Good morning. This morning were going to get a little happier than we have been. We're going to look at the first chapter of second Peter. The first half of this chapter is so poetical. Poetical – from a fisherman? Absolutely! So many things come in pairs. I will point them out in parentheses. Starting with verse two: Grace and peace (1) be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2); seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness (3), through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence (4). For by these has granted to us His precious and magnificent (5) promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Five pairs in just a few verses. God Himself has given us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness. He gave it to us when we made Jesus Lord of our lives. We didn't have to seek it; we didn't have to earn it. He gave it to us! How did He give it to us – through the true knowledge of Him. He gave us all of those promises; not just little ones, but magnificent ones. Why? That we might become partakers of the divine nature. God's very nature is living inside of us. That nature wants to live according to God's word. We don't have to drum up that desire – it's already living inside us! We just have to allow it control of our lives. That's the hard part. As I've said before, we have to let go and let God. Our very innermost being wants to live according to God's word. It's up to us to choose whether to do so or not. We have to give up our will and surrender to His. Too many times that's hard to do. But it's not to harm us – it's for our very own good. Father help the reader to know just how much You love him/her; and just how much You've given him/her – he/she has all he/she needs through Your magnificent promises to him/her.

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