Unnecessary Requests?

Daily Bread

Daily Devotions with Pastor Chuck

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Take a look with me at a text from II Peter,

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” (II Peter 1:2-3 – NASB)

Do you think that we are often guilty of making unnecessary requests? I am of the mind that we do. I think we make requests for those things that, if we would just take to heart God’s Word, we already have. Here in our text God says that He “has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.” And we know this “through the true knowledge of Him who has called us,” this “true knowledge” coming “through” His revelation to us. I believe we often fail to appropriate the truths of God’s Word to our lives, and such, we who are “in Christ,” are often making requests for things that are already ours.

Seems we repeatedly ask for peace . . . but yet the Scriptures say,

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27 – NASB)

If we are “in Christ” we have “peace. He gives it to us . . . we already have it.

Seems we repeatedly ask for joy . . . but yet the Scriptures say,

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (John 15:11 – NASB)

If we are “in Christ” we have “joy,” His “joy” is “in” us . . . we already have it.

Seems we repeatedly ask for strength . . . but yet the Scriptures say,

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13 – NASB)

If we are “in Christ” we just need to believe, understand, know, that He “strengthens” us.

Jesus said to us,

“I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10 – NASB)

Living in “the true knowledge of Him,” we know that we have “peace,” and that we have “joy,” and that we have “strength,” and that all these are ours “in Christ” who, through the Holy Spirit, indwells us. Knowing these things translates into abundant living. This is what the Scriptures say to us, that “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life.”

Maybe our prayer needs to be, “Lord, forgive me, for at times I tend to forget what You have granted to me. May I fully realize the truths of Your Word and subsequently, fully understand what I already have in You.”

Brethren, have a good day . . . and as you walk know the Word, and know what you have, and know you have it because you are “in Christ.”