The Pilgrim Path---Second Peter 1: 3—7

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 very 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.

PRECIOUS AND VERY GREAT PROMISES…

My, my---become familiar with the promises of God so you may plead them. You and I were meant to believe them and rely upon them. Charles Haddon Spurgeon had a wonderful devotional entitled, The Check Book of Faith. Take the LORD’S precious truth’s to heart---and trust them---cash them in. Go to the Bank of Heaven with some considerable regularity. The Living Christ has endowed His heirs with an endless amount on “deposit”---materially---spiritually---emotionally---we cannot really deplete all that is available for His elect (Spurgeon loved to say that there are at least 365 promises in Holy Scripture---we should run them down and sort them out). A deacon in the second church I served said never forget God’s phone number, “Jeremiah 33: 3—Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” That man was a promise praying man. The LORD knows best, and His time is best---and since He loves His own---we may count on Him!

From David Clarkson: Gather the promises and meditate on them. They are meat in this wilderness. Often be mining their treasures. Do not allow these pearls to lie neglected in the field. Treasure them up. Fill your memories with them. A promised treasure will afford comfort in our callings, dungeons, and banishments. Meditate frequently and seriously on them. Meditation squeezes the sweetness out of them and helps us to unite our faith to them for encouragement…God had you in mind when he made the promise. What a sweet encouragement is this! Act and live by faith and consider that you were in the thoughts and eyes of God when he promised.

From Charles Spurgeon: My soul, it is God, even thy God, God that cannot lie, who speaks to thee. This word of His which thou art now considering is as true as His own existence. He is a God unchangeable. He has not altered the thing which has gone out of His mouth, nor called back one single consolatory sentence. Nor doth he lack power; it is the God that made the heavens and the earth who has spoken thus. Nor can he fail in wisdom as to the time he will bestow the favors, for He knoweth when it is best to give and when better to withhold. Therefore, seeing that it is the word of a God so true, so powerful, so wise, I will and must believe the promise. If we thus meditate upon the promises, and consider the Promiser, we shall experience their sweetness, and obtain their fulfilment.

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37: 4

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7: 24

“Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6: 35, 36

HYMN

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the LORD:

Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;

Tender to me the promise of his word;

In God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.

Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word:

Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the LORD

To children’s children and forevermore.

Timothy Dudley-Smith, 1965

Grace and Peace in Jesus, the Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason