Glory: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

                Glory

                ALL the glory is His.

                And He shares it.

                With all who receive

                Word of salvation.

                Accept His grace

                Amazing mercy. 

                Wisdom to guide

                Wonder abides every day.

                A love everlasting.

                A sacrifice for eternity.

Psalm 89: 52: "Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen"

Reflection: Intimacy: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. In what experience did you become lost or have truth twisted?

        2. How did you recognize and then turn to His grace?

        3. How can you keep a "firm grip on the truth" now?

        4. Do you have a warning signal for yourself to hold onto grace when lies come?

Share: What is one joy of intimacy with God that He has given you?

 

Intimacy: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

2nd Peter 3:16-18: " He consistently speaks of these things in all of his letters, even though he writes some concepts that are overwhelming to our understanding, which the unlearned and unstable love to twist to their spiritual ruin, as they do to other Scriptures. As for you, divinely loved ones, since you are forewarned of these things,be careful that you are not led astray by the error of the lawless and lose your firm grip on the truth. But continue to grow and increase in God's grace and intimacy with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May He receive all the glory both now and until the day eternity begins. Amen!"

Intimacy

Your Words only. Please keep us listening and understanding for Your truth.

Block out any confusion that our minds may lean into.

Make Your words become our actions and purpose under Your Spirit's leading.

May we continually absorb Your language whether spoken or silent.

Please forgive and restore us when we forget to give all the glory to You.

Thank-you for Your never ending personal care and love and provision You give to each one of us no matter how close or distant we are to You. You don't leave us.

May we keep learning to walk deeper and deeper with You every day. And be taught to proclaim Your truth.

Thank you for the loving privilege to become Your child.

Your thoughts,

Opportunities: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

                Opportunities

                Extraordinary patience

                that never falters

                regardless of our weakness

                and confusion of so many

                failures when overwhelmed

                or forgotten faith.

                Instead wisdom

                still given

                whenever in emptiness

                we need to listen

                stand on His costly

                bought inheritance.

Psalm 89:51: "With which Thine enemies have reproached , O Lord, With which they have reproached the footsteps of Thine anointed."

Reflection: Proclamation: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. What can pull us away from waiting on His words--either small or large?

        2. What promise had He given you that enables you to follow righteousness?

        3. How much do you seek His presence now?

Share: What is your special word of hope while waiting? 

Proclamation: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

2nd Peter 3:13-15: "But as we wait, we trust in God's royal proclamation to be fulfilled. There are coming heavens new in quality, and on earth new in quality, where righteousness will be fully at home. So, my beloved friends, with all that you have to look forward to, may you be eager to be found living pure lives when you come into His presence, without blemish and filled with peace. And keep in mind that our Lord's extraordinary patience simply means more opportunity for salvation, just as our dear brother Paul wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him."

Proclamation

Lord, please keep our thoughts and prayers and hearts focused on Your words, Your time, Your quality, Your peace.

Please continue to lead us to walk with You listening with an obedient soul and loving actions.

Your patience is beyond extraordinary, especially for those of us who continue to take years to grasp Your wisdom and live into it. And often when our thoughts begin to scatter everywhere we fall away with different reasons.

Please keep our hearts and souls and words toward others only guided by Your Spirit. And dissolve any words that are not from Your wisdom.

Your thoughts,

Cost: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

                Cost

                To step into each day

                in godliness requires

                a deep conviction

                and trust to see

                through our hearts

                as He leads.

                Yet in this atmosphere

                is a silent peace

                waiting to guide

                with hope and healing

                no matter the cost.

Psalm 89:50: "Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Thy servants; How I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples."

                

Reflection:Conviction: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions 

        1. What is one day you have experienced that went upside-down in change or chaos, in joy or grief?

        2. How did you react immediately in your heart and then throughout the confusion?

        3. How did it change your faith's commitment?

Share: What vital foundation do you hold in your heart daily?

Conviction: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

 2nd Peter 3:10-12: "The day of the Lord will come and take everyone by surprise--as unexpected as a home invasion. The atmosphere will be set on fire and vanish with a horrific roar, and the heavenly bodies will melt away as in a tremendous blaze. The earth and every activity of man will be laid bare. Since all these things are on the verge of being dismantled, don't you see how vital it is to live a holy life? We must be consumed with godliness while  we anticipate and help to speed up the coming of the day of God, when the atmosphere will be set on fire and the heavenly bodies consumed in a blaze.

Conviction

Too often--daily actually--we all seem to focus on ourselves instead of living into each day as a gift from the Lord.

We still drift so far from living an ongoing holy life from the inside out. 

We need to remember to choose to hear and act according to His words and let the emptiness dissolve.

Lord, please forgive our too often self-absorbed attitude and complaints instead of choosing to look through each day through Your sight and Your purpose. Instead may we see each person or situation from our hearts as You guide in actions and/or prayers or both.

Your thoughts,       

Perspective: 2nd Peter: Prayers and Poetry

                Perspective

                So easily caught

                up in chores and commitments

                forget to seek perspective

                daily scattered need to

                stop and ask for clarity

                measure time

                on His promises

                with patience and gratitude.

Psalm 89:49: "Where are the former lovingkindnesses, O Lord, Which Thou didst swear to David in Thy faithfulness?"

Reflection: Powerful: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

        1. What is the foundation of your single day?

        2. Do you count quality by chronos (clock time) or kairos (live and experience opportunity time)? How and why do the differences engage and experience?

        3. Which gives you more perspective?

Share: When has something down late become a blessing?

Powerful: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

2nd Peter 3:7-9: "And now, by the same powerful word, the heavens and the earth are reserved for fire, kept for judgement day, when all the ungodly will perish. So, dear friends, don't let this one thing escape your notice: a single day counts lie a thousand years to the Lord Yahweh, and a thousand years counts as one day. This means that, contrary to man's perspective, the Lord is not late with His promise to return, as some measure lateness. But rather, His "delay" simply reveals His loving patience toward you, because He does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance."

Powerful

Too often our days become scattered and we think again how often we fail to acknowledge or act in accord with Your purpose.

Please guide us to measure time and actions with Your direction and timing. To spend all our days in Your clarity.

We pray to yield into Your words and guidance each day by faith and hope and actions as You lead. Please show us how to walk in Kairos time through Your insight and powerful presence.

Your thoughts,

See: 2 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

                 See

                Destruction

                Like the flood

                A reminder

                a warning

                a healing

                an opportunity to begin

                again fresh.

                To remove our blindness

                in our hearts

                in our souls.

                Like the flood

                To recognize and

                be restored again

                be returned to hope

                be rescued into life.

                Eternal

Psalm 89:48: "What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?" Selah.