2 Peter 1:5-9 When we know better we do better!

 John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Lord I am not worthy to receive You but only say the word and my soul will be healed. The measure that we believe in Your power to overcome the sins in our lives the more that we can receive Your wisdom and Your truth into our lives. Holy Spirit directs, guides and explains the ways of God to us so that we can change. Our flesh will always fight against the Spirit while we are in the earth but Jesus says it is finished and I take Him at His Word. God loves the world and wants no one to live without Him in their lives. Jesus takes away the sins of the world. Carla

2 Peter 1:5-9

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. (NKJV)

This exhortation begins a section (verse 5–11) in which Peter describes the responsibilities that result from possessing the godly resources described in verses 1, 3, 4. Faith marks the beginning of the Christian life (Acts 3:16; Romans 3:28; Hebrews 11:6). Through genuine faith, God grants eternal life to a spiritually dead person (Ephesians 2:1). Virtue is the same word used in verse 3 in reference to Christ’s character. 

We cannot produce virtue ourselves; but we can choose to obey the virtuous promptings of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Knowledge (practical wisdom) is obtained by dedicating ourselves to learning God’s truth in the Scriptures and putting that truth into action.

Self-control means mastering one’s emotions rather than being controlled by them. The false teachers whose views Peter was exposing believed that knowledge freed people from the need to control their passions. A person who exercises self-control will not easily succumb to discouragement or the temptation to quit. Viewing all circumstances as coming from the hand of a loving Father who is in control of all things is the secret of per-severance.

The Greek word for godliness was used by ancient pagans to describe a religious individual who kept in close touch with the gods. Here Peter uses the word to speak of the need for Christians to be continually aware of God’s presence. Knowing that all of our life is in His hands should influence every aspect of our life. We should live for God and not for ourselves. 

Brotherly kindness is so closely linked with godliness that 1 John 4:20 says, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar.” As Jesus taught in John 15:12–17, love involves serving one another, sharing with one another, and praying for one another. Love here refers to God’s kind of love, which originates not in the one loved but in the one who loves. 

God loves because He is love; we are to love because we are from God.

The presence of the qualities listed in verses 5–7 marks a healthy Christian and assures productivity in our lives.

The lack of fruitfulness (verse 8) in a believer’s life may be caused by two factors: blindness and forgetfulness. A shortsighted person is one who looks only at earthly and material values—what is close at hand—and does not see the eternal spiritual realities. Concerned only with this present life, such a person becomes blind to the things of God, forgetting the wonderful sense of cleansing that comes from turning oneself over to Christ. The NKJV Study Bible

In verses 5-7 Peter uses a literary device called sorites, in which each virtue leads to the next one in a stair-step structure. Peter’s audience would have been familiar with this style. Virtue lists, like vice lists, were common devices in Graeco-Roman rhetoric.

The idea of knowing about God is preceded by the principle of living a life of integrity, making the point that the disciplines of a faithful life lead to further understanding of God. Faith is not just a matter of obtaining salvation; it is a matter of life transformation—overcoming sin demonstrates the power of Jesus in a person’s life.

A person who lacks the disciplines of the Christian faith has failed to understand one of the primary purposes of salvation—the freedom to live apart from the bondage of sin (2 Pet 2:19; Hebrews 6:4–6). This principle will surface throughout 2 Peter, as one of the distinguishing ways someone can tell the difference between a truthful, godly teacher and a false teacher.

Patient endurance against daily opposition, as believers were forced to explain their choice to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Living as part of society without synchronizing their beliefs with those of the Roman Empire would have required incredible endurance. The believers who received the letter of 2 Peter would have found the principles of their faith at odds with the general practices of Graeco-Roman culture.

In a culture that primarily accommodated sin, believers had to choose to live by the principles of Christianity. Christians felt social pressure to worship various gods and particularly the Roman emperor, who claimed to be god’s son. Believers may have also been experiencing direct persecution. If the audience of 2 Peter is the same as 1 Peter, then Christian persecution—certainly through social pressure and perhaps through physical abuse—is in view.

Knowing that his death is quickly approaching (2 Peter 1:14), Peter exhorts his audience to examine their faith continually so that they will remain established in the truth and truly be part of Christ’s kingdom.

Christians should not just possess the virtues in verses 5–7, but be growing in them. It is possible to have some knowledge of Christ and yet be unproductive. Faithlife Study Bible

2 Peter 1:2–3

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 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, 

1 John 2:9–11

He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him…

Acts 24:25

Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” 

Ephesians 5:26

that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 

“What is Real?” asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?”
“Real isn't how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but Really loves you, then you become Real.”
“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.
“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don't mind being hurt.”
“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”
“It doesn't happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.”
(The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams)

It is easy to say. And easy to read.
And it is most certainly true.
But saying and doing are two different things.
I do know this: Some days I do “mind” being hurt.
And I want to run away.
Or I want someone to fix it.
Or I want to tell whoever or whatever to “go away.”
And on those days, I need the reminder and the invitation and affirmation that self-love is a radical act of healing, resilience and well-being.
There is no doubt, uncertainty and “broken things” are very real. But here’s the deal: I don’t want to shut down. An essential reminder that care of any kind—engagement, service, kindness, generosity, ministry, teaching, compassion, gentleness, encouragement, healing—is predicated on, and fueled by, self-care.

And so I’m grateful for those in my life who have said, “Take my hand, we’ll find our way together.”
“Take my hand” is a way of saying, “I see you. You are Real. And you matter.”
Presence does not distinguish.
Or judge.
Presence just is.
Meaning that presence makes space. For healing, and restoration, and grounding, and recovery.
Because in the touch, we can be present.
In the touch, we create heart space.
In the touch, we’re in the mending business.

Sabbath Moments

Daniel 12:3 Jesus, the light of the world!

 Daniel 11:35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.

We are changed in the furnace of affliction. In our failures and in our triumphs we are changed, precept by precept, into the ways of our Savior. We are given Holy Spirit to understand the ways of God. Jesus by His death destroyed the veil of sin that separated us from our holy God. Jesus Christ, the precious Son of the Father, chose to come to us so that through Him the world could be saved. No man is righteous but  Jesus and in Him we are made as white as snow. We can rest in His light. Everything that I have been allowed to go through brings me closer to understanding the love of God for His creation. It is all about love.  Carla

Daniel 12:3 

Those who are wise shall shine

Like the brightness of the firmament,

And those who turn many to righteousness

Like the stars forever and ever. (NKJV)

The wise not only understand salvation themselves (2 Timothy 3:15), they also turn many others to the way of righteousness.  The NKJV Study Bible

The Hebrew phrase referring to wise men” sounds similar to the language in Isaiah 52:13. This makes the connection between the resurrected servant here and the resurrected Servant in Isaiah 53:10 more explicit.

The ones providing justice for the many are said to give understanding. Here, they turn many to righteousness. The two concepts are related and demonstrate how indispensable these teachers were—particularly in times of crisis. In addition to instructing, they modeled peace and hope for deliverance (11:33–35). The description of those who lead people to righteousness in this verse echoes language about the righteous servant from Isaiah 53:11—solidifying the relationship between these passages. Faithlife Study Bible

Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.  (NKJV)

Matthew 13:43

Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

John 5:35

He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.

1 Corinthians 15:41–42

There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.

Spiritual rewiring—presence—enables us to see one another, with skin on it. As we train our hearts to see that we are all bound up in one another.
Rabbi Sharon Brous’ reminder, “That very human longing for connection—in our most intimate relationships, in community, with strangers, perhaps with God—is what I call the amen effect. It is a spiritual strategy, a sacred call to the faithful and the cynical, the believer and the atheist, perhaps especially to those alienated by religious certainties, but still yearning to find meaning in moments both sacred and mundane.”

…Life is to be found in the embrace. In the presence of the other. In the touch, we can be present. In the touch, we honor the dignity in every human being. As our southern kin might say, “That’ll preach.” Yes… that’ll preach regardless of your faith or creed. That’ll preach even if you are not a member of any particular faith group. That’ll preach even if you don’t believe.
Because in the touch, we can be present.
In the touch, we create heart space.
In the touch, we’re in the mending business.
I write Sabbath Moment, because some weeks I need a hug. Not answers. A hug. And I know I am reluctant to ask. And I see so many people in our world who are famished in their spirit, undone by life’s calamities. They need to be seen and held.
And my friends, I am so grateful for every one of you. And so grateful for the hands you hold, and the hugs you give. It makes a difference. Sabbath Moments

“One reason we don't have peace is that we have forgotten that we belong to one another.” Mother Teresa  

Hebrews 13:5-6 Take God at His word! We do not walk alone.

 Philippians 4:11–12 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

I trust God. I believe in God the Father almighty. I believe in  faith, the gift of God, that through Jesus the world could be saved, I believe in Holy Spirit who together with the Father and the Son guides us and will get us safely home at our journeys end. The Lord is my helper I do not walk alone. Carla

Hebrews 13:5-6

5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say:

“The Lord is my helper;

I will not fear.

What can man do to me?”  NKJV)

Covetousness is addressed in the last of the Ten Commandments. This attitude destroys a person’s inheritance in the kingdom (1 Corinthians  6:9, 10). 

I will never leave you nor forsake you: This quotation is one of the most emphatic statements in the New Testament. In Greek it contains two double negatives, similar to saying in English, “I will never, ever, ever forsake you.” Jesus uses the same technique to express the certainty of eternal life for believers (John 10:28). The NKJV Study Bible

Joshua 1:5

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8

And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

The Sunday-school teacher asked her 10-year-old students if they would be willing to give one million dollars to missionary work, for children and families in need.

“Yes,” they all screamed in unison.

“Very good. Would you give one thousand dollars?”

“Yes!”

“Good. Would you give one dollar?”

The class responded, “Yes,” except for one young boy, who sat silent.

“Why didn't you say yes?” the teacher asked.

“Because,” he stammered. “I have a dollar in my pocket.”

Napoleon reminded us, “Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to choose.” And because of that, the freedom “to choose” always works better in speeches, than it does in practice.

It's been our theme this week. We can “believe”, or we can “Get in.”

But here’s the deal: I can relate to the little guy. I get it.
Because this story isn’t about money, but our freedom to choose.

And, once you've got “a dollar in your pocket,” there's a parting of the ways in what we “believe”, and how we live.
Of course, I am still “free” to contribute, give, care for, risk, go out on a limb, let go, to live unshackled. But with my hand over the dollar in my pocket, I am stuck. And we all know the litany here (any of the reasons we find it difficult to remove our hand... any of the reasons that keep us stuck)—shame, need for perfection, fear of disappointment, “should,” need for certainty. Or, what if my dollar is not enough? After all, what will “they” think? (Did it ever occur to you that we've never actually met “them,” but they still control our lives? Go figure.)
For me, it boils down to this: For whatever reason, I am afraid to let who I am (and what I have) spill to the world around me.
In conversations these days, in a world feeling upside down, where there are indeed, hands to hold, I am asked, “But what choices do we have? What can I do?”
I can begin here: “I can care. And I can give the dollar I have.”
And the good news? If you take the dollar—our heart, our big-heartedness, our compassion, our impact—from your pocket, you open yourself to change.

Now in touch with my heart, I am available to... give, forgive, risk, fail, try, create, offer, feel, see, embrace wonder.
I am available to build-bridges, cry, laugh, play, grieve, mourn, fall-down, get-up-again, paint, write, and see poetry in the clouds.
I am available to lend a helping hand, hold a hand that needs it, and give in to the vulnerability of trusting another who pushes the wheelbarrow. Sabbath Moments

Colossians 3:12-17 In Jesus Christ God covered us in His mercy and grace.

Ephesians 4:2–4 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…

The agape love of God covers us in His mercy and grace. Should we not offer the same to others. If we seek Him we will find Him.  If we ask for guidance we will receive it. If we knock on the door of the knowledge and wisdom of God it will be opened. Carla

Colossians 3:12-17

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (NKJV)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly is apparently a parallel thought to Paul’s statement in Ephesians 5:18 where he says to be “filled with the Spirit.” The hymns would be the songs of the church that reflected the new truth in Christ. Spiritual songs may have been other kinds of songs praising God. Paul sums up how Christians should live. We should commit everything we do or say to Jesus and continually thank God for all His good gifts (Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14).The NKJV Study Bible

Originally, God chose the nation of Israel to be His people (Deuteronomy 14:2; Romans 9:4–5). However, because such distinctions are rendered irrelevant in Christ (Colossians 3:11), Paul affirms the Colossian believers as being among God’s chosen people.

Believers must have patience with one another, even while enduring difficult situations. Even in the community of believers, the actions of some offend or hurt others; how believers respond is critical. Experiencing God’s forgiveness shows that believers must forgive one another (Luke 7:47).

The Greek word used here for peace, eirēnē, refers to wholeness or the absence of conflict in a relationship.

Paul commands the Colossians to express gratitude for the things they have and the people in their lives. Gratitude is a safeguard against grumbling and complaining, both of which can ruin a community.

The word of Christ refers either to the gospel message about Christ or to Christ’s teaching (as opposed to human philosophies or traditions; Colossians 2:8).

Faithlife Study Bible

The false teachers were instructing the Colossians to concentrate on temporal observances; in contrast, Paul instructs them to concentrate on the eternal realities of heaven. The Greek verb for set emphasizes an ongoing decision. Christians must continually discipline themselves to focus on eternal realities, instead of the temporal realities of this earth. A Christian’s life is no longer dictated by this world but is hidden with Christ. The Greek word for hidden indicates that God has accomplished this in the past so that it is a present reality. The NKJV Study Bible

Ephesians 4:32

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 5:19–20

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

1 Corinthians 10:31

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 

Colossians  1:28

Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Our world lost a very bright light yesterday. Rest in Peace, Dolly Parton.

In a world where differences make walls and enemies, she had a unique ability to bring Americans together for good causes.

In a world where having “more” is a measure of power, her lifelong philanthropy was fueled by her reputation for kindness and generosity.

Generosity, heart, and light. An audacious, unexpected life. 

It’s the little gifts my friends. To hug the hurt. Kiss the broken. Bandage the wounded. Befriend the lost. Stand up for the humiliated. Little gifts of compassion leave people better than we find them.

And I’ll give a shoutout to Dolly. Our world needs people who spill light. 

And my gratitude to John Pavlovitz, for these final words honoring Dolly.

“In the coming days, there will be countless, well-deserved tributes devoted to her seismic songwriting and singing career, her formidable business acumen, her indefatigable optimism, and her easy, infectious joy.

Dolly will be rightly eulogized for the effortless grace she moved through the world with, for the gentleness she extended to every person in her path, and for the humility she somehow managed to hold onto despite reaching near-sainthood status among fans, admirers, and peers alike.

Her life and career have and will provide an inexhaustible treasure trove of lessons for those of us who remain—and for those on the horizon of history who will not have had the great fortune to live here while she did.

She could have partnered with the legion of malevolent power-holders, motivated only by the insatiable allure of more. She could have exploited the influence she acquired to amass even greater fortune.

Instead, Dolly Parton spent her life giving her wealth away.” Sabbath Moments