Pertaining To Life and Godliness

2 Peter 1:3 "...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.



Admittedly, I've been sidetracked these last few weeks. I've been pursuing something that cannot be known...trying to know and understand a human's heart. Jeremiah 17:9 is very clear about that. I've been trying to do the work of God, and God, in His infinite care for me, sent a wonderful and godly human agent to set me on the right track again. So I apologize and keep pressing on, or keep blogging on much to the dismay of my reading audience (all two of you.) :)



I've been wanting to blog about this for quite awhile, as this is directly related to my active pursuit of becoming a Titus woman. As always, I want to give everyone background details so you can have a panoramic view of just how silly I really am and how God continually molds and reshapes my old clothes thinking.

Growing up, I was privileged to go to church. Although I am now far removed from many of the doctrines of my youth, I always have had the opportunity to read a fairly good translation of God's word. The problem was that I compartmentalized my life. I was a good little church goer in front of the churched. When living my life, say at school or with worldly friends, I left one compartment and went to another. I was not an influence, I was easily influenced. I was not salt or light, I was flavorless and dim. If I look back at my life now, I can remember questioning why that was. I guess I chalked it up to "noone's perfect."

It has taken me close to 35 years to really understand that the bible is not just a handy dandy compartment resource. It's not just a moral code with which we try our best to follow. It's not just a historical book of do's and don'ts. And it's certainly not a book of heroes and legends to follow (except for Jesus), although this is what I always thought. I actually thought all of these things were true about the bible. In the words of some dear friends...what a "nudge!" Here's the deal.

Foremost--the bible is everything. Without the bible, you have no truth, no light, no knowledge, no understanding... nothing. The bible is direct revelation from the Maker and Creator Himself and there is no other way to know or learn about Him apart from scripture.

What do we know about God's word as described by God Himself?

John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

II Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

So how are we to act based on this information?

This is where I always get tripped up. Before 3 or 4 years ago, my m.o. was that as long as I lived a good, moral life, went to church, prayed and read my bible, I was following God. I would allot certain portions of my time for spiritual things and then go and live in the real world. This was wrong. Now I see that the bible is not to be interwoven into your every day life as a believer, but the bible IS your life and everything else is interwoven into it. Rarely, if ever, did I believe that the bible would actually help me with the day-to-day, moment-to-moment living. I felt like it was more of a mantra... or a badge. Something you put on or off at the appropriate time (e.g. church, prayer groups, emergency situations, etc.) and then in the in-between times, you just lived your life...ready for the bible to be there should you need it. Sort of like the fire extinguisher in the glass case. Break, if needed.

Talk about a wrong and utterly low view of scripture, and ultimately God.

2 Peter 1:3 "...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.

So what part of life is untouched by scripture? Nuthin'! It's like a V8 moment--I shoulda had one! Everything in this life--breathing, eating, sleeping, dreaming, living, growing, loving, hating, thinking, doing, being--is governed by scripture. As I read more and more, I realize that there is not one thing in the past, present or future that is not only addressed in scripture, but clearly detailed in scripture as it pertains to "life" and "godliness". As I grow more and more, I realize the constant and repetitive use of the words "all", "every", "everything", "wholly", etc. throughout the bible. I was so blind to them before and now I see them everywhere.

God's word is for all situations, in all times, in every circumstance regardless of gender, age, status, culture, background, or race. It is for the moment-to-moment parts of the day. There is nothing in your thought life or public life that scripture cannot pierce or judge.

So now, by His grace, I have re-adjusted my vision and hearing to tune into the word of God so that it is a streaming and continuous flow, knowing that it pertains and is relevant for the exact moment that I am in at that time and the next, and the next, and the next....