Winter is Here

We are in the midst of Winter Storm Fern here (or Dallaska 2026 as it’s referred to by some people).

Temps have been bitterly cold and we got a little ice and snow to make Winter official.

Mom, who lives a couple hours East of us, also got a taste of the wintry weather. Thankfully, her power has stayed on (a real concern in rural areas).

As part of our desire to immerse ourselves deeper in God’s Word, Terri and I are traversing through a Bible study written by Max Lucado titled Experiencing the Heart of Jesus. It’s a way we can work through God’s Word together.

One of the passages that really struck me is 2 Peter 1:3-9, which is part of the reading for Week 2.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Everything We Need (And the Work We’re Still Asked to Do)

In 2 Peter 1:3–9, the apostle Peter offers a grounding reminder for a faith that can easily drift toward either striving or stagnation. Can you relate?

Paul begins with assurance:

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

2 Peter 1:3 NIV

Before Peter ever talks about effort, growth, or discipline, he starts with blessing. God has already provided what is necessary. The foundation of our faith is not our performance but God’s initiative. It’s rooted in His power, His promises, His calling.

And yet, Peter doesn’t stop there.

Grace is not static.

Peter goes on to describe a kind of participation: a sharing in God’s life that slowly reshapes us from the inside out. Escaping corruption isn’t about withdrawal from the world so much as a transformation within it fostered through learning new desires, new rhythms, new ways of being human.

This is where the language shifts.

For this very reason, make every effort…

Faith, Peter insists, is not passive. It is responsive. He describes a progression— not a checklist, but a formation: faith growing into goodness, goodness into understanding, understanding into self-control, self-control into perseverance, perseverance into godliness, godliness into mutual affection, and ultimately, love.

These aren’t abstract beliefs. They show up in how we respond under pressure, how we treat one another, how we remain present when walking away would be easier. What stands out to me is how complete this list is.

Peter is clear about the stakes. When these qualities are cultivated, our faith becomes fruitful rather than hollow, alive rather than theoretical. When they are neglected, we lose perspective. We forget who we are. We forget what has already been done for us.

Not because God has withdrawn, but because you and I have stopped paying attention.

I think this passage invites us to ask an honest question, not a guilty one:

Where is growth being asked of me right now?

Not all at once. Not perfectly. Just faithfully.

The good news the Apostle Peter threads through his words is this:
the same divine power that calls us is the power that sustains us. Growth is not something we manufacture on our own. It is something we cooperate with slowly, imperfectly, and sometimes even reluctantly.

Our journey of faith is ongoing. But it is not lonely. He is with us. Honestly, God, through the Holy Spirit, is within us.

Friend, God has already given us what we need. And He remains present as we learn how to live into it.

Until my next post…

Be salty, stay lit.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

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