Humility Prayer

"Show me, O God, when my heart grows proud. Give me the tests that will reveal to me my pride and my arrogance. Put people in my life who will tell me the truth. Please, do not let me be deceived."
p. 155, The Prideful Soul, Fontenot/Jones

2 Peter 1

1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Confirming One’s Calling and Election
3 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. 4 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.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 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. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Prophecy of Scripture
12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Father, Your divine power gives me everything I need for life and godliness through my knowledge of You who called me by Your own glory and goodness. Through these (your glory and goodness) You have given me Your very great and precious promises, so that through them I can participate in the divine nature (awesome!) and escape the corruption in this world caused by evil desires. (verses 1-4)

In light of this, I want to make every effort to add to my faith goodness; I want to add knowledge; I want to add self-control; I want to add to that a deeper perseverance; I want to add godliness; I want to add mutual affection; and I want to add love – more love. I want to possess these qualities in increasing measure Father-Jesus-Spirit so that I may be effective and productive in my knowledge of You. Remind me who I am: Cleansed from all past sin. (verses 5-9)

You have long been calling me to this discipleship; help me live out of this destiny given by You -- and not fall -- till You welcome me in Your time to the eternal home. Keep me strongly established in your truth Father, and help me tend to this tent until You say it’s OK to set it aside. Till then, I want to make every effort to see that my life of discipleship impacts others even after my departure. (verses 10-15)

Remind me who I am. I desire to keep paying attention. Give me spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear this same Jesus whom You love dearly and whom Peter so powerfully experienced on that “sacred mountain.” I desire to keep paying attention to Your prophetic word like a light shining in my dark places (all dark places) until the day dawns and Your morning star rises in my heart. I stand strong on this truth: No prophecy (of Scripture: Your Word) came about by a prophet’s own interpretation. Prophecy does not have its origin in the will of man, but as men were carried along by You Holy Spirit. Carry me too Holy Spirit in Jesus’ name. (verses 16-21)