“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity” (2 Peter 1:3-7).

This week we will share about grace within our families. As I look at today’s verses, I see how we might equip ourselves to have a home of grace.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if both husbands and wives showed the virtues mentioned in today’s Scriptures?  In our society, it is rare.  As we previously learned in our study on spiritual warfare, the devil is targeting our families.  He knows he will never destroy the Church, so he is working on families.  It will take working on the above virtues to overcome the Enemy.  Often times it is usually one spouse or the other that will need to be strong to show God’s grace within our families.  If you are the strong one, climbing the above ladder of virtues may make your job easier.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Lea Edgmon, FWB missionary to Spain, as she reacclimates to living in the U.S. and as she prepares to share at the WNAC Convention breakout session, “My Name is More.”

“O God, don’t sit idly by, silent and inactive!”  (Psalm 83:1 NLT).

Lord, can I say that?

I mean, after all, You are the God of the universe, the Creator of time and space, the Alpha and Omega—can I even suggest that You get up and get moving on the issues weighing heavy on my heart?

Can I remind You that something needs done about my unbelieving family members?  I don’t see any headway.

Can I mention, once again, that my neighbors’ lives are in desperate need of You stepping in and doing a little overhaul?

Can I again call attention to the needs in our church, physical and spiritual?  That revival I’ve been asking You to bring about?  Those saints who are struggling with disease and pain?

Can I actually ask that You move mightily and miraculously?

O Lord, don’t sit idly by!

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Sarah Fletcher as she gathers information and input for the WNAC Convention afternoon breakout session, “My Name is Image.”

Follow my advice, my son, always treasure my commands.  Obey them and live!  Guard my teachings as your most precious possession”  (Proverbs 7:1-2 NLT).

Obey and live, He instructs.

Are you doing that?

Or, are you just existing?  Inhaling and exhaling?  Getting up, going about a routine and going back to bed?  Going through the motions like a robot wired for a specific job?

Living far exceeds what most of us are doing.  Living involves growth.  Living involves action.  Living, really living, allows us to throw our arms around this thing called today, and give it a bear hug–knowing it’s the only one we get!  Living puts asides fears and inhibitions.  Living enriches, doesn’t drain.  Living, His way of living, infects.

So?  So, what are you doing—living or existing?

Maybe it boils down to looking over what it is you’re guarding as your most precious possessions.

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Sarah Sargent and Sarah Malone as they prepare to share during the WNAC Convention breakout session, “My Name is Solo.”

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (1 Peter 5:10).

We all have experienced some kind of suffering, whether it be physical or spiritual .By the grace of God, we persevere because we have the hope of “eternal glory by Christ Jesus.”  My late husband was always using this phrase, “better days are coming.”   It is the hope I cling to during the rough days of dealing with chronic pain.  Until His return, I also cling to today’s verse; that helps me cope by His grace.

A  wonderful book entitled  “The Letters of James and Peter” by William Barclay offers some great insights on Peter’s writings.  I will share some statements I found helpful in understanding today’s and future days’ devotionals. Let us look at the words “restore,” “establish,” “strengthen” and “settle.”

Restore— “It means to supply that which is missing, to mend what is broken. So suffering, if accepted in humility and trust and love, can repair the weaknesses of a man’s character and add the greatness which so far is not there.”  Peter understood the meaning of restoration.

Establish— “The Greek word is sterixein which means to make as solid as granite. Suffering of body and sorrow of heart do one of two things to a man.  They either make him collapse or they leave him with a solidity of character which he could never have gained anywhere else.”

Strengthen— “ The Greek word is sthenoun which means to  fill with strength.”  No one really knows what his faith means to him  until it has been tried in the furnace of affliction. There is something doubly precious about a  faith which has come victoriously through pain and sorrow and disappointment.”

Settle— “The Greek word is themelioun which means to lay the foundations. When we have to meet sorrow and suffering we are driven down to the very bedrock of faith. It is then that we discover what are the things which cannot be shaken.”

In closing out this week of study, consider these questions: Are you ready to show grace to yourself?  If so, are you ready to show grace to others?

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Lorene Miley and Lynette Morgan as they prepare to speak at the WNAC Luncheon in Tampa, July 23.

“Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?  Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?  Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow me.  Then this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?  This is the disciple which testifieth of these things: and we know his testimony is true.  And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one,  I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” (John 21:20-25).

Peter had just heard he was going to die for his faith. What you read in today’s verses exemplifies Peter being Peter.  He asks Christ what will happen to John.  I love the way He put Peter in his place.  This was none of  Peter’s concern.  He just needed to follow the command of Christ to follow Him.

As we close John 21, we see that John wrote these truths.  We know John’s Gospel to be true because he was an eyewitness to the events that appear within it. There are many things Christ did that he didn’t write down. John’s main objective was to help others believe in Christ so they could know Him personally.

Peter went on to become a great leader. His writings in 1 and 2  Peter revealed his grace to others.  Tomorrow we close with a verse that Peter wrote about suffering.  When we think of physical or spiritual suffering, we often think of it negatively. Tomorrow we will share the positive side of suffering.  Peter could write this, knowing God worked suffering for good in his own life.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Praise God for the freedoms we enjoy in our nation. Pray God’s people would use those freedoms to advance His Kingdom.

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?  He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him,, Feed my lambs.  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee, Feed my sheep.  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?  Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me?  And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.  Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.  This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God.  And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me”  (John 21:15-19).

Jesus had taken Peter aside to talk with him.  Some might think the reason for the three times of Jesus asking “lovest thou me” was because he had denied him that many times. I think it goes deeper than that.  First of all, Jesus wanted to let Peter know he was forgiven. He also wanted to hear his reply to the question. Christ wanted Peter to say he loved Him and would be His follower. He had a special work for Peter. In spite of Peter’s failures, He still trusted him. Jesus knew how Peter really felt but He needed to hear it from his lips. Jesus knows that about us as well. He wants to hear it from our lips.

He told him to “feed my sheep.” The Good Shepherd was going to entrust Peter to look after His followers. Peter’s encounter with the Lord was a major turning point in his life.  I believe in his accepting God’s grace, he was able to show grace to himself.  In today’s Scripture, we find implications that Peter would die a martyr’s death. Then came the words, “follow me.”  Tomorrow we see Peter had one last question he needed to ask Christ.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for our nation and specifically for our President on this eve of our nation’s Independence Day.

“Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter.  It is the Lord.  Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.  And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.  As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.  Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.   Jesus saith unto them.  Come and dine.   And none of them durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.  This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead” (John 21:7-14).

Even though the disciples hadn’t recognized Jesus standing on the shore, it was John who remembered a similar event about catching a multitude of fishes. (Luke 5:1-11) Some believe it was  that memory that  could have caused  him to speak up and tell Peter, “it is the Lord.”   Often times we feel guilt and want  to run and hide. Peter was no exception. However, when John made his declaration, Peter ,who had been naked from the waist up, grabbed his outer garment and jumped in the sea.  He wanted to rush to be with Jesus ahead of the other disciples. Peter was sorry for being so disloyal.  He needed Christ’s forgiveness and restoration.

In the meantime, the disciples were hungry and tired. One commentary I read said Jesus already had fish on the fire so He said to them, “Come and dine.”  We learn from this how He could take care of their need without their help. They needed this time of food and fellowship with the Savior. They had to recall the wonderful memories of  sharing fish and bread with Jesus.  Tomorrow we will learn about a very important talk with Peter.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Please pray for Marc and Casie Neppl, associate missionaries in Suffolk, Virginia. The Neppls are assisting home missionaries David and Charity Sexton in planting the Crosspointe FWB Church.  Suffolk is a growing city with plenty of business opportunities and an average of 1,000 new homes built each year. Yet, at the last census, 64% of the population claimed to be unchurched.