Know

2 Peter 1:2 May grace, and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. CSB¹

Are you like me, a child of God who truly loves Him and believes it all?

One day, by His mysterious and undeserved grace, you sensed the very Spirit of God tugging at your soul. You knew in that moment it was really true.

You see, belief is not intellectual, or else it would be something to achieve by human ability.

Belief is not proven by depth of emotion. Feelings come and go. Expression of feelings can be untrue and manipulative. Feelings can be enhanced, and they can be enticed.

Awareness of God and of Jesus comes as we walk day by day in our relationship. It is personal.

Through our life experiences the Spirit of God reveals more of Himself to us. We learn more about the meaning of grace.

We find the brightness of peace in joy and in hardship.

This relationship with God and His Son is step by step. We mature as we fall and then stand up again. Not one of us have simply arrived at a spiritual pinnacle.

Some people become more aware of the knowledge of God quickly. You may know the story of Katie Davis Majors.² If not, I hope you will learn about her love for Jesus. At eighteen years old, she gave her life away to raise orphans in Uganda. Her knowledge of God and love for Jesus just explode from her heart.

Then there are people like Catherine. She is just a private person who lived to be 93 before she got past the ugliness of legalistic religion. One day, she saw Jesus just living in the very soul of her lovely daughter, and God’s Spirit opened Catherine’s heart like never before.

Every story is different. Yet for true children of God and of His Son Jesus, by the work of the Spirit of God, we know.

Take a look at what Peter learned and what Peter wants you and I to know about his Savior.

“Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God

has been miraculously given to us by getting to know,

personally, and intimately,

the One

who invited us to God.

The best invitation we ever received!

We were also given precious promises …

—your tickets to participation in the life of God…”

2 Peter 1:3 & 4 The Message³

So, is there something we have to do? How do we build onto this life, set apart by God?

True believers want to give their best to Him. This doesn’t mean we work for eternal salvation; it’s a one-time gift, remember?

If you are redeemed, you will desire to please the Father by studying His Word and by nurturing a heartfelt connection with Him daily.

By these he has given us very great and precious promises, 

so that through them you may share in the divine nature, 

escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.

2 Peter 1:4 CSB

Look what Peter taught. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

Be diligent to –

supplement your faith with goodness

goodness with knowledge

knowledge with self-control, 

self-control with endurance

endurance with godliness

godliness with brotherly affection

brotherly affection with love

When, as a true believer, you have begun to grow in the knowledge of God, wonderful things can happen. Not only will you grow, but you can take this beautiful knowledge to your world.

Through your life –

the Spirit of God reveals the Gospel.

And lost people see Jesus.

And your brothers and sisters identify you as one of them.

And God is glorified.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. 2 Peter 1: 8 & 9

1. Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
   The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved. ↩︎
2. Katie Davis Majors. ↩︎
3. The Message (MSG)
   Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson ↩︎