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Philadelphia Metro
By John | April 30, 2009
From the Word: Motivation for godliness (from II Peter 3:11-20)
”Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” (II Peter 3:11-12 NASB)
So the whole earth will be destroyed, the earth and its works will be burned up” (v10). This raises some questions: ’When’? ‘How’? But rather than answering those questions, the issue Peter addresses is how we should live - what sort of people we ought to be. The answer is in v14 and on, and You start out with how I am to approach my lifestyle: with diligence. What I do, I am not to do halfheartedly but with purpose, with focus and with determination, not casually.
Am I being too casual about things, Lord? A good question to ask myself, but I think not. I feel within me a drive to take up this challenge. But is my drive in the flesh? Do I rise to this call with human strength, or do I look to You for what I lack? I know that only with Your help will I be able to sustain whatever I do. If I pursue my goals with my own effort, I will eventually (and probably sooner than later) hit an obstacle or get discouraged and lose heart. That is my pattern, so I must not rely on my own strength.
In my determination to pursue holy conduct and godliness, I must pursue You, Lord Jesus, as my central goal. Peter ends his letter with the exhortation to grow in the grace and knowledge of You. It comes back to You, Lord Jesus, and that is where I want my focus to be. The foundation of all that I do must be in You, Lord. Amen.
Please pray with us:
Randy Kemmerer pastors a church in Glenolden, a suburb near Philadelphia. Randy and his wife Danae share our vision of discipleship and are implementing that vision with their church. He recently said, “the church is supposed to be a welcoming place…”, and has recently taken a practical step to to create an open and supportive environment with his church family. A local addiction recovery group was in need of guidance and oversight and asked Randy to fill that role for them. This of course, has significantly increased Randy’s shepherding responsibilities, and he recognizes (in the spirit of Acts 6:3-4) that for others to share in the workload would really benefit everyone.
Please pray for wisdom for Randy and Danae as they encourage and train some in the recovery group, even in the face of struggling with their own addictions, that God can use them in their weakness to grow in discipleship and reach out to others with similar issues. Also, pray for the Lord to strengthen Randy and Danae’s family as they face the multiple challenges to their ministries.
Thanks!
John
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Topics: In the Word and Prayer |