Everything we could ever need for life and complete devotion to God has already been deposited in us by His divine power. 2 Peter 1:3 . The Passion Translation
No excuse! That's what this verse tells us. No excuse for being lazy, for gossiping, for going days without prayer or reading your Bible, etc. No excuse. Why?
Because our all-loving Father has ALREADY deposited in our spirits EVERYING - yes, EVERYTHING - we need to live the life to which He has called us in Christ. And what is that life?
The precious journey from who you were before you were born again to the goal of your utter transformation into the image and likness of Jesus.
Have we really grasped that NOTHING is more important about our life than becoming just like Jesus!
In John 21, one of the disciples, Thomas, is nicknamed the 'Twin'. Historical works suggest that he had that nickname because in physical appearance he looked the most like Jesus than any of the other apostles.
I'd like to be called His twin - wouldn't you? Not because of physical appearance of course, but that my spirit would be so aligned with His spirit, the essence of Who He is, that in a spiritual sense I would be a 'twin' of Jesus. I like that thought, do you?
We don't reach that goal by pampering ourselves and doing our own thing. Sorry - no short cut! "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24
We don't hear a lot these days about the Cross, about denying our flesh, about 'reckoning' our old man dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. It's become politically incorrect to the extent that I was horrified to read about certain churches removing the Cross from their buildings and sanctuaries lest anyone be "offended".
Paul has something strong to say about that! "But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14
We need to get back to the basic message of the Gospel. Salvation is in no one else, but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Discipleship knows nothing of a self-indulgent life but with passion and devotion imitates Him Who bought us with His Precious Blood.