or origin
c.2 Peter 1:21 NU-Text reads but men spoke from God.
d.2 Peter 2:3 M-Text reads will not.
e.2 Peter 2:17 NU-Text reads and mists.
f.2 Peter 2:17 NU-Text omits forever.
g.2 Peter 2:18 NU-Text reads are barely escaping.
h.2 Peter 2:22 Proverbs 26:11
i.2 Peter 3:2 NU-Text and M-Text read commandment of the apostles of your
Lord and Savior or commandment of your apostles of the Lord and Savior.
j.2 Peter 3:9 NU-Text reads you.
k.2 Peter 3:10 NU-Text reads laid bare (literally found).
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James VersionR. Copyright C 1982 by Thomas
Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
