How is it that we partake of the likeness of Jesus Christ? How do we grow more and more into His character and take on more of His attitudes? Peter gives us the answer: through His exceeding great and precious promises.
Let us look at a scenario. A person simply lives his life without a thought of eternity, judgment, or sin (except for the occasional conscience twinge), but then she picks up a tract left on her door. The convicting power of the Holy Spirit moves upon her heart and she is miserable. It gets worse! When it seems like there is no hope for her, a shaft of light comes! "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Quietly, she simply trusts what Jesus has done on the cross for her. She is changed instantly! Peace fills her heart. Joy floods her soul! All through the power of a promise from God.
Those who are believers will identify with this lady, but do you realize that the same process goes on in our lives day by day in the formation of the image of Christ in us? We are living our Christian lives, and doing what we know is right, and then the Lord allows a test to come. Problems arise. People do us wrongly. Financial hard times engulf us. It could be a lot of different things. Our prayers get more earnest as the test intensifies until we come across a verse of Scripture with a precious promise. Our heart's feel the warmth of God's embrace and our joy comes again even though the trial still surrounds us. Praise bursts from our lips! Others now see Jesus more in our lives than they ever have before, and the truth that Peter speaks of is confirmed. "That by these. . .," precious promises, we are made partakers of the divine nature.
If you find yourself in the testing time, or perhaps under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, look to the Word of God for one powerful, precious promise.
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